Rabbits are prey animals, so they instinctively hide their pain. In nature, prey animals in pain quickly get caught and devoured by predators. If your bunny is sick, he’s likely to become extremely quiet rather than display obvious pain symptoms. Your veterinarian can choose from various medications with analgesic or anti-inflammatory properties to safely treat rabbit pain. In addition to medication, a veterinary acupuncturist might provide relief from arthritis pain or other chronic conditions.
Rabbits cannot verbally tell us about their discomfort, so pain can be very difficult to identify. Pain perception is similar in all animals. Therefore, treating pain is crucial because it diminishes your pet rabbit’s quality of life. Pain in rabbits can be treated naturally or medically, depending on the cause. NSAIDs are used for chronic pain, and narcotics, such as opioids, may be used for pre-surgery or post-surgery pain. Local anesthetics are administered for minor surgical procedures, such as skin biopsies. Natural pain treatments include acupuncture and massage. Pain is almost always a sign of an underlying health issue that needs treatment. Identifying pain allows your vet to make an accurate diagnosis, treat pain to relieve stress, and enables your rabbit to recover faster
Description
There are many analgesic choices for rabbits, which can be used depending on the cause and severity of the pain. Some methods involve the use of drugs or drug combinations, while others are more natural. Rabbits experience physical pain in the same way humans do. Rabbits are also incredibly vulnerable to stress. Therefore, if moderate-to-severe pain isn’t managed appropriately, it can have serious consequences. Pain relief can improve the quality of your rabbit’s life and increase its chances of recovering from treatment. Pain management is used for
- Dental disease
- Gastrointestinal disease
- Trauma
- Arthritis
- Surgical intervention
Drugs, such as aspirin, may be used to treat mild-to-moderate chronic pain. If a rabbit needs to be hospitalized, your vet may opt for drugs that reduce anxiety in conjunction with pain medication. Buprenorphine is a type of opioid medication that may be used to relieve discomfort before, during, or after a surgical procedure.
Features of Painkiller For Rabbits
If you think your rabbit is showing any of the signs above or is otherwise behaving unusually then you must take it to the vet immediately. It is very unlikely for the condition to improve once your rabbit is showing signs of distress and It’s vital to get pain under control as quickly as possible. Although there are no pain killing medications licensed for use with rabbits, a rabbit-savvy vet will have a good experience of what drugs are effective and safe when used at the proper dosage.
Pain Medications for Rabbits
Name of Pain Medication | Dosage | Method and Frequency | Notes |
Aspirin | 10-100 mg/kg (up to 400 mg/kg) | Orally once a day (up to 3 times a day) | Aspirin is a blood thinner Avoid aspirin if surgery is planned or in case of internal bleeding |
Ibuprofen | 2-10 mg/kg | Orally, Once a day (up to 3 times a day) | May cause gastric irritation or ulceration |
Carprofen | 1-2.2 mg/kg 2-4 mg/kg (for subcutaneous injection and IV) | Orally – twice a day Subcutaneous injection or intravenous injection (IV) – once a day | Effective during 12 to 24 hours |
Flurbiprofen | 1 drop | Topically 2-3 times a day | Only for nose and eyes |
Ketoprofen | 1-3 mg/kg | Intramuscular injection 1-2 times a day | Effective for 24 hours Will interact with diuretics and aspirin |
Paracetamol | 200-500 mg/kg | Orally | – |
Piroxicam | 0.3 mg/kg | Orally | – |
Meloxicam | 0.3-0.6 mg/kg up to 1.5 mg/kg (for severe pain) | Orally, intramuscular injection or subcutaneous injection 1-2 times a day | Effective for 12 to 24 hours. Should not be used with other NSAIDs, corticosteroid or nephrotic drug. Should not be used if rabbit has kidney or liver failure. |
Prices of Painkiller For Rabbits
$17.95 – $28.95