# Fat Rabbits Join Cats And Dogs On The Sofa



## Pipp

[align=justify]UkPets.co.uk Obese Rabbits Article

Wednesday 07 November 2007
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[align=justify]*Fat Rabbits Join Cats And Dogs On The Sofa*[/align]


[align=justify]*There are rabbits lolling around* in 600,000 households in the UK - far too many of them, an estimated 30%, (says the *Rabbit Welfare Association, RWA*), *are obese.* Now, a *UK pet insurer* has warned that 25% of its 2007 claims for *pet rabbits* relate to dietary issues, in particular, obesity ..and downright laziness. 

Following our *UK Fat Cats..** article* last week, *Pet healthcare* insurance provider *Pet Protect*, (*Domestic & General*) got in touch to say that it is not just cats and dogs that are overweight, "our bunnies also need to watch their weight," said the company. 

Pet Protect spokeswoman, *Ruth Cottam*, told us: 

"*Pets* are heading the way of their human owners and *pet obesity* is of great concern since it is linked to many other conditions. I hope the current interest in the topic will help promote *responsible pet ownership* and make people think twice before spoiling their *rabbits* with cookies, cake and chocolate. It really is terribly bad for them and must be cut out. 

"*Fat rabbits* are usually lazy too which makes the whole situation worse and so a combination of a healthy diet with plenty of exercise is recommended, just as for humans". 

Pet Protect is one of the few *pet insurance* providers that offer cover to *rabbits* and it is urging new owners to feed their *rabbits* a high fibre diet based on fresh hay or grass with additional vegetables and fruit, such as carrots, celery, greens and apples (without stems and seeds). The suggested amount is at least three different kinds of fruit and vegetable per day. 

Submitted by: Steve O'Malley class=mdtxt
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## Wee Wabbits

Wow......... Next thing you know they will be selling bunny treadmills.


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## rabb1tmad

That's just awful, I'm ashamed to be British sometimes. Can't people recognise thatbunnies aren't supposed to eat cookies & cakes. This makes me mad.

Lacey is one of those lazy buns and she likes to eat. Her weight fluctuates a bit but I am always quick to recognise when she is too big. It is quite easy to get a rabbit to lose weight - it's the same for humans - eat less, eat the right foods and exercise.


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## TK Bunnies

This is a HUGE problem in the US! You would not belive the number of over weight dogs and cats!!


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## lemonaxis

Nothing wrong with weighing your bun on a kitchen scale once a week...of course this works for my mini lop but the big guns, I mean buns,  could also easily be weighed.
Its a sad death for a fat pet. Just like their human counter parts, depression and addiction to rubbishy foods becomes a priority for these pets and little else matters.


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## tonyshuman

my problem is that i don't know how much Tony should weigh. i know he's put on weight since coming home from the shelter (and subsequent new-bunny vet visit). i weighed him the other day because i thought he was feeling skinnier (could feel more bones on his back/shoulders, etc, and his big ole tummy is gone), and he weighed more than usual! and i don't know how pedigreed he is, so i don't know whether or not i can go by breed standards for his weight. he is heavy for a dutch.

in the states, it's less common to have a kitchen scale--we do most of our recipes by volume not mass. but i use a bathroom scale--i take my weight, and then my weight + bunny, and subtract to get Tony's weight. it's not terribly accurate, and my scale only goes by 0.5lbs, but it works.


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## Pipp

Here's another article based on the same study... 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/18/nbunny118.xml&site=5&page=0

*Sweet treats creating wave of tubs bunnies* 
BY Jasper Copping

Last Updated: 4:36pm GMT18/11/2007


It nearly caused the untimely end of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. Now over-eating is causing an epidemic of obesity among hundreds of thousands of British bunnies.

Like the much-loved children's book character, who became so fat he was barely able to dodge Farmer McGregor, British pet rabbits are piling on the pounds.

A new survey has found a quarter of all pet rabbits are overweight, with eight out of 10 vets saying the trend is escalating. Owners are blamed for giving treats such as honey and chocolate. Even carrots are contributing to the problem, with many varieties grown for their high sugar content to make them sweeter for human tastes.

The vets' survey is the first of its kind and underlines Britain's growing problem with fat pets. Obesity in rabbits is rapidly approaching the same levels found in dogs and cats, of which about one in three are obese. Some rabbits are twice their recommended body-weight.

As in humans, a lack of exercise is contributing to the problem. Increasingly, pets now live indoors as "house rabbits" rather than hopping around the garden, while vets say even outdoor rabbits are often kept in hutches that are too small and so they don't get enough exercise. Richer processed pet foods are also being blamed.

Rabbits find it harder to lose weight than cats or dogs, and the trend has prompted the Rabbit Welfare Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) to speak out about the considerable health risks associated with obesity.

Two of the country's largest pet insurers say obesity-related issues now make up 25 per cent of claims for rabbits, which have increased in popularity in recent years. Up to two million are kept as pets.

Elaine Pendlebury, a senior vet at the PDSA, said: "The number of obese rabbits I see in the surgery is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are feeding a rabbit toast and honey, that is a lot of calories for them and will pile on the pounds."

Adult rabbits weigh between 1kg and 8kg, depending on breed, but Judith Brown, veterinary executive of the Rabbit Welfare Association, said it was now common to see rabbits more than 20 per cent over their ideal weight.

Among the breeds particularly vulnerable are continental giants, which can grow to the size of a small dog. They were once bred for meat and can very quickly put on excess weight. Annette Edwards, 54, a model from Worcester, has 20 rabbits, including six continental giants. "Some of them do struggle with their weight," she admitted.

Fat rabbits can find it difficult to clean themselves and this may lead to an infestation of maggots, which can be fatal. Obesity can also lead to a condition called "sore hocks", involving painful wounds on the paws, which can also cause death. Overweight females can suffer life-threatening pregnancy toxaemia.

As with other species, obesity in rabbits can lead to joint and bone problems, heart and breathing difficulties, and an increased risk of cancer.

Simon Wheeler, head of marketing for insurance firm Petplan, which carried out the latest study, said 25 per cent of all claims for rabbits related to dietary issues or obesity, up from 12 per cent last year.

He said: "The results of the survey suggest rabbits are catching up with the nation's cats and dogs in the obesity stakes. It's serious in all pets, because being overweight can lead to heart problems, diabetes and respiratory problems."
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## Leaf

My newest rabbit is overweight. I didn't realize how bad the problem was until I got her home and actually picket her up. The poor thing is built like an english bulldog!


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