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Caring for our pets and monitoring their well being is a part of accountable pet possession. That is notably true for unique pets or small animals like rabbits, as their our bodies and the way they work can differ from these of extra widespread pets. Urine is normally a great indicator of how properly your pet is doing; it’s simple to see, is produced day by day, and is generally a yellow-straw colour in cats, canine, and other people.

In rabbits, nonetheless, the colour of regular urine could be very totally different (and typically even alarming); it’s vital to know what’s regular and what’s not so we all know when to take them to a vet. This text will train you what regular rabbit’s urine appears to be like like and which colours are regarding, so that you’ll know when they might be unwell.

Nonetheless, needless to say this data just isn’t a alternative for a veterinary examination, and in case your rabbit isn’t properly in any means, please contact your vet to allow them to get the remedy they want promptly.

Regular Rabbit Urine Colours

The entire following colours are utterly regular for rabbits in most circumstances. Nonetheless, in some conditions, these colours might point out an issue (which we’ve highlighted under), however for many rabbits, the colours are regular and don’t require veterinary consideration.

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Apart from monitoring the colour of your rabbit’s urine, hold a watch out for every other indicators of sickness which will point out they’re genuinely not feeling properly, corresponding to lowered or absent urge for food, decreased or elevated ingesting, lethargy and inactivity, lowered defecation or absence of fecal manufacturing, and hunched, painful, or distended stomach. All of those want pressing veterinary consideration.

1. Clear

Rabbit urine that’s clear and non-cloudy is regular and signifies that your rabbit is well-hydrated and ingesting sufficient water. Rabbits get numerous water from the greens they eat, which helps hydrate them alongside the water they drink all through the day. Clear urine is regular because of this and can possible be an indication that they’re getting sufficient water from their food regimen.

Nonetheless, in case your rabbit shows different indicators corresponding to urinating extra ceaselessly, leaking urine (urinary incontinence), ingesting excessively, and having clear urine, they might have a difficulty with their bladder or kidneys {that a} vet ought to examine.


2. Pale Yellow

Pale, straw-yellow is one other commonplace colour of rabbit urine and is arguably essentially the most generally seen colour. Pale yellow pee signifies your rabbit is properly hydrated because the water they’ll get from their food regimen dilutes the urine to a paler hue. The urine needs to be clear and non-murky; in case your rabbit has pale yellow pee that’s cloudy or murky, it’s a signal that they may have mineral deposits in it. Cloudy urine is one thing a vet ought to examine, as bladder stones or sludge can typically be a trigger.

Sludgy bladder is when the traditional calcium crystals in rabbit urine get retained within the bladder, increase gritty sediment that may irritate the bladder lining, inflicting ache and irritation. Within the case of sludge, urine may appear fairly thick, staining the rabbit’s again legs and inflicting straining and problem when passing urine.

In case your rabbit’s urine is pale and appears extreme in quantity or there’s a change within the bunny’s ingesting, urge for food, or conduct, they need to be checked by a vet. Dysfunction of the kidneys will trigger a really dilute and pale-looking urine and should result in elevated ingesting and elevated urine manufacturing.


3. Yellow-Orange

Rabbit pee that’s yellow to orange can be normally regular and is brought on by your rabbit consuming sure meals. Beta-carotene is a substance discovered in lots of veggies that rabbits love, together with carrots and spinach, and it can provide their urine an orange hue if massive parts are eaten. The urine ought to change colour again to regular in a number of days, typically so long as 3-4 weeks, however orange may very well be the norm on your rabbit in the event that they bask in meals wealthy in beta-carotene frequently!

Nonetheless, orange pee may point out slight dehydration in rabbits; monitor how a lot water your rabbit is ingesting, how good their urge for food is, and if they’re behaving as typical and provide them veggies excessive in moisture to extend their consumption. Good greens to extend hydration embody celery and cucumber. Don’t give them too many since they will upset their stomachs. Should you’re involved about how hydrated your rabbit is, contact your vet as quickly as potential.


4. Crimson

Amazingly, even shiny crimson urine could be regular for some rabbits! This may typically be alarming, however most frequently, crimson urine in rabbits is brought on by a substance referred to as porphyrin. Alongside porphyrin, there are different plant pigments normally from sure meals corresponding to cabbage, broccoli, and dandelion which will change the urine colour, notably if the rabbit just isn’t used to consuming them.

Nonetheless, some rabbits might produce crimson urine after seemingly unrelated adjustments, corresponding to sudden chilly climate or sure antibiotics. As well as, blood within the urine (hematuria) is a much less widespread  prevalence in rabbits and might appear like specks of blood unfold all through the urine, particularly on the finish of urination, moderately than a uniform clear crimson colour, though that is additionally potential.

Nonetheless, distinguishing true blood in urine from the presence of a benign pigment just isn’t potential by plain eyesight and requires your vet to run some exams on the urine and examine it beneath the microscope. In case your rabbit is exhibiting indicators of urinary misery with crimson urine, corresponding to straining to urinate or going fairly often, having a hunched or painful stomach, or exhibiting indicators of common sickness with lethargy and lowered urge for food, you need to take them to the vet. Alongside urinary points, blood within the urine might point out a dysfunction of the reproductive tract in feminine rabbits.


5. Brown

Brown urine can be regular in rabbits. Generally urine could be pasty, beige or brown, which may once more point out sludge, and if it stains the again finish and legs, it could simply be mistaken for diarrhea. As talked about earlier than, there’s a nice selection in urine colours and it’s very a lot depending on diet and hydration. Should you discover your rabbit isn’t fairly proper, or has any of the beforehand mentioned indicators, it’s vital to get them checked by your vet instantly.


Regarding Rabbit Urine Colours

The next urine colours are regarding and point out that your rabbit might need an issue with their bladder, kidneys, or different elements of their urinary or reproductive system. In case your rabbit has any of those colours exhibiting up once they pee, or however, their urine is regular however they aren’t feeling properly, exhibiting lowered urge for food, adjustments in ingesting, and lowered fecal manufacturing, take them to the vet and get them checked out.

6. Beige

Rabbits have an incredible capability for filtering out calcium from the blood once they want it. When the resorption of calcium by the kidneys has reached a most, extra calcium will get excreted as calcium carbonate within the urine, inflicting cloudy or sludgy urine. When metabolic demand for calcium is elevated by development, being pregnant, nursing, or metabolic issues, much less calcium is excreted and the urine seems clear.

Thick, beige urine in rabbits signifies sludge within the bladder. Bladder sludge is a thick paste that settles within the bladder, inflicting irritation and ache and sometimes being mistaken for diarrhea because the sludge could be very thick and nearly brown! This colour of urine is commonly accompanied by different indicators of sickness, together with ache, straining to urinate, and urine staining on the legs. In case your rabbit has thick, beige urine or displays these indicators of illness, they need to be taken to their vet for an evaluation.


7. Darkish Brown

Brown urine can typically be a standard colour for rabbits, leading to pigments being launched by among the meals they eat. It will probably additionally signify dehydration, which we mentioned earlier within the article. Nonetheless, darkish brown urine (particularly if it’s thick) can point out a significant issue. Blockages of the urinary system (urinary tract obstruction), which cease the motion of urine from the kidneys to the bladder, or from the bladder to the tip of urethra (after which outdoors), can current with darkish brown or bloody, normally thick urine or lack of ability to go any urine in any respect, and are a medical emergency. Frequent causes of urinary tract obstruction embody urinary tract infections (UTIs) or bladder infections that result in swelling of the tissues, proscribing urine move and creating urinary stones and sediment that trigger a bodily blockage of the ureter or urethra. Indicators embody darkish brown urine, hunching in ache, not wanting to maneuver or problem shifting, and peeing little and sometimes (or under no circumstances) however posturing as if making an attempt to pee. That is an emergency, and your rabbit needs to be taken to the vet instantly.


8. Cloudy or White

Cloudy or white urine can point out that your rabbit has extra calcium of their bladder from their food regimen. Rabbits want calcium to maintain their bones and tooth sturdy, which they absorb by means of meals. Rabbits take up all of the calcium from their meals and excrete any they don’t use into their urine, giving it this chalky white look.

Skinny, clear, easily-passed or barely white urine is normally an indicator of enough calcium and never essentially every other issues. A thicker paste-like white urine can point out bladder stones or sludge buildup. This urine can dry to a semi-solid state, and it may be very troublesome for rabbits to go. In case your rabbit has white or cloudy urine, take them to the vet for a check-up to debate their food regimen.


9. Blood-Noticed

In case your rabbit has normal-colored urine with spots of blood inside, they might have true hematuria and have to see a vet. Blood within the urine can come from a number of locations, together with the bladder, kidneys, or reproductive tract in feminine rabbits. Causes of blood within the urine can range in rabbits, however the most typical embody:

  • Reproductive tract illness
  • Kidney or bladder stones
  • Kidney or bladder an infection or irritation
  • Blood clotting issues

Blood within the urine is normally distinguished from red-colored pee by a take a look at because it’s not instantly apparent, so in case your rabbit has been exhibiting indicators of sickness and also you see spots of blood of their pee, take them to the vet to be checked over instantly.

What Causes Regarding Urine Colours in Rabbits?

A lot of the regarding colours of urine in rabbits are brought on by a buildup of calcium deposits within the bladder or kidneys, which may kind a sandy, gritty substance referred to as bladder sludge. The sludge strikes freely and causes many issues, together with the potential to cease the motion of urine from the bladder and forestall the rabbit from peeing altogether.

Uroliths (urinary stones) may kind from these deposits, which should be surgically eliminated as they can’t be handed. Some could be very massive, and each sludge and stones within the bladder are painful. Different widespread causes of adjustments in urine colour are dehydration and issues of the urinary tract or reproductive system.

How Usually Do Rabbits Usually Pee?

Rabbits normally pee round two to eight instances per day, producing a median of 120–130 milliliter (ml) of urine per kilogram of their physique weight in a day. It’s vital to get to know your rabbit’s pee habits to inform in the event that they’re not peeing sufficient or peeing (or making an attempt to pee) an excessive amount of. Adjustments in toileting habits are some of the noticeable indicators of sickness in rabbits with urinary issues, corresponding to straining to urinate or solely producing small spots of urine at a time.

What Ought to I Do if My Rabbit Has Stopped Peeing?

In case your rabbit has stopped peeing, you need to take them to their vet as an emergency. Blockage of the urinary tract system is a extreme and probably life-threatening concern that may be brought on by a number of issues, together with uroliths or sludge within the bladder or blockage and swelling of the tubes connecting the bladder to the kidneys. An entire blockage is uncommon, as partial blockages are usually caught earlier than they progress. Male rabbits are extra vulnerable than females and grownup rabbits are normally affected.

Picture Credit score: ElenaYakimova, Shutterstock

Conclusion

Rabbit urine is available in a number of whacky colours; fortunately, most are regular! Nonetheless, realizing what’s regular and what’s not on the subject of pee is important since many sicknesses could be caught early by taking a look at your rabbit’s pee. Alarming colours like crimson and orange could be regular and pure, however intently monitoring your rabbit’s urine and conduct for any adjustments is at all times finest. In the event that they present any even delicate indicators of sickness alongside adjustments in urine colours, take them to the vet for a check-up.


Featured Picture Credit score: katunes pcnok, Shutterstock

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