Things that are poisonous to your pet rabbit and what
to do
if your pet rabbit is poisoned
Symptoms of poisoning:
Diarrhea; seizures, drooling or foaming at the mouth;
swollen or red skin, ulcers in the mouth; burned lips, mouth or
skin; bleeding from anus or other body cavity; abnormal mental
state
Possible Causes:
Accidental ingestion of poison or poisonous
plant, eating toxic food or garbage, improper medication
administration
What to Do:
Ingested poisons:
1. Check for breathing and pulse.
2. Check the color of your rabbit's gums. Certain poisons can
cause specific changes in color.
3. Push lightly on the rabbit's gums and see how fast they turn
from pink to white and then pink again. They should turn pink
again in one to two seconds. Less than one second or more than
three constitutes an emergency situation.
4. Check the rabbit's mental state.
5. Call your veterinarian or the National Animal Poison Control
Center 1-800-548-2423.
Topical poisoning:
1. Call your veterinarian or the National Animal Poison Control
Center 1-800-548-2423.
2. Wash your rabbit repeatedly with soap and water.
3. Flush the eyes with large volumes of tap water or sterile
eyewash.
4. If the poison is in powder form, dust or vacuum it off.
Inhaled poisons (carbon monoxide and other gases):
1. Remove the animal from the area and into fresh air.
2. Check for breathing and pulse.
3. Check for and treat shock.
Call the Veterinarian or transport to a Veterinary
Hospital Immediately!
Medications Poisonous to Rabbits
The following medications have been reported to be toxic to pet
rabbits:
Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Cephlasporins, Clindamycin,
Erythromycin, Lincomycin, Penicillin, Procaine, Tiletamine -
(they can cause kidney damage or severe intestinal upset )
Oral penicillin is lethal to rabbits, injectable penicillin is not.
Plants found to be Poisonous to Rabbits
Aloe vera
Amaryllis
Anemone
Antirrhinums
Azalea
Buttercups
Bluebells
Bittersweet
Bryony
Caladium
Carnation
Chocolate
Clematis
Crown-of-Thorns
Cyclamen
Columbine
Chrysanthemums
Daffodil
Dahlias
Deadly Nightshade
Delphinium
Dieffenbachia
Dracaena
Dog Mercury
Evergreens
Fig
Figwort
Fools Parsley
Poppies
Ragwort
Foxglove
Hemlock
Holly
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Impatiens
Iris
Ivy
Jerusalem Cherry
Juniper
Kingcup
Leyland Cypress
Laburnum
Lords And Ladies
Lily of the Valley
Lobelia
Lupins
Marsh Marigold
Monkshood
Meadow Saffron
Mistletoe
Morning Glory
Narcissus
Oleander
Onions
Peony
Philodendron
Primrose
Privet
Schefflera
Spurges
St Johns wort
Rhododendron
Rubber Plant
Tulip
Tulips
Yew
Wisteria
Woody Nightshade
Symptoms of Poisoning in Rabbits
Eating poisonous plants can affect your pet in a number of ways.
They range from stomach upset to death.
Symptoms include: salivation, skin allergy and heart and
breathing trouble, as guinea pigs cannot vomit, the plants that
give this symptom will probably go unnoticed until it is too
late. They may undergo physiological stress after ingesting those
which irritate the digestive tract.
First Aid For Poisoned Rabbits
Diagnosis can be difficult unless the rabbit is seen eating the
plant, if so then bring the plant to the vet with you, and your
vet may be able to treat it quicker. Generally fluids will be
given to help flush out the toxins quickly.
Try to keep the animal in a warm and quiet place to minimize
shock.
The notion that rabbits instinctively avoid toxic plants is
false! Indoors, poisonous houseplants should be put up high or
eliminated altogether. Adventurous rabbits are capable of
climbing, so simply placing poisonous houseplants on a table or
plant stand may not be enough to keep them safely out of reach.
Hang them from the ceiling or place them atop a bookshelf, but
beware of trailing vines and falling leaves. If your rabbit has
access to a screened porch, deck or patio, be sure to check these
areas for poisonous plants as well.
Discriminating between plants which are poisonous as opposed to
irritating to a given animal species is often difficult. However,
here are a few popular plants thought to be harmful to rabbits:
Things you shouldn't feed pet rabbits:
Any grains
Chocolate (poisonous to rabbits)
Cookies, crackers, cereals, bread, or pasta
Yogurt drops (Almost pure sugar--can kill your rabbit!)
Other "human treats"
Salty or sugary snacks
Nuts
Corn
White Sugar
See Also:
Safe Veggies &
Fruits to Feed Pet Rabbits
Index of All Rabbit Care & Bunny
Fun Stuff
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