They won't want to eat anything, will not be moving much (often sitting in a hunched position) and their abdomen will feel bloated and painful. If your rabbit is showing any of these signs, getting them to your nearest vet as quickly as possible is very important.
If a blockage occurs in the intestines there is now nowhere for the stomach contents to go, which leads to the stomach becoming enlarged or bloated. In some cases the stomach can become so enlarged that your rabbit's whole abdomen looks and feels like there is a large balloon inside of it.
The gas is caused by the bacteria in a rabbit's stomach multiplying excessively as a result of incorrect feeding. This may be because the rabbit has eaten wet green food or grass clippings, mouldy hay or simply as a result of irregular feeding. It is a medical emergency and sadly usually fatal.
SYMPTOMS: When a rabbit suffers from gas, it is pertinent that you treat your bunny as quickly as possible. Symptoms that are most commonly presented include: - Gurgling noises coming from your rabbit's stomach. - Bunny will become lethargic preferring to be left alone often sitting with her eyes partially closed.
Rabbits with GI stasis often look bloated, pass little to no stool, and have big, gas-filled stomachs and intestines on x-rays. Blood tests often reveal evidence of dehydration and abnormal electrolyte values. There may also be changes associated with other underlying diseases (such as kidney or liver disease).
Loafing. Loafing is when your rabbit fluffs up into a ball and looks like a loaf of bread. This is generally a comfortable position for rabbits and they'll often sleep in this position, especially in the colder months. This is a neutral position for a rabbit.
Using both hands, gently run your finger tips along the sides of your rabbit – you should be able to feel a slight fat covering over your rabbits ribs but you should still be able to feel them. If it becomes difficult to feel the ribs, your pet may be overweight.
In a normal rabbit, the caecum should be easily palpable and occupy around a third of the abdominal volume. The gut should feel full but not distended, doughy or painful. Guts that feel distended or empty are abnormal, as are discrete areas of pain (Figure 1).
Massaging or vibrating your rabbit's tummy is one of the best ways to help break up gas bubbles and encourage the gut to 'get moving'.
Your vet will first release the build-up of gas and air inside the stomach to stop the tissue in the stomach from dying and take pressure off surrounding organs. This can be done using a tube and stomach pump, but surgery is sometimes needed. It's possible to untwist the gut at this point as well, but not always.
Rabbits that are bloated will die in 4 to 24 hours if untreated.
Signs of abdominal pain may include bruxism (teeth grinding), pressing their abdomen on the ground or a hunched posture. General treatment involve rehydrating the rabbit and re-establishing a healthy gut microbial environment. Nursing also includes care to prevent secondary skin problems.
This may be normal behavior. Sick or injured rabbits may be identified by abnormal behaviors such as lying on their sides for extended periods of time, head tilting, falling over, or inability to run in a straight line.
Since diet does not impact bloat, even rabbits on an excellent diet can be affected . Second, rabbits with GI stasis often have a history of something that recently caused pain or stress, such as illness, surgery, dental disease, or another stressful event .
Warning signs that something isn't right
Subtle signs of illness in a rabbit vary and can include: Slow movement, staying still or hiding away. Breathing faster than usual or noisy breathing. Eating less and/or refusing certain foods.
Treatment of GI stasis varies depending on severity and underlying causes. Recovery is often slow and may take several days to weeks. Fluid therapy — Many affected rabbits are dehydrated or suffering from electrolyte imbalances.
Symptoms of GI stasis include very small (or no) fecal pellets, sometimes clinging to the bunny's bottom. In some cases, very small fecal pellets will be encased in clear or yellowish mucus.
Rabbits with an intestinal obstruction present severe abdominal pain and as a result will become anorexic, unwilling to move and grind their teeth in pain (bruxism). They will also press their abdomen on the ground, have a bloated and distended abdomen, and cease production of faecal pellets.
Gently massage your bunny's tummy.
Be careful, because bunnies are delicate inside and out. Your goal is to encourage the gas to move through the bunny's gut and out. Note that bunnys can't burp, so the only exit is through…the back end.
Overeating can cause obesity and digestive problems which could lead to death. A rabbit's diet should consist of 85% grass hay, such as meadow, timothy, or orchard hay. The rest of the diet should be fresh vegetables, fruit, and pellets. Rabbits will overeat if given a chance.
Overfeeding. Obesity, teeth and gut problems in rabbits can be caused by inappropriate diets and overfeeding. Root vegetables can be given occasionally but, as carrots are especially high in sugar, you should use the carrot tops and a small piece of carrot.
Drench each animal twice daily with an anti- bloat preparation or oil. Apply anti-bloat preparations twice daily onto the flank. Add bloat oil into the water supply. Use a mixture of alcohol ethoxylate and molasses in a roller-licker drum • Use anti-bloat blocks or dry loose licks.
Pet owners can expect to pay between $1,500 to $7,500 for gastric dilatation-volvulus surgery in dogs, as well as for post-operative care. If the owner has pet insurance, it's possible that most or even all the cost of bloat surgery for dogs will be covered.