SupplementsSupplements and their role for your disabled rabbit.
There are times when our disabled rabbits just need a little extra help. Sometimes, they are not eating as much as they used to or should be and need a boost of those extra nutrients. Other times, they need help maintaining their weight after an injury or illness. No matter the situation, there are products out there that we can use to supplement their diet and replace the nutrients that they are not obtaining through their regular diet.
A few that we recommend are listed below. |
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Rolled Oats
While there is some controversy over its feeding, rolled oats can be a good addition as a supplement for a disabled rabbit. Rolled oats are traditionally oat groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers and then steamed and lightly toasted. These oats are very high in carbohydrates and dietary fiber which, for normal rabbits, may cause weight gain. For disabled rabbits, these extra nutrients are often needed to increase or maintain weight and energy and support digestion. As such, we feed organic rolled oats as a supplement for our rabbits. Feed no more than 1 tablespoon with their food daily. Feeding too much can often cause more harm than good- leading to soft stools.
Oat Groats
An even healthier alternative to rolled oats, oat groats can be a great supplement for a disabled rabbits. They provide much of the same benefits as traditional rolled oats with their high carbohydrate and fiber content, but are less processed than rolled oats. Oat groats are rolled oats before they are rolled, steamed and toasted. Supposedly, they provide the benefits of rolled oats without as much tendency to cause soft stools when given in large quantities. They are more difficult to find, but well worth the search. We find them at a local health food store and feed about 2 teaspoons to our disabled rabbit daily to help maintain her weight and keep her tummy running smooth.
Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are another possible supplement option. They are particularly helpful for weight maintenance. Flax seeds are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and the ever-important dietary fiber that underweight rabbits need. They are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, or good fats that reduce cholesterol and help to partially reduce the negative effects of a higher fat diet. They are great for the coat, are said to improve energy and general health, and are even rumored to help with arthritis inflammation. Due to the richness of flax seeds, we recommend just a small pinch over your rabbit's food a few times a week.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a very common home remedy for all sorts of digestive problems in animals. Pumpkin is always recommended as a natural remedy for diarrhea and stomach upset in dogs, and, recently, it has become very popular for use with rabbits struggling with the same issues. This brand by Earth's Best is USDA certified organic, meaning it is free of growth hormones, antibiotics, steroids or potentially harmful pesticides or herbicides, and it contains no added salts or sugars. It is a great source of vitamins A and C and will help keep your disabled rabbit's digestion running smoothly, especially if they are struggling with diarrhea or other upset, if fed on occasion. Rabbits usually love the pumpkin flavor with the added sweetness from the apple and it makes for a great healthy treat. We can find this brand at our local grocery stores.
Ingredients: Organic pumpkins, organic apples, water. That's it!!
Ingredients: Organic pumpkins, organic apples, water. That's it!!
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Critical Care
Critical Care is a premium recovery food that can be given to rabbits that are struggling with eating or are unwilling to eat their normal diet due to injury, illness, surgery or poor nutritional status. It is a specially formulated food mix that contains all the essential nutrients of a complete diet as well as high-fiber timothy hay to ensure proper gut physiology and digestion. To feed, it is as simple as mixing one tablespoon of critical care with approximately 2 tablespoons of water. The dosage when critical care is being used as a primary food source is 3 tablespoons per kilogram of body weight. We use critical care only as a diet supplement to maintain weight and nutrition and so feed about 1 tablespoon twice a day for a total of 2 tablespoons. We also add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree (listed above) per feeding and then add water until the mix reaches a 'cream of wheat' consistency. Our rabbits lick it straight off the spoon. We definitely recommend its use.
Ingredients: Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Soybean Meal, Wheat Germ, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, Cane Molasses, Salt, Potassium Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Soybean Oil, Magnesium Sulfate, Papaya, Pineapple, Limestone, Natural Flavor, Oat Groats, Wheat Middlings, Yeast Culture (dehydrated), Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate,Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Thiamin Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate.
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