11-20-2005, 02:46 PM
we just rescued a rabbit and we\'ve never had a rabbit before so I\'m wondering why his urine is red and if it is normal. thank you for any kind of advice we can get.
11-20-2005, 02:46 PM
11-21-2005, 02:57 AM
Chances are, the red urine you are seeing is nothing to be concerned with. It is not unusual to see red colored urine in rabbits. In the majority of cases, it is caused by a plant pigment and does not affect the health of the animal.
Red urine is a descriptive term for the condition where a rabbit\'s urine varies in color from the normal pale yellow to dark yellow, carrot orange, brown, or bright red. Red urine is not a medical problem. The color usually returns to normal within one to three days, but sometimes can take up to three to four weeks.
It is puzzling, but folks with multiple rabbits who all drink the same water and eat the same food, will notice some get the red urine and some don\'t. Red urine often is noticed at the first cold snap in the fall. It can occur if the rabbit is on antibiotic therapy (just as happens sometimes with humans), or if the diet is high in beta carotene such as carrots or spinach.
It is not necessarily a cause to panic when you observe a change in color of your rabbit\'s urine. I would be concerned if the rabbit was straining to urinate, as that could indicate a urinary tract infection. In an older unspayed doe, drops of blood could indicate uterine cancer, but for the most part red urine is a phenomena anyone keeping rabbits is bound to observe.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Red urine is a descriptive term for the condition where a rabbit\'s urine varies in color from the normal pale yellow to dark yellow, carrot orange, brown, or bright red. Red urine is not a medical problem. The color usually returns to normal within one to three days, but sometimes can take up to three to four weeks.
It is puzzling, but folks with multiple rabbits who all drink the same water and eat the same food, will notice some get the red urine and some don\'t. Red urine often is noticed at the first cold snap in the fall. It can occur if the rabbit is on antibiotic therapy (just as happens sometimes with humans), or if the diet is high in beta carotene such as carrots or spinach.
It is not necessarily a cause to panic when you observe a change in color of your rabbit\'s urine. I would be concerned if the rabbit was straining to urinate, as that could indicate a urinary tract infection. In an older unspayed doe, drops of blood could indicate uterine cancer, but for the most part red urine is a phenomena anyone keeping rabbits is bound to observe.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
12-17-2005, 01:11 PM
Like Charlcie said Red urine is usually nothing to worry about. It is usually porphyrin pigment found in the urine It is often found after the rabbit has eaten large amounts of vegitables containing beta-carotene, such as carrots. And usually returns to it\'s natural color in a few days. It will usually happen every time the rabbit eats whatever caused it in the first place.