My rabbit ate a rubber doll hand and is less active. What to do?

I am sorry to hear about Sophie! Hopefully she chewed it up a bit before swallowing. If it was small and chewed it should not cause any harm and will pass through the digestive tract. Our main concern with an ingestion like this would be a blockage in the intestines. I would monitor her for the next few days to be sure she is eating normally and having normal bowel movements. If you notice her having any decreases in appetite/feces produced I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian.

This could cause a gastrointestinal obstruction which can be quite dangerous in rabbits. Close monitoring and a check up would be ideal to determine the size of the piece ingested and if the clay is going to pass.

Ultimately, there is no consensus on whether or not sugar free gum leads to toxicity in rabbits like it would in a dog. A larger concern would be whether or not you need to be concerned about a potential gastrointestinal obstruction occurring. I would not give her any additional hay, but if you are noting normal appetite, drinking, and bathroom habits this is definitely a great sign. Your choices would be the following at this point: continue to monitor at home for any changes in normal, or take her to the vet where they can administer some fluids / keep her overnight for monitoring. If there is any significant changes in her appetite or bathroom habits in the next few hours, veterinary attention should definitely be sought. Hope this helps.

Thanks for reaching out about Hazel and including photos. She is spayed? Could be building a nest because she is uncomfortable or sick and trying to hide. Does she seem uncomfortable when you pet her/palpate her belly? Another visit to the veterinarian is recommended. Rabbits stomachs are normally very acidic and needed for digestion of hay. Giving antacids could alter the pH, complicating digestion. Providing some heat support can give some aid. Good luck.

The digestive system of rabbits moves food through it pretty quick, so if you haven't noticed anything wrong in the past 4 days then Buggy is likely fine. Of course, this cannot be confirmed 100% without a physical exam. Monitor for a decrease or loss of appetite, a decrease or absence of stool production and lethargy. These symptoms should be addressed immediately by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. Increase the amount of timothy hay being offered as well as the amount of exercise. Both should help push any remnants of string out of his system.

Hello. It sounds like your rabbit may have signs of gastrointestinal stasis, which means the GI tract has slowed down, usually as a result of a rabbit that stops eating. Rabbits will stop eating for a number of reasons - their teeth may be overgrown, their tooth roots may be infected, they could also have any other systemic disease (respiratory, urinary, infection, etc). As you can see, the causes are many and its impossible to say what is the underlying cause for sure without an exam and testing (usually radiographs, blood work, etc). Regardless of the cause, GI stasis is potentially fatal if left untreated. Therefore, I would urge you to get veterinary care ASAP. In the meantime, syringe feed Hobie with a liquid hay diet, ideally Oxbow herbivore critical care if you can get some, or soak the hay pellets in warm water to make a slurry. The best thing to keep the GI tract healthy is fiber and hydration, so hay is the foundation of health. I see in the first picture a pellet mix with maybe some oats, corn, and/or seeds mixed with the pellets. This is not an appropriate diet for rabbits as they are selective feeders and usually pick out the concentrates. These pellet mixes significantly increase the incidence of dental disease and obesity. I recommend a 100% timothy hay pellet, ideally Oxbow brand. Feed 1/4 cup timothy hay pellets, free choice grass hay, and 2 cups fresh greens a day with fresh water available in a bowl and sipper.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Rabbits do not always show obvious signs of pain or illness; oftentimes being more quiet or eating a bit less, or pooping less are the first signs that something is wrong. It does sound like her symptoms may be related to the issue she had in June (gut stasis). Other possibilities would be pain from another area such as her teeth or an injury, or focal or systemic infection. I would recommend having her checked out by the vet within the next 12 hours if she is still acting very quiet. In the meantime, keep her hay and pellets close by to encourage eating, as well as her water, and monitor her poop output closely. If her appetite or energy are worsening over the next few hours, if she is producing very little to no poop, I would get her to the vet sooner, as gut stasis in rabbits can quickly become an emergency. I hope this helps, and that Miss Cottontail feels better soon!