Info Sheets

Rabbits may need to have their tail amputated (surgically removed) for several reasons. Whilst this is not a common surgical procedure performed on rabbits, it can be necessary and advised for more than one reason.

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A rabbit’s tail (scut) is used to communicate with other rabbits. The underside of a wild rabbit’s tail is white in color, and when warning other rabbits of potential danger, they will quickly lift their tail and flash the underside of it to others. Although domestic rabbits are bred to have different colored tails, they still often use them in the same way.

Whilst your rabbit’s tail may just look like a ball of fur, it is made up of bone the runs down the middle, a blood supply, skin and nerves, and is an extension of the spinal column, known as the coccygeal vertebrae. All of this is covered in a thick layer of fur.

Rabbits may need to have their tail amputated, due to:

• Injury to the tail, making it painful, non-functional or damaged too badly for it to heal. This may be if the rabbit has been involved in a fight with another animal, gets the tail trapped or caught on something, or their tail is trodden on.
• Rabbits who are unable to lift their hindquarters to adopt the correct position for urination may have an area of skin removed from in front of their genitalia. This pulls the urethral orifice forwards, so the rabbit can urinate without the urine going all over their legs and tail. The tail often needs to be amputated at the same time due to the change of the angle.
• If a partial amputation has occurred, by accident or injury, and some of the tail remains, this will be non-functional and painful and will require amputation.

Your rabbit will be given a general anesthetic. This means they are not able to feel the surgery. The tail will be surgically removed, and the muscle and skin stitched back together. Often internal stitches are used, as this helps to prevent the rabbit from chewing the area. These are usually dissolvable stitches so will not need to be removed in the weeks after the surgery. When your veterinarian feels your rabbit is well enough, and this may be on the same day as the surgery, you will be able to take them home.

You need to make sure your rabbit is eating, drinking and toileting normally. You may be required to syringe feed and encourage them to eat, but this is vitally important. Your rabbit will be on pain relief, which you will need to administer at the correct time and give the correct dose. Your veterinarian or veterinary nurse/technician will demonstrate how to give this when you collect your rabbit. You may also need to give other medication, such as antibiotics and medications to keep the gastrointestinal tract moving. Make sure you are aware of how, what and when all the medications need to be given. You may find it useful to write a list. You will need to monitor your rabbit’s wound, which is likely to be an inch or two in length. If there are external stitches, make sure these are still there. The wound should be clean, dry, with minimal swelling and no redness or discharge. If there are any of these signs, or your rabbit seems irritated by the area, or uncomfortable, and/or they aren’t wanting to eat or pass droppings, you must speak to your veterinarian straight away.

Rabbits are more likely to chew their surgical wound if it is painful or the stitches are too tight. You should check several times a day to make sure the wound is healing well. Buster collars are not recommended to be used on rabbits. They stop the rabbit from being able to groom and eat their cecotrophs and rabbits dislike having anything around their neck. Wearing a buster collar is stressful for most rabbits. If the rabbit is unhappy with their wound, speak to your veterinarian. Your rabbit may need more pain relief or a pet medical T-shirt may need to be used.

Surgical wounds that heal without complications, will heal in 7-14 days. If your rabbit does have external (skin) stitches, then this is when they will need to be taken out by your veterinarian.

Initially the rabbit may be subdued, but once they have recovered from the anesthetic and surgery, the lack of a tail should not cause them any problems. The rabbit should be kept with their companion throughout the surgery and recovery, but you need to make sure the other rabbit does not interfere with the surgical wound. If they do, then a pet medical t-shirt is likely to be required. Splitting the rabbits up should be the very last resort, as you may struggle to bond them back together again.