Sjo!!! That’s horrible, I’m sorry to hear! I don’t know about in rabbits, but my job includes dysphagia(swallowing difficulties) in humans! What often happens to my patients is that they choke and then develops a habitual gag response! ( So if in the humans, I tend to ensure that whatever they eat is finer and doesn’t cause a gag-maybe cut everything a bit finer?) But a vet visit is NB! He could aspirate(get the vomit in his lungs) and get aspiration pneumonia! I wouldn’t put off in this case as feeding and respiration are in close relation!

Rabbits can’t vomit, their physiology makes it impossible. This is why its safe to feed them prior to surgery, because aspirating it isn’t an issue. The sudden panic does seem like choking though. Since he’s shedding heavily right now, you might want to double up on the grooming, and even try plucking “loose” hairs, they will come out freely and in clumps if moulting.

I am curious about the residue you are seeing afterwords though. I hope someone else here may have some ideas.

This is a great reference (I think we all should know this) about giving the Heimlich Maneuver to rabbits, because choking does happen!

http://www.bunspace.com/groups/topic?tid=9871

http://www.rabbitmeadows.org/shelter/faq.asp?id=27

This is a link to an account of 3 rabbits doing similar things “vomiting” . 2 died… And necropsies were done.

It is still not generally proven, but it is apparently possible and warrants a vet visit. The one account-one that lived… Seems to have pigged out just like your bun. Look at it! They also refer to the “craddle swing” which is apparently a replacement for the Heimlich in rabbits.

It is still believed that feeding rabbits prior to surgery is fine. Its just some more accounts of the same.

The link mm provided is a demonstration of craddle swing, we use it in basic life support training. Some of the accounts from the meadows link were related to other medical conditions, yours seems to be like the pigging out mentioned first… Still, the repeat of it all is a little concerning. Please let us know what the vet said? Since there is apparently not any scientific proof, only personal accounts, I think it would really great to know and just to know how your little baby is doing! No one likes when their bun is under the weather(and you are SO right-it never ends… When one thing CLEARS up, something else COMES up)

Good luck quirkygirlx! Good vibes all the way to you and you baby!

Thanks for that link niniliefie. Very informative! Personal accounts is how new things are discovered. Perhaps because “house” rabbits are still somewhat new, not many were observed in the past, causing a leap in medical assumption (we know how THAT is commonly done even in human medicine).

ok.. looking at it from the choking on pellets part… they are pretty hard and rough, perhaps the red streaks is blood, from damage to the throat from the pellets not being chewed properly. I wouldn’t give pellets at all in a bowl to him at this point. Maybe hand feed one at a time, like treats, or getting one of those treat balls with the adjustable holes so he can only get a few out at a time.

Looking at it from a non-species specific point of view, I know blockages can cause vomiting, so there could be a chance with his excessive moulting, he could have a blockage. I hope this isn’t the case and he improves swiftly, but a vet visit may be in order.