rabbit stomach/digestive problem

[emily13hsiao]

my rabbit's stomach has kind of swelled larger than normal (at least, compared to her sister and what it used to feel like) and i have found some runny poop in their cage. i looked these symptoms up and im afraid that she has some kind of bloat. but she is still eating normally and does not seem in pain, just running around n grooming like the usual. im not sure what to do since my parents refuse to go to the vet since it's too expensive. im at a complete loss and im very concerned. advice?

 

[stevesmum]

From what I've read bloat is very sudden onset and they don't last long with it. Maybe it's just a gassy belly? In which case I'd monitor carefully and feed lots of fresh hay and water. Good luck and sending good vibes.

 

[majorv]

Yes, bloat would be considered an emergency. If you think that she just has gas you can give simethicone drops to her to help relieve it. You might look at her diet to see if anything new she is eating might be causing the gas.

 

[squidpop]

I think if she is still eating and there is diarrhoea she probably has a bacterial imbalance and the bacteria is making toxins and gas and she has a swollen gut. For gas it would be good to give her semithicone—I buy infant wind drops in the grocery store for that- it is very safe for rabbits.

I suggest above all else, lots of hay and lots of fluids to flush bad bacteria out of her system. Hay is the best thing for cleaning out her system. If she is a baby I would actually syringe a weak solution of electrolytes into her.
To help the bacteria return to normal in her gut take her pellets away because the high protein feeds the bacteria. Then give her lots and lots of Hay and it would be really good to hydrate her as much as possible - electrolytes in a bowl of water to encourage drinking- maybe some pureed fruit juice in her water but you don't want the water to be too sugary. The high fiber hay and water going through her system should help clear out the bad bacteria. If she is not better after a day of doing that or if there is liquid diarrhoea or she stops eating completely you should go to the vet immediately.

Bloat is a medical emergency. I wouldn't think she has bloat unless she has stopped eating completely, her stomach would feel as tight as a drum. Bloat usually happens because there is a blockage and since rabbits guts digest using bacteria a lot of gas starts to build quickly. Hopefully its not bloat because its really painful and the rabbit could die.

This is really good to read.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html