Bladder Problems in Rabbits
Rabbit urine varies in colour from a fairly pale yellow, to orange or sometimes red, it can also look quite cloudy and thick. This can change depending on what they have eaten and / or if they are keeping hydrated.
It can be quite worrying when you see red urine for the first time, and it is easy to jump to the conclusion that it is blood they are passing in their urine. However, if they have eaten beetroot leaves or other foods with strong colouring, their urine can be stained red; the name for this is Beeturia, and it is perfectly normal.
However, if you notice blood flecks or any sludge in their urine and / or they are straining to wee then you must get them seen by a vet as a matter of urgency.
Drinking
Drinking enough water is one of the most important thing any rabbit can do to keep themselves healthy. They do get some liquid from fresh forage, grass and / or vegetables, but that is not sufficient for their needs. They must have access to clean fresh water all day every day preferably from a bowl or water dispenser and NOT a bottle.
It is a more natural, and, comfortable head position for a rabbit to drink from a bowl, in the wild they would drink from water sources not bottles! Bowls can get filled with bedding and hay, and they can be tipped over unless you use a heavy pottery bowl but they are very easy to clean. Bottles can get clogged and in winter the spout and / or the ball bearing in the spout is likely to freeze leaving a rabbit with no water whatsoever. Bowls can be put on the microwaveable snuggle safe pads.
Bladder Sludge and Infections
Humans and most animals take as much calcium from their food as is needed and any excess is passed along the intestines with other waste products. Rabbits are different, they remove all of the calcium from the food they eat and any extra that they don’t need is filtered by their kidneys and passed out in their urine.
This isn’t a problem for them as long as they are drinking enough and the amount of calcium they consume is appropriate for their needs. The problem is when they are overfed calcium rich greens such as spinach and kale.
Rabbits, like us, can suffer from bladder issues such as cystitis, inflammation of the lining of the bladder, this can be caused by bacteria; but it can also be triggered by the presence of sludge (calcified crystals) in the bladder. Rabbits with cystitis will usually strain to wee but not produce much, or any at all in severe cases, this may also have flecks of blood in it. They will be in pain with this condition, may lose their appetite and sit in a hunched position.
When you see this in your rabbit you will need to get them urgent veterinary treatment. Your vet will need to examine your rabbit, looking for signs of flinching and feeling for a full bladder. If they are able to help your rabbit wee, that may relieve some pressure but will need to prescribe painkillers and antibiotics.
In very severe cases they may need to flush the bladder under anaesthesia.
Arthritis / Mobility Issues
When a rabbit passes urine, they normally lift their tail and tilt their pelvis. Rabbits with arthritis or back problems find it hard to position themselves properly so that they can empty their bladder fully. If some urine is left in the bladder with calcium in it the calcium sludge can quickly build up until your rabbit has a serious bladder sludge problem.
If this sludge gets into the urethra, the tube that the urine passes through on its way out of the body, it can block it. Sometimes the sludge will turn into bladder stones and these can block the urethra too which is incredibly painful.
Rabbits with bladder stones will usually need them removing surgically. Rabbits that may have arthritis may need daily pain control in order for them to be comfortable and empty their bladder properly to prevent this happening.
If your rabbit’s fur is wet with urine, your pet is straining as if constipated, or has lost normal toilet training, see your vet as there may be problems that can be treated. Rabbits left to sit in their own urine will be at risk of urine scald and sore hocks. Gridded litter trays may help if your rabbits spend a lot of time sat in their trays.