Bunny seems sore

[Gregmo]

Our bunny went from his most frisky day ever to acting out of character yesterday.  He kept trying to stretch out in various places in the house – lay for 3 seconds – then would move a foot and try a new spot.   Went on for hours.  He couldn’t get comfortable.  Then we noticed that he seemed to show discomfort when we pet the right side of his face.   The left side is fine but the right side causes a reaction where it didn’t before. 

Could he have a toothache?  Something else?   Sitll new to this bunny stuff so don’t know what to think.

[Bam]

The first question to ask is how is his tummy? Bunnies shifting position and place without being able to get comfortable makes me think of tummy-ache (gas). That can be a sign of a very serious, sometimes lethal condition called gastrointestinal stasis. If you feel his tummy, how does he react and how does it feel?

[Gregmo]

I’ll try and see how his underbelly feels. I am more concerned with his reaction to rubbing on one side of his cheek. Can rabbits get toothaches?

[Bam]

I just want to rule out any life-threatening condition first of all, conditions that require immediate action. I hope his tummy feels fine.

Bunnies do get tooth-aches, it’s fairly common. I have a bunny who has a molar-problem, his jaws are misaligned so he doesn’t wear his teeth down as he should. If that happens and the bunny doesn’t show any early symtoms like refusal to eat, it may progress to the point where the molar roots are pushed up where they can cause significant problems.

How do his eyes look? Any discharge? Nostrils?How is his appetite? Does he eat his hay? Normal pooping?

[Gregmo]

His eyes look fine. He hasn’t eaten today (that we can tell) and he hasn’t pooped in maybe 18 hours

[Bam]

This is an emergency and you should contact a vet asap. If a bunny doesn’t eat or poop for that long, he must be seen by a vet. It is a lethal condition and you must seek vet care now.

Here’s a great article about this condition: 

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

[Bam]

This may be secondary to a tooth-problem (it often is), but the main thing here is to get him eating and pooping again asap. A dental problem can be solved later, but if he doesn’t eat he will perish. Bunnies intestines must always have food in them or they stop working and get blocked up. Gas will get trapped and toxins from the poop that isn’t moving through can hurt the liver. Your bunny needs hydration (sub Q fluids), a pain-killer (meloxicam, metacam) and possibly sth to help his gut motility like cisapride.

I urge you to call a vet now, because this really is serious and I’m not exaggerating.

[Gregmo]

Thank you. We are heeding your advice and getting him to a vet today. He has been eating, but there has only been small little poops here and there (not even in his litter box). Fingers crossed.

[Bam]

Healing vibes for your boy (((((get well soon)))))

[Author]

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