My rabbits are dying: not eating, hunched, wobbly, orange urine.

I am sorry your rabbits are sick and passing away. I would try and locate an exotics vet somewhere around you. Even if you have to drive a little further. Unfortunately the picture and posture does not tell why they are sick. I get concerned about something contagious if you have had other rabbits die. I know it sounds sad but if a rabbit dies I would recommend taking it to the state lab for a necropsy (autopsy in people). This way they can take tissue samples and send it to the lab for hopefully a diagnosis. However we would prefer to keep the rabbits alive. Parasites like coccidia can cause death, infection, viruses, dental disease, toxins and maybe food source. The rabbits really need to have a fecal, blood work and maybe x-rays. You can try to force feed them at home with a product like critical care but they need to continue to eat or there intestines stop working which can cause fatality.

A sterile urine sample should be collected and submitted for urinalysis and culture. This will diagnose urinary tract infection, identify the responsible organism and determine the best antibiotic to use in treatment. Check the teeth for malocclusion or overgrowth. It is of critical importance to get Lilly eating again. Supportive care (subcutaneous fluids, force feeding, etc) should be continued. Always have timothy hay or similar grasses available. An abdominal x-rays should be considered to diagnose foreign body, large hair balls or tumors in the abdomen. A hairball paste may aid in passage of any hairballs. If you don't have experience force feeding, have your veterinarian show you how. If available, Oxbow Critical Care is an excellent formula to feed sick or injured rabbits.

This may be an upper respiratory disease of rabbits called "Snuffles". It can be very serious if not treated promptly. It is also very contagious to other rabbits. You will need to have them examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. A rabbit that is not eating should be considered a veterinary emergency. Once a rabbit's gut stops moving, a dangerous buildup of bacteria and gases can occur which could be life threatening.The rabbits likely need antibiotics and supportive care (subcutaneous fluids, medication to get the gut moving, special diet, etc). Do not delay. Have your rabbits examined today.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about your rabbit. A veterinary visit is recommended anytime a rabbit stops eating. Ingested foreign bodies, GI stasis, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), infections are all possible. Yogurt and crackers are not a good food item for rabbits as they do not digest dairy or carbohydrates well, and can lead to additional GI upset. Even if obstructed, they can continue to pass feces for 1-2 days. Try syringe offering water. Good luck.

Usually orange or red urine in rabbits is due to plant pigment dicolouring it, especially beta carotene from carrots, so this is likely why the urine is orange. This is not so concerning but not drinking is. The bunny may be anxious following the death of its friend or could be sick with gut stasis or something else. Considering what happened to the other rabbit I would have this one checked over by the vet asap. Not drinking could quickly lead to dehydration and is a sign something serious is going on.

With the discharge from her nose I would suspect that she has some sort of respiratory issue going on. Rabbits are very prone to pasteurella infection and this can cause weight loss over time and make them generally unwell. With any disease rabbits will be under stress which puts them at risk of gut stasis. Running bloods could help to establish if their is an active infection and if any other organs are involved.