Rabbbit

Question
My bunny is not eating or drinking.  I'm afraid she may be constipated.  What can I do?

Answer
Hi Tammy,

That is an indication of a condition known as GI Stasis.  It is life threatening.  Stasis is when the digestive tract slows dramatically.  If the gut stops, it's called ileus.  This should be considered an emergency and the aid of a rabbit savvy vet should be sought.  Stasis is not a primary condition.  It is always secondary to another issue....and most of the time we can link stasis to an improper diet.  But any number of things can cause stasis.

The immediate concern is to get your rabbit hydrated.  Most often stasis can be traced to a dehydrated mass of ingesta in the lower intestine.  This is usually caused by a diet too low in fiber....not enough hay.  But again, other things can come into play also.  A qualifed vet should take an x-ray to determine if we have an impaction and if so, locate it.  The first treatment should be fluids either by IV or sub-q infusion.  If you don't have this capability, offer fluids by mouth....forced with a syringe if necessary.  Unflavored children's Pedialyte is an excellent choice as it helps replenish lost electrolytes.  See if she will eat greens....leafy greens such as romaine lettuce or dandelion greens are most water and help with hydration.  We don't have any clinical proof, but it appears that fresh pineapple juice helps break down the enzymes that bind impaction.  This requires fresh juice hand squeezed from the fruit.  Processed juice contains too much sugar...don't use any fluid with sugar.  Try to keep her moving around as much as possible without undue stress.  A heating pad on lowest setting for her to rest on (of course have the pad covered by a towel and supervise her carefully to prevent burns) may make her feel better. In most cases of stasis, hydration is what overcomes the problem.  

Once the stasis event is over...review your feeding protocols to make sure hay is available all the time.  Rabbits should have hay available to them all the time.  It is the pressure that keeps the gut moving properly.

Again, a rabbit savvy vet should become involved as soon as possible.  It needs to be determined if the problem is an impaction or some other type obstruction in the gut.  Hydration before nutrition....get her hydrated before forcing food.  Force feed Pedialyte via syringe if necessary.  Do not give anything with lots of sugar...and this includes processed pineapple juice or yogurt....some people suggest yogurt but that is never appropriate for a rabbit. Keep her moving as much as possible to try to stimulate the gut to move.  Keep her warm as rabbits in stasis can go into shock...her ears will become cooler to cold to the touch.  Review your rabbit's diet....make sure it's a proper diet.....low protein/high fiber.  That means no treats, limited greens and high quality pellets and all the hay she will eat.  Again, this should be considered an emergency situation.