Help! Bloated rabbit?

[bunbunadri]

My rabbit has been passing soft + smaller feces than normal, and I’ve heard gurgling sounds from his tummy. I suspected gas, so I cut down his diet to just hay and water now. His tummy feels a little bloated. However he’s always been eating like normal and pooping, just smaller poops and irregular poops (check attached). So far I haven’t heard any more gurgling sounds and will try to get him to the vet ASAP. I’m giving him massages to relieve gas pain, but for now is there anything else I can do?

 

[bunbunadri]

My rabbit has been passing soft + smaller feces than normal, and I’ve heard gurgling sounds from his tummy. I suspected gas, so I cut down his diet to just hay and water now. His tummy feels a little bloated. However he’s always been eating like normal and pooping, just smaller poops and irregular poops (check attached). So far I haven’t heard any more gurgling sounds and will try to get him to the vet ASAP. I’m giving him massages to relieve gas pain, but for now is there anything else I can do?

 

[Preitler]

I would give simethicone too (infant gas drops, availably at every pharmacy), at least 20mg per serving (more doesn't hurt), 3 times a day. It helps to pass the gas.

 

[JBun]

Like Preitler mentioned, simethicone (baby gas drops) is a possible option to try, also very gentle tummy massage, for possible GI stasis or minor to moderate gas episodes (not true bloat), in my experience.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Gastrointestinal_stasis

https://hare.as.miami.edu/ileus.html

Except in the case of severe bloat, where the actual stomach is (gently) palpably bloated (feels like an inflated ballon just under the bottom of the last ribs) or is visibly distended, as any additional pressure internally or externally has the potential to cause rupture or exacerbate symptoms. Usually a rabbit will have stopped eating, moving, and is grinding their teeth in pain, and possibly shaking and very visibly in distress when experiencing true bloat.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Acute_gastrointestinal_dilation

If it's not true bloat but is minor to moderate gas pain, and your rabbit is still passing feces and still eating and drinking, this is often less of an emergency as these signs show your rabbit is unlikely to be experiencing a full blockage. If it was just some stomach upset from something your rabbit ate, there's a good chance your rabbit may pass the food causing the upset and will be back to normal before you get to the vet. Just make sure to stop feeding the offending food.

Not eating and not pooping, and especially if the stomach is visually or palpably dilated, these can be an immediate emergency. But if I have a rabbit still eating and pooping, I'm still concerned and will monitor, but it's not as urgent a situation to me as the rabbit often returns to normal shortly after, on their own.

However, if you're unsure or have any concerns, always contact a knowledgeable rabbit vet first. Everything shared here is just individual peoples opinions.

If you don't have very knowledgeable rabbit vets where you are, just be very cautious about any treatments or medications prescribed, as some can be very harmful to rabbits. I always make sure anything prescribed or given to my rabbit (check prior to being administered), is appropriate for the diagnosed illness and is considered rabbit safe.

If you don't already have a trusted vet you see, here are a couple possible old rabbit vet listings for your location.

https://rabbitvet.net/Africa&AsiaRabbitVets.htm#China