rumbling tummy

Question
can you please advise me on our pet rabbit Fred. He is an indoor rabbit and is 3 years old next month. the last couple of days he has had a really loud grumbling tummy and lack of poo,(I noticed when he did have one the droppings were very small, in a bunch and covered by what looked like a white mucus) he also seems to have gone off his rabbit food which is unusual for him. can you please help as he is a very treasured pet.. thank you.

Answer
Dear Alison,

You need to get Fred to a good rabbit vet right away, as he appears to be suffering from a GI tract slowdown, and may even be in ileus:

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

Please read the article and start the massage and simethicone treatments as described, until you can get him to the vet.  Please also read:

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

to find out how to safely take his temperature.  If it's too low or too high, there are instructions in the article that could save his life.  Please use this list to find a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and get him there first thing in the morning.  The grumbling tummy is likely gas, which can be very painful.  Pediatric simethicone suspension will help that, as will gentle abdominal massage. Those are the two most important things you can do right now--along with making sure his body temperature is normal.

Once he's feeling a little better with massage and simethicone, try offering fresh, wet herbs to get him eating something.  Rabbits should not fast for long, as fatty liver degeneration can begin within even 12 hours of a bunny not eating.  (It can heal, but why put the bunny under that stress?)

Hope this helps get you on the road to his full recovery!

Dana