Do Rabbits Have Periods – Female

After birth, some bleeding or bloodstained postpartum fluids are a normal part of vaginal discharge and you should not be worried. In fact, you might notice some blood in their nesting box. This should not worry you at all.

What about cases where your rabbit bleeds from her bottom (vulva)? Does this mean that your girl bunny is having her periods or what?

Do female rabbits have periods and bleed?

In most of the domesticated mammals, the estrous cycle,  described as “the recurrent period of receptivity, or "heat" [1] occurs after they have reached sexual maturity or puberty in a regular interval. This is the duration when such a mammal is on the heat until the next time they get on heat again.

What about bunnies? Do not have estrous cycles characterized by regular intervals of when they are on heat, a time when ovulation occurs. No. This is not the case for bunnies. Estrous in female rabbits or does occurs depending on whether they accept mating after which ovulation will occur or they refuse and dioestrus occurs.

It is not possible to predict when female bunnies are on heat. However, “90 percent of the time when a doe has a red vulva, she will accept mating and ovulate, whereas when the vulva is not red the doe will accept service and become fertilized only 10 percent of the time.” [2]

The above observation is still not enough proof and it is not possible to know when and how long estrous or dioestrus occurs as well as the hormones and environmental factors that influence the happening.

Besides the red vulva, a lordosis pose, where hindquarters will be raised and their back arched down may indicate they are 'on heat' while aggression to a buck or crouching on their hutch corner may indicate dioestrus.

Ovulation in bunnies is induced by mating and these animals do not have periods since they do not even have an estrous cycle. Now that they do not have periods, there are no rabbit period symptoms you should expect. What we have discussed is a sign of being on heat.

This should answer various questions such as ‘do bunnies get periods’, ‘do girl rabbits have periods’, can rabbits have periods’ and so on. Bunnies do not have menstrual cycles. However, what about the case of my rabbit bleeding or having bloodstained urine?

Why is my rabbit peeing blood?

We have stated when you might expect some blood coming out of your bunnies vulva. Any other time besides after birth is a sign that something is not right. A rabbit bleeding from her vagina could be an indication of various things which will include the following:

Vaginal prolapse

It is very rare but may be due to excessive expansion of blood sinuses that are usually found on their vagina’s wall mucous membrane.

It can be due to polyps, trauma, ovariohysterectomy, too much mating, painful discharges especially in case of kidney or bladder stones as well as a bacterial infection.

Your furry friend will have problems urinating, bleed, constipate, get into shock, and so on depending on how long it takes for the problem is addressed.

Uterine cancers

This is an adenocarcinoma commonly noted in does that have not been spayed. If untreated, it can cause bleeding.

Other causes include Pasteurella lesions in the genital areas, rabbit syphilis (treponematosis), vaginitis, abortion, urinary bladder infections, kidney disease, some antibiotic use, eating fir leaves, foods with beta carotene, among others. 

Conclusion

If you suspect vaginal bleeding, it is good to see your vet for diagnosis since as we have noted, there are many things that can cause it but not menstruation.