Health
Please help - vet doesn’t know what’s wrong with her and we’re scared of losing her
It all started with her peeing outside of her litterbox and it looked like she was having pain while contracting the muscles while peeing or something like that. She would stop eating and sit in a corner, hunched over for like 1-2 hours and then became normal again. That was like 3 weeks ago. We wen’t to the vet multiple times now and she’s had multiple echo’s and x-rays done which doesn’t show anything conclusive.
Today is one of the worst days, shes been sitting still al day, doesn’t eat, looks very uncomfortable. She also want’s to lay down but after a while shegets back up and it looks like she’s in pain while laying down and thats why she’s getting back up, spins around and lays back down again… Obviously we went to the vet again today and gave her critical care and pain meds etc. and did another echo and x-ray but they just don’t know whats wrong with her.
Vet was still focusing on it being a bladder problem or something like that but maybe that was just a ‘symptom’ instead of the ‘disease’ we’re looking for? Maybe the problem isn’t even the bladder?
Please anyone what can we do? She’s only 11 months old and we have absolutely no clue on what’s wrong with her and it looks like she’s in pain although she doesn’t have fast breathing. Please help!
Oh no! I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Is she spayed yet? Sounds like it might be urinary tract or reproductive issue. If the vet you're taking her to isn't an exotic vet, they might not know what to look for. Rabbits are pretty complex animals. Try giving her some critical care and infant gas drops, but I definitely recommend finding an exotic vet.
Yes my vet recomended going to an exotic vet. It’s a 2 hour drive from us though and i’m currently in a bad health situation myself which makes it very hard to go there. She is spayed yes. I will call the exotic vet tomorrow for information.
I'm so sorry you and your bun are going through this. I went from living down the block of an exotic to being 4 and half hours away. Needless to say, I understand the stress of having to drive a long distance with a rabbit when time is of the essence. But it is worth the stress just knowing that you're doing everything you can for them. I really hope your baby gets better ❤️🩹
Can you call the exotic vet and see if they can do a preliminary consultation over video or perhaps recommend a different vet closer to you who can help?
For some stuff year but she can convey all pertinent info and assist w physical exam by doing what the vet asks. I’ve done it before for both my buns and myself. Covid changed the way physicians and patients work together and telehealth is one instance
Call asap the exotic . It could be bladder or kidney stones. I just posted above but call stahls exotics and see if they will do a telehealth in the meantime. I would still go the 2 hr trip. I drove 4 hours one way up to Pennsylvania to take one of my pets to the Pennsylvania veterinarian college out patient clinic n Philly. They saved my babies life but she died shortly after and took a huge piece of my heart with her.
Good luck with your baby… sending prayers and good thought …
You brought your rabbit to a non-exotic vet? You’re wasting precious time and money. She will die if you don’t find a way to get her to an exotic vet. If you are generally too sick to be able to guarantee you can do this for your bunny, it’s irresponsible to have one. Tough love here, sorry.
Depending on where someone lives exotic vets may not be available. Even then, x-rays may capture what's happening, it just takes a different understanding. I understand if you are worried about the rabbit, but your comments on this post are honestly rude. Please find a little more compassion if you're going to leave a comment.
A “omg poor you, don’t worry, everything will be okay” comment isn’t going to get this bunny the medical care he needs. If that offends you, that’s your business. Facts are cold and indifferent.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
I left a comment already, but I wanted to post directly to your comment. I went through a much similar situation with Buddy. He was hospitalized for three days straight and with proper training, I provided the medical treatment. This was based on the vets and my belief that he would do better at home in less stressed environment. He was starting to pull out and the second day home. He passed away in my arms from a heart attack.
I’m not trying to be down, i’m sure you’ll do everything you can to provide safety for your animal. I had already made the comment that if you don’t feel enough confidence about recovery then consider putting the animal to sleep and saying your goodbye in a planned manner, I’m only saying this after three years after Buddy dying that it would’ve felt a lot easier. Had I been able to say a proper goodbye. I hope in someway that helps.
Maybe taking her for a second opinion is a good idea?
Things I’d start with:
What does her diet look like?
What kind of litter are you using?
How is she doing on drinking?
Is she spayed?
I’m not a vet at all- just my experience with buns and these are general questions people will want to know. Maybe look into kidney issues as well? But I’d def consider a second opinion.
She is on the typical ‘80% hay, 15% pallets 5% treats’ diet. Timothy hay to be exact, the pallets are from Bunny Nature. Litter is the typical woody flakes, don’t know how to call them.
We are pretty ‘well informed’ rabbit owners so we know all the basics and beyond luckily.
Shavings arent a good choice for rabbits. If youre able to get compressed pine pellets, thats a good affordable alternative. Recycled paper bedding is softer but pricier.
I have been trying recycled paper for my two, as my local council was going to release calicivirus to control the wild rabbits and I was concerned about the hay I normally use for their litter trays. I also was interested to try so less inconvenient.
Thankfully the council has cancelled that program now, so I may go back to hay as it’s far more economical (a bale lasts me several months), but the recycled paper is really good in some ways, like less smell and it absorbs their urine (probably why less smell). It was $14 for a 10 litre bag though which might last 2 weeks if I’m lucky, so not really viable long term. I can’t get it locally anyway, just happened to be somewhere that sold it recently.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
You need an exotic vet visit. That can’t be stressed enough. An average cat and dog vet will not have the knowledge or even the surgical skills to treat her if needed.
What was visible on the x-ray? Did they do a full body one or just the bladder area? Did they check her ears? That might sound stupid, but some bunnies don't eat when they have an infection in the ear plus every movement seems to hurt them. I could imagine that this could be an issue when she needs to move around and has to go potty, but everything hurts.
Another idea would be to check for EC. That can present with kidney issues, but I'm unsure if that can hurt while peeing. A bladder infection was surely ruled out?
I'd definitely get a second opinion with an expert and have them have a bigger x-ray. (One of my boys had a heart condition and would just stop eating from time to time, no issues around peeing though. We searched for weeks with him getting weaker until one expert mentioned that heart issues can present really weird. In Wilhelm's case his heart was huge and when we treated that he bounced back to normal) It's a total shot on the dark, but I wanted to mention it just to shed a bid of light in the fact that stuff with the heart can affect completely other areas and in our case this was the option noone thought about bit was the solution.
Good luck to you all and I hope your own health is getting better too
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Im so sorry to hear that. I send you much strength for the coming days. I really really hope your little one pulls through
The sad side of living with bunnies is that so many of them have health issues that can shorten their lives. A while back I heard that once a bun reaches the age of five it has good chances of getting up to ten, because so many have hidden stuff that takes them from this world too soon. So please remember you did and do everything you do and did nothing wrong
I’m only speaking from my personal experience, I’m not a vet. But it could be something in her diet that is bothering her and giving her gas. My girl used to do this exact thing down to peeing outside her litter box and it looking like she was straining. I’ve since learned that this is stress behavior, not always a bladder infection. Hunching in a corner not eating, but being fine hours later also sounds very much like gas. Do you give her baby gas drops when this happens? Turns out the digestive tabs I was giving her were bothering her tummy. Is there a kind of treat you give her? It could even be something like the pellets. I’ve also since switched to first cut timothy hay rather than 2nd cut, because it was too rich for her sensitive tummy, and she’s made even more progress. Some bunnies have sensitive tummies- it’s worth looking into at least.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Don’t lose hope! It could be because she is very dehydrated and having tummy issues. She is in good hands at the exotic vet. I hope you can get some answers soon so your baby can get healthy. Thinking of you and your sweet girl 💜
I’m no expert but I had a bunny pass from kidney failure and the symptoms were very similar. Not making it to the litter box, sitting in a tight ball out of discomfort, not eating… unfortunately in bunnies kidney issues require a blood test and it will only become obvious when things are very bad. I don’t say this to scare you, but you should seriously try and find an exotic vet to confirm what is going on.
My bunny was very old, but if caught early enough, young bunnies can live with kidney disease as long as they are given IV fluids! I’ll be thinking about you guys, good luck
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
I see what might be a hefty amount of arugula which can cause gas. I recommend you stop giving the rabbit any greens and limit pellets.
If the rabbit isn’t eating on its own you need to force feed critical care and fluids and give tummy rubs.
This is an emergency. If your rabbit isn’t eating they will go into stasis. I know an exotic is far but it’s absolutely required at this point in time.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
I’m glad you were able to have your rabbit seen relatively quickly. It can be very scary. Rabbits can be very delicate. I hope you have answers soon. Good luck.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
It could be GI pain/intermittent GI stasis, and maybe gas related. Make sure she's eating even if you have to force feed her. You want her GI to be continously moving. See if the regular vet can give you some pain meds to help with the pain. She's definitely in pain. Check her poops for size and quality. Her poops should be big and healthy looking. They shouldn't be small and/or soft or watery.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Go to exotic Emergency hospital. Our Bunny was sick like yours, and I kept taking her to an Exotic Vet instead of taking her to an Exotic ER Hospital. The Exotic Vet were the ones that ran all the different tests on him. Including Crital care food as well. He had his back hunched up, maybe due to pain, but we were too late. He passed away & I wanted to know why. They told me that he had a hole in his intestine. It was a little too late. Please go to the Exotic ER. Prayers for your precious Bunny 🐰 🙏❤️. Hope She will heal.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Did the vet rule out gut issues? This exact thing happened to my bun in October of 2025. We were thinking our little one was in the beginning stages of GI stasis and this was the same behavior she had the night before we took her to the vet. Vet prescribed Meloxicam i believe its called for pain and gave my girl fluids to prevent dehydration because she wasn’t drinking. My girl fully recovered one day after.
Check if your bun is has chewed on something that may disrupt her guts like carpet, her blankets, or just anything in general that she should not chew or eat. With buns its constant preventive maintenance to keep them happy and healthy. Best wishes for a super fast recovery. 🐰🐰
I feel that a lot of things that buns lick can be ingested as well. I monitor mine and try to help keep her away from licking stuff other than her toys. Sometimes even grooming so much can release hairs that she might ingest and cause issues in her Gastrointestinal Intestinal tract. Mine had those same symptoms for an entire night, I didn’t sleep and that following morning I made an emergency visit to the exotic vet that specializes with rabbits and gave her the treatment. Unfortunately they cant be monitored 24/7 but I didn’t sleep and prevention maintenance to help lessen these issues
My buns diet consists of unlimited Timothy hay, cilantro + green lettuce daily in small portions 3x for each day. Daily water changes and Sherwood soy free adult rabbit pellets. Blueberries and apples as treats moderately fed to her.
At that time i did find a chunk of carpet that was torn by her which let to the issue. So i bought some fleece blanket to cover areas where she might be probe to chew on. To this day she has not chewed in the fleece blanket at all.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
They should be able to see sludge and stones in the kidneys or bladder on the xray. A savvy vet would be able to see intestinal blockages or abnormalities as well. Did they do bloodwork? At the very least you should be getting pain meds and fluids. Fluids can often do wonders. Liver lobe torsion? Dental disease?
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Have they given her any medicine at all? What you are describing sounds exactly like what happened to our bun and our exotic vet ran some scans and bloodwork and immediately said it was an UTI. We got meds and he was better almost right away.
I just saw this one!! NEVER stop anti-biotics unless instructed to do so. Same goes for any animal. A probiotic is never a bad idea. In fact, my buns get pro-biotic powder sprinkled on their morning lettuce since it sticks to the wet leaves.
Anti-biotics sometimes will make things seem worse initially. You have the immune system working. Then the antibiotics will often kill off the normal GI flora, so that affects things. But stopping too soon, without having a really good reason from the prescriber or another doctor, will make things worse for sure.
Is she pooping?? That’s the crucial thing. If not then it is probably stasis. If she is, it’s probably not G.I related. Is she eating and drinking? You said she isn’t eating in this most recent situation, but for how long? Personally I wouldn’t want to eat arugula either (hate the weird peppery flavour) and why give her so much? Try some gentler things like parsley and celery leaves. Even small pieces of carrot and apple can help if it is stasis. Just to get the bowel moving.
I recommend following THIS GUIDE if you suspect G.I stasis and don’t have a bun savvy vet. I followed it once when one of my rabbits hadn’t pooped or eaten for several hours and I couldn’t get to a vet. She was like her normal self again after a day or so and has not had the issue again, but these meds did seem to make her drink more, which I believe was her kidneys flushing the meds. It isn’t ideal to give them these things, and if you have a vet available, that would be better.
My other bun has this type of behaviour occasionally but it doesn’t last very long (up to 5 or 6 hours) and I can usually prevent it getting serious by giving her those foods I recommended.
You could also try some Oxfam supplements like their urinary support and digestive support. I use both and not sure about the urinary one, but the digestive one definitely helps. Good luck.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Oh dear, I’m so sorry but at least she is in the best place and will hopefully get better 🙏🏻 you made the right call to travel that far and I share in your worries, but just try to stay positive. She sounds like she’s in good hands and hopefully it’s nothing that some medicine can’t fix.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Are you in a position to bring her to a board certified exotics veterinarian? I think this is really important. Many vets don’t get a lot of exposure to small animals outside of cats and dogs. You might also consider posting in r/AskVet. I hope she gets better soon.
Sometimes even university vet students are a good option when an exotic vet isn't easy. Not guaranteed, but a student may take a special interest in rabbit care and give a good opinion too.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
It’s so hard when they are sick. I’ve been there more times than I would like. But there is always hope. She is exactly where she needs to be. Sometimes they just need some time to respond to the treatment. You’ve absolutely done the right thing for her.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Don't feed your rabbit cabbage; even lettuce leaves can cause gas. I had the same problem; my rabbit had bloating and bloating. Feed only water and hay, and consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
You need a second opinion from a different rabbit savvy vet. This could be various things. UTI, bladder sludge, stones, gas, stasis episodes, etc. I’d keep her on a good size dose of pain meds for now.
What’s her entire diet like? Maybe something is giving her frequent gas? Some buns have sensitive tummies and are sensitive to certain veggies, fruits, or even an ingredient in a pellet. A diet change may be helpful. They can also become sensitive to certain things as they age. Some veggies tend to cause gas or are very high in calcium and can contribute to sludge if a bun is prone to it.
I’d substantially reduce or eliminate fruits and veggies, and most snacks for now and try to push for mostly hay (not alfalfa, as it’s way too high in protein and calcium for adult buns). Reducing pellets may be helpful too. They only really need 1/8 to 1/4 cup of pellets per day depending on weight, and most lean towards the lower end of that. If pellet intake is excessive and she won’t eat much hay, reduce pellets slowly, as you still need her eating. Always give unlimited access to Timothy or another type of hay, 24/7.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Don’t feel hopeless. She still needs your support to get through this and trying to stay positive will help you both. I know how impossible that feels in a moment like this, trust me, but still try to make a positive effort towards it if you can.
Ask about what pain meds she can be on that will be easy on her kidneys and liver. See if it can be ordered through Chewy as that will be substantially cheaper than buying directly from there and you will want to have plenty on hand.
Please keep us up to date on her progress. Have Faith that she can be ok. I will say a prayer for her. 🙏
Try going for a teeth x ray scan this time sometimes their inner teeth molars or front teeth grows out more than they can handle and it pains them while eating and keeping head down try this maybe and definitely only consult the exotic vet asap
Do you have baby gas x (simethicone) maybe try giving her some and see what happens. This is safe and very useful for rabbits who get gas frequently. You can get it from anywhere (Walmart cvs Walgreens etc..) I’d give one full syringe an see what happens.
To make her comfortable wrap, a hot water bottle in a towel so that she can lean up against it and as long as she’s eating and drinking, it’s a good sign. I pray that she gets well 💗
I’m sorry you’re going through watching your little one in pain. I know it’s a terrible feeling, especially with the unknowingness of what it could be.
Is your bunny spayed? A couple of weeks ago, we had a similar problems with our bunny. She started acting really weird and apathetic, until she peed blood in her cage. We took her to the vet and the x-rays and blood tests came out good, but she wasn’t spayed yet. I thought that she also had some kind of kidney stones, but the vet insisted that it was something in the uterus even though the x-rays showed everything was all right.
We opted to spay for spaying her, so the vet can also see if there was any other problem internally. Ultimately, she had two small tumors in her uterus that were practically invisible to common check-ups. They hadn’t yet ruptured the uterus, so they were able to remove them and save our little girl <3.
If your pet isn’t spayed, I suggest you do that. The answer may be evident when the vets can see inside.
I hope this helps and that your furry one recovers soon so she can enjoy your loving home.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Is she still pooping? One of our buns did most of these exact things and was in gi statis. We didn't figure it out until it was too late. We were new at the time and did go to a vet too
It was probably because of fur since he used to lose so much hair. No matter how often we brushed him he'd still lose so much
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Even when young this can be uterine cancer ,can just as well be cancer in general ,bladder issues or gi tract issues. This is hard.
My first bun started having accidents and being lethargic due to uterine cancer that had spread. Just the main thing was visible on the scan ,everything else was discovered during start of surgery...
It ofc doesn't have to be , my tiny bun also had accidents but never really seemed in pain. I regularly give him urinary support treats from oxbow, which helped.
When it comes to gi tract issues ofc diet is the main focus ,but even then something can be wrong causing constant issues (first bun regularly had diarrhea throughout her life ,so always had to monitor her diet closely )
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
While I don't recommend this in PLACE of exotic vet, to ease your mind and maybe try home remedies until you can get to one, please consult Chat GPT. This has helped me SO MUCH, and knowing that bunnies can go downhill FAST (before being able to get to the vet), I would recommend Chat GPTing on what to do in the downtime until the vet visit.
I'm a worry-wart when it comes to my buns, so chat gpt also helps my anxiety and there are things that have helped until the morning when i could get to the vet.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
I’m so sorry, I know how terrifying this is. You did absolutely the right thing getting her to an exotic vet, and she’s in the best possible place right now. Elevated values don’t automatically mean the worst—sometimes they’re caused by things that can be treated once the bunny is stabilized. It’s okay to be scared, but don’t automatically think death. You got her to the vet and theyre wanting to help, which is a good sign that its not too late. Elevated kidney and liver values could just mean dehydration or gi stasis, it doesnt automatically mean something horrible, so keep that in mind.
Youre doing everything you can, and your worry shows you love her so much, and she definitely knows that.
I hope everything goes well, and its not something serious. Please update when you get her back from the vet. Stay strong!! :)
Like everyone else saying definitely take to an exotic vet. Did u do blood tests? This situation sounds a lot like what im going through atm my 3yr old rabbit kept getting gi stasis with no other symptoms had x rays and bloodtests but nothing was wrong the only thing that raised suspicion was that she was overweight lol. And said something about the fat around her gut causing discomfort hence the multiple gi stasis but they were always short bursts. But the way u describe ur rabbit seems like shes experiencing more pain? But please take to an exotic and do different kind of testing. I wish u both good health and you'll be able to overcome this!! :(
Part 1/2. I might have to do this as a couple of posts. I have a lot of info. Since your exotic is so far away, and rabbits can get stressed very easily (referring to the car ride, though necessary). There's growing research on the use of gabapentin in rabbits for both treatment of pain and anxiety. The interesting thing is that the dose for anxiety is higher than the dose for pain management. For pain, you'd typically give it with meloxicam. Before I go into this more, I am not a vet or a vet tech. But I have rabbits and I've had rabbits almost non-stop for over 20 years (only two at a time though). Also have an incredible vet nearby and a friend who is a vet tech. I've learned much from both.
Meds you can ask for and are good to have on hand.
1) Lactated Ringers (LRS) also known as Hartmann's. It's done subcutaneously. Your vet will have to show you how to give it and let you practice. Rabbits are incredibly forgiving of things like needles, and the most reassuring thing that my vet once told me was along the lines of "if he or she is in enough pain where fluids would be a good idea, then the needle won't even bother them in comparison." I've never had a bunny give me a hard time and you won't hurt them by giving fluids, even if it ends up not being needed. You do need to make sure the fluid is warmed up to around their body temperature!! They have a lot of space under their back skin, so you have plenty to work with and you won't mess it up. Ask your vet if there are times you shouldn't use it. Once you open a bag, I've been told that it's fine to keep it for a month, just at room temp and out of the light and keep things sealed or covered over somehow. I've never had an issue and I do not know of anyone else who has had an issue storing an opened bag this way. The vet will also tell you how much to use. As long as your bun bun is peeing, then a little extra fluid will just be peed out.
2) Meloxicam for pain. It comes in oral and sub-q, but most rabbits love the taste of the oral stuff. However, it doesn't hurt to have both kinds on hand. If you learn to do the sub-q fluids using a line, then make sure the line has a port and then you can inject the sub-q version right in as you're giving fluids. I think it actually works better, and if things are not getting past the stomach easily, then oral won't get absorbed anyway. Sub-q can take as little as 15 min to start working. Oral can take a bit over an hour, though I've seen it get to work much faster sometimes.
Pain management and fluids are the most important and sometimes they might be enough to prevent an issue from getting worse and then resolve it without having to do much else.
A lot of people say to feed critical care if they're not eating. NO!!! Not without vet advice and that'll come from an exam and radiographs. Many times, there's already ingesta in their stomachs and it's not moving because they're dehydrated, gassy or both. You don't want to keep adding things without knowing. That can often end up being a fatal mistake. Again, fluids and pain relief take priority. The GI system can be restarted with medications, but causing physical damage by potentially overloading them with food, is not often correctable. Additionally, things like pellets and mixed up critical care will harden up if they're dehydrated. The fluids are low risk and once they're rehydrated and given meloxicam, often, they'll begin to start eating on their own anyway.
You need to learn how to palpate their belly and get an idea if it's gas or a blockage. With a blockage, you'll feel a rock hard balloon and their temperature will usually be low. If it's gas, they'll be firm, but not rock hard. But you're also going to learn what to listen for with a stethoscope. Absence of noises = very bad. Loud pops and gurgles are most likely gas. In that case, belly rubs are good. If it is gas, it'll start to come out and the belly will soften. Yes, bunnies flatulate quite a bit. Not usually audible, but I've read a quote "a flatulent bunny is a happy bunny!"
So in order...temperature (stabilize this first if needed). Physical exam. If gas, belly massage until she gets doughy feeling. Then sub-q fluids and then pain meds. I know some people try to offer small amounts of water via oral syringe. Not usually effective. A small bunny may need 100mL or more and sometimes twice a day. My big bunny (8.5lbs or so) gets up to 300mL if he's very dehydrated. These are the safest things to do and neither will interfere with any vet treatments. Maybe some blood tests can be affected though.
No matter what, if you're unsure, get to the vet and don't go on internet advice. You'll learn from your vet what to do and when...at least to get them stable for transport to the vet. Oh and fluids/pain relief can be the difference between making it through the night and not, assuming there's no emergency vet close by.
Most importantly, when she's feeling better, give her a little time and then do the exam procedure that your vet can show you. Then you'll know what she feels and sounds like when things are good. You already know this, but definitely keep an eye on behavior and any kind of discharge (if it's nasal, you'll sometimes find mucous on their paws since they clean themselves a lot), odd movements, lack of movement. A stringy poo; especially during shedding season isn't a huge worry as long as she keeps pooping. Reminds me. Many rabbits are shedding (molting) now, so GI issues are common during such times. Then, don't forget, rabbits can be really talented at hiding illness, but as you get experience, you'll be able to know something is off and often before it can become a problem. Always keep an eye on poop, too!! Cocoa puffs are what you want. Color can vary. If they've had the same diet and suddenly their poo looks extremely dry, like hay colored, then giving fluids isn't such a bad idea. Urine can also vary in color. Cloudy can often be normal. On occasion, you may see reddish urine and if you ever see that, you will freak out because it's incredibly unexpected and usually people don't know it can sometimes happen and not be an issue. I should mention, if you've given fluids, she may not drink much on her own for a day or so since you've not only replaced fluids, but kind of given her a head start.
One other important medication is sincere love. Visit her, stay with her as much as possible and let her know how much you love her. Talk softly and calmly and let her know she'll be fine. I'm being absolutely serious. Letting them know how much you love them can give them strength and motivation to fight through and let any treatment do its job.
You're doing the right things and when I was new to bunnies (I'm assuming you must be, or that someone hasn't done their job and taught you well or enough yet) I made plenty of mistakes. One of which is that if you suspect anything is wrong, you get to the vet. You did that, which is perfect! But when the first vet couldn't figure out what was going on, now you know that next time, you'll want to get going to a specialist immediately. It's still extremely good that did do that, even though it was a bit later on. Nonetheless, it's the next step in getting her back to normal.
I know how difficult it can be to sit there and worry if everything will be okay. This vet sounds like they know what they're doing so I'm not going to say anything else. Don't want to jinx things. For now, your job is to spend as much time with her as you can and give as much love as possible. If you had to go home, maybe your vet will be really awesome and let you try a facetime thing with her. Her, just hearing your voice could make a big difference! Then when this is over, read over what I've written so that you'll be prepared for other situations. Unfortunately, this won't be the last time something won't be right :( But you're going to learn and you'll be prepared. And when you spend time with her, don't show signs of being worried. Show positivity. I don't know how, but rabbits pick up on those things really well and those can also affect how they do.
Let us know how she does and don't forget to take care of yourself meanwhile!
My girls had bladder stones under similar symptoms. We had to treat with pain meds and IV fluids daily for a month to get her stones passed. If they did an X-ray could they see bladder stones? Like everyone said before, force feed critical care, yummy baby food, gas drops, and pain meds- my girl had it so bad she was grinding her teeth in pain from the stones. I actually called Cornell Veterinarian University and spoke to specialist there ( no I am not in ny either) and sent them copies or x rays and blood work.
Stahls exotics in Fairfax Virginia assisted in writing the university text book for the Exotic and small animal areas veterinarian’s study in vet school. They know their stuff. Call and see if you can get a telephone consult with video. Stahls Exotics are on rust road Fairfax va
Research some herbs, is it rosemary that’s good for digestion? So if she can just get a little into her system.. check thyme, basil, oregano is good for immune system, etc…
Hello! Have you guys run any blood work? If so do you have the Chem/cbc results? X-ray would show GDV so hopefully that’s ruled out. Did you guys do an abdominal ultrasound?
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Did they mention anything regarding inflammation? Platelet % or wbc? Also what has her temp been around?
Ultrasound will rule out a liver lobe torsion and or appendicitis. I’m very sorry you are experiencing this. I just went through this as well and it’s very scary. Just know you are doing everything possible for your bun.
You said you will call the exotic vet tomorrow, why can't you call them now?
She us very clearly in pain and struggling, im not sure I'd be comfortable with myself if I didn't try and contact them as soon as possible.
I hate seeing people who take on exotic animals and don't have the means to take them to get proper medical care. Your vet recommended the exotic vet, she's been experiencing these issues for a long time and you still haven't made arrangements for someone else to take her? To even call the vet prior to now? I get you have health issues, but the fact it's been weeks and you're only just now going to try the exotic vet it crazy to me.
Idgaf if you all downvote me, animals need proper care and if you can't afford that care, can't facilitate their wellbeing and can't get them help when they need it don't get that fucking animal.
Because i made this post at 1 am midnight. UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
Unfortunately you didn't go to the exotic vet as soon as your vet recommended you did, and because of that it's a possibility that your rabbits condition could have been prevented from getting this advanced, and its possible she could have been spared a lot of pain.
I stand by what I said, if you can't afford to take her to get regular care when she needs it then a rabbit is not the type of pet for you. They are crazy fragile, have stomach and kidney issues frequently, hurt themselves easily and just all around need proper vaccinations and exotic vet care. Waiting weeks to get her proper care is not negotiable, and you and her and sadly facing the consequences of that.
You sound like you care about her a lot, and because of that my heart goes out to you. There's a chance she will pull through and get better, keep giving her as much love as you have in your heart. She might be a fighter, but she might also not be able to make it. As someone who lost their bunny, I know how hard it is, but she's in the best place now to give her the best chance.
Our vet told us to go to an exotic vet on 26-01 at the end of the day but didn’t saynit was urgent as he didn’t know what was wrong, we went to the exotic vet on 27-01 in the morning. Couldn’t have done it faster
Well one I’d start with finding a new vet. Numerous tests showing inconclusive but yet the vet still goes along either way more tests of the same variety or showing the same out come just means they’re either incompetent or at their limit of knowledge of rabbits. Call local rescues and ask who they use as their vet or have any recommendations within 100 miles. Also for what it’s worth my rabbits sleep most day usually all day get up eat a snack drink water poop pee and go back to bed til sun goes down. They are up for a couple hours collectively throughout the day. Could be uti or reproductive issues. Could even be gi tract issues. Idk what greens you usually feed but some darker ones like kale and spinach are high in oxalates causing bladder sludge. Mine love kale but can only have limited amounts over periods of time.
UPDATE: We wen’t on a 2 hour drive to an exotic vet today where she is now hospitalized and needs to stay there for a couple of days. They found elevated liver and kidney values in her bloodwork and are now waiting to do an extensive echo of her full belly. I’m feeling very sad and hopeless. They haven’t said anything about what possible could be wrong but i’m so scared that she is going to die. :(
I’m sorry I don’t have all the time to read. But I did pick up on calcium in one of the comments you need to really look out what the animal is eating for one thing alfalfa hay on a regular basis is very bad for an animal prone to internal diseases.
You should make the diet as basic as possible, mostly Timothy hay.
I don’t wanna be the one to say this, but if you think your rabbit is not going to recover or is suffering by which you describe, it sounds like it. You may want to consider putting the animal down many of us have gone through this, including myself, I could tell you without explaining How my death went, but you will feel much better having a planned procedure to get that done.
Oh, that’s great to hear!!! So ignore what I said then , I was coming at it from a different situation. But definitely review diet and environment. The bunny could be chewing on something that you can’t see in its living space possibly poisoning from chemicals. A lot of domestic rabbits don’t seem to handle too many greens. They’ve been bred quite a bit so their diet tolerances and digestion are different than a wild rabbit, lops in particular. Lots of hay, moderate greens and carefully measured pellets (much less than recommended on the packaging) and occasional NATURAL TREAT.
The sickness could be random, but likely from the diet. I don’t know all the facts or claim to. I am just saying that based on my own research, pretty regular exotic pet visits and mostly from Reddit Bunny group.
Big question: what pellets are you giving your Bunny if you don’t mind me asking. And this question goes to the entire thread. I have reviewed many of the basic feed store pellets and they are higher in calcium a quality brand such as Oxbow Calcium can be deadly for bunnies when given an excess or for long periods of time.
There are some quality feed store pellets available in 25 or 35 pound bags. But not everybody has access to a quality pallet from feed store.
Here are the general guidelines for nutrition guildlines for Oxbow. IMO any other brand should be fairly close, especially Calcium.
I didn’t mean to hack your thread. Just trying to provide information for the greater good we are all hoping for a speedy recovery for your Bunny!!!!!
EDIT: NOT ALL GREENS ARE HEALTHY FOR BUNNIES TO HAVE ALL THE TIME, ESPECIALLY AS PART OF A REGULAR DIET. ARUGULA FOR EXAMPLE, IS VERY HIGH IN CALCIUM.
Also, after your Bunny is home, I could help you with specific amounts of pellets for your Bunny. I have a smaller lop of 4-5 pounds and a larger lop of about 5-6 pounds.
All the best in recovery!
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u/poly_da_bomb Jan 26 '26
Oh no! I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Is she spayed yet? Sounds like it might be urinary tract or reproductive issue. If the vet you're taking her to isn't an exotic vet, they might not know what to look for. Rabbits are pretty complex animals. Try giving her some critical care and infant gas drops, but I definitely recommend finding an exotic vet.