Is the bulge under my rabbit's neck normal, or is it just fat?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I think your question got cut off, but I believe the neck fat you are referring to is the "dewlap", which is normal in female bunnies. This is where they can pull out extra fur to help make a nest if they were to have babies. It is perfectly normal. However, obese bunnies or ones with a very large dewlap may have difficulty eating and grooming themselves. They may also be more prone to skin infections of the area, so it is important to help your bunny with grooming the dewlap if she is having difficulty doing so herself. I hope this helps, and that Fluffy is doing well!

Hello. I am sorry for such a long wait for an answer, but something is really amiss with your bunnies. To have obvious muscle loss along with an expanding belly indicates some disease process is ongoing. The swelling in the belly can be due to fluid buildup or enlargement of some of the abdominal orgas, called organomegaly. This is really something that requires a hands on exam & possibly some diagnostic tests run as well as a good overview of your husbandry practices. I hope all is well soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Usually overweight rabbits shows these problems which can lead frequently to skin infections. The hole could be a spot of infection and ideally should be seen as soon as possible. Dietary change is absolutely needed (usually a balanced diet should be made with 80-90%hay, 5%pellets and 5%greens). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

You can't really spread the fat the way you want to in rabbits, it's normal for a rabbit to be fuller in the belly area and more bonny in the back. i would need to see a picture in order to tell you if it is indeed normal though, you can repost a question with a picture if you want.

I am very sorry to hear about Stanley. It sounds like she definitely needs to visit the veterinarian. In a rabbit with a swelling like this we worry very much about an abscess, or pocket of infection under the skin. This can be especially common in rabbits with dental issues, such as overgrown teeth (which it sounds like your bunny is suffering from). She needs to see the vet not only to address the abscess (which may require the vet to open and drain and then prescribe antibiotics) but also to address the teeth which may require trimming to allow her to eat normally. If untreated the condition can progress and lead to a painful death as the rabbit eventually becomes unable to eat.

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I suppose it could be a full belly, but since it is something you haven’t felt before then I would be suspicious that it is something else. If it is still there tomorrow I would recommend that he be seen by your veterinarian. Best of luck to both of you and thank you for using Pet Coach.