Rabbit First Aid Checklist
Unfortunately emergencies can happen, so I’m sharing my first aid kit supplies that I keep on hand/recommend. Links to these items can be found on my Amazon bunny list. We want you to feel confident and prepared ALWAYS! Reach out to me if you ever have questions/concerns
❤️Casey-(865) 806-3256
❤️Casey-(865) 806-3256
• Veterinary Contact Info – If you have a business card for your rabbit vet, include that or write it on a piece of paper.
• Vetrap Bandaging Tape– This is a self-sticking bandage tape often used by vets to secure bandages on animals.
• Cotton Balls
• Q Tips
• Tweezers
• Rounded Tip Scissors– to cut bandages and tape. Helps rid buns of mats.
• Disposable Gloves – to prevent the transfer of germs.
•Saline solution to wash out dirt and debris from the wound or scratch.
• Hand Sanitizing Wipes: Human use only. Wipe down your hands before cleaning wounds. Also great for wiping down surfaces if needed.
• Vetericyn Wound & Skin Care– An antibacterial spray that is safe for rabbits, good to use to clean scrapes, cuts and eye wash.
•Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment: Helps fight eye infections caused by bacteria. This broad-spectrum antibiotic ointment is prescribed to help combat a variety of eye infections, including pink eye, inflamed cornea, corneal ulcer and inflammation of the eyelids. These infections can cause pain, irritation, irregular tear production, among other issues. This medication is applied topically for easy administration.
• Neosporin – Make sure it does not have “pain relief” ingredients. For treating minor cuts and wounds.
• Nail Clippers – These are to have on hand to regularly trim your rabbit’s nails. Regular human nail clippers work fine for this but you can buy pet nail clippers as well.
• Styptic Powder or corn starch– If you accidentally clip your rabbit’s nails too close, they will bleed (same if they get their nail caught and rip it off). Dip the nail in styptic powder to stop the bleeding. In pinch, you can use cornflower. Do not use for other wounds, just nails.
• Oral Syringes – If your rabbit stops eating or drinking, you’ll need these to administer food and water to help prevent GI Stasis. Get 1 cc size for medication and 35 cc size for feeding.
• Oxbow Critical Care – This supplement is useful to syringe feed your rabbit if they stop eating. The flavor is tasty and it will get them the nutrients you need. Just mix with water.
• Baby Food – Another trick for feeding a stubburn bunny who has stopped eating is to water down some baby food and feed it through a syringe. Make sure to buy organic baby food with no additives or other ingredients. Pumpkin and squash are highly recommended. In a pinch, you can use watered down canned pumpkin with no additives or seasonings.
• Probiotics like Bene-Bac need to be given 2 hours after antibiotics. This is to keep the digestive tract running better while antibiotics remove any kind of bacteria.
• A&D Ointment – Sold in stores as a diaper rash ointment, A&D is often recommended by vets to treat multiple issues hock sores, and nest box eye. If you have Bag Balm on hand, this can also be used.
• Infant Gas Medication – GI Stasis can be caused by gas build up in the stomach that prevents your rabbit from eating. You can give your rabbit 1 cc of infant gas medicine (simethicone) every hour for three hours to try and relieve the build up.
•Papaya Tablets – If your rabbit is prone to hairballs, giving a papaya tablet weekly can help keep their system moving.
• Rectal Thermometer– Because a rabbit’s body temperature can be elevated by stress (like a carride to the vet), it’s good to be able to take the temperature at home to have an accurate number. This will need to be done rectaly, and we recommend using a digital thermometer. Learn how to take a rabbit’s temperature with this easy to follow video. This is a skill you will want to practice before an emergency, both so you are comfortable with it and so your rabbit is used to the procedure. In rabbits, a normal rabbit’s body temperature is between 38.5 and 40 degrees Celsius (101.3 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit). An abnormally high or low body temperature may be a sign of numerous problems.
• Vaseline – To lubricate the thermometer. You MUST lubricate it well before taking your rabbit’s temperature. Vaseline or 100% petroleum jelly is recomended over other lubricants.
• Heating Pad– Can use an electric heating pad or a microwaveable one.
• Cooling Pad – To cool an overheating rabbit.
• Towel – It’s important to have a large bath towel on hand that you can wrap your rabbit in if you need to restrain them.
If you don’t already have a rabbit carrier, buy one ASAP so you can easily take your rabbit to the vet in an emergency. I prefer the one that opens from the top. It can be less stress on your bunny.
• A digital scale to weigh your bunny for weight loss or weight gain. If you notice that your rabbit has lost a significant amount of weight, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.
•Molasses is a useful and natural sugar that when mixed with water, makes a great rehydration solution. Mix ½ tsp of molasses into your bunny’s water dish. You can even add in a mashed banana for extra potassium.
•A small flashlight to spot fleas or mites easier. (Because we all know it’s hard to keep a bun still in the right lighting). Can also aid in nail trimming.
•Mineral oil is an easy and natural way of getting rid of ear mites. You can wipe their ears clean with a cotton swab soaked in mineral oil.
•A flea comb is a really handy tool for holding back a patch of fur, or for the obvious reason of searching for fleas
•VetRx Rabbit Remedy is an excellent, 100% natural veterinary remedy for relieving respiratory infections, colds and ear mites or ear canker for rabbits. Also relieves wheezing, colds and snuffles which, if left untreated, can progress into pneumonia.