Bunny not eating :(

One of my rescue buns hasn't had an appetite for the last couple of days. She's 5 years old and normally the greediest rabbit ever! Yesterday when I was cleaning out the hutch she was just sitting in the corner - usually she's interested in what I'm doing and getting up to mischief.

What should I do? I know the advice will be to take her to the vet, but maybe there's something I can try first? My dog is very poorly at the moment and I can't deal with a poorly bun too

carysannie29 said:

One of my rescue buns hasn't had an appetite for the last couple of days. She's 5 years old and normally the greediest rabbit ever! Yesterday when I was cleaning out the hutch she was just sitting in the corner - usually she's interested in what I'm doing and getting up to mischief.

What should I do? I know the advice will be to take her to the vet, but maybe there's something I can try first? My dog is very poorly at the moment and I can't deal with a poorly bun too

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I am really sorry but the only option is to take your Rabbit to a Vet this morning. A Rabbit who has not eaten for just a few hours can become extremely ill. Their gastointestinal tract stops moving and this can lead to a life threatening situation. Also, your Rabbit may be in a lot of pain so good analgesic cover is essential. Pain can lead to systemic shock which can also have a very sad outcome

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html


I am sorry if this post reads as blunt, but there is no alternative now other than to call the Vet straight away and to get your Rabbit there ASAP. I do hope that your Rabbit can recover.

Hi there, thank you so much for this information, I didn't realise it was so serious. I just went out to check on her, she nibbled a few pellets (left over from last night) but wasn't interested in any carrot and went back to sit in the corner. I have to leave for work soon and won't be back until 8:30 this evening but I'll ask a family member to take her. Do you have any idea how much diagnosis and treatment may cost?

carysannie29 said:

Hi there, thank you so much for this information, I didn't realise it was so serious. I just went out to check on her, she nibbled a few pellets (left over from last night) but wasn't interested in any carrot and went back to sit in the corner. I have to leave for work soon and won't be back until 8:30 this evening but I'll ask a family member to take her. Do you have any idea how much diagnosis and treatment may cost?

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All Vets set their own fees, so only asking the specific surgery you use will provide you with that information. There will be a consultation fee plus the cost of any drugs given. If the Vet needs to admit your Rabbit as an Inpatient then their will be a fee for Hospitalisation too. Some Vets will agree to a payment plan, but this all needs to be discussed with the Vet.

Good luck xx

I agree it's important to get her to the vet this morning. It could be a number of things, but chances are she is in pain and needs help to get better. Let us know what the vet says.

carysannie29 said:

One of my rescue buns hasn't had an appetite for the last couple of days. She's 5 years old and normally the greediest rabbit ever! Yesterday when I was cleaning out the hutch she was just sitting in the corner - usually she's interested in what I'm doing and getting up to mischief.

What should I do? I know the advice will be to take her to the vet, but maybe there's something I can try first? My dog is very poorly at the moment and I can't deal with a poorly bun too

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I've just seen your post.

It's important that you get your rabbit to a vet today. It sounds like Gastric Stasis, and this isn't called the 'Silent Killer' for nothing! Not to scare you here, but rabbits can go downhill very quickly .... They hide their illnesses and pain.

I hope you manage to get an appointment to get her seen asap xx Good luck xx

Thanks so much everyone, I had a 13 hour shift today but luckily my mummy came to the rescue! She took Bunny to the vets, she had some subcut fluids and some medicine and has responded well, she came home this afternoon and seems much better this evening. I've kept her in a dog crate indoors with her bunny friend so I can keep an eye on her. Apparently the vets said she seems like a very well cared for rabbit, her teeth are good and her weight is good etc. It's such a massive relief because they're my first bunnies and I get very worried about them! So hopefully she'll continue to get better and be back to normal soon

That's good news. I hope she continues to improve.


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I understand the stress of having multiple pets (and even people) being ill at the same time. By having a diagnosis from a vet you can actually save yourself stress of trying things that do not work as your bunny gets worse.

carysannie29 said:

Thanks so much everyone, I had a 13 hour shift today but luckily my mummy came to the rescue! She took Bunny to the vets, she had some subcut fluids and some medicine and has responded well, she came home this afternoon and seems much better this evening. I've kept her in a dog crate indoors with her bunny friend so I can keep an eye on her. Apparently the vets said she seems like a very well cared for rabbit, her teeth are good and her weight is good etc. It's such a massive relief because they're my first bunnies and I get very worried about them! So hopefully she'll continue to get better and be back to normal soon

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This is good news :wave: and great that you and your Mum realise the importance of moving fast where our little ones are concerned.
So glad she is feeling back to normal and well done you for caring for her so well!

carysannie29 said:

Thanks so much everyone, I had a 13 hour shift today but luckily my mummy came to the rescue! She took Bunny to the vets, she had some subcut fluids and some medicine and has responded well, she came home this afternoon and seems much better this evening. I've kept her in a dog crate indoors with her bunny friend so I can keep an eye on her. Apparently the vets said she seems like a very well cared for rabbit, her teeth are good and her weight is good etc. It's such a massive relief because they're my first bunnies and I get very worried about them! So hopefully she'll continue to get better and be back to normal soon

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I am so glad your mum could get your bunny to the vet. It is especially hard to guage how ill a bunny is without either professional help or a lot of of experiences (good and bad0, and even then it is not always 100%. As prey animals (boo hoo), bunnies are very good at hiding their illnesses so it is hard to know right away when they are not feeling well. Even as a first time owner, you knew your bunny sitting in the corner was not normal for your bunny, so you did good. Also, since most bunnies are so small and they have complex digestive systems, they can get quite a bit worse in a matter of hours, so it is good to watch them closely even if you already made an appointment.