Bunny gagging with veg

[Peri and Poe]

Hi everyone

 My bunny Peri has been having this gagging problem (i know rabbits don’t have a gagging reflex but its closest thing to describing the action). Whenever she eats stalky/leafy veg, sometimes her ears will shoot up a little (this is noticeable as shes a lop) and she’ll make a gagging motion. This only lasts for a second or two and then she’ll carry on eating like nothing happened.Aside from this problem she is completely healthy and active bun.

This has gone on for quite a while but we did’nt think t was a huge problem because it didnt seem to affect her in any other way.

Not too long ago however she stopped eating and the gagging increased so we took her to the vet. They checked her teeth and gave her the all clear and from the physical examination, she seemed healthy. As they were unclear as to the source of the problem they suggested to do a x ray. I was a bit reluctant to do this as Peri had an  x ray fairly recently, which indicated no problems. We booked the appointment anyway- but after hand feeding her (critical care) she had gotten better and the gagging had reduced so we didnt do the x ray.

However, its been a while since then and the gagging has not completely gone, even though we cut up her veg (which seemed to improve it) but even if its cut up really small she will still gag once in a while.

Side note: not sure if its related but she’s been making a wet mouth sound even though there’s nothing in her mouth and she seems to be leaving some of her cecotropes.

We would really appreciate any help or if anyone has experienced something similar, if you can tell us how you dealt with it.

Thank you for reading.

[Q8bunny]

I’m at a total loss, but am hoping that at least one member will have some idea about what your bun is experiencing.

But I do want to send good vibes for ((((((Peri bunny)))))).

[Mikey]

It sounds like shes eating too fast and not actually chewing as much as she should. It could be that she likes it so much, she just chows down. My Blue has done this a few times with spinach as treats. He eats, then chokes it out, then eats it slower

[Bam]

She could have some sort of swallowing problem having to do with innervation of the pharynx/esophagus. Some people have that too, they have to eat slowly or they gag. It could be congenital and there’s not a lot to be done treatment-wise. My suggestion is you chop up the vegs as you’ve been doing and scatter it, so she has to search a little for her food, or maybe serve her chopped-up vegs in a hanging food-ball (you know the metal wire kind). Just to slow her eating down.

I really think you should scatter her pellets too, if she’s getting pellets. Even if you haven’t witnessed her gagging on pellets, it could happen and the outcome could be bad if she happens to breathe in pellets into her lungs.

[Peri and Poe]

Hi, I know that this post has ended quite a while, but I wanted to comment in case anyone has similar problems.
In the end Peri did require some dentals being done, as although the front teeth were healthy, the back teeth werent and this wasnt obvious in the checkup as it was hard for the vets to see all the way to the back. The teeth had later created an ulcer, which was spotted by the vets and we had her teeth filled down and since then the gagging has completely stopped. I would definitely recommend talking to your vets, as generating a lot of saliva and uneaten cecotropes are also signs of dental disease.

[Wick & Fable]

Thanks for the update! It is definitely an educational experience to keep in mind for yourself, your vet, and other readers who happen upon this post. Dental problems can crop up with many different symptoms!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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