Buzz
Whether it's a wild rabbit or your own pet rabbit that's injured, you should avoid treating their wounds yourself. For wild rabbits, minimize contact and take them to a veterinarian or an animal rescue center. For domestic rabbits, while heading to the vet, you can help them feel safer and more comfortable by examining the wound, cleaning superficial injuries, and stopping any bleeding.
Steps
Caring for an Injured Pet Rabbit
Take the rabbit to a veterinarian. You can treat minor scratches, shallow wounds, or nail injuries yourself, but for other injuries, it's best to consult a vet. Your priority should be minimizing further harm, keeping the rabbit safe and comfortable during transit, and knowing the clinic's operating hours while having a backup plan. If your regular vet is unavailable during emergencies, ensure you have the contact details of another clinic or veterinarian.
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Veterinarian
Veterinarian Pippa Elliott advises: "Rabbits are highly stress-prone animals, so ensuring they feel safe and protected while traveling to the vet is crucial. Use a carrier and cover it with a towel, as the darkness will make the rabbit feel like it's in a burrow, providing comfort."
Be cautious of subtle injury signs. If a rabbit is bleeding, bitten, or stepped on, take it to a vet immediately. However, rabbit injuries aren't always obvious, especially if the rabbit is in pain and instinctively hides it. Subtle signs include:
- Lying on one side for too long.
- Falling over.
- Inability to walk straight.
- Limping or altered gait.
- Unusual posture.
- Licking, rubbing, or scratching a specific area.
- Refusing food or water for 24 hours.
- Not urinating or defecating for over 8 hours.
Examine and assess the severity of the injury. Tailor your care based on the wound's condition. If the injury isn't immediately life-threatening—meaning the rabbit isn't bleeding heavily, paralyzed, or in shock—you can perform a quick check:
- Nose and whiskers – Ensure symmetry and check for discharge or swelling.
- Eyes – Dull or closed eyes indicate shock. Shine a light to check pupil response. Yellow whites suggest liver issues.
- Gums and teeth – Lift the lip to inspect gums and teeth. Gums should be pink and elastic when pressed. Pale gums signal shock. Ensure no teeth are broken.
- Head and neck – Check for lumps, bumps, or swelling. A tilted head may indicate shock or spinal injury.
- Legs – Look for redness, warmth, or swelling. Gently feel the legs and joints; stop if the rabbit shows pain. Cold feet also indicate shock.
- Upper body – Run your hands along the ribs and spine for swelling or abnormalities. Gently feel the abdomen for swelling or redness. Rapid breathing or heartbeat suggests shock.
Quickly take a rabbit in shock to the vet. Shock can be fatal for rabbits. If the rabbit has dull or closed eyes, a cold nose, or rapid heartbeat and breathing, wrap it in a clean towel, place it in a carrier, and contact a vet immediately.
- Always keep a towel and carrier nearby to minimize movement.
- If shock is suspected, keep the rabbit warm and stress-free. Use a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel (to prevent burns) and place the rabbit in a covered carrier for security. Feeling exposed increases stress.
Wrap the rabbit in a towel if no specific issues are found during the examination. Rabbits lose body heat quickly due to stress when injured. If you suspect the rabbit is injured, especially from being kicked, stepped on, or sat on, gently wrap it in a towel and take it to the vet.
- Minimize stress by providing a dark and safe hiding spot. Stress can be fatal for rabbits, so while examining the injury or waiting for veterinary results, ensure the rabbit feels as secure as possible.
Care for a rabbit with a broken bone. Avoid attempting to splint the bone, as this could worsen the injury. Place the rabbit in a box to prevent jumping or running. If the bone is protruding, wrap it with sterile gauze from a first aid kit. If sterile gauze is unavailable, use a clean, freshly washed handkerchief to cover the fracture and reduce airborne infection. If no clean cloth is available, leave the fracture as is but inform the vet to decide if antibiotics are needed. Never push the protruding bone back inside.
- If a limb hangs abnormally or lacks normal movement, the rabbit may have a spinal injury. Be extra cautious when wrapping the rabbit and placing it in a carrier.
Clean shallow cuts or bites. If the rabbit is bitten, has a superficial injury, and is not in shock, you can clean the wound before taking it to the vet. Dilute iodine solution in warm water until it resembles iced tea, then rinse the wound. If iodine is unavailable, use antibacterial soap and warm water or make a saline solution by mixing a teaspoon of salt into a cup of boiled water.
- Use warm water, as cold water can cause shock.
- For very small cuts, clean and apply antibiotic ointment, then monitor regularly to ensure healing.
Apply pressure to stop bleeding. For heavy or rapid bleeding, applying pressure can save the rabbit's life. Use sterile gauze or a clean cloth if gauze is unavailable, pressing firmly on the wound. Do not remove the cloth or gauze if soaked; add another layer and continue applying pressure, then take the rabbit to the vet immediately.
- If driving to the vet alone, secure the gauze in place to maintain pressure.
Rinse burns with cool water. If the rabbit is scalded by hot water or corrosive chemicals, rinse the burn with cool water for at least 10 minutes. Do this before taking the rabbit to the vet, as it is the most effective way to minimize complications from fresh burns.
- Avoid applying ointments, as they may interfere with veterinary treatment.
- If the rabbit bites an electrical cord, its mouth may burn, or fluid may accumulate in its lungs. Rapid breathing indicates fluid in the lungs. Minimize stress and place the rabbit in a well-ventilated area while seeking help.
Apply a styptic powder, such as Quick-Stop, to an injured rabbit's nail. If the nail is completely torn off, take the rabbit to a vet. However, if the nail is only cracked or cut too short, it can be treated at home. Apply the styptic powder to stop the bleeding (multiple applications may be needed) and monitor regularly to ensure the nail is healing properly.
Caring for Wild Rabbits
Do not attempt to care for an injured wild rabbit on your own. First, keeping wild animals at home is illegal unless authorized by local authorities. Second, caring for an injured wild rabbit requires specific skills and expertise; otherwise, you may worsen its condition.
Ensure the rabbit you found is indeed wild. Most wild rabbits have brown fur and white tails. If you spot a rabbit with unusual fur colors in the wild—pure white, black, gray, striped, spotted, or mixed—it is likely a domestic rabbit that has escaped or been released. These rabbits need your help. Even if uninjured, capture them and take them to a vet to check for illnesses. Afterward, you can care for them or find someone to adopt them.
Confirm that the rabbit is genuinely injured. In most cases, we should not interfere with wildlife. Without experience, you risk injuring the rabbit's spine when picking it up. Additionally, the stress of capture can be fatal. If you plan to remove a wild rabbit from its habitat, ensure it is truly injured and in need of help. Signs of injury include:
- Lying on one side for an extended period.
- Falling or being unable to run straight.
- Bleeding or puncture wounds.
Keep children and pets away from the rabbit and leave it in place if its injuries are not severe. If the rabbit can move and is not bleeding heavily, it’s best to leave it undisturbed while ensuring children and pets stay away.
Contact a veterinarian if the rabbit is seriously injured. If the rabbit is bleeding, lying on its side unable to move, or has been bitten by a dog or cat, reach out to a vet. Confirm beforehand if the vet is willing to treat wild animals; otherwise, they may refer you to a local wildlife care or rescue center.
Wear gloves when handling wild rabbits. Rabbits can carry tularemia, a bacterial infection transmissible to humans. Symptoms include ulcers, red eyes, sore throat, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Untreated, it can be fatal. To protect yourself, always wear gloves when handling rabbits and wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
Handle rabbits with care. For a wild rabbit, being picked up can feel like being caught by a hawk or predator, triggering intense fear. Lift the rabbit carefully to minimize stress and avoid further injury:
- Never lift a rabbit by its ears, legs, or scruff. Instead, place one hand under its chest and the other under its abdomen, keeping its head slightly higher to prevent kicking or biting.
- Keep the rabbit close to the ground. In the wild, rabbits are only lifted into the air when caught by predators, which they naturally fear.
- Transfer the rabbit to a carrier as quickly as possible. Minimize the distance you carry it. Use a basket, shoebox, or carrier, but avoid ones previously used for dogs or cats, as their scent can stress the rabbit.
What You'll Need
- Sterile gauze
- Iodine solution
- Antibiotic ointment
- Styptic powder
- Carrier or cage
- Clean cloth
- Veterinarian's phone number
- Fresh vegetables (for both domestic and wild rabbits, as they may be hungry or frightened)
