All the animals have different nutritional requirements, even if they are herbivores, omnivores or carnivores. A rabbit is an herbivore, its diet is mostly based on plant food and their diet needs to have a lot of fiber in it. Dogs on the other hand are carnivores and need more protein and fat to grow and stay active.
According to experts, when it comes to food, rabbits are more similar to farm animals than cats, ferrets, rodents or dogs. Rabbits are born to eat all day, rather than consume their daily portion of food at one time, and without food for some time may make a rabbit sick. Dogs as well as other carnivores mostly consume only once or twice a day.
Should I give my Rabbit Dog Food?
Simple Answer: NO
Rabbits love to feast; they eat a lot of types of food. They are not choosy when it comes to food and love to nibble on pretty much everything. Taking this into account, they shouldn’t be able to eat whatever they want.
If your rabbit has eaten dog food, maybe tasted the pellets left out for a pug or you wanted to give something different to your bunny, drop the idea because it’s always best to give your rabbit food that’s good for their health.
Dog food carries ingredients that are not suitable for rabbits and their health, like, protein in high amounts. Rabbits are herbivores and a high protein diet is not the healthiest diet for them.
Susan Brown, DVM of Veterinary Partner says it is dangerous for a rabbit to snack on dog or cat food. These foods are produced especially for carnivores. Dog food contains a lot of protein and fats as well as carbohydrates in powdered form, like corn. Sometimes rabbits can eat small amounts of dog or cat food and seem normal but there can be hidden changes happening over time. A rabbit’s eating high amounts of protein can lead to kidney problems; consuming a diet of fat and powdered carbohydrates can make them gain weight.
Doctor Brown further explains; the most dangerous side effect in rabbits who eat dry dog or cat food is the disturbance of the normal intestinal flora that will ultimately lead to intestinal distress and death. There are some cases where rabbits become very sick and die within a day of eating dog food due to severe intestinal problems.
Your bunny may also suffer from dental issues because dogs and rabbits’ teeth types are different. Hence dog food is designed only to be consumed by dogs. The canines in dogs are designed to shred meat and rabbits’ flat teeth are made for grinding. If rabbits are not fed enough hay or grass, it can cause some serious dental problems and you might need to call your dentist. Careful measures include providing a diet with high fiber content.
Why is eating dog food bad for rabbits?
Dog food consumption is not healthy for rabbits because its protein components are indigestible for rabbits. They need food with high fiber, and dog food does not contain much fiber and without the fiber, rabbits’ intestines won’t have proper bowel movement. If the food does not move along, rabbits may develop Gastrointestinal Stasis, which causes serious problems in them.
Dog food contains high amounts of fat and carbohydrates for rabbits. These components can cause trouble digesting the food for rabbits, and may lead to GI stasis. Bacteria in intestines feed on the fat and release gasses, causing stomach aches for the rabbits. The bacteria can also release toxins in the intestines.
The stomachaches mean that the rabbits may lose their appetite and the pH levels (acidity level) change in the intestines, enabling bacteria to release more gas and toxins. These toxins may poison the rabbit’s organs.
Rabbits with GI stasis may show less body movement, more stretching than usual, and may not eat food. If you think your rabbit has these symptoms, consult a vet immediately. This condition can be harmful for rabbits.
Diet for Rabbits
The best-balanced diet, on a daily basis, for rabbits consists of fresh vegetables, fresh timothy hay, quality rabbit pellets, and large amounts of fresh and clean water. Additionally, they should also have access to UNLIMITED fresh hay all day.
Here are some types of food for Rabbits.
• Hay and Grass. Your pet rabbit’s diet should be similar to what wild rabbits eat, as much as possible. Hay and grass should be a major part of your pet’s diet. Good quality hay is not only rich in nutrients but will also keep them active and busy for long periods of time and reduce laziness. Hay is good for their teeth, keep them trimmed and jaws strong.
• Pellets. Pellets contain loads of fiber and have the right quality and quantity of nutrients for rabbits. Choose pellets that are high in fiber and low in protein. As your rabbit ages, pellet intake should decrease. Bunnies only need a handful of pellets for the day so no need to fill the bowls to the peak. This will also encourage them to eat more hay.
• Greens. Rabbits love different types of fresh vegetables. It’s their primary diet and it’s a great source of nutrients. It allows their jaws to have more movement while chewing that increases the strength and adds more life to your rabbit’s teeth. Feed them new vegetables in moderate quantities. If you see some irregularities like diarrhea, stop the new vegetable at once as your rabbit may have difficulty digesting this type of vegetable. You may choose to feed them up to 3 types of greens daily and make sure it’s properly washed up and doesn’t contain chemicals or pesticides. Feed them a minimum of one cup of veggies for every four pounds of body weight each day.
Conclusion
Never feed your rabbit dog food. It’s not good for them, and could cause serious short and long term problems. Stick to hay, greens, fresh water and sometimes a treat for your bunny, and they’ll be healthier and live a happy and active life.
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