singapore rabbits

what an annual rabbit checkup should include in Singapore

updated 13 May 2026

annual checkups for rabbits in SG are inconsistent. some vets do a 10-minute palpate and weigh. some do a full panel including dental, fecal, and blood work. you pay for both ends of the range, so it’s worth knowing what to ask for.

the baseline checkup, every visit

regardless of age, every annual checkup should cover these.

weigh-in.

a kitchen scale or vet scale. tracked against last year’s number. sudden loss is a flag, sudden gain is a different flag. the trend matters more than the absolute number.

body condition score.

vet palpates the spine, ribs, and hip bones. they should feel without sharp edges. too prominent means underweight, hard to feel means overweight. SG rabbits trend toward overweight because of treat habits and limited floor time.

eyes and nose check.

discharge, asymmetry, redness. nose looking for crusting or runny mucus (snuffles risk). eyes for cloudiness or tearing.

ears.

outer ear for wax buildup or scratching damage, inner where visible for mite signs. ear mite cases (psoroptes cuniculi) are common in SG humidity and easy to miss until they’re severe.

teeth, the front incisors at minimum.

the four front teeth should align. the back molars need a different examination tool (otoscope or buccal pad press). if your vet does not check the back molars, your rabbit is missing half the dental exam, and dental disease is one of the top SG rabbit issues.

heart and lungs.

stethoscope check. rabbits have fast heart rate (130-325 bpm) so listen variability is wide. quiet or wheezy lungs is a flag.

abdominal palpate.

vet feels along the belly for masses, gas, hardness, or tenderness. routine but useful for catching changes year to year.

fur and skin.

parting the fur in a few spots, looking for bald patches, dandruff, or scabs. checking the scent glands under the chin and near the tail base for buildup.

discussion of diet, weight, and behaviour changes.

10-15 minutes of conversation that catches the things the physical exam misses. bring notes.

baseline checkup cost: SGD 60-120 at an exotic vet who is not adding upsells.

age-based add-ons

under 3 years, healthy

baseline is fine. no routine blood work unless behaviour or weight has shifted. spay/neuter status confirmed.

3-5 years

baseline plus a fecal sample if droppings have changed at all. fecal is cheap (SGD 20-40) and catches coccidia, encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) titer trends if relevant.

5+ years (senior)

baseline plus annual blood panel and urinalysis. SGD 150-250 add-on. catches kidney decline, calcium issues, and early E. cuniculi well before clinical signs appear. older rabbits hide illness even harder than young ones, so the lab tests are where you catch things.

any rabbit with prior issues

annual blood work regardless of age. if your rabbit has had stasis, dental work, or any chronic medication, bloods catch organ stress from those.

what’s worth adding, what’s overkill

worth adding

  • dental molar check at every visit (some clinics charge extra; insist on it)
  • weight trend chart kept by the clinic — if they don’t keep one, bring your own
  • fecal exam every 2-3 years even on healthy rabbits, more often if you keep multiple rabbits or bonded pairs
  • urinalysis after age 5

often overkill

  • chest X-rays on a healthy young rabbit (only do if respiratory signs)
  • annual vaccinations against myxomatosis and RHDV2 — SG is not a high-risk region. these vaccines are valuable for owners with overseas travel exposure or rabbit shows, less so for indoor-only HDB rabbits. discuss with vet
  • intestinal worming on a healthy SG indoor rabbit. outdoor-access rabbits, different story
  • routine ear cleaning every visit. only clean if mites or buildup are present

ask the vet to walk you through their checkup checklist before they start. a thoughtful exotic vet will appreciate the question and the bad ones will hurry through.

the dental issue, special SG note

three breeds have higher dental disease rates in SG:

  • Netherland Dwarf (flat skull, misaligned teeth common)
  • Lionhead (skull conformation similar)
  • any rabbit with a history of soft food, low hay intake, or trauma to the jaw

for these, the annual exam should always include a back-molar check using an otoscope or buccal pad. if a vet is reluctant to do it, find another vet. dental disease catches owners 12-18 months late, often via stasis as the first symptom.

how to tell a thin checkup from a real one

red flags during the visit:

  • vet does not weigh the rabbit
  • vet does not check the back molars (or claims it isn’t possible without sedation on a calm rabbit)
  • visit takes under 8 minutes total
  • no discussion of diet or environment
  • no follow-up notes given to take home

green flags:

  • vet asks about droppings, water intake, and recent behaviour before touching the rabbit
  • molar exam done with otoscope, narration of what they’re seeing
  • printed or emailed summary including weight, body condition, and any flags
  • the vet says “come back if you see X, Y, or Z” with specific signs

what owners often get wrong

  • skipping the checkup entirely because the rabbit “seems fine.” rabbits hide illness for survival. the annual catches problems while they’re still cheap to fix
  • going to the same vet that handles their dog or cat because it’s convenient. rabbit medicine is different enough that a non-exotic vet will miss things. our vet directory is exotic-only
  • only doing blood work when the rabbit is already sick — by then the readings are skewed by the illness. healthy baseline bloods are far more diagnostic for future visits

community-sourced information here is not veterinary advice. for any health concern see a licensed SG exotic vet.

community-sourced information, not veterinary advice. for medical issues, see a licensed SG exotic vet — start with our vet directory.

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