Urine scalding is something that can occur with any rabbit, no matter how healthy you think your rabbit is. This can be due to age, an illness, or physical disability.
You’ll often see when your rabbit urinates, their tail will raise and they’ll sit with their legs further apart, this is to avoid their urine from soaking their fur.
Sometimes your rabbit will still get urine on their fur and this isn’t a problem as long as they can clean themselves without issue.
The important factor is that this is resolved relatively quickly as urine scalding can escalate and become quite serious.
When urine scald isn’t treated, it can lead to dermatitis, flystrike, or dry skin which can lead to cracks and infections.
Urine scald requires regular checking to keep on top of, especially during the summer, as this is when flystrike is most likely to occur.
Symptoms you can look out for are:
Balding spots on your rabbit’s bottom
A foul smell
Constant scratching or biting
Wet patches on their tail, bottom, and belly
Red skin inflammation
Dry skin and cracking
It’s important to remember that your rabbit having urine scald doesn’t necessarily mean you’re neglecting your rabbit.
Urine scald can be something that is missed by owners as your rabbit can hide pain fairly well.
So, what causes urine scald? There can be a number of causes.
Arthritis is an extremely painful joint disease. Due to the shape of a rabbit, arthritis can make grooming often difficult and painful.
Urinary issues can be a key cause of urine scalding, including urinary tract infections, bladder stones, bladder sludge & uterine cancer.
This may sound backward, but dehydration can lead to a UTI which results in urine scalding.
If your rabbit has diarrhea, they may have a dirty bottom which can result in urine scalding as they develop matted fur.
A dirty environment can cause urine scald. To avoid potential skin conditions & infections, we recommend cleaning your rabbit’s environment every few days.
Obesity can cause urine scald. Rabbit obesity is something that occurs in many households and occurs when your rabbit’s diet isn’t regulated.
You can prevent urine scald easily if caught early. Regardless of your rabbit’s physical condition regularly grooming your rabbit can be done as a home remedy.
To prevent urine scald you can:Perform regular health checks.Litter train your rabbit.Bath your rabbit if needed.