My rabbit is skinny, snorting, and has a round stomach. What's wrong?

Hello. I am sorry for such a long wait for an answer, but something is really amiss with your bunnies. To have obvious muscle loss along with an expanding belly indicates some disease process is ongoing. The swelling in the belly can be due to fluid buildup or enlargement of some of the abdominal orgas, called organomegaly. This is really something that requires a hands on exam & possibly some diagnostic tests run as well as a good overview of your husbandry practices. I hope all is well soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You are doing all the right thing it seems, this means he must be suffering from a medical condition. i would recommend to take him to the vet in order to get him dewormed. he might also be suffering from a gastrointestinal infection that is causing this. upper respiratory infections are also know n=to cause weight loss. the vet will check him and treat him accordingly.

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.

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.

Hi and thank you for your question, Diarrhea is a serious problem in a rabbit and should be treated ASAP. Usually, in a mature rabbit true diarrhea is caused either by offering it food to high in carbohydrates or by treating it with antibiotics that are not safe for them. As to the sneezing, this could be caused by an upper respiratory infection but also by physical irritation (e.g. by dust in the air). I strongly suggest that you have Bunnicula examined by a vet. (P.S. There is nothing wrong with your English :) ).

It sounds like they could have a parasite or an infection causing the problem. It is very concerning that they both lost weight rapidly and one died. It would be best to have her examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can run some lab-work, if needed, and prescribe medications to treat. She may need some fluids for dehydration, antibiotics, de-wormer, etc. Besides trying to get her to eat and drink, there isn't much more you can do without veterinary care. Hope she gets better soon!

These signs are quite concerning in rabbits and could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!