Did you ever think about having an emergency first aid kit on hand specifically for your rabbit health, just like you might have for yourself and your family? Emergencies can happen any time, and, according to Murphy's law at the most inopportune of times: a holiday or a weekend when your regular rabbit-savvy vet isn't in. Even if your vet is in, you'll find it's important to have an emergency kit for bunny on hand. You should include some, if not all, of the following items in your rabbit first aid kit: * Baby food or canned pumpkin to mix: Use then when your bunny refuses to eat; it's easy to get the baby food or canned pumpkin into a syringe. * Critical Care by Oxbow: the same as baby food and canned pumpkin, you'll use this when your bunny refuses to eat. However, Critical Care is only available through your vet's office. * Gas medication (Simethicone) in case of a gas emergency. Various brands are acceptable including Gas-X. For a detailed way to administer the medication as well as for proper dosages, look on www.bio.miami.edu for the article on bunny gastrointestinal problems. * Basic Neosporin (the non-pain relief type.) You can use this if your bunny has a minor cut or wound. * Flour: this is the trick if you trim your bunny's nails a little too short, and they begin to bleed. Simply dip her paw into the flour. * Gauze and cotton to care for wounds. * Scissors (to carefully trim the fur surrounding a bunny wound.) * Syringes of various sizes * Saline (for washing out eyes in an emergency.) * Eyedropper (to administer the saline.) * Heating pad: you'll use this if your bunny goes into hypothermia. * Tweezers When Bunny Get Fleas Like other animals, rabbits are prone to fleas. Fleas can be treated with a trip to the vet. It is extremely important that your bunny see a bunny-savvy vet as certain flea dips can kill your pets! A bunny-savvy vet will know the proper type of flea medication to prescribe. You should knowand be sure to rememberFrontline should NEVER be used on rabbits. For excellent information on fleas and why not to use Frontline, join the Etherbun list and read through the archives. (This is probably a good idea anyway, as you'll obtain a wealth of information and valuable advice from fellow bunny owners and experts.) |
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