The domestic rabbit is very prone to obesity. Wild rabbits often have miles of territory in which the travel across to forage, whereas pet rabbits are often caged in 2 ft by 2 ft cages. Obesity, or the collection of body fat, is the most common nutritional disease in all pets.

A rabbit is obese when he weighs 15 percent more than his optimal body weight. (Your veterinarian can determine your pet's optimal weight.) The rule of thumb: You shouldn't clearly see your pet's ribs, but you should feel them under a slight covering of fat. (www.petco.com).

Obesity is a very serious issue in rabbits because of the health problems it can cause. When the musculoskeletal system bears excessive weight day in and day out, joint and locomotion problems can develop, including arthritis or spinal injury. Obese rabbits may stop grooming, especially the area around the anus and the scent glands, and they may experience chronic, intermittent diarrhea. Obesity also leads to respiratory and heart disease, high blood pressure, fertility problems, liver abnormalities, skin problems and even cancer. The bottom line: Obesity shortens the duration and quality of your pet's life. (www.petco.com).

Determining Obesity

Ideally, you should weigh your rabbit every month to watch for any weight changes. A steady weight gain usually points to a needed change of diet, while sudden weight gain points to an illness. Besides weighing your rabbit, a physical exam can be performed to evaluate weight. “Rabbits store fat inside their abdomen, which makes just eyeballing them for love handles ineffective. Run your hands along your rabbit's side, feeling the rib cage. When you reach the end of the ribs, you should be able to feel a slight inward slope, the waist. Fat bunnies will balloon out instead.” (Kruse). The size of the dewlap under a rabbit’s chin, or the skirt, a fold of skin near the base of the tail, can also be used to determine obesity, but should not be used solely as many ideal weight rabbits have large skirts and dewlaps. 

Cause of Obesity: Not Just Overeating!

There are many causes for obesity in rabbits, the major cause is overeating. “This condition again usually results when an animal is being fed too many pellets. Rabbit pellets are high in calories and low in fiber.” (Finch). According to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, many pet rabbit owners use treats and food for affection, especially If the rabbit owner does not feel they spend enough time with their rabbit. Many commercially produced rabbit treats are very high in fat and many pet owners give their rabbits too many of these treats. Disease and other medical disorders can also cause weight gain. Neutering and spaying increases the risk of weight gain. Pets that do not get enough exercise are more likely to gain weight and may need fewer calories when they have decreased activity. Increased age in older pets can also cause weight gain, older pets are often less active, requiring fewer calories, but many owners do not decrease their caloric intake.

Treatment  

The hardest part in treating obese rabbits is admitting that the rabbit is obese. Many pet owners feel very guilty about letting their pet’s health go. The only effective obesity treatment is to decrease fat and food intake, and increase activity. The latter can be very difficult as many rabbits have other health problems that limit their ability to exercise. Often times a simple change in diet can cause weight loss. Rabbits should be fed a diet of pellets with a high percentage of fiber, low percentage of protein, and very low percentage of fat. The rule of thumb is ¼ a cup of pellets for every 5 pounds of rabbit body weight. The rabbit should also be fed an unlimited amount of straws and hays. These high fiber plants aid in digestion and “fill” the rabbit up with low fat, healthy food.  Vegetables and treats can still be given, however, starchy vegetables like carrots should be cut out, and fruits should also be cut out because of the amount of sugar content. Vegetables should consist of an assortment of bitter leaves and other plants. An overweight rabbit should be fed twice a day using the ¼ a cup of pellets a day for every five pounds of weight, limited greens, and unlimited hays/straws. All treats should be cut out of the diet. “If you are overfeeding, slowly reduce the volume of food to the proper intake level.” (www.petco.com).

            Exercise is often the hardest part of the diet, but the most crucial, the diet change only prevents more fat from being added on, so the rabbit needs to work off the fat built up in the body. If the rabbit is caged for most of the day, or lives in the house but doesn’t move much, simply taking the rabbit to an enclosed large pen outside will cause the rabbit to become active. Being outside and in the grass will generally be enough of a motivation for the rabbit to get up and investigate its surroundings, and even run and play. If the rabbit is incapable of exercise due to other health problems, the owner needs to consult with their vet for further information on weight loss diets.

            Often times it is not possible to take the rabbit outside. If the rabbit is caged, allowing the rabbit outside of the cage to play in a bunny proof room is an option. If the rabbit is a low activity rabbit, toys can be used to get the rabbit moving. The best toys mentally stimulate a rabbit. Toys that the rabbit has to work on getting treats out of can really get a rabbit moving. In the case of an obese rabbit, the treats can be food like straw or bitter greens.

            Weight loss in rabbits does not happen over night. According to Weight Watching for Rabbits; the key to diet change and weight loss is to do it gradually. Any fast weight loss will risk doing major, sometimes fatal, damage to the liver as it becomes clogged with fat.  However, the sooner the rabbit looses weight, the better.

If you think you are doing everything correctly, and your rabbit is still obese, your veterinarian may need to evaluate him for possible medical causes, such as low metabolic rate, hypothyroidism or diabetes. (www.petco.com)

Healthy weight rabbits live happier, healthier, and longer lives.

When a rabbit owner can recognize, treat, and prevent obesity, they can help their rabbit live a long and healthy life. Monthly weight checks and physical exams can aid the pet rabbit owner in determining the weight status of their bunny. Overeating is the number one cause of obesity in rabbits. Disease or other health problems can also cause an increase in weight. Rabbits that are confined to small environments, or are older or less active will also have increase weight gain. The best treatment for obesity in rabbits is a gradual decrease of food and an increase in activity. However, the hardest part of the diet is getting the rabbit moving. Treats and other fatty foods should be cut off from the diet, and for inactive rabbits, toys that mentally stimulate the rabbit, and going outside to run around will often motivate the rabbit to move. If the owner does not see a weight loss, the vet should be consulted. Helping that furry friend lose weight can be the best thing an owner can do for their pet. Not only will the rabbit look like a slim and sleek, and be fit, but they'll feel great and hopefully be snuggling for years to come.

Works Cited

Finch, DVM, Nickol. "Is your Bunny Healthy?." College of Veterinary Medicine. 17 July 2004. Washington State University. 16 Nov. 2005 <http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/>.

Hrapkiewicz DVM, MS, Karen, Leticia Medina DVM, and Donald D. Holmes DVM, MS. Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine an Introduction. 2nd ed. Ames: Blackwell, 1998.

Kruse, DVM, Astrid M. "Weight Watching for Rabbits." House Rabbit Network. House Rabbit Network. 16 Nov. 2005 <http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/>.

"Obesity in Rabbits." petco.com. Petco. 18 Nov. 2005 <http://www.petco.com/>.

Weight Management: Caring for your Pet. n.p.: Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc., 2005.