RAP Welfare Checklist

Healthy eyes are bright and clear, free of any discharge/secretion, not red, not swollen, not cloudy, uninjured and do not protrude or show signs of swelling.. Other potential issues may include visual signs of white worms within the pupil. The third eye-lid may be prominent in larger breeds naturally but should not appear swollen.

Teeth should have a small overbite with top teeth overlapping bottom slightly. 4 incisors should be clearly visible, and straight without gaps between the teeth. Teeth should not be visible when the rabbits mouth is closed. Check there is no food or other material trapped within the teeth. Teeth should be smooth, clean and shiny.

Feeling the jawline from the front front of the jaw to the rear, the jaw line should be smooth, with only one noticeable “bump” on each side where the lower jaw meets the upper jaw.

A healthy nose will be free of discharge and dry. Check for swelling and check that nostrils are not blocked. Watch out for any signs of sneezing.

Coat should be shiny and glossy and feel soft to touch. Look for signs of itching, redness of the skin, ‘dandruff’, crusts, hair loss, and bare patches Mites will not usually be visible to eye but will display through hair loss and dandruff. Look for fleas (visible small black ‘dots’ which will move).

Healthy ears should be clear of any debris, and be a light pink/pale colour. Look out for smells, discharge or crusty build up internally. Ear mites will display a discharge that resembles recycled crumbled paper.. Check for wounds and scars. Massage ear bases to check for swelling/abscesses, especially in lop ear rabbits.

Check for signs of swelling, crusts or scabbing on the skin, thickenings of the skin, palpable changes in the skin. Check that head is sitting at rest as normal (not tilting), and that feet sit at rest as normal (no splay).

A healthy abdomen should feel dough-like when massaged. Look out for swellings or hardness.

Bottom and backside should be clean and dry. Look for signs of matting or ‘messy bums’. Check for sores, swelling, red skin, and fur loss. Check groin scent glands for blockages.

Check the legs for any signs of sores, redness, or hair loss. In particular, check the bottom of the rear feet (hocks) for sores and redness – including parting any hair to check condition underneath fur.

The rabbits body should be free from signs of urine or faecal staining. Some light staining of the underside of the feet, especially on lighter coloured rabbits, is usually nothing to worry about. In unneutered bonded rabbits, urine staining can be a result of buddies spraying each other.

Look for evidence of poos, or ask owner about what the see. Poo should be dry, round and golden. Dark poo is sign of dietary issues. Soft poos should be consumed by the rabbit so evidence of this being left in the environment or on the rabbit’s fur is a sign of a health concern.

Listen to the rabbits breathing when at rest. Look out for signs of wheezing or irregular breathing rates.