Constipation in a rabbit: causes and symptoms, methods of treatment and prevention

Constipation in rabbits is a common problem, and untimely assistance to pets leads to death. Animals of the order lagomorphs cannot control the amount of food they eat. In the moments of wakefulness, they gnaw something non-stop, their stomach is constantly full. This leads to disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, when the food inside the intestines decomposes, and the body is poisoned.

Causes of constipation in a rabbit

Rabbits are animals that require increased attention. They react quite painfully to violations of the rules of detention. Factors affecting constipation:

infectious;
non-infectious.

The cause of insufficient defecation of an infectious nature is the pathogenic bacterium Clostridium. When the number of pathogenic microorganisms exceeds the norm, in lagomorphs there is an accumulation of gases, a violation of peristalsis. Bacteria Clostridium spp multiply, produce toxins that have a devastating effect on the animal's liver, and the lack of therapy leads to its death.

Non-infectious causes of constipation in a rabbit include:

sudden change in diet. For example, when, after a juicy meal, the animal is abruptly transferred to hay;
insufficient amount of dietary fiber in the diet of lagomorphs;
low physical activity of an animal due to a tight cage;
a state of nervous tension that can be caused by a change of owner;
dehydration caused by lack of water in the drinker, dry air or high ambient temperature.

Problems with digestion can be caused by the accumulation of wool in the stomach of a rabbit during molting.

Symptoms of the problem

The breeder should be alerted by the fact that the animal does not go to the toilet for more than a day. Other symptoms of constipation due to infectious causes:

depressed state of the animal;
loss of appetite;
bloating, rumbling in the stomach;
rabbit shows anxiety when touching the abdomen;
fecal lumps with mucus.

Often constipation in rabbits alternates with diarrhea. In this case, the animal should be removed from the herd in a separate cage and shown to the veterinarian.

Treatment methods

It is possible to alleviate the condition of lagomorphs with medicines and folk methods. But in order not to harm the animals, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Seek advice as soon as your rabbit shows signs of constipation.

Use of antibiotics

In severe cases, difficult defecation in a decorative rabbit is treated with antibiotics of the tetracycline group. The therapy is administered as an injection, but only a veterinarian can give recommendations for use and calculate the dose.

The most popular drug is Baytril. Injections are given 3 times a day, at the withers of the animal. The dosage is calculated based on the weight of the pet: 0.1 mg of the drug is taken per 1 kg and 0.5 ml of saline is diluted. The course of treatment for each animal is set individually.

Along with injections of antibiotics, it is necessary to deworm the animal with a Baycox solution. It is forbidden to treat rabbits for constipation with laxatives. Such therapy will only worsen the condition of the animal.

Folk methods

What to do when there is no way to seek help from a doctor? If the nature of constipation is not infectious, you can use folk remedies. The most common ones are:

Massage of a sick animal is carried out every 3 hours. The animal is laid on its knees, the hand is gently moved from the tail to the neck. If the rabbit shows anxiety, manipulation should be stopped immediately.
Vaseline oil. The medicine is given to the animal in the amount of 5 ml at a time. The remedy works as a laxative, gently helping the animal to get rid of a foreign product or a hairball. If the stool has improved, you do not need to repeat the procedure.
A decoction of chamomile and tansy is given to a rabbit on the first day of constipation. The product is poured into the animal from the syringe, removing the needle.

Before treating lagomorphs, the cause of constipation should be determined and then eliminated.

Diet for sick rabbits

The main components of proper rabbit nutrition are clean drinking water and hay.

It is the dried grass that keeps the intestinal muscles of the lagomorphs in good shape and helps to remove the bits of swallowed wool from the body.

If a rabbit has symptoms of constipation, then you need to carefully monitor his diet. In addition to hay (70-80% of the diet), the menu should include:

fresh vegetables. A great option is cabbage, but you can’t get carried away with it. Suitable color, Brussels sprouts, broccoli;
vegetable puree with herbaceous granules dissolved in water. A pasty mixture is prepared, which is drawn into a syringe and squeezed into the pet's mouth in small portions;
vitamin A - should be offered to the animal a choice of herbs (green lettuce, parsley, garden chicory or lettuce);
vitamin B - radish leaves, carrot tops, broccoli;
vitamin C - dill, watercress, spinach, swede, dandelion, parsley root.

Vegetables must be washed before serving. Those garden gifts that have been grown with the use of fertilizers and pesticides should be avoided. Fruits are treats, so giving them more than 2 times a week is not recommended.

Prevention of constipation

The best prevention of constipation is a complete rabbit diet. The daily diet of the animal should include:

vegetables, tops, fresh herbs;
clean water to drink in sufficient quantity;
high fiber pellets;
fresh hay.

Also, a sedentary lifestyle of a pet becomes a cause of constipation, so he needs to provide daily walks.Another important component is regular visits to the veterinarian. Some diseases occur without obvious signs, only an experienced specialist can recognize the disease.