What Can Cause Weight Loss In Rabbits?

Despite a good appetite my rabbit (dwarf lop) has lost a lot of weight. His behavior has not changed. My vet has checked his teeth and said they were ok.

By far the most common cause of weight loss in rabbits is dental, but your vet has rightly checked for this. Other reasons include parasite infection; a chronic form of a bacterial infection known as Tyzzer’s disease; arteriosclerosis, a disease of the blood vessels; clumped hair in the stomach from excessive grooming; and Pseudotuberculosis, an infection of the intestines.

It is a good idea to assess whether your rabbit is actually losing weight through regular weighing and thinking about whether they are getting enough food. For example, do you keep more than one rabbit, and if so, is there ‘bullying’? You also need to think about whether your rabbit falls within the normal weight range for the breed. I would also suggest that you give your rabbit’s vet a call and chat with them about the rabbit’s weight, especially if he is still losing condition. They may need to re-examine him.