Bloat: Is hay dangerous?

Question
QUESTION: Hi, i'd like to ask a few questions regarding my pet rabbits.

One of my rabbit passed away yesterday because of bloat, what causes this? and how do i know this earlier, is it contagious?

Some breeders in my place told me that hay is not too good and important for rabbits, overfeeding hay will cause the rabbits to bloat. And a local vet told me that hay could cause rabbit's paralyzing. Is this true?

ANSWER: Dear Anton,

I am very sorry about the loss of your rabbit.  Bloat is a terrible thing, and please know that it is almost always fatal.  It is not contagious.  It is usually due to a mechanical problem in the intestine--a blockage--though this can happen for different reasons.

Certain types of hay, such as clover and alfalfa, are very rich in protein and calories, and in some sensitive individuals, this can cause intestinal gas buildup.  In some rare instances, excess gas and fluid in the stomach can actually cause a portion of the intestine (just distal to the stomach's pyloric sphincter) to pinch off and cause a blockage.  This can cause a fatal bloat.  If it's caught immediately, a gastric tube can be passed to relieve pressure and unpinch the intestinal coil.  It may also help to lay the bunny on his left side, which can relieve pressure on the sharp turn of the intestine that gets pinched off.  But if this is not done almost at onset of the condition, the pinched areas of the intestine lose their blood supply and die.  This can cause death even days afterwards, even if the bloat is relieved.

Overfeeding of *grass* hay should not cause bloat.  Grass hay is a very important part of the rabbit diet, and should be given in unlimited quantities daily, as long as the hay is fresh and free of any type of mold.  Bad quality hay can cause many types of illness due to mold contamination, so be sure you get the hay from a very good source, such as Oxbow Hay Company (www.oxbowhay.com) or American Pet Diner (www.americanpetdiner.com) or other reputable company.

Hay will not cause paralysis in a rabbit.  I'm not sure why the vet would tell you that, unless s/he was considering the possibility of mycotoxin contamination of the hay.  But even if that's the case, there are no mycotoxins that will cause acute paralysis.  

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the information,

So you are saying that grass hay such as timothy and orchard won't cause bloat, but clover and alfalfa might?
It reminds me of rabbit's need for fiber, local breeders claim that rabbit only need 12 - 18% fiber, while above 22% fiber would cause blockage on the system, is this true?

And one more thing, one of my rabbit, I think, caught a cold, it often sneezes and rubs its nose. What causes this? and what is the cure?

Thank you very much,
it's a pleasant for me to chat with you.

Answer
Dear Anton,

I'm not saying that a bunny getting only grass hay is immune to bloat.  Hay is not generally the cause of bloat or blockage.  But I will say that alfalfa and clover hays are more likely to make a bunny gassy, and this can, sometimes, contribute to a bloat.  But remember that a true bloat is pretty rare, and the ultimate cause is sometimes never known.

The breeders who told you that fiber of more than 22% are...breeders. They don't know much about feeding a rabbit for longevity. They want to make *biomass*, so they feed as much protein as possible.

A rabbit needs *at least* 22% fiber in his pelleted food, and more with the grass hay. Fiber is extremely important for good health, as long as the bunny gets LOTS of fresh water to be sure the intestinal contents stay well hydrated and moving easily.  Hydration and fiber are absolutely *critical* to good rabbit intestinal health.  High fiber diet does not cause blockages. It *prevents* them.

For the sneezing bunny, please read:

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

Rabbits don't catch colds (caused by a virus), but they can get bacterial upper respiratory infections needing appropriate antibiotics for a cure.  DO NOT ASK THE BREEDERS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.  If they are as clueless about medications as they are about diet, they could do harm to your rabbit with their advice.

Instead, find a qualified, experienced rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

who can properly diagnose and treat your bunnies for all of their health problems.

(I'd recommend you steer clear of those breeders for *any* information about rabbits, as they seem woefully uneducated.  Sorry to sound harsh, but I care more about your bunnies' health than about those breeders' egos.)

Hope this helps.

Dana