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Rabbit wont eat or drink!!!

22 11:19:46

Question
My rabbit Misty won't eat or drink.  This is now the 2nd day and I checked on her but her food hasn't been touched and neither has her water.  This is bad considering I live in Texas and its summer so it gets up to 100 degrees or hotter.  She also has runny eyes bad runny eyes.  And she usually wants to run and play when I let her out of her hatch and she is CONSTANTLY getting into something but now she just lies down and looks sick when I let her out.  What's wrong with her?  Please resopnd ASAP if you could.  I'm scared that she might die since she won't drink.

Thank You,

~Sarah W.~

Answer
Dear Sarah,

Rabbits do NOT handle heat well.  If she's unable to get to a cool spot, this could well be the reason she's sick:  she's suffering from heat exhaustion which could quickly progress to heat stroke.

Please get her some frozen water bottles immediately so she can lie against them, and provide her with air-conditioned space, or she could well die from heat stroke.

The heat already has caused her enough misery and stress to elicit ileus, if she's not pooping, either.  Please read this immediately:

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

and get her to a good rabbit vet NOW, for fluids and other supportive care:

www.rabbit.org/vets

If you have more questions, please write back.  But I want to send this to you without delay, so you can get treatment started.  You should consider this an emergency.

Dana