My dog ate a bunny, has diarrhea, and won't eat. What should I do?

Yes, if your dog has a sensitive GI tract. Dogs won't typically get infected with rabbit parasites. They are usually species specific. Withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet ( boiled boneless / skinless chicken and plain white rice) in small, frequent amounts. Continue feeding until the stool is normal. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. If the diarrhea does not resolve, see your veterinarian. Submit a stool sample to rule out other intestinal parasites. Try to restrict your dog's access to rabbit stool.

Based on the information provided, I'm not clear as to how long the loss of appetite and other symptoms have been going on, but I'm assuming more than 24 hours. It sounds like your big man normally has a very healthy appetite. The symptoms do seem pretty vague, but if they are becoming more frequent, it is definitely time to see your veterinarian. Lots of things could cause Cash to stop eating; everything from a virus, to a blockage from something he ate, or kidney or liver disease, and more. Your veterinarian will likely want to start checking some bloodwork and maybe getting abdominal xrays. The previous episode of diarrhea may or may not be related, but I think it is time to look into this further. In response to your question "could this be something serious", that is harder to answer. In short, yes it could, but I hope it isn't. Only with a full exam and some testing will your veterinarian be able to answer that fully. I hope your Johnny Cash is on the mend soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lack of drinking can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Walter evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery! 


Thanks for reaching out about your rabbit. An intestinal obstruction, partial or full, should be considered. Might still be defecating due to fecal pellet formation behind the obstruction. Probiotics are not the answer and could be detrimental, as rabbit (herbivore) gut flora is different than dogs (omnivore) and cats (carnivore) and often the probiotics are labelled for all. If he has decreased appetite or seems painful, a veterinary visit is highly recommended. Good luck.

I'd be concerned that the color of Ripley's diarrhea is due to blood, but given she ate some rabbit food, this could be irritating her GI tract. I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 6 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, you continue to see blood in her feces, she starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rosebud! She is very cute! Causes of diarrhea can be from: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion (ate something gross), new treats/dog food/table food, toxin ingestion, food allergy/intolerance. If Rosebud is fully vaccinated and has been thoroughly dewormed and has had stool samples checked then I would with hold food for 12-24 hours. Do not take away water unless vomiting. After the fast offer a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day until 2 normal stools. If she continues to not eat or starts to vomit, she needs to see your Vet. I hope this helps and I wish Rosebud a speedy recovery!

Poor Dakota. It sounds like he feels really bad. Bones can splinter in the GI tract and cause quite a bit of damage and pain, so I would recommend having your veterinarian examine him to make sure that he doesn't have any more bone fragments in his GI tract that are causing a problem. You vet can also prescribe an antibiotic that will help resolve the diarrhea and prevent any problems that the bone may have caused in the GI tract to help him feel better ASAP. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Dakota feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.