The easiest way to spot a hairball is that the rabbit has gone off feed and won't even eat their hay or treats. Buy FRESH whole pineapple and cut up and orally give the rabbit the pineapple juice. The best way to get the most juice is to mash up a few pieces and draw the juice out, very easy to do. DON'T use canned pineapple juice, you need a fresh pineapple for your best results. They don't normally like this very well and will fight you, we use a small syringe and give them at least 3 full syringes the first day and keep the treatment up until the rabbit is eating pellets normally. They are usually better in 2-3 days.
Vent Disease:
The buck or doe external genitalia has small ulcers that are swollen and crusty. Do NOT breed that animal until afer the 3 full weeks of treatment! Obtain Pen G from your vet and give them 1/10cc subQ(under the skin) in the shoulder area, give them one treatment once a week for three weeks. So a total of three shots, diabetic syringes work best. Once they've had that third treatment, they are ready to enter back into the breeding herd. Treat all animals that were bred with that rabbit even if they are not showing symptoms.
Mucoid Enteritis:
This normally occurs after you have weaned a litter, you will notice a kit that has jelly type subtance covering their droppings. We have never been successful at treating these animals once they show signs and MY best advice is to cull.
Diarrhea in Young Kits:
This normally occurs when the kits are still w/their mom (5-10 weeks), they are normally sitting alone and not up eating and you find them to have diarrhea. We have never saved one after they have gotten to that point but prevention is your best key here. Lots of fiber in the diet, aka: HAY. We also use Terramycin (Oxytetracycline) as a treatment in their water bowls. You mix 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Buy it at any farm store or from your rabbit equipment dealer. We normally do this once a month on all baby groups and have seen a large reduction in death due to diarrhea. Treat for 3-5 days, directions say 5, i've seen great results at 2-3 days so it's your call. I do believe that some feeds seem to be the main culprit, so if you haven't had issues with this in the past, no need to start a preventative treatment process in your herd.
Mastitis:
Occurs after a doe has recently kindled, she will be off feed is the first sign, feel her belly area and if you find a swollen milk gland that is hot than she needs treatment ASAP. Give 1/10cc Pen G subQ(under the skin) in the shoulder area. We give that every 3 days or until the swelling has gone down. Most of the time the swelling goes down after one treatment. The faster you catch this the better off you will be at treating her and keeping that litter alive!
Snuffles:
CULL!!!! There is no treatment that is successful, once you have found the infected rabbit, remove it immediately and cull the animal. It will only spread to your herd and not worth the loss of your whole herd because of one rabbit. Disinfect the cage before putting new animals in that hole. Please don't take these rabbits to shows either!
Sore Hocks:
Very common problem in Mini Rex. Prevention is key here again, we use the plasticfloor boards in cages, works great, buy from any rabbit equipment dealer! If the rabbit is found w/sore, bloody feet, clean the area, put udder balm (buy at farm stores, it's pink and very smelly) on the feet. We also give them a plastic matt at that time. Treat once a day until bleeding stops and after that it just takes time and that animal will always need to have a plastic floor matt.
Ear Mites:
Not very common but use mineral oil and put a couple of drops inside the ear, do that daily until you don't see any mites.
Wryneck:
Cull. You will notice the rabbit has their head tilted to one side, some might spin, the best treatment is to cull.