# Which are the Healthiest/Hardiest Breeds?



## Jenk

I'm curious to know which breed(s) are considered rather healthy/hearty due to their overall genetic background. (I'm guessing that the Dutch is a major contender, but I'm also guessing that a number of other breeds could compete for the title of "healthiest/hardiest breed. )

I recently spokewitha seasoned bun owner (andactive member in the Chicago chapter of the HRS). During our conversation, shementioned that the Mini Rex breed is one of the most difficult for which to care, due to their variety of health issues and sensitivities.She also said that it's the breed that she _least_ recommends for a first-time bun owner. (_*gulp!*_I just jumped into the crazy waters, then, didn't I? )

Jenk


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## Leaf

I don't know, but as for the Dutch - I only have experience with the one I have now and she's no walk in the park.

Granted, she was very obese when I got her (and most of her problems may stem from that) - but between having liver issues, going into stasis three times, her molar spurs and a jaw abscess that affected her sinuses/ tear duct system...

Ibimi is probably the exception to the breed due to her poor care early on, but she is a purebreed so I thought I'd throw this out there.


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## Bunnys_rule63

I have to agree on the rex front. After my Ruby died from her lung tumour I did tons of research into it and found that rexes (because of the intensive breeding to produce their coat) are more likely to suffer from GI issues and heart problems.

Also I remember having a conversation with a vet about Dutches in which he said that becauseof their flatish faces they can suffer from teeth trouble, therefore I wouldn't say there were that hardy, although I'm no dutch expert!:?

To be honest mixed breeds (although not a breed) are the healthiest rabbits due to their mixed gene pool.


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## Leaf

*Bunnys_rule63 wrote: *


> Also I remember having a conversation with a vet about Dutches in which he said that becauseof their flatish faces they can suffer from teeth trouble, therefore I wouldn't say there were that hardy, although I'm no dutch expert!:?



I rest my case.

LOL

I'm glad I got my bit in about my Dutch before you made your post (less than a minute after mine) because what your vet said pretty much echos the thoughts of two vets I frequent for Ibimi.


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## Jenk

*Bunnys_rule63 wrote: *


> ...I remember having a conversation with a vet about Dutches in which he said that becauseof their flatish faces they can suffer from teeth trouble, therefore I wouldn't say there were that hardy, although I'm no dutch expert!:?


I hadn't that about the Dutch breed until now. (I'd thought that Nethies and Holland Lops are the highest risk for teeth issues. Who knew? Yikes...Is nothing safe/sacred? )


> To be honest mixed breeds (although not a breed) are the healthiest rabbits due to their mixed gene pool.


In other words, they're much like dogs and cats: Mutts generally make for the healthiest of pets.


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## Little Bay Poo

I tend to agree with the mixed breed statement, not because I have any experience, but because it makes sense. 

I'll also venture a guess that Nethies are not one of the hardiest breeds due to their dental issues, however I've had absolutely no health issues between my two in the year that I've had them. (Ok Billy had one gas attack in a year but that cleared up overnight so I don't count that).

What surprises me about dwarf breeds is that they don't have a shorter life span, but humans with dwarfism do.


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## Jenk

*Little Bay Poo wrote: *


> What surprises me about dwarf breeds is that they don't have a shorter life span, but humans with dwarfism do.


In that regard, bunnies also seem to be verymuch like dogs: The smaller the breed, the longer the average/anticipated lifespan. (Thus far, I've not heard of any medium-to-large breeds living 12-14 years, as I have about various small breeds.)


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## TinysMom

I know Flemish have something like a 5-7 year lifespan maybe? Its fairly short compared to other rabbits. That's why I was so shocked when Tiny died at the age of 3...I'd hoped to have a couple more years with him.

Still yet - even with the shortened life span - I'll probably always have a flemmie or flemmie mix.


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## JadeIcing

I know a flemmie rex who was around 13 when he passed. By the way Flemmie Rex mix is sometimes called a Flex!


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## Leaf

*Jenk wrote: *


> *Little Bay Poo wrote: *
> 
> 
> 
> What surprises me about dwarf breeds is that they don't have a shorter life span, but humans with dwarfism do.
> 
> 
> 
> In that regard, bunnies also seem to be verymuch like dogs: The smaller the breed, the longer the average/anticipated lifespan. (Thus far, I've not heard of any medium-to-large breeds living 12-14 years, as I have about various small breeds.)
Click to expand...


So, do dwarf rabbit breeds actually carry dwarfism genes?

Good point on mentioning "..*anticipated* lifespan."

Proper/good breeding goes a long way into the lifespan of any breed. I had a Yorkie whose Mom was a pet store dog, and whose Dad was from a BYB. (long story, but she was given to me after being injured as a pup) Tori almost made it to her 9th birthday before I decided to have her put down.

Between her diabetes, mush mouth, blindness, luxating patellas, liver shunt and cushings disease - not to mention her little barrel body, stubby legs and bad coat for the breed -- 

She lived far less than the anticipated 14-18 year lifespan the breed allows for.


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## Bunnys_rule63

*JadeIcing wrote: *


> I know a flemmie rex who was around 13 when he passed. By the way Flemmie Rex mix is sometimes called a Flex!


There is such thing as a giant rex??:shock::biggrin2:


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## Jenk

*Leaf wrote: *


> Good point on mentioning "..*anticipated* lifespan."


I no longer use _average_; I'm findingthat the "average" lifespan stated in most pet-related books (and on websites), esp. for rabbits, is misleading. (As Little Bay Poo once said, it seems thatrabbit breeds listed as having an 8-10-year lifespan seem tolivemaybe 4-5 years--judging by heartbreaking entries on the Rainbow Bridge forum.  

But I digress...What other breeds make for a (generally) long-lived pet? (Someone once mentioned the New Zealand to me.)


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## Spring

From personal experience.. itwould have to be the totally cross bred muts, which 3 of mine are. I have had barely any health concerns in well over a year, and the last major vet visit was due to a wound and to check up on Poppy's hocks. Poppy is a holland lop cross with who knows what, Pebbles has some lionhead in her, but could have holland lop, and a whole wack of other stuff I can't even recognize in her, haha, and Jasmine is a rex mix. 

Even Bruno, my french lop I haven't had health concerns (other than the wound which he had no control over) and he has been extremely healthy as well.


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## Raspberry82

I'd have to agree with the mut breed statements also and not from extensive experience, just from knowing a bunch of mutt owners.

Max, I've asked tons of people and had different ideas.. both vet, breeder and otherwise and he's part english spot/part polish. *crosses fingers/knocks on wood!* he's been healthy as a tank so far at 3 1/2yrs. Maybe it's his determined ornery-ness that makes him resistant to health problems.. lol.. Just kidding!


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## pamnock

*Spring wrote: *


> From personal experience.. itwould have to be the totally cross bred muts, which 3 of mine are. I




Most certainly! Purebreds are often tightly inbred, but the "mutts" have hybrid vigor!

Pam


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## EileenH

I would imagine the New Zealand's would be pretty hardy, as they are the rabbit that is used in research a lot- they must be able to handle pretty stressful situations if they can withstand that.

I always think about that when mine is running around..


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## NZminilops

My netherland dwarf Sakura has been the single most healthy and hardy rabbit that I have ever come across in my life.


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## purplepeacock

I think when it comes down to it your bunny is like a child. If you asked a mother that had a child with down's sydrome if she would change her life she'd look at you with so much love for her child and say her life wouldn't be complete without that child. It's the same as bun-moms. We love our buns no matter what. and we each picked our pets for whatever reasons we did. I love my Liffey so much. WHen i think about how i almost actually bought his sibling instead i want to cry b/c Liffey completes my little family and it's his little face and nose i come home to every day. I'd rather have a few short years or even months with Liffey than another bunny. I think most of us would say the same thing about our buns. When i first got Lif I worried if he'd be healthy. would he have teeth problems (he's a lop). I spent so much time worrying. Finally i said----I just LOVE him!!! and i want to love him and enjoy him for as little or as long as i have him. ok i'm done going on and on and getting all mushy. every day that bun steals a little more of my heart!...lol


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## Striker

Dutch rabbits. They have little their own rabbit shows and are one ofthe first demesticated rabbits.


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## polly

I have found with the ones we have lost at ayounger age nethie wise that they have been very small compared to the others not peanuts but runts and they never seem to live as long as the others. I have a nethie that has just come into my shed who has an 03 ring on so she is 5 and is well healthy I have heard of people who have rabbits in their sheds with 98 rings on so they are 10 and still doing really well. 

Its one of those things I suppose and liek humans we can never guarantee that something is not going to happen. 

Nethies and mini lops are probably the most common for dental because they have been bred down from other breeds and dwarfed so much that it has changed the face shape and squished them flat which is what causes the problems. But saying that I have had a couple with dental problems and Dido lived till he was a couple of months off 8 years old so it never seemed to bother him. 


Edited to add: over here especially down south a lot of breeders are using medicated pellets to feed with and that has seriously comprimised a lot of immune systems. Blue rex are a good example now a lot of people are losing more rabbits as they don't have as good an immune system as they should have and its definately a good question to ask if you were getting a rabbit from a breeder


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## tiabia0

My dutch I had: she lived to be 5 1/2 years old. She was very healthy or seemed to be up until the last month. When she died we found out it was from pasturella infection, and she also had 1 or 2 small tumors. She definitely tried her hardest to never give up with anything though.

My first 2 mini rexs - Both lived to be 1.5-2 years old. They were my 2 friendliest rabbits and very well behaved. They both died from hair balls.

My now mini rex - She's very friendly. Haven't had many problems yet minus the broken foot she suffered at 10 weeks old but you'd never guess it! She is now 2 years old.

My now mini lop - He's a little runt, in love with his sister ^ and a big brat at times! He hasn't had many problems so far besides one of his teeth growing a little goofy. He's 1 right now.


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## gentle giants

*Jenk wrote: *


> *Little Bay Poo wrote: *
> 
> 
> 
> What surprises me about dwarf breeds is that they don't have a shorter life span, but humans with dwarfism do.
> 
> 
> 
> In that regard, bunnies also seem to be verymuch like dogs: The smaller the breed, the longer the average/anticipated lifespan. (Thus far, I've not heard of any medium-to-large breeds living 12-14 years, as I have about various small breeds.)
Click to expand...

I have had large dogs live that long. Both were purebred collies, too. Jason lived too be 13, he was about 85 pounds, Danny was 12, he was about 65-70 pounds. I also have some disagreement with the "hybred vigor" as well. Mutts can have as many health problems as purebreds, and there is no record of what it may have in the background. The problem with purebreds comes in when you buy from an unethical breeder. Not that I have anything against mutt dogs or rabbits either one, I have had quite a few of both and loved 'em.


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