1. The eyes should neither be watery or show discharge. Dullness and lack of luster can signal that something is wrong.
2. Bluish discoloration of the nose and unusually heavy breathing are symptoms of heart and lung troubles or may indicate circulatory weakness.
3. Check the ears regularly for any crusts or deposits caused by ear mites.
4. The teeth should not be too long or bent into circular shapes. Make sure the bunny always has plenty to chew on.
5. Watch out for dull, shaggy, or rough fur. Bald spots are usually from lack of nutrients, or something more serious like mange mite infections.
6. The belly should be somewhat round, the shape plump, and the belly should never be hard unless the rabbit is pregnant.
7. Be on the lookout for fecal matter around the anus that signals diarrhea, urine scald, sore hocks ( painful abrasions on the feet ), and matted paws, which are caused by consistant swipes to a runny nose.
8. Consistant sneezing and a runny nose may signal a cold or worse. Look at the disease section of the site for more symptoms.
9. Take your bunny to the vet ASAP if your rabbit is experiencing sudden weight loss, constipation, or has stopped eating and drinking.

Abscesses may be felt as a soft lump underneath the rabbit's skin. They rise when bacteria is able to enter through the skin from a cut, scrape, or bite. Left alone, abscesses can become enormous and even result in death. Caught early it is relatively easy to treat. To treat a small abscess, cut away any surrounding hair. Gently bathe the abscess in warm water with a portion of antiseptic. The scab over the absess can be loosened by frequent bathing, and the pus should be gently squeezed out. After the wound has been cleaned, it is again bathed in antiseptic solution and wiped dry. It is a good idea to follow with antiseptic cream. Consult the vet for medium or large abscesses.

Bloating is a serious case of gas which can be accompanied with constipation. It is usually caused by overfeeding the animal greens or by feeding the bun wet foods and food fermented by excessively warm storage. Bloating should not be left untreated, as it is very unpleasant and can be fatal. Immediately remove all food and edible lining. Directly feed your rabbit a teaspoon full of linseed oil. To offset circulatory weakness, you can feed a spoonful of strong coffee. Any bloating that persists should be treated by a vet.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease. If the symptoms have appeared the infection is already advanced. The only way to be sure is to take your rabbits stool sample to a vet. If caught in time, there are medications available. It can spread rapidly and comes in 2 forms. It can attack the intestinal wall or the liver. Symptoms include weight loss and sudden intense, water diarrhea. It is transmitted by droppings. To prevent, keep the cage immaculately clean and avoid overcrowding. Sometimes an adult can be a carrier without obvious symptoms.

For colds, keep the infected bunny isolated, warm, dry and draft free.

Compaction of the gut results from a massive hairball that gets caught in the stomach or intestines. The ball can get so large it blocks food passage. This is common in long haired breeds, especially Angoras, and can be prevented by frequent, weekly brushings. Castor Oil will often help to move the hairball along. Take your bun to the vet if a hairball is suspected and constipation is occuring.

Constipation is when there is little droppings, sometimes accompanied with bloating. Offer lots of room temperature water and juicy carrots or apple parings to treat. Allow as much space and exercise as possible.

Diarrhea - The droppings are soft or runny as a sign, and sometimes hace a bad odor. At times it is stuck together in clumps and shows traces of blood. To treat, clean containers twice a day with hot water. Stop feeding of greens completely. Feed good qualtiy hay, and you can offer mint or chamomile tea. If persists, phone your vet.

Signs of ear mites are tilting of the head, rubbing the ears on objects, shaking of the ears, crusty deposits inside. First clean the cage well and change bedding. If the ear deposits are soft , clean with cotton. If dry and hard, use an eyedropper to apply 3-10 drops mineral oil to wet area. Wait a few hours and wipe out. ( Avoid Q Tips ) After cleaning drop 2-3 drops mineral oil as deep into the ear as you can. ( Not putting the dropper into the ear as this could do great damage! ) Repeat entire process 1-3 days late, again one week later.

Eye inflammation is caused by drafts, dust, colds, and too much ammonia content in the bedding. The eyes tear and are often kept shut. The cornea will appear yellowish or reddish, and the conjunctivas may be red. Remove the cause ( Fights, drafts, etc ) and get an ophthalmic ointment from your vet.

Heatstroke can cause a horrible death. Sympoms before collape are rapid, shallow breathing and large heaving. Move the bunny to a cooler area ( Not a cold one ) and offer room temp. water. Let him rest, unconfined and unbothered.

Enteritis is an intestinal inflammation cause by a number of pathogenic organisims. Transmitted through droppings and food. Some animals remain carriers without being sick.

Pseudotuberculosis is spread through food that has been touched by an infected rat or mouse. Symptoms are weight loss, labored breath, followed by sudden death. Immediately bring bunny to a vet.

Myxomatosis is a serious viral diseas of rabbits transmitted by insect bites. Symptoms are teary eyes, general weight loss, and sometimes swelling on the side of the head. There is no treatment available yet. One of the strings is weaker than the others, however, and some rabbits can survive this. Interesting enough, a mother that survived this disease will pass the immunity on to her children.

Tularemia is transmitted by ticks for rodents. It is rarely seen in rabbits! Symptoms are slight feveer, spasm, weight loss, ruffled coat, sneezing and weakness. There is no treatment for rabbits. Be careful, as this can affect dogs and humans!

Mangeis also caused by ectoparasites. It is rare in clean bunnies well cared for. To treat take the rabbit to the vet and thoroughly disinfect hutch with a blowtorch carefully. Better yet, buy a new hutch!