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Why.......

SisterMoonbeam

Mama Doe
......do rabbits have such a hard time of it? If there had to be an award for the unluckiest companion species they would win hands down the poor things. I mean they have to have vaccinations for two ghastly diseases, treatment for EC, extremely prone to stasis and bloat, abscesses, dental issues. Not to mention flystrike and the overwhelmingly high odds of uterine cancer in unspayed females. The saddest part is that most bunny owners are completely unaware of these things.

I know there are a LOT of dogs and cats in rescues but the amount of rabbits dumped is insane. It seems once people realise they NEED vaccinations and whatnot and they need companionship and need not to be locked in a 3ft hutch 24/7 they just dump them.

I know all of you know this all too well but it just seems that they are so unlucky. I'm so glad i found this forum so i know about all this stuff now and i think the buns owned by members are some of the luckiest in the country.
 
. I mean they have to have vaccinations for two ghastly diseases, treatment for EC, extremely prone to stasis and bloat, abscesses, dental issues. Not to mention flystrike and the overwhelmingly high odds of uterine cancer in unspayed females. The saddest part is that most bunny owners are completely unaware of these things.

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We have no need for any vaccinations in Canada, no flystrike ever.
 
I totally agree with you over the nasty diseases etc, but I do think that there is just as much of a problem with other small animals being homed in cramped conditions, as with rabbits. eg. hamsters, guinea pigs, mice etc.
 
I reckon rats are the most unlucky of all. tumors and cancer are very common, and they usually only live 3 years even if they don't get a disease :(
 
I totally agree with you over the nasty diseases etc, but I do think that there is just as much of a problem with other small animals being homed in cramped conditions, as with rabbits. eg. hamsters, guinea pigs, mice etc.

Yeah, they all suffer the same problem that people seem to think they are 'easy' pets. Although dogs and cats get dumped too most people (hope i'm not being optimistic here) know the responsibility when they take them on but even responsible (or seemingly) pet owners have no clue when it comes to small pets when they take them on.
 
It's bad isn't it :( If you read the book "Stories Rabbits Tell" by Susan Davis and Margo Demello it sheds a lot of light on human perceptions and treatment of rabbits. (I'm not on commission, just thought it was a really good book!)
 
Isn't it because they were viewed as pests, so in the olden days, they didn't care about proper breeding, breeding was properly for food. Then the myxi was introduced, that's human made. The dental issues are due to the fact they are not fed as wild rabbits would be, and we have also bred their skulls differently too. Stasis and bloat is properly also due to the different lifestyle of a wild rabbit. Wild rabbits are usually healthy and just get on with life, although they don't live as long, and diseases they do get won't be treated and would therefore die.

Because hamster, rats, guinea-pigs etc are small, people think that they are cheap to care for, small accommodation, little food etc. Which is properly why they aren't treated as well as dogs, cats etc.
 
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