Large hard stomach, NO other symptoms

[westcoastbunnylover]

Hi all, my 3.5 year old Silver Fox rescue has a large and hard stomach. The vet said it was 3 times the size it should be, but it's odd that she is not having any other stasis symptoms. She is eating, she is pooping and drinking, and chasing me for treats, her behaviour is the same - this is baffling to the vet staff because she should be showing discomfort. Because her stomach is so large, we are going to do an ultra sound if her blood work shows she can handle the anesthesia. In the meantime I am treating her with twice a day sub Q fluids and motility drugs.
Has anyone every had this with their buns, or have any idea what this could be? She is acting normal and happy.

 

[RabbitO]

I don't know anything about this, but I wish your bunny to get good health and it's something easily fixed for her.

 

[JBun]

Have you had your rabbit a while, and has this ever happened before? When did this current episode start or has she always had a bloated belly? Any wasting along the spine or hindquarters (loss of muscle and fat, bones protruding more), or rough coat issues? What is your rabbits diet like (hay, pellets, veg, treats, supplements, meds, etc)? Brand and type of pellets and hay, and amount? Have you tried any diet changes? Approximate weight?

Were xrays done to check for gas in the stomach or intestines, a liver problem, or any other abnormalities? Any results on the blood work, liver and kidney function normal? Or a fecal float test done to rule out parasites? Is she spayed?

 

[westcoastbunnylover]

Have you had your rabbit a while, and has this ever happened before? When did this current episode start or has she always had a bloated belly? Any wasting along the spine or hindquarters (loss of muscle and fat, bones protruding more), or rough coat issues? What is your rabbits diet like (hay, pellets, veg, treats, supplements, meds, etc)? Brand and type of pellets and hay, and amount? Have you tried any diet changes? Approximate weight?

Were xrays done to check for gas in the stomach or intestines, a liver problem, or any other abnormalities? Any results on the blood work, liver and kidney function normal? Or a fecal float test done to rule out parasites? Is she spayed?I have had

I have had her for 2 years, she is spayed, i noticed her stomach protruding on the sides a few weeks ago, but then it went down. It started up again this weekend so i started on fluids and called for the first vet appointment available.
No wasting away anywhere, no loss of muscle, no bones protruding, her coat is healthy and shiny.
My rabbits eat timothy hay, timothy hay cubes, no pellets, greens (lettuce, fennel, herbs, occasional kale), oxbow digestive treats and small amounts of apple (no core!).

She is 4kgs, 8.8 pounds, she is a Silver Fox, very active.
The Xrays were done on her whole body, looking from both sides and from the stomach. THere was a small amount of gas, not out of the oridinary. I am waiting for the blood test and fecal test results.

She is eating and pooping and drinking and acting normally.

 

[JBun]

Were any foods changed, new bag of hay opened, or new foods introduced just prior to this happening?

If the xrays didn't show a gas filled or distended stomach or intestines, but was just minor amounts of gas, then there must be a fluid build up around the intestines and/or organs. The blood test will help rule out it being liver related.

Did the vet listen to the heart and lungs, and xray the chest as well? Any signs of respiratory issues or increased breathing rate or effort. Edema from a heart problem would be another cause to rule out.

 

[westcoastbunnylover]

Were any foods changed, new bag of hay opened, or new foods introduced just prior to this happening?

If the xrays didn't show a gas filled or distended stomach or intestines, but was just minor amounts of gas, then there must be a fluid build up around the intestines and/or organs. The blood test will help rule out it being liver related.

Did the vet listen to the heart and lungs, and xray the chest as well? Any signs of respiratory issues or increased breathing rate or effort. Edema from a heart problem would be another cause to rule out.

No new foods. the xrays showed that her stomach is about 3-4 times the size it should be. there are no signs of respiratoy illness, but the stomach was taking up so much room the other organs are hard to see. the vet listened to her heart and it was normal. no breathing issues and no edema was seen.

 

[jeff38002]

Excuse my ignorance, I'm just trying to learn in case I need to know for my guys in the future, but is it apt with rabbits to use motility drugs when they're already urinating (I'm assuming she is) and defecating normally?
I'm questioning whether it is a good idea and/or safe to induce bowel movement, when their movements are seemingly healthy/normal/consistent to begin with and there isn't an abundance of gas.
Is it a preemptive sort of thing due to how easily and quickly they can go into GI stasis?
I hope the test results come back very quickly and you're able to figure out exactly how to help your bun.

 

[JBun]

I'll just share the few more common possibilities I can think of, that might cause a distended abdomen in rabbits.

Bloat from an intestinal or stomach blockage would be the first most common reason, but this is usually accompanied with severe pain and distress, along with eating and pooping completely stopping.

Next would be a gas filled stomach and/or intestines from enterotoxemia and severe disruption of the gut microflora, again causing distress and reduced appetite. This can be caused by an antibiotic, extreme carb/sugary overload in the diet, or picked up in the environment usually from another affected rabbit.

Sometimes a reaction to a particular food or veggie can cause gas as well, though not usually enough to cause a severely distended abdomen.

All these should show up on xrays as gas filed intestines/stomach.

If the intestines/stomach aren't showing up as filled with gas, then the likely cause is ascites from problems with the liver, or secondary liver problems caused by heart problems. With it being caused by heart problems, you're more likely to see other symptoms like fatigue and respiratory issues. With non heart related liver problems, you may not have any other apparent symptoms initially, other than the abdominal distention. Including no decrease to eating or activity levels until it progresses more.

This is something I saw in a new baby rabbit that came to my care. She had a distended pot belly, and was very undersize for her age. She didn't have any symptoms of lethargy, lack of appetite, or distress. Was pretty normal in every other way.

She had been fed a very low quality pellet, other high carb supplements, and little to no hay. I immediately changed her diet to a high quality pellet, but primarily free fed good grass hay. The pot belly went away, I think in the first week or two, and she started to catch up in weight and size to what was normal for her breed, and never had problems after (lived to be 10 yr).

Because she was showing immediate improvement with the diet change, no further tests were done, but it was suspected she either had a more moderate case of hepatic coccidiosis that resolved on its own, or liver problems related to the poor quality feed, possibly from mycotoxins in the feed.

This is what I would suspect is the most likely cause with your rabbit, a liver issue not caused by heart problems. Maybe from e. cuniculi, hepatic coccidiosis, or possibly mold in the hay. But of course it's just a guess. Your vet will have a better idea after the blood test results. But I would recommend double checking your rabbits hay and other foods for now, for any signs of mold or spoilage, in case that's the cause.

https://rabbit.org/health/liver-disease-in-rabbits/

 

[westcoastbunnylover]

Excuse my ignorance, I'm just trying to learn in case I need to know for my guys in the future, but is it apt with rabbits to use motility drugs when they're already urinating (I'm assuming she is) and defecating normally?
I'm questioning whether it is a good idea and/or safe to induce bowel movement, when their movements are seemingly healthy/normal/consistent to begin with and there isn't an abundance of gas.
Is it a preemptive sort of thing due to how easily and quickly they can go into GI stasis?
I hope the test results come back very quickly and you're able to figure out exactly how to help your bun.

I would guess that the motility drugs are to ensure nothing stops and to hopefully get everything pooped out in case she suddenly stops eating? I am not really sure, but I do trust my vet, she specializes in bunnies which is great.

 

[westcoastbunnylover]

I'll just share the few more common possibilities I can think of, that might cause a distended abdomen in rabbits.

Bloat from an intestinal or stomach blockage would be the first most common reason, but this is usually accompanied with severe pain and distress, along with eating and pooping completely stopping.

Next would be a gas filled stomach and/or intestines from enterotoxemia and severe disruption of the gut microflora, again causing distress and reduced appetite. This can be caused by an antibiotic, extreme carb/sugary overload in the diet, or picked up in the environment usually from another affected rabbit.

Sometimes a reaction to a particular food or veggie can cause gas as well, though not usually enough to cause a severely distended abdomen.

All these should show up on xrays as gas filed intestines/stomach.

If the intestines/stomach aren't showing up as filled with gas, then the likely cause is ascites from problems with the liver, or secondary liver problems caused by heart problems. With it being caused by heart problems, you're more likely to see other symptoms like fatigue and respiratory issues. With non heart related liver problems, you may not have any other apparent symptoms initially, other than the abdominal distention. Including no decrease to eating or activity levels until it progresses more.

This is something I saw in a new baby rabbit that came to my care. She had a distended pot belly, and was very undersize for her age. She didn't have any symptoms of lethargy, lack of appetite, or distress. Was pretty normal in every other way.

She had been fed a very low quality pellet, other high carb supplements, and little to no hay. I immediately changed her diet to a high quality pellet, but primarily free fed good grass hay. The pot belly went away, I think in the first week or two, and she started to catch up in weight and size to what was normal for her breed, and never had problems after (lived to be 10 yr).

Because she was showing immediate improvement with the diet change, no further tests were done, but it was suspected she either had a more moderate case of hepatic coccidiosis that resolved on its own, or liver problems related to the poor quality feed, possibly from mycotoxins in the feed.

This is what I would suspect is the most likely cause with your rabbit, a liver issue not caused by heart problems. Maybe from e. cuniculi, hepatic coccidiosis, or possibly mold in the hay. But of course it's just a guess. Your vet will have a better idea after the blood test results. But I would recommend double checking your rabbits hay and other foods for now, for any signs of mold or spoilage, in case that's the cause.

https://rabbit.org/health/liver-disease-in-rabbits/

Thank you JBun, this is helpful. I will post an update when I have more information. I will check my hay and hay cubes just in case.

 

[jeff38002]

I would guess that the motility drugs are to ensure nothing stops and to hopefully get everything pooped out in case she suddenly stops eating? I am not really sure, but I do trust my vet, she specializes in bunnies which is great.

thanks for replying - that's what I assumed the reasoning behind it was
Best of luck with your little one.

 

[westcoastbunnylover]

Hi all, I FINALLY have the results from the ultrasound in. it is a susupected blockage of some kind. The recommended paths to proceed are either a barium swallow with multiple x-rays, or endoscopy. Both come with risks, aspirating while taking the barium swallow, and the endoscope is under anesthesia which has it's risks, and may not be able to show what is in her intestines because you cannot clear our the intestines like you can for humans.
Does anyone here have any success with bunnies passing blockages on their own, or with surgeries? Any information would be very helpful, good or bad outcomes.

 

[Diane R]

If anything needs to be done, why not a CT scan? If she is eating and pooping I would probably wait to see if the problem resolves itself, keep giving her wet greens so she is well hydrated and lots of grass hay. Surgery is very much a last resort. I had a bunny survive a gastrotomy years ago but we had an excellent surgeon, it's a very serious operation.

 

[JBun]

I agree. Surgery would be a last option, only if there was a full blockage and no other choice. Partial blockages can often resolve on their own with the correct meds and bun getting enough fiber, food, and hydration.

GI surgery, I believe I read it was a survival rate of 50/50, so it's a risk. As long as there aren't complications like a full blockage or a twisted gut, and bun is still eating and pooping fairly well, I'd be inclined to wait too. But if if buns condition worsens or if it seems there's a serious blockage that isn't able to resolve on it's own, then surgery would seem necessary. Though I would go with the best rabbit vet available, if different than your current vet.

 

[New2RabbitsDonna63]

I'll just share the few more common possibilities I can think of, that might cause a distended abdomen in rabbits.

Bloat from an intestinal or stomach blockage would be the first most common reason, but this is usually accompanied with severe pain and distress, along with eating and pooping completely stopping.

Next would be a gas filled stomach and/or intestines from enterotoxemia and severe disruption of the gut microflora, again causing distress and reduced appetite. This can be caused by an antibiotic, extreme carb/sugary overload in the diet, or picked up in the environment usually from another affected rabbit.

Sometimes a reaction to a particular food or veggie can cause gas as well, though not usually enough to cause a severely distended abdomen.

All these should show up on xrays as gas filed intestines/stomach.

If the intestines/stomach aren't showing up as filled with gas, then the likely cause is ascites from problems with the liver, or secondary liver problems caused by heart problems. With it being caused by heart problems, you're more likely to see other symptoms like fatigue and respiratory issues. With non heart related liver problems, you may not have any other apparent symptoms initially, other than the abdominal distention. Including no decrease to eating or activity levels until it progresses more.

This is something I saw in a new baby rabbit that came to my care. She had a distended pot belly, and was very undersize for her age. She didn't have any symptoms of lethargy, lack of appetite, or distress. Was pretty normal in every other way.

She had been fed a very low quality pellet, other high carb supplements, and little to no hay. I immediately changed her diet to a high quality pellet, but primarily free fed good grass hay. The pot belly went away, I think in the first week or two, and she started to catch up in weight and size to what was normal for her breed, and never had problems after (lived to be 10 yr).

Because she was showing immediate improvement with the diet change, no further tests were done, but it was suspected she either had a more moderate case of hepatic coccidiosis that resolved on its own, or liver problems related to the poor quality feed, possibly from mycotoxins in the feed.

This is what I would suspect is the most likely cause with your rabbit, a liver issue not caused by heart problems. Maybe from e. cuniculi, hepatic coccidiosis, or possibly mold in the hay. But of course it's just a guess. Your vet will have a better idea after the blood test results. But I would recommend double checking your rabbits hay and other foods for now, for any signs of mold or spoilage, in case that's the cause.

https://rabbit.org/health/liver-disease-in-rabbits/

This is incredibly useful information.
Thank you for sharing.

Donna