Summertime can be dangerous to rabbits. Direct sunlight and heat can cause heat stroke and death to rabbits. One can observe easily the rabbits that are in trouble. You will notice the rabbit being wet around the nose and mouth. You may even notice a drop or two of blood. The rabbit sometimes trembles and becomes unable to stand. Panting becomes labored.

To help the rabbit you must move very quickly. The fastest way to bring a rabbit out of this condition safely is to get the heat out of his body immediately. The fastest way to do this is to submerge the entire body of the rabbit (except for the head) in cold water. Any container will do (sink, bathtub, bucket etc).

Remove the animal as soon as he has been thoroughly drenched and do not dry him off. Lie him in a quiet cool place out of the sun. A shady grass area would be a good choice. Allow the rabbit to lay quiet for awhile before returning him to his cage.

Be sure to correct the situation that caused the heat stroke. Move the cage to a shady spot. Or provide shade for the animal where it needs it. Remember rabbits can take extreme cold as long as they are dry, but heat is a killer. So keep an eye on those bunnies this summer.

Jan Coffelt