INTRODUCTION

It is clear to all of us that when a person smells bad or is dirty they should wash themselves, not only for social reasons but also for health reasons, so it is assumed that pets should also do this, which is essential for dogs, but what about rabbits?

In the case of rabbits these are extremely clean animals that spend a large part of the day grooming themselves by licking like cats, so if the animal lives in a clean space it doesn't have to be dirty or smell bad.

CAN I GIVE MY RABBIT A BATH?

The answer is: yes, but no. 

We should not bathe them on a regular basis, without the right knowledge, without the right equipment and without a good reason for doing so, as doing it incorrectly can lead to different problems (including health problems) due to inappropriate handling of the situation. 

We should only do it knowing very well how to handle them (to avoid accidents), what products to use, how to dry them correctly and only in emergency situations, such as paralysed animals that do not control their urine or sphincter, those that have been abandoned (classic or domestic) that are incredibly dirty or have developed skin problems, or when as a result of an accident they have been stained with something dangerous (paint, for example). And we will only wash the dirty areas using lukewarm water and a mild shampoo according to their coat type, we will never bathe them in their entirety or submerge them in water.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF (BAD) BATHING FOR RABBITS

The consequences of bathing our rabbit incorrectly (in the cases mentioned above) are varied:

-Respiratory problems 

-Tachycardia

-Heart attacks 

-Cardiac arrest

-Otitis

-Fungus

-Dermatitis

-Colds

-Fractures (paws and back)

-Death

-Coccidiosis (stress)

-E.Cuni (stress)

-Proliferation of skin mites (stress)

-Intestinal stoppages (stress)

MY RABBIT IS VERY DIRTY, WHY IS THIS?

We have already mentioned that rabbits are very clean animals as a general rule, so if our rabbit is dirty or smells bad it is almost certainly our fault.

The causes of dirt or bad smell in rabbits are the following:

-ENFERMEDITY: A rabbit which does not clean itself is an animal which has problems, does not feel well and does not want to or cannot spend energy on cleaning itself, so a dirty rabbit is probably ill. The majority of dirty rabbits which show signs of illness tend to be related to the respiratory system as these are illnesses which last longer and which can cause the animal to appear dirty and "abandoned" (gastrointestinal illnesses are much quicker and do not give time for this). 

-DISABILITY: A rabbit which is disabled in terms of mobility (e.g. cuni, splay leg, paralytic...) is an animal which cannot look after itself, so it is very possible that it will urinate and defecate on itself, which will lead to skin burns, hair loss, myiasis, fungus... It is our duty to clean him whenever necessary, as he is unable to do so. In the most serious cases we will have to be the ones to empty their bladder. 

-DIRTY HABITAT: An excessively dirty habitat (cage, park...) is only our fault, so the smell of the animal or the fact that its legs, belly and chest are incredibly dirty is a consequence of our own laziness. Rabbit habitats should be cleaned at least once a week and always depending on the size of the rabbit. This cleaning will be especially exhaustive in summer, as insects and larvae proliferate. 

-DIRTY RABBIT: Sometimes, we can find a less "clean" animal which likes to sleep on the corner or sit on its droppings, so its feet will be very dirty and yellowish; this can be corrected by placing a grid over the substrate, so that it is not in contact with the animal or by cleaning more often (every two or three days).

CONCLUSION

Rabbits should not be bathed unless the cause is very justified as we have mentioned before, in the case of doing so, always go to a professional (pet groomer) who has experience with rabbits.

If your bunny is very dirty or smells very bad, go to the vet first to rule out any kind of physical problem and, if this is ruled out, we will have to rethink our grooming routine.