How do you know a rabbit has rabbit fever?

Answer 1

Only a vet can tell for sure if a rabbit has cancer, but rabbits with cancer will start to display signs of sickness or ill-health that rabbit owners should be able to notice. It's important that rabbit owners pay close attention to their rabbits every day so that signs of ill-health and sickness are caught early on. When you notice that your rabbit is sick, or might be sick, you should bring her to a "rabbit-savvy" vet (a vet with experience and knowledge in rabbits) so that you can find out what's wrong. See the related questions below for more details and helpful links.

Answer 2

About rabbit fever (Tularemia)

It is not easy to tell if a rabbit has Tularemia without dissecting its body - signs include white spots on the liver and a swollen spleen. Without killing the animal, if you see an infected area or ulcer on the skin, this could be a sign of Tularemia, because it could signify the area where the rabbit was bitten by an insect (insects like ticks, mosquitos, and deer flies spread the disease); but an ulcer or infection on the skin could signify many different things, not necessarily Tularemia.

About fever in pet rabbits (i.e. high internal temperature)

The tips of the ears is how you tell if the rabbit has fever. But them being hot is normal but when they are too hot and did not move all day that's when you know there is something wrong.

If your rabbit has a fever, or heatstroke, it needs immediate help from a vet, or else it probably won't survive. See the related questions below for more information about rabbit sickness and vets.

A rabbit's rectal temperature should be between 99-104 degrees Fahrenheit (37.2-40 Celsius). If the temperature is lower or higher than that, then you know the rabbit is very sick. It's a good idea to ask your vet to teach you how to take the rabbit's rectal temperature.

Rabbits are susceptible to heat stroke when it gets to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25C) or hotter. There are ways to keep rabbits cool, for instance:

• Always provide access to shade and breezes (good air flow)
• Always provide access to cool water so the rabbit can drink and stay hydrated
• Because rabbits can't sweat, using a fan doesn't really help rabbits stay cool; but hanging a cold wet towel in the area and aiming a fan at that will cool the air
• Give the rabbit ceramic or stone tiles that have been chilled in the freezer to lay on
• Freeze a big bottle filled with water, and put that in the area; the rabbit may lay beside it or not, but either way it will cool the air as it evaporates