My rabbit isn't eating and acting weird. Is it an emergency?

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Percy, a rabbit who is not defecating is a very serious condition which can indicating one of two emergencies gut stasis or gut obstruction. Both are life threatening. Since your rabbit demonstrating the signs mentioned above of: no fecal pellets, loss of appetite and lethargy it considered an emergency please take him/her to your vet immediately as rabbits can deteriorate very fast. Good Luck

Hi and thank you for your question, Whenever a rabbit stops eating this causes a cascade of physiological effects that acts like a vicious cycle. I would therefore recommend that you take Buttons to the vet ASAP and not wait till he really deteriorates. Many of these cases can be solved by simple things like fluid therapy and pain control, but a diagnosis for the initial cause is important. Regards

Skunk needs to go to a rabbit vet asap. Not all veterinarians will treat rabbits but this may help you find one. http://www.aemv.org/index.php/find-an-aemv-vet She may have gastric stasis if not eating which can be painful and life threatening. Cost varies by location and individual clinic. Ask for a general estimate when you call to make her appointment. Good luck and I hope skunk recovers quickly.

A rabbit that is not eating or drinking should be seen by an exotic species veterinarian as soon as possible. She is at risk of developing dehydration and GI stasis which can lead to death. Until your appointment, you can try offering fresh, dark, leafy greens (kale, collards, etc) and other palatable greens, like cilantro, parsley, carrot top greens, to encourage her to eat. You can also soak rabbit pellets in water to make a slurry and carefully feed that to your rabbit via a syringe (baby dosing syringes can be bought in drug stores and discount stores). Make sure fresh Timothy hay and water is available. Carefully syringe feeding an electrolye replacement solution, like Pedialyte, can help with dehydration. http://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-health/gi-stasis-in-rabbits-a-deadly-condition/

This is very concerning and your rabbit will need to see a vet today. Not eating for a herbivore such as a rabbit can cause its gut bacteria to starve and in turn you rabbit may die. He could also have an intestinal obstruction (usually caused by a hairball), or a tooth abscess. Gut bacteria can die quickly. Please do either ring your vet and there will be information on the answering machine directing you to an out of hours service or find an out of hours hospital in your area to take Bluebell to. http://poolhousevets.com/ are open 24 hrs

Thanks for reaching out about Skyler. Unfortunately this possibly indicates a gastrointestinal obstruction, foreign body or dental disease. Gastrointestinal stasis is always secondary to something else. Radiographs and blood work from last year can be used as a comparison are not necessarily indicative of now, as things can change quickly. Any exposure to carpeting or fabric? With the pain you described, a veterinarian is recommended today. As prey animals, rabbits decompensate quickly. Good luck.

A rabbit that is not eating normally should be considered a veterinary emergency. If the GI tract slows or stops, a dangerous buildup of bacteria and toxins could endanger Bun Bun's life. Given his age and weight loss, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian...any veterinarian. If necessary, a specialist can be contacted by phone or online by your vet. Veterinary reference labs may provide consultation services as well. For now, offer as much timothy hay as he will eat. Offer some Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores as well. You may be able to find it in pet stores or in the local vet clinic. Keep Bun Bun warm and as stress free as possible. The link below leads to a list of veterinarians experienced in treating rabbits locate din Wisconsin. http://wisconsinhrs.org/local-vets/