Recurring problem of Rabbit not eating (constipation?)

Question
Hello Dana,

FIRST:  Our rabbit Bowie is being seen by a vet and has yet another appointment this afternoon.

Bowie is a very special dwarf hotot who seems to be undergoing some difficulty as of late.  About a week and a half ago he was not well - not eating, not pooping.  We kept him hydrated, took him to two vets with a result of him being placed on Critical Care food, antibiotics and a laxative.  From then until today, Bowie seemed to be recovering quite nicely - eating lots, drinking lots back to exercising and playing.  This past evening, Bowie began to get lethargic and stopped eating again.

He will be visiting the vet shortly - can you suggest anything that we should be looking for in regards to underlying issues?  We would really like to determine the root cause for his not eating.  The vet last week determined that it was not a blockage.

... also, Bowie has only been given high fibre pellets (although in a variety), leafy greens and botanical hay (he likes it best) along with the medical treatments above for the last week and a half.

Any help would be appreciated.  We are very worried about his condition.

Thank you very much,

Ann

Answer
Dear Ann,

First, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

and find an experienced rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

There are so many possibilities for this type of chronic problem that it would be impossible to list them here.  First, you need to determine whether his body temperature is normal, since that's one of the best indicators of what could be wrong.  This is explained in the article above.

A very common problem in dwarf bunnies is molar spurs that cause enough pain/stress to shut down or slow the GI tract.  Please read these:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

and

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

Blood work (complete blood chemistry and blood cell count) can be another step, if all else seems clear.  This will help the vet determine if there are cryptic infections or organ maladies that cannot be seen on gross examination.

I hope this helps.

Dana