I've seen so many rabbits lately in GI stasis that I wanted to briefly talk about what it is and what signs to look for. Any rabbit owner should know the importance of making sure that your rabbit is always eating and pooping regularly. Over 12 hours of your rabbit not eating is concerning and should be seen by a veterinarian. GI stasis basically just means that their gut/gastrointestinal tract is upset and has stopped working for some reason. GI stasis can occur for a variety of reasons that your vet can help you figure out what the underlying issue may be.
Any abnormal behavior in a rabbit is concerning, however not eating, not pooping, teeth grinding, lethargy, sensitive or enlarged abdomen are sure signs that your rabbit may be in stasis.
Diagnostics:
Your vet may decide to do bloodwork to rule out an underlying cause and/or radiographs (x-rays) to look at size of stomach, and any other underlying disease. Bloodwork could determine if there is an infection, kidney or liver issues, or maybe even cancer.
(Radiographs taken from Bellambivet.blogspot.com)
Treatments:
Treatments can vary based on the diagnostics. Most treatments will include fluids, gastric motility medications, gas relief medications (rabbit can't vomit and guinea pigs have a hard time getting rid of the gas in their GI tract), stool softeners, and assist feedings to stimulate their stomach and get nutrients into them. However, some animals may be critical enough to need to be hospitalized on IV fluids and constant monitoring.
Prognosis:
The outcome is usually good if the rabbit is treated in time and doesn't have a severe underlying cause. Every case is different, which is another important reason to bring your rabbit into a vet as soon as you start suspecting something.
I had my first rabbit bot fly on the season! Bot flies likes to burrow inside an animals skin and create tracks or pockets where they have traveled. They can cause tissue to abscess and necrosis if not caught in time. You need to remove the larvae in order for the animal to do well and close the tracks again.
Cutest patient of the week
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