AboutDana Krempels, Ph.D. Expertise I can answer just about any question regarding rabbit BIOLOGY and HEALTH from the commonplace (e.g. "runny stool"; dental problems) to the unusual. I can also help you with the most recent information on general rabbit care, as recommended by the nation`s top rabbit veterinarians and other experts.
For the best information on rabbit care anywhere on the internet, be sure to visit www.rabbit.org and consider joining EtherBun, a free listserve about rabbit health, care, and behavior. For more information on EtherBun, visit www.bio.miami.edu/hare/etherbun.html
Experience I have lived with companion rabbits for over 30 years, and have been a rabbit rescuer for the last 13. (Our first rescue, Maggie, just celebrated her 13th birthday!) I can answer just about any question concerning rabbit biology, health, care, and behavior.
I have a Ph.D. in biology (expertise in evolutionary biology, genetics, ecology, botany, and herpetology), and have worked extensively with veterinarians who are on the cutting edge of rabbit medicine.
I own EtherBun (EtherBun@yahoogroups.com), the largest free listserve devoted to companion rabbit health, care and behavior.
Since 1998, I have answered rabbit health and care questions from all over the world via the House Rabbit Society web site (www.rabbit.org), and if I cannot answer your question, I can certainly refer you to someone who can.
Organizations belong to House Rabbit Society
Publications Exotic DVM
Warren Peace (Journal of the House Rabbit Society of Miami)
Various newsletters of the House Rabbit Society, nationwide
Education/Credentials Ph.D - Biology
B.S. - Biology
B.A. - English
Awards and Honors Lightspan Academic Excellence Award for web site on rabbit health and biology
(http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare)
Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. Date: 7/8/2008 Subject: Possible Mass in Stomach of Rabbit Who Has Chewed Synthetic Carpet
Question QUESTION: Hello I am planning to get to a vet as soon as is possible but in the meantime I thought I would ask on here.
My rabbit has had about 5 bouts of what I have called 'indigestion' in the last year or so. When she had her first one I didn't know what to do. When she's having them she lies down as flat as she can and her breathing/heartrate is elevated. She gets restless and moves to another spot but always lies flat again.
The first time this happened it lasted until the morning when we took her to the vets. At the time she had a small round bare patch of skin on the very back of her hocks and I was wondering if it was causing her pain. It was covered with a flap of fur though, and I now know that is normal.
I mentioned it to the vet and he said 'yes, it's probably making her uncomfortable' he said he could still feel pellets and so she wasn't in stasis apparently. He gave her pain meds and gave me some cream (for dogs) for the hocks and some paste to feed her to get her eating. Overall I was pretty unhappy that he didn't give an actual diagnosis and charged me £70..
She started to eat and act normal again almost as soon as she got home. The cream which I wasn't supposed to use for long didn't do much. And she has since suffered more severly with bare patches on her hocks, which I have managed to clear up fully on my own. They are back again currently but healing well.
Through out that she has been her self the whole time, always eating, drinking, pooing, weeing. The only odd thing is those times where she appears to be in pain in her stomach. After a gentle massage the pain seems to go away and I sometimes feel and hear a gurgle. Then she's back to normal. It's never lasted more than an hour since I learnt to gently massage her stomach.
However, the last time this happened, I was massaging her stomach and felt a mass in the mid-lower region of the abdomen to the right. Near it I could feel hard round droppings. When I palpated it I felt air moving past/through it and she shivered a bit. After I had gotten over the shock and put her back down on the floor she was fine again.
What should be known is that I live in a flat and she is an indoor rabbit. We have a small amount of outside space where I let her explore on the lead but mostly she runs about in the living area. The carpet is horrible synthetic stuff which has probably contributed to her sore hocks, amoungst other things. She does pull the carpet up but mostly doesn't eat it, if I see her eating it I rush over and get it out of her mouth but I know there are times that she has. Also once when I got back from a short break the person who was taking care of her had left the top lid of her cage open and she had been out all night and chewed the carpet and bitten through some wires. I have been so careful with not giving her inedible toys and bedding because of this habbit of hers of eating everything. But due to her sore hocks I was advised to put a towel or something soft in her bed, so I put in an old t-shirt. She loved digging it up but unfortunately also biting/nibbling it. When I noticed large holes in it I was concerned she was actually ingesting so have taken it out.
All in all I am 99% sure she has ingested foriegn synthetic material several times before.
I'm obviously terrified of the outcome of all this and that it could be something even worse than impacted foriegn matter.
As we speak she is happily washing herself, and I have noticed no general deterioration or change in behaviour and eating habbits, no blood in stools or urine, nothing other than what I've mentioned.
Thanks for your help in advance, anything knowledge or advise is appreciated.
Dawn
ANSWER: Dear Dawn,
While it's possible that she has ingested synthetic carpet fiber before, it's also possible that the fibers have already passed through her system, especially if (1) she doesn't eat much all at once and (2) she gets plenty of fresh grass hay and fresh, wet greens, both of which will help push things through the gut and keep things well hydrated.
Rabbits can get gassy and have GI upset for many different reasons, so let's hope that her reason isn't ingested carpet. If you do suspect that, then keeping her intestinal contents well hydrated and keeping her on a diet rich in fiber and hay will help gradually clear things. The mass you felt might not be in her stomach at all: the kidneys or other things in the abdomen can feel hard and round, and they are normal.
If you're really concerned, an experienced rabbit vet could do a barium-contrast radiograph of her stomach. But note that rabbits *normally* have a mass of food in the stomach, which is never empty in a healthy rabbit. So it might not tell you much unless the mass is unusually large and compact.
Other things that can cause bouts of GI slowdown and gassiness include too much starch in the diet or even pain from dental problems such as molar spurs:
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html
That you felt gas and matter in her intestines isn't abnormal, but it was a lesson in how a gentle massage can actually help her pass the gas, since she felt better immediately after you felt those gas bubbles pass under your fingers.
For now, I'd say keep a good supply of pediatric simethicone suspension on hand for gas pain, and keep those massaging fingers limber. Also, I'd find a vet whom you know is very rabbit savvy, in case you should have any further problems. You may be able to find one on the listing linked here:
www.rabbit.org/vets
In short, I wouldn't worry too much about a mass of carpet in her stomach. Lots of rabbits occasionally nibble carpet, and few actually get a mass that stays. Just keep up her good diet and have her molars checked, and let's hope all things will pass.
I hope this helps.
Dana
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Dana,
Thank you so much for your quick reply. In reply to your first paragraph, she eats excell junior and dwarf and gets extremely excited at feeding time and does seem to eat quite a lot of the pellets in one go. She always has access to hay but unfortunately not grass. She does get greens now and then but not that often as I've been worried about diarrhoea. But I can increase the amount if you would recommend it?
The mass doesn't really feel high enough to be in the actual stomach. More likely the caecum/colon. It feels very round, sort of firm and rubbery and smooth. But then again if it's inside her diestive tract I guess it would feel smooth. It does feel compact though. It's hard to tell but it felt around the size of a small bouncy ball. Perhaps 3 cms across. As for being a kidney, I did wonder that.. But I can't feel anything at all similar on the other side.
I will have to get her checked out as I'm terrfied not only of the mass of carpet/fibres, but of something worse and less treatable like a tumour. I think it's a good idea to get her teeth checked as well whilst im at it.
Would definately appreciated further thoughts,
Many thanks,
Dawn
Answer Dear Dawn,
You can read my recommendations for healthy diet here:
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html
Greens don't cause runny stool/cecal dysbiosis. Too much starch does. Leafy greens are a good thing.
The mass you describe really sounds like a kidney. In rabbits, one hangs down (I think it's the right one, but I can't remember now) and the other one is tucked tight up against the inside of the dorsal abdomen where you can't easily feel it. That palpable hanging kidney has freaked out more than one rabbit mom!
If she has a tumor (which I doubt) there is little you could do. So for the moment have her checked out by a good rabbit vet to set your mind at ease, and assume all is well unless her health starts to hint otherwise. Keeping a positive attitude around her will actually help. :)
