Why is my rabbit's stomach making loud noises? Is it an emergency?

Thanks for reaching out about Butter and including a photo. Gastrointestinal (stomach) upset is common in rabbits and can have many causes: ingested foreign body, infection, parasites, pain, dental disease, metabolic disorders (liver, renal), stress and more. If this is persistent, a veterinary visit is recommended, sooner than later. Keep diet consistent and try to limit sugars and carbohydrates. The more hay they eat the better. Good luck.

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!

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.

Oh no, Buggs sounds quite sick and he needs to see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Bloat in rabbits is typically referred to as gastric stasis. This occurs when the GI tract stops functioning like it should and the stomach, and sometimes intestines, fill up with gas and undigested food. Rabbits will typically stop eating and pooping when this happens. This is a very dangerous condition for a rabbit because it is very painful and can cause death. If you suspect that your bunny is suffering from gastric stasis she needs to be seen by a vet to start treatment immediately. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

If the rabbit is eating and drinking and everything else is normal I would not be worried. It is very normal for them to have gut sounds. Rabbits should be eating hay (like for horses) as the main part of the diet so if you are not doing that, you need to start. That keeps their GI tract healthy and their teeth.

Based on what you are describing him I would be concerned about gastric stasis in your rabbit. This can be a common condition that occurs when a bunny stops eating. The stomach will fill with a lot of gas and the rabbit will be very painful and uncomfortable. If you are able to continue giving the critical care supplement I would recommend doing that. If Pepper stops eating that, continues to seem lethargic, or stops pooping, then you will need to take him into the vet to be examined because other medications will be needed to help restore GI motility. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.