Rabbit Urinary Problems

It is firstly worth mentioning that rabbit urine varies tremendously in colour – it can be anything from the conventional yellow to an alarming red. It can even contain large amounts of chalky sediment. All are normal!

This can make it difficult to determine if there is a problem with the urine.

Haematuria (blood in the urine) will occur and must be distinguished from the normal red urine – this may require laboratory tests. The most common cause of haematuria is womb cancer in unspayed does.

Excess urine may also be seen. However, unlike dogs and cats this is not usually shown as large puddles of urine or a constant need to urinate. Instead it is usually shown by wetness of the back end and urine scalding. The most common cause is kidney failure and this may be a consequence of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection.

The same pattern of wetness and scalding may also be seen in conditions that cause difficulty in urination, the most common being urolithiasis (bladder or kidney stones). The most common signs, however, of urinary disease are pain and non-specific “feeling ill and lethargic”.

Uroliths form when minerals (especially calcium carbonate or calcium oxalate) sediment around tissue debris. This may be linked to inflammation or infection in the urinary system and may follow on from sediment formation.

"Uroliths form when minerals (especially calcium carbonate or calcium oxalate) sediment around tissue debris."

Unlike dogs and cats aberrant diet is not the most common cause of mineral sedimentation and urolith formation. It is normal for them to shed mineral in the urine and it is normal for rabbits to have alkaline urine. Similarly, overdosage of calcium supplements is rarely, if ever, a cause.

The most common causes stem from “storing” and stasis of urine flow. Without a constant flow of urine these minerals are not flushed through properly. This frequently results from inactivity and it is most common to find uroliths in rabbits that already have painful conditions – back or dental problems.

How can these problems be treated and prevented?

Therapy of urolithiasis is often surgical – the stones may have to be physically removed. However, in the early stages medical management may enable dissolution of the stones. This involves pain relief and treatment of underlying disease and stimulation of urine flow by increasing exercise and encouraging drinking (flavouring water may help). Diuretic drugs and, especially, dandelions may help.

Prevention of urolithiasis is aided by giving a good diet (to prevent dental disease), provision of ample space to exercise and plenty of good quality water to drink.