If you’ve had a pet rabbit, you’ve likely heard of Rabbit Gastrointestinal Syndrome, or GI Stasis.
This is one of the primary reasons that rabbits (and other herbivores like guinea pigs and chinchillas) present to our emergency department. GI Stasis isn’t a final diagnosis or a one size fits all description for every case as the term is used when a rabbit stops eating and, eventually, stops pooping too typically due to an underlying illness, pain, or stressor. Ideally, we do not like rabbits to go more than 6 hours without eating, and over 12 hours of anorexia is a sign that the rabbit should be seen by a veterinary professional ASAP.
Rabbit’s GI System
To understand GI Stasis, also called Rabbit Gastrointestinal Syndrome, it helps to understand the bunny’s gut. Rabbits are hind gut fermenters, making them akin to horses or rhinos. Your rabbit has a single chambered stomach, a small intestine, a cecum, and a large intestine – the culmination of which takes up a large majority of the animal’s abdomen. Grasses and fibers are vital to maintaining health for multiple reasons including the wearing of teeth and the flow of the GI Tract. A healthy diet of grasses, pellets, and veggies provides your rabbit with both easily and non-easily digested fibers. The stools you’re accustomed to seeing should resemble something like cocoa-puff cereal. Did you know, however, that bunnies produce a second type of stool which they consume as a part of their diet? This is a major feature of their digestive system, allowing them to break down difficult to digest materials in their cecum and then re-ingest it in the form of this stool called a caecotroph. In contrast to the cocoa puff stools, this looks more like a small cluster of grapes or caviar, and when eaten will then provide those important nutrients to your pet as well as support the healthy gut bacteria and microbes needed for your animal’s health.
GI Stasis Symptoms
How do you know when your rabbit is sick with GI Stasis? The simplest answer is it should be suspected whenever your pet seems to be off and if there is any concern that they are not eating and pooping normally. One major clue is in the poo, which becomes abnormally small and dry looking. You may also begin to see more caecotrophs in early stages of illness as your pet is not eating them as he or she should be. Your pet will likely also appear uncomfortable, especially around the belly, and may stand hunched or stretch out abnormally in an attempt to get comfortable.
Causes
Causes for GI Stasis vary. Dental concerns are a not uncommon cause of decreased appetite, as rabbits have constantly growing teeth and may develop painful dental points that require dentistry to resolve. Long haired breeds such as angoras or jersey woolies are more prone to developing hairballs in their GI tract that can slow or stop the flow of their gut. A more urgent potential cause is something called a liver lobe torsion in which a lobe of the pet’s liver twists and cuts off the flow of blood. All that said, rabbits may also go into GI stasis for environmental or behavioral reasons that we can’t always understand. Some reasons we have suspected that our patients have going into Stasis include; their favorite water bowl broke, there was a particularly frightening thunderstorm, or construction in the house brought a lot of noise and change into the home. It’s frustrating, but we may not always be able to tell you why your pet became sick in the first place. What we can do, however, is run diagnostics to help rule out potential medical causes and if one is found, we can better tailor your pet’s treatment. Blood work is a common diagnostic recommendation as are x-rays. We highly recommend blood work in every case as there may be no other way of detecting a serious medical emergency such as a liver lobe torsion.
Treatment
So what does treatment look like? That depends. In some instances a patient may be sick enough to warrant in-hospital care. This allows the medical team to administer IV fluids and medications via an IV Catheter. It also gives us the opportunity to run testing as needed based on response to treatment and to provide nutritional care. Whether you take your rabbit home without hospitalization, or following a hospital stay, there will be some continued care required at home. Your bunny may be prescribed pain medications, appetite and GI motility aids, and depending on any underlying causes discovered in hospital additional medications such as antibiotics. One of the most critical components to getting your rabbit well is at home syringe feeding. This involves nutritional supplementation in the form of a powdered mix that is made by adding water. Syringes are provided for feeding and your medical team will instruct you on the proper way to administer these feedings. Although these treatments at home can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating, that are an imperative step to recovery.
Some rabbits may never go into GI Stasis during their lifetime, while others may experience it more than once. It’s helpful to know the signs and steps related to this potentially life threatening condition. While owners should not live in fear that their bunny might suddenly go on hunger strike, preparedness is the best step to a long, healthy, and happy life with your bunny.
For additional information, to have your pet’s health assessed, and to discuss best steps in the case of an emergency, please schedule an appointment with an Exotics Specialist or a primary care Veterinarian that is experienced and comfortable with this species.
Blog written by: Julia Maia, Exotics Technician