Why is my bunny rubbing his nose, matted paws, and grinding teeth?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection for example. For this reason, I recommend that you have your bunny evaluated by a veterinarian who can examine this and determine what it may be so that therapy can be recommended more specifically. Best of luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Thumper and including photos. By the description and swelling on the right side of the face, a dental abscess is highly suspicious. The dental disease is making it difficult for Thumper to eat, therefore loosing weight. A veterinary visit is recommended, the sooner the better. Rarely do antibiotics solve this problem, might requiring some surgery or tooth extraction. Good luck.

Hello! A wet nose in a rabbit usually indicates nasal discharge. Nasal discharge can result from allergy, inflammation, or infection of the nasal passages or even from an infected tooth root. It is very common for rabbits to carry a bacteria called Pasteurella (often referred to as “snuffles”). This bacteria can flare up in times of stress. Most rabbits have at least been exposed to this bacteria, and there are also other bacteria and viruses that could cause similar respiratory illness. The best thing to do for Buddy would be to have him examined by your local vet who can assess the discharge and Buddys breathing and teeth. the vet may recommend blood work, X-rays, or even a CT scan of his head since that will give the best information about the nose and terth. Remember that an oral exam in an awake rabbit is fairly insensitive to disease and any root disease is not visible except with X-rays for a CT scan. Since rabbits can only breath through their nose, it’s important to get this evaluated while Buddy is doing well, since potential profession of disease could be serious. Good luck to you and Buddy!

Thanks for reaching out about Stewie. Bruxism (grinding of the teeth) can be a sign of pain in rabbits, In addition, a decreased appetite is also a sign of pain that is originating somewhere in the body. When a rabbit eats less and has a decrease in defecation, this is termed gastrointestinal stasis. Unfortunately, there are many reasons for GI stasis to occur, including infections, tooth problems, masses, arthritis, etc. Due to the many reasons that GI stasis can occur, I would recommend having Stewie evaluated by a veterinarian. With his history of intermittent diarrhea, your veterinarian will likely want to evaluate the feces, so please bring in a fresh sample, if any is produced. Your veterinarian can also perform a thorough physical examination, and then will likely recommend some diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of the pain and GI stasis if there is not an obvious reason found on physical examination. They can also provide you with pain medications. Please don't give Stewie any human medications at home, as many of these can be harmful to our furry friends. If you are having trouble identifying a veterinarian who is comfortable with rabbits in your area, you can visit the AEMV website for assistance. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Stewie feels better soon.

Thanks for sending the pictures of Brit. It appears as if Brit has eye discharge, possibly from an infection or blockage of her tear ducts. The tears can not drain, and then course down the side of face, causing the hair to fall out. This can also be caused by dental disease. Grinding teeth is often an indication of pain. Her head is held down and eye closed, another sign she is not feeling well. By the pictures she also appears thin, as if she is not eating well. There is no human medicine or any medicines that can be prescribed without being seen by a veterinarian. You should try and see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Also rabbits need to be spayed to prevent reproductive disease. Hope it works out well.

It does sound as if Donut’s foot may be bothering her. She may have a torn or injured toenail or could have gotten her paw stuck in the sides of her cage. I would recommend examining her foot and seeing if you can see anything abnormal. If you can’t and she is still acting painful for more than a day or so then I would recommend having her checked out by your veterinarian. I hope this helps and I hope Donut gets to feeling better soon. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My first concern would be his teeth. Rabbits have constantly growing teeth and they can invade up into the sinus cavity. Of course other problems such as infection or even tumor are possibilities. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.