What is GI stasis (or RGIS)?
One of the most common medical problems with rabbits is when they suddenly stop eating/pooping. This is often referred to as gastrointestinal stasis (GI stasis) or rabbit GI syndrome (RGIS).
When a rabbit stops eating, usually their body temperature will start to fall, and their internal organs will become stressed. Without intervention, this condition can become life-threatening within hours.
Pain anywhere in the body, stress, excess fur in the GI tract from grooming, a diet high in sugars (fruit/carrot/bread items), dehydration, and chewing/eating inappropriate items can contribute to causing a GI stasis episode. However, many times the cause of a GI stasis episode is not immediately obvious.
GI stasis often resolves with supportive care. However, GI stasis can also be the symptom of a serious underlying problem that requires additional vet care and diagnostics. Starting these first aid steps at home can help your rabbit to stabilize, before heading to the vet.
These conditions in rabbits can cause GI stasis as a symptom, and require diagnostics + hospital care:
Liver lobe torsion - diagnosed with physical exam + blood work, then ultrasound
Gastric bloat/intestinal obstruction - diagnosed with physical exam + x-rays
Cecal impaction - diagnosed with physical exam + x-rays, or ultrasound
Dental disease - diagnosed with physical exam
There are other less common underlying causes that need additional veterinary support as well.
If your rabbit doesn't quickly improve with first aid supportive care at home using your GI stasis first aid kit, please take your rabbit to a veterinarian/veterinary emergency hospital for further diagnostics and veterinary care.
Dr. Sip’s SF Bay Area emergency vet & rabbit vet recommendations
GI Stasis First Aid
Keep a log. Write down the time + what you did, for each step.
1) Take your rabbit’s temperature
Rabbit normal body temperature = 101-103F
(Your rabbit’s normal body temperature may vary slightly. Taking your rabbit’s body temperature occasionally when they’re healthy will help you know what’s normal for your rabbit.)
If you have a TempScan microchip, you can use a Halo microchip scanner to take your rabbit’s temperature.
How to take a rabbit’s rectal temperature
Feeling a rabbit’s ears or body is not an accurate way to tell whether they have an abnormal body temperature.
2) If your rabbit’s temperature is under 101 - Provide heat support
Warm your rabbit.
You can put your rabbit in a carrier with rice socks heated in the microwave on each side of your rabbit, or with a microwaved heat disc under them. If using a plug-in electric heat pad, be careful rabbit isn’t able to chew on the cord, and check that it isn’t getting too hot. Hot water bottles are not recommended - as the water cools, it will drag your rabbit’s temperature down with it.
Recheck your rabbit’s temperature 15 minutes after starting heat support & write it in your log.
If your rabbit’s temperature is 104+
Cool your rabbit.
Put water on your rabbit's ears, to help with evaporative cooling.
Recheck your rabbit’s temperature in 15 minutes & write it in your log.
If there is no obvious recent stress, like a car ride, a high temperature could be due to infection. If your rabbit is not eating and has a high temperature, we recommend going to the vet/emergency veterinary hospital.
3) Feel their abdomen/belly
If your rabbit’s stomach feels like a beach ball, or their belly feels firm or distended, go to the vet/emergency veterinary hospital.
4) Give simethicone
Give 1ml by mouth every 8 to 12 hours, as needed, for intestinal gas.
Liquid infant simethicone is sold over the counter at drugstores, Target, WalMart, and some supermarkets. Any brand is fine.
While there is debate in the veterinary literature whether simethicone works to relieve gas in rabbit GI systems, many people feel that it has helped their rabbit. Simethicone works by mechanical action by disrupting gas bubble walls so that smaller gas bubbles can join and be more easily passed out of the digestive system. Simethicone does not get absorbed into the body.
5) Hydrate your rabbit - give warmed LACTATED RINGERS SOLUTION (LRS) iNJECTED UNDER THE SKIN
Rabbits often quickly become dehydrated when not eating/pooping. Warmed Lactated Ringers Solution (LRS) injected under the skin warms, hydrates, and provides electrolytes. This is also known as giving subcutaneous fluids, or, SQ fluids.
How to give subcutaneous fluids to your rabbit
6) If rabbit’s temperature is 100+:
give pain + motility medications
If your veterinarian has previously prescribed these medications with the dose for your rabbit, they can be given once your rabbit’s body temperature is over 100F.
Give pain medications (meloxicam + gabapentin), and motility medications (metoclopramide and/or cisapride).
Do not give over the counter pain medications for people to rabbits, as they can be toxic.
If your rabbit’s body temperature is below 100, these medications won’t be metabolized and won’t be effective. Continue steps below.
7) Give abdominal massage
How to give a rabbit an abdominal massage
You can also use a massager - this flat massager can go under a rabbit in a carrier.
8) If rabbit’s temperature is 100+:
Syringe-feed Critical Care or Emeraid
How to syringe-feed your rabbit
Only syringe-feed your rabbit Critical Care or Emeraid if:
their stomach/abdomen doesn’t feel firm like a beach ball/distended
your rabbit’s temperature is over 100F
your rabbit is alert
your rabbit is chewing and swallowing when you syringe-feed them
Chewing and swallowing release digestive hormones in the rabbit’s GI system - syringe feeding provides nutrition, hydration, and GI stimulation.
9) check your Rabbit’s temperature every 15-30 minutes
Check your rabbit’s temperature every 15-30 minutes until their temperature is in the normal range, and remains normal off heat support. Write it down in your log.
10) Offer your rabbit greens, pellets, hay, and willow
Offer your rabbit their favorite greens, pellets, hay, and willow toys (if available). Sometimes tearing fragrant greens and rubbing the cut edge on their nose and lips can stimulate them to nibble.
Do not give your rabbit carrot, fruit, fruit juice, or any commercial rabbit treats as these are high in sugar and can contribute to overgrowth of the gas- and toxin-producting bacteria clostridium in the rabbit’s GI system.
When to go to the vet/emergency veterinary hospital
Go to the vet/emergency veterinary hospital if your rabbit:
is limp like a rag doll
is having trouble breathing, or showing extra respiratory effort
has a firm or hard abdomen, or belly feels like a beach ball
has a high temperature (104+) and isn’t eating
has any new lumps/bumps and isn’t eating
is not quickly recovering with first aid supportive care - you should be seeing improvement within 1-2 hours
has a low temperature that does not start coming up to normal range with heat support
is not chewing/swallowing critical care, and letting it limply drool out of their mouth
seems to be getting worse
if you’re unable to stay with your rabbit to provide first aid/supportive care
If you go to the vet/emergency vet hospital, take your your written log of the steps you've already taken at home and take your emergency kit/medications, so the vet can see the supplies you have and the medication concentrations & doses.
Dr. Sip’s SF Bay Area emergency vet & rabbit vet recommendations
If you are a client of Dr. Sip’s, notify Dr. Sip if you need to use your GI stasis first aid kit, in case follow-up care and refills are needed.