Rabbit Won't Eat & Has a Bloated Belly (GI Stasis)? Here's First Aid!

For owners of dogs/cats, skipping food for a day may seem normal. But for rabbits or guinea pigs, not eating for 12 hours is a critical emergency.

Gastrointestinal (GI) Stasis — or "Gut Shutdown" — is the number one killer of pet rabbits. When the gut stops moving, harmful bacteria multiply and produce painful gas (bloating).

GI Stasis Symptoms You Must Know

• Anorexia: Refusing favourite foods (pellets/vegetables).
• Small/No Droppings: Faecal pellets become very small, dry, or completely absent.
• Hard Belly: Feels tight and tense like a gas balloon when touched.
• Severe Pain: Rabbit sits hunched in a corner, grinding their teeth loudly.

Birawa Vet Medical Treatment (Home Visit)

A bloated rabbit must not be stressed by travel. Our vet will come to you and perform:

1. Temperature Check: Rabbits with stasis often have hypothermia (dangerously low body temperature).
2. Gut Motility Injection: Specialised medication to stimulate the intestines to move again.
3. Pain Relief: Bloating is extremely painful. Without pain relief, the rabbit will refuse to eat.
4. Subcutaneous Fluids: Under-skin hydration to soften gut contents.
5. Force Feeding: Administering a special recovery mash (Critical Care) if no obstruction is present.