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*Veterinarians serving Clayton, Garner, and surrounding areas since 1986* |
We have recently obtained a young rabbit as a family pet. I had no idea that a rabbit could be such an engaging indoor pet. However, I am worried. My neighbor's pet rabbit recently stopped eating for a couple of days and suddenly died. They took it to their veterinarian to have the body examined and she told them it died from trichobezoar. What is this, and could it be a problem for my rabbit? |
Trichobezoar is the doctor word for hairballs. Rabbits, like cats, are very fastidious animals. They spend a lot of time grooming themselves and ingesting the hair. However, unlike cats, rabbits are incapable of vomiting. Hair can collect in the stomach and intestines. If enough hair builds up it can cause a partial or total obstruction. When this happens the rabbit may eat less or stop eating completely. Any condition that causes the rabbit to groom more, can make the problem worse; fleas, boredom, stress. Rabbits deprived of food can starve to death in less than a week. Any problem that involves a rabbit that is not eating is an emergency. It is important in these situations to seek the advice of a veterinarian experienced with rabbits. Because there are many reasons why a rabbit might stop eating, it is important to determine as quickly as possible whether or not a hairball is the problem. In most cases this is done by taking X-rays of the rabbit's abdomen. A contrast medium similar to barium may be required to clearly visualize the obstruction. The treatment for hairballs depends on how many days it has been since the rabbit ate, and its general condition. When caught early, a combination of nursing care, and medications can be tried to get the hairball to pass. If the rabbit has not eaten for several days its only chance may be to have a surgery to open the stomach and remove the hairball. Even successful surgeries require intensive post-surgical care. Rabbit hairballs are a problem best avoided. Dietary management is the key. The diet should consist primarily of roughage such as kale, collard greens, and mustard greens. The rest of the daily diet should consist of ¼ to ½ cups rabbit pellets and a handful of timothy hay. Finally, a 1" strip of commercial feline hairball remedy twice a week can go a long way to preventing this serious problem. Rabbits are exotic pets and require you to be extra-attentive to signs of medical illness. |