Why is my rabbit lying with her back end raised? Is she bloated?

Hello, and thank you for your question. Rabbits do not always show obvious signs of pain or illness; oftentimes being more quiet or eating a bit less, or pooping less are the first signs that something is wrong. It does sound like her symptoms may be related to the issue she had in June (gut stasis). Other possibilities would be pain from another area such as her teeth or an injury, or focal or systemic infection. I would recommend having her checked out by the vet within the next 12 hours if she is still acting very quiet. In the meantime, keep her hay and pellets close by to encourage eating, as well as her water, and monitor her poop output closely. If her appetite or energy are worsening over the next few hours, if she is producing very little to no poop, I would get her to the vet sooner, as gut stasis in rabbits can quickly become an emergency. I hope this helps, and that Miss Cottontail feels better soon!

Hello. It sounds like your rabbit may have signs of gastrointestinal stasis, which means the GI tract has slowed down, usually as a result of a rabbit that stops eating. Rabbits will stop eating for a number of reasons - their teeth may be overgrown, their tooth roots may be infected, they could also have any other systemic disease (respiratory, urinary, infection, etc). As you can see, the causes are many and its impossible to say what is the underlying cause for sure without an exam and testing (usually radiographs, blood work, etc). Regardless of the cause, GI stasis is potentially fatal if left untreated. Therefore, I would urge you to get veterinary care ASAP. In the meantime, syringe feed Hobie with a liquid hay diet, ideally Oxbow herbivore critical care if you can get some, or soak the hay pellets in warm water to make a slurry. The best thing to keep the GI tract healthy is fiber and hydration, so hay is the foundation of health. I see in the first picture a pellet mix with maybe some oats, corn, and/or seeds mixed with the pellets. This is not an appropriate diet for rabbits as they are selective feeders and usually pick out the concentrates. These pellet mixes significantly increase the incidence of dental disease and obesity. I recommend a 100% timothy hay pellet, ideally Oxbow brand. Feed 1/4 cup timothy hay pellets, free choice grass hay, and 2 cups fresh greens a day with fresh water available in a bowl and sipper.

Hi, It sounds like Luna may just be tired from the increased activity earlier in the day. However, if her appetite and defecation decrease or her behavior is otherwise altered, then that could certainly be a sign of illness. I think it’s fine to wait and monitor her, as long as she keeps eating and defeating nornally. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to take her in to see her veterinarian. Good luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Junior. It sounds as if she is uncomfortable and restless. Possible causes include gastrointestinal disease (obstruction, GI stasis, infections), urinary problems (kidney/ureteral.bladder/urethral stones, infections), reproductive problems (endometrosis, neoplasia, other) and more. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Monitor food and water intake, defecation and urination. If possible, offer water via a syringe. If Junior continues to seem uncomfortable, an emergency visit tonight might be needed. Good luck.

This sign you described is not related to anything specifically, and I would not be worried about it. I would just monitoring defecation and appetite and make sure they are gradually but consistently improving.

Unfortunately i cannot know what has caused this in your rabbit based on these symptoms but the most probable cause would be gut stasis which is a very common condition in rabbits. according to your description she is in a very bad condition and there is a high chance she will not recover from this.

Bloat in rabbits is typically referred to as gastric stasis. This occurs when the GI tract stops functioning like it should and the stomach, and sometimes intestines, fill up with gas and undigested food. Rabbits will typically stop eating and pooping when this happens. This is a very dangerous condition for a rabbit because it is very painful and can cause death. If you suspect that your bunny is suffering from gastric stasis she needs to be seen by a vet to start treatment immediately. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.