Dehydrated Bunny?
It's hot outside here in Arizona. Really hot - as in 105 degrees hot. My bunnies have been relegated to the air conditioning and only see the grass on early mornings or during a cool spell. My friends in the Midwest are seeing much lower temperatures, but the humidity can make a bunny just as uncomfortable. I always feel bad for Hollands. They have longish hair, ears that flop, tiny bodies - basically no place for the heat to go. Because of this, I like to stay in the preventative zone. That just means that I have built numerous checks into my day to make sure we stay on top of hydration. Here is what I mean:
* I notice if my bunnies are peeing.
* I know the typical amount that each bunny will drink from their water bottle before I empty, wash and refill it (it varies with each bunny).
* I make a point of giving them fresh greens washed and dripping with water at least once a day.
* I have a thermostat that tells me the temp of their room in the garage and I check it every time I wash dishes, get myself a drink, or walk outside to the backyard.
Usually these efforts keep us in great shape. But occasionally a bunny will be exhausted from a molt, or fighting something we brought home. In these cases, they just aren't taking care of themselves and following their own instincts for alleviating thirst and hunger. In those instance, I step it up a notch with these options.
* Rub some banana on the tip of their water bottle in hopes that they end up drinking water as they lick it off.
* Feed them a wet raspberry, or a wet chunk of apple.
* Make a little fruit shake and put it in a small bowl.
At this point, I'm still ahead of an emergency - which is where you want to be. I have two options left to try before we are in a bad place and needing a vet visit. For these two options, I have a tiny syringe that I keep washed, dried and clean. I start with Bunny Gatorade, and if that fails, move to a recovery drink like: Sherwood Naturals SARx or Oxbow Critical Care. Bunny Gatorade is something you can make from the ingredients you probably have on hand. Just mix the following ingredients and load into the syringe. Make sure to feed your bunny slowly from the side of his mouth so he can swallow and you avoid shooting it down into his lungs.