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Rabbit might be in pain

22 9:45:16

Question
I think my rabbit was injured today .. he got stuck under a BBQ and now he's acting different.  He was laying very still earlier and his breathing was very shallow.  Usually when I pet him in his cage he jumps up from his laying down position .. he was very non responsive and just layed there while I moved his limp body.  He's more alert now and moving around a bit but he's still not being himself and his heart is racing.  What should I do for him?

Answer
If he'll let you, check him over carefully and gently for any wounds/injuries that need tending to.  If you don't see any, make him as comfortable as possible with a folded towel to lay on if he's on a wire-bottomed cage.  Keep the lights low and everything as quiet as possible as he tries to recover.  Rabbits generally do not show outward signs of stress or injury unless they're really hurt or traumatized, because in the wild this sign of weakness makes them a sure target for a predator.  If he's drinking OK, don't worry about eating just now but try to offer him a treat he enjoys to see if he can be enticed into taking a nibble.  If he's not drinking, you'll need to SLOWLY (so he doesn't breathe it in) offer him a few drops of water at a time from a medicine syringe every few hours as rabbits can dehydrate quickly.  Rabbits can become stressed very easily and he may just still be "stunned" from his ordeal, if he hasn't improved quite a bit more by tomorrow you'll want to call your vet when they open as he may have broken a bone or have an internal injury that you won't be able ot see/treat with home care.  Good luck!