Even a healthy rabbit needs a vet who treats rabbits: a yearly wellness check, spay or neuter, and dental checks are the backbone of preventive care. Not every vet treats rabbits, so find an exotic (rabbit-savvy) vet before you need one.
Why this matters
Rabbits hide illness so well that a problem is often advanced by the time it shows, which is exactly why regular check-ups matter: a vet can catch a dental spur or early weight change you can't see. A rabbit-savvy exotic vet also knows that rabbit medicine, doses, and safe anaesthetic are different from a cat or dog, which is why the wrong vet in an emergency can be dangerous.
What to watch for
- A yearly wellness exam booked in, even when nothing is wrong
- Spay or neuter arranged at the right age (see the spay and neuter guide)
- A vet-savvy exotic vet found and saved in your phone before an emergency
- Teeth and weight checked routinely, since problems there hide well
When to see a vet
Some signs mean call your exotic vet now, not next week: not eating or pooping for 12+ hours, a head tilt, trouble breathing, a seizure, or a rabbit hunched and grinding its teeth in pain. If you're worried about a specific sign right now, use the Symptom Checker.
Sources: Rabbit.org Foundation · RWAF