My rabbit is very sick, won't eat, drink, or move. What should I do?

Oh dear, I'm quite concerned about Poppy. I recommend taking him directly to a veterinarian. He may be quite ill and be too lethargic to move, or he may have injured his back - rabbits are very fragile and prone to back injuries. Be very careful lifting him and do your best not to move him around in case he does have an injury. Place him directly into a box or carrier with a towel in it so he doesn't slip around, and transport him to the nearest vet. Your vet will do an exam, and based on their findings may recommend bloodwork and/or x-rays to determine why he won't move or eat. I hope this helps, and I hope he feels better!

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/

Look for Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores. Your veterinarian may stock it or you may be able to find it online. If Fluffy is not eating at all, this should be considered a veterinary emergency. Have her physically examined by your veterinarian, a vet experienced in treating rabbits or at the nearest veterinary ER. It is critical to get her eating normally to keep her gut moving. Gut stasis can be life threatening in rabbits.

Hello there! I'm so sorry to hear that Flop is sick. Her condition sounds very serious, and I strongly suggest that you get her to a veterinarian immediately. Loose stool is abnormal for a rabbit, and can cause dehydration if it continues for more than a couple days - especially if she hasn't been drinking. Dehydration may be what is causing her to be lethargic, but her symptoms are relatively vague so I can't tell you from the information provided what is wrong with her. Parasites, bacterial or viral infection, foreign object ingestion, nutritional issues, and hairball impaction could all be possible causes, and without a veterinarian's help, a diagnosis will be difficult. At the vet's office, Flop will receive a full physical exam, and they will likely recommend x-rays and/or bloodwork to determine the cause of her illness. She will likely need fluid replacement therapy at the very least. Something you can do to detect dehydration at home is a turgor test. When an animal has good skin turgor, it is hydrated - skin that snaps back into place when picked up has good turgor. Pick up a small amount of skin behind Flop's shoulders, and drop it - if it stays standing up or is slow to return to normal, she is likely dehydrated and needs immediate help. Do not force her to drink liquids as she may aspirate it into her lungs. Good luck, and I hope that Flop gets well!

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

A rabbit that will not eat should be considered a veterinary emergency. Anorexia in rabbits can slow down or stop the gut which can lead to a dangerous build-up of bacteria and gas. This can be deadly. It is critical to have Thumper examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits to get him eating as soon as possible and to diagnose the reason for his loss of appetite. Keep timothy hay and water available at all times. You can soak some pellets in an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage to make a mash which may make eating easier also.

You rabbit might be suffering from gut stasis, a common condition in rabbits of all ages, you will need to take him to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated, if it is only a mild stasis, medical treatment should be successful.