Rabbit Emergency 101
Rabbits are known to be the masters of hiding their illnesses. In the wild, prey animals showing weakness would be the first to get hunted, hence, they have developed the natural instinct to suppress their symptoms. In domestic pet rabbits, this trait makes it challenging for owners to identify when their rabbits are in need medical attention. In this article, we will summarize the common causes of rabbit emergencies and what warrants an emergency visit to the vet.
1. Gastrointestinal hypomotility
Firstly, and most importantly, gastrointestinal hypomotility. If a rabbit is not eating for more than 6 to 8 hours, they will need immediate intervention. This usually occurs with other symptoms such as lethargy, no interest in food or treats, staying in a hunched-up position, and small or no faeces. Gastrointestinal hypomotility is a symptom that can be triggered by any disease that is causing pain, such as, gastrointestinal blockage from fur ingestion, dental disease, liver lobe torsion, imbalance in gut bacteria, and even stress. To differentiate between the abovementioned possible causes, a thorough physical examination is conducted by your veterinarian and full blood tests with abdominal x-rays will be recommended.
Liver lobe torsion, a potentially fatal condition that has gastrointestinal hypomotility symptoms, occurs when one of the liver lobe twists on itself and cuts off its own blood supply. This can cause immense pain to the rabbit and internal bleeding. In addition to the regular blood tests and x-rays, your veterinarian may require an ultrasound scan to ascertain if this condition is present. Scientific studies show no clear indicators as to why this happens, however, lop-eared rabbits tend to be overrepresented for this disease. Liver lobe torsion requires surgical intervention where your veterinarian will remove the damaged parts of the liver permanently.
Gastrointestinal blockage is another life-threatening cause of gastrointestinal hypomotility, and this is usually due to impacted fur (trichobezoar) or food material (phytobezoar) in the gastrointestinal tract. During shedding season, if a rabbit ingests too much fur, it can get stuck in the intestines or stomach, causing a backflow of food and gastric fluids. The stagnant gut flora will continue to produce gas leading to bloating of the stomach, and unfortunately for rabbits, they cannot burp or vomit so this can cause severe abdominal discomfort quickly. If not treated promptly enough, gastrointestinal blockages can have fatal outcomes.
Image 1: X-ray of gastrointestinal blockage in the stomach
2. Respiratory distress
The second type of rabbit emergencies are breathing difficulties. Rabbits are obligate nasal breathers, which means they strictly rely on their nasal passage to breathe due to their anatomy. When a rabbit is seen to be open mouth breathing, this is a cause for emergency as it could mean that their nasal passage is blocked or that there is insufficient oxygen entering the lungs. Some reasons include pneumonia, cardiac disease, severe upper respiratory tract infection, or choking. These patients will require immediate oxygen therapy for stabilization before your veterinarian works up the underlying cause.
3. Seizures
Thirdly, seizures are another form of emergency in rabbits. Seizures can be caused by intracranial disease such as brain tumours, or extracranial triggers such as infectious disease or metabolic disease. There are different severities of seizures from focal muscle twitches to grand mal seizures (full body tremors and loss of consciousness). If you notice your rabbit having grand mal seizures for the first time, is it important to ensure they are in a safe environment and will not fall or hit their head on hard surfaces. Immediately bring them to your nearest veterinary clinic to ensure they are stabilized, and seizures have stopped. Subsequently, bloodwork and possibly an MRI would be required to investigate the cause of seizures.
In conclusion, rabbit emergencies need to be prioritized as their condition can decline quicker than other larger pets. If you do notice any of the above signs in your rabbits, please take them to your nearest veterinary clinic or hospital.