Pee / Urine
The colour of rabbit pee can range from clear to deep red, often this is affected by the rabbit's diet and the age of the urine.
Red Urine - It’s O.K … Don’t Panic!
”Rabbits urine varies in colour from clear to yellow to brown to bright red. This is usually not a cause for alarm UNLESS there are additional signs such as sitting & straining to urinate, loss of appetite or a temperature.”
Red Urine - Special Bunny
A Tip - If you are unsure whether your rabbit’s pee is red due to the type of food it has eaten, of due to exposure to the air, you can pour a little hydrogen peroxide onto it. If the urine contains blood then the peroxide will fizz.
“It can be alarming to see rabbit urine. It varies in colour from fairly pale to orange or sometimes red and it may be quite cloudy and thick. As long as there are no blood flecks or any sludge, there is generally no need for concern.”
Bladder Problems - Sludge and Stones - RWAF
Urinary Problems …
Warning Signs
• Urinating more frequently.
• Urinating outside the litter box (when the rabbit had previously good litter box habits), dribbling urine.
• Straining to urinate.
• Blood in urine (not red urine). Blood in the urine is difficult to see with the naked eye.
• Sand-like or gritty particles stuck to the rabbit’s underside.
• Loss of appetite, lethargy.
• Pain, sitting in ‘hunched up’ position
What’s the Cause?
Calcium is usually the main focus when discussing the causes of bladder stones and sludge in rabbits. While it is important to have a basic understanding of calcium metabolism in rabbits, it is also important to realise that other factors also play a role in the development of stones and sludge.
Sludge
Dehydration
Impaired Mobility due to EC, arthritis, age, injury etc
Excessive Levels of Calcium in the diet (risk increases when combined with Oxalate rich foods)
Urinary Tract Infections
Kidney disease
Bladder disease
Genetics
Sludge & Stones
Calcium carbonate in the urine binds together to form stones in the kidneys, bladder or ureters. What causes this mineral to bind together in some rabbits but not others is still unknown. Sludge, on the other hand, refers to a large number of small ‘crystals’ in the urine, which make the urine thick, gritty, sandy, or creamy and difficult or painful to pass.
“Calcium is usually the main focus when discussing the causes of bladder stones and sludge in rabbits. While it is important to have a basic understanding of calcium metabolism in rabbits, it is also important to realise that other factors also play a role in the development of stones and sludge.”
Source: Sludge - Ontario Rabbit Education Organisation
”Recently, it was discovered that liquid magnesium may clear sludge over a longer period of time.”
Use of liquid magnesium in rabbits with chronic sludge - MediRabbit
Calcium in Your Rabbit's Diet - A complex topic…
”Although no direct scientific link between dietary calcium and an excess amount of calcium excreted in the urine has been proven, many veterinarians are advising clients whose rabbits have urinary/bladder problems to decrease the amount of calcium in their rabbit's diet.”
Lowering Blood Calcium - Compiled by Kathleen Wilsbach, PhD, House Rabbit Society
”Incorrect dietary intake of calcium is often suggested as an underlying cause of disease in rabbits. Too little calcium in the diet calcium is linked with dental disease and feeding high amounts of calcium could contribute to sludgy urine and other urinary tract problems. Feeding a balanced diet that does not have too much or too little calcium is beneficial but it can be hard to know what to feed.”
Calcium in Your Rabbit’s Diet - Francis Harcourt-Brown
Low Calcium Diets - Westley’s World
Urinary Incontinence
”This is often caused by a loss of bladder tone (normal tension and sensitivity) or an obstruction of the bladder. For example, a partial obstruction may cause the urine to backflow into the bladder and lead to muscle tension and weakness due to bladder distension.”
Loss of Voluntary Control of Urination in Rabbits - PetMD
”neurological disease, inflammatory disease of the lower urinary tract, partial obstruction due to urolith or other mass, congenital abnormality, hormone-responsive incontinence due to neutering, neoplastic disease of the lower urinary tract.”
Urinary incontinence - Vetlexicon
”A rabbit suffering from urinary tract problems may experience loss of fur in the genital region and hindquarters. The baldness and red, irritated skin are caused by "urine scald," and it can happen to any bunny whose urine soaks into the fur around her vent and is in constant contact with her delicate skin.”
Urine Scald: A Symptom of a Greater Problem - Dana Kremepls
A thorough investigation into the many possible causes of urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence in rabbits - MediRabbit
Treatment
The cause of the problem needs to be thoroughly investigated and an appropriate treatment started if possible. Issues such as urine scald also need to be addressed to ensure that your rabbit is not in pain. Keeping your rabbit as clean as possible and protecting their fragile skin is essential.
The ‘Urine and Rain Scald’ file discusses specific treatment options and approaches.
Some dietary support for rabbits with sludge or stones
The following plants are all diuretic and will help flush the bladder:
* Yarrow
* Dandelion - this does also contain calcium but its beneficial diuretic properties outweigh this.
* Cleavers
* Plantain
* Birch - Don’t feed this if your rabbit is on Metacam.
* Feed Oxbow Urinary Support for Small Pets.
It’s essential to make sure your rabbit gets a lot of exercise and uses a water bowl vs a bottle to ensure they are well hydrated.
How to safely clean your bun's butt if necessary.
”Disabled rabbits often have issues with maintaining cleanliness. This is especially true for disabled rabbits that suffer from limited mobility or immobility and/or suffer from incontinence.”
Baths and Cleaning - Disabled Rabbits
Behavioural Peeing - Peeing on Carpet, Beds, Couches … and even people!
“If you have litter trained your bunny it can be very disappointing if they suddenly without any reason start peeing on your carpet. This bad habit when it starts can also be hard to stop and you can end up spending the time you should be enjoying together worrying about it happening again or tidying up the mess.”
Couch and Bed Peeing - Bunny Proofing
“Many people struggle with this scenario: Bunnikins has always had perfect litter box habits. Now, all of a sudden, your rabbit keeps hopping on the couch and peeing on it. It’s a frustrating situation and one that has happened in our household as well.”
Rabbit Peeing on the Couch? What to Do - My House Rabbit
Some Recipes and Approaches to removing Rabbit Urine from Floors, Bedding and Carpets
What you’ll need ...
* Warm water
* Full strength white vinegar
* A clean empty spray bottle for the vinegar (I keep one full of vinegar all the time)
* Paper towel or a couple of wash cloths
* 5-10 minutes of your time
The process of how to litter train a rabbit is a lot of work, but accidents are inevitable and luckily the clean-up is simple. White vinegar has special properties that keep it from lifting colour out of carpets and fabrics, but has enough acidity to neutralise the urine smell. The greatest thing about vinegar is that it is all natural and completely safe for pets and humans.
If there is a lot of urine still present blot as much up as you can. Don’t scrub yet, and do not add water to dilute the urine at this point. The main reason that you do not want to add water is that it will dilute the urine and then soak and spread it further. At this stage of the cleaning process we want to try and contain the urine to a small of an area as possible.
Once the majority of the urine is blotted up, spray the vinegar liberally all over the area and immediately around the section where the accident occurred. If the accident was on a solid, relatively non-porous surface let the vinegar sit for one to two minutes (see special instructions below for wood floors). If your rabbit got your carpet or favourite chair let the vinegar sit for five to ten minutes.
Now that the vinegar has had some time to work we can begin to clean it up. First, I like to blot up as much vinegar as I can. Then I like to take a slightly damp cloth or sponge and allow a little water to soak into the area. Finally, I blot all the remaining liquid that I can out of the fabric or carpet. The best way to do this is to lay the fabric on the carpet and press HARD. The remaining liquid will soak up into the towel.
Special instructions for wood floors:
Wood floors can be especially tricky as they generally do not like to get wet, and really don’t like to stay wet. This is because they can absorb the moisture so readily, and will buckle as they try to expand to drink it all in. Here are some quick pointers to help clean it up:
Wipe up the urine as quickly as you can. Now with your vinegar and paper towels spray and wipe, letting the vinegar only sit on the floor for a five to ten seconds. You may need to do this multiple times. I usually like to then take a wash rag or sponge with warm water and wipe over it one last time. Now here is the important part, dry the floor with a clean dry towel or clean dry paper towels.
Almost done ...
Rabbit urine smells, which you already found out when cleaning the rabbit litter box. This is because it has enzymes in it that help the rabbit mark its territory, and it’s full of bacteria that help it to linger around for a long time to ensure that the territory remains marked. Now that we removed the enzymes and bacteria from the floor we also need to make sure that we take the proper steps to making sure that they are removed from our cleaning tools.
If you used paper towels to clean up, throw them away. Wash your hands and you are done.
If you used a towel you will need to wash it in your laundry, or boil it before using it for anything else.
If you used a sponge throwing it in the dishwasher is a really great way to sterilise it. If you don’t have a dishwasher boiling it on the stove is another great way to make sure that you and your family do not get sick.
Recipes for cleaning carpets -
* 1tsp of white vinegar 1tsp of wool wash in a litre of lukewarm to cold water dab it on and until you think it is soaked through leave for 5 minutes get clean water also lukewarm to cold to rinse it out then get a clean towel and stand on it until almost dry.
* Wool wash white vinegar and cold to Luke warm water dab it on then rinse with cold water and dab dry works great.
Other Cleaning Solutions ...
If the vinegar doesn’t fit the bill, all of the following products have been recommended and can be used to clean up rabbit urine and stains:
Urine Free - This is good for stain and odour removal too and available from various vets and retailers.
Strike Carpet Stain Remover from Countdown
Urine Off - I have used this product for many years - I use it within my own home for cleaning up ‘accidents’ with my cats and rabbits.
Odarid Last Resort Pee Stain Remover - Designed to remove the yellowing caused by animal urine and also browning caused by water marks in carpets. This product does not remove pee odour.
Carpet Power from the supermarket
Cavalier Carpet Stain Remover - This product is really, really good at getting urine stains out of carpet esp once they have dried. If wet, blot up as much as possible then leave the pee to dry. Spot spray with this and leave it to dry completely. Once dry, vacuum it up with the hose attachment of the vacuum cleaner.