Causes of Bloat

[HipHopBunny]

Hi everyone,

So Smokey has been having some bouts of bloat lately. If I were to guess, I’d say that she’s had about 4-5 occasions where she’s been bloated in the past 7 months, some of which were major, and some minor.

I’ve had some theories as to what might be causing them, all listed below:

1: Since they are young (roughly 2 years old), I’ve always been a little uncertain as to when to start them on veggies. I first started several months ago by introducing them to carrots and celery. Smokey had always been not as animated about veggies as OB and Silver, but she did eat them. Later, I began their daily salads with Romaine and Red Leaf lettuce. They all loved it, Smokey, more or less. I’m wondering, though, if what’s been causing it is the veggies. She did start having bouts around the same time that I first introduced them to vegetables in general. Could this be what is causing her problems?

2: Sadly, they are all big chewers, and chew on anything they can fit their mouths around. 🙄 I have been reading some threads on this, though, and discovered that a lot of people find using lemon scents helps stop them from chewing, as some of their creative quests for things to destruct have been things that aren’t so easy to cover up. 😳 Hoping that technique works! 🙂 I am wondering if this is part of caused it, too.

3: And the idea that scares me the most – could it just be that there’s something more serious going on? I have been reading numerous threads as to what the difference between bloat and GI Statis is, and I’m fairly positive that she does not have GI Statis, for the symtoms of it are not ones that she has expressed, and the bloat descriptions match what’s been happening with her. Nevertheless, I have been thinking about taking her into the vet to find out if there is something else affecting her.

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[Wick & Fable]

Can you describe what you’re seeing as ‘bloat’?

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.

[HipHopBunny]

When Smokey has a bout of bloat, typically it’s where she’s hunched in a corner and doing the standard pain positions. When that happens, her litter habits also fall out the window, too. Some smithicone and tummy massages clear up her bloats fairly quickly, though, and she’ll start eating normally again soon after. There have only been 2 times where I’ve been  worried, and stayed with her for a few hours, but usually she’ll resolve even then after a little while, with this treatment. That’s what’s really helped me narrow it down that it probably isn’t GI Statis – the fact that her bouts don’t last long. I just feel bad seeing my poor girl in so much stress and pain. 🙁

[LBJ10]

It sounds like she is prone to gas, which some bunnies just are. It would be difficult with 3 bunnies living together, but you could try eliminating everything except hay and then slowly reintroducing things to see what her triggers are.

[DanaNM]

Anything starchy can cause gas, so carrot could be the culprit. Celery isn’t known to cause gas, but it’s also not super nutritious for buns (at least the stalk parts).

I would see if going to a hay and pellet only diet helps things, then slowly reintroduce veg to see what the culprit is. Is Smokey a good hay-eater? Sometimes if they aren’t eating enough hay the other stuff causes more issues.  Some bunnies are also just very sensitive to veggies, but do better with dried veg. Giving a variety of hays can also help give some variety when they don’t do well with veggies.

There is kind of a feed back between stasis and gas. Gas can cause pain which can cause stasis eventually. The gut slowing down can also cause gas. So sometimes it’s hard to tell which came first.

Some veggies are thought to actually help with gas, like fennel. The brassicas (especially cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale) can all cause gas in some buns. Arugula/rocket and bok choy seem to be less gassy in my experience.

FYI the term “bloat” usually refers to true bloat in the stomach, which is super serious, occurs rapidly, and is often deadly. The type of gas you’re seeing is likely in the cecum or other parts of the intestines.

. . . 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.  

[HipHopBunny]

Thank you for the responses!

I have been playing with the idea of just doing a hay/pellet diet, and seeing if that helps. I actually put this test to action just a few days ago when I went on vacation. I had my pet sitters just give them hay and pellets, which worked out well, until a few days ago. They’d told me that Smokey had been eating her pellets so fast that she had choked, and that they’d had to really work with her to clear her airways. In the end, they reported that she’d gotten better, but the next day they said she wasn’t as animated about food while they were there. They told me that she was looking much better the day after, though, and when I got home, she seemed to be doing fine, so I decided not to worry about it. I think what I’ll do, since they didn’t say any other problems had happened, is try what you’ve reccomeneded. 🙂 I am wondering if just vegetables in general are the problem – when I first introduced them to vegetables with carrot and celery, that was when Smokey had her first bout of gas, which was one of the more major ones. So I’d stopped giving them those two veggies, and started on salads. Smokey has still had some gas while I’ve been giving them those, though, too. 🙁

They’re all very good hay eaters, and will chew on anything I put in there. 🙂 They love their toys.

Thank you, again. 🙂

[Bam]

If a bun eats its pellets too fast it’s better to scatter the pellets on the floor than serving them in a bowl. That way the bun has to “forage” for the pellets and can’t gorge on them.

Some rabbits are prone to gas, so it’s wise to do an elimination diet like the others have suggested. Some vegs will probably work better than others, but there is always the odd bun that can’t have any fresh veg at all. My sticky poop-prone bun didn’t tolerate carrot but did very well on fennel, both bulb and herb. Mint is another plant that’s traditionally used for gastric issues in humans, many buns find it very yummy.

[HipHopBunny]

It’s been roughly 6 weeks since I’ve had my girls on a no-veg diet. Smokey hasn’t had any gas lately, so I’m thinking of beginning to slowly reintroduce the veggies back into their meals. I’m wondering if I should start with testing out the Red Leaf lettuce, as I do have some suspicions that the Romaine lettuce was giving her some of her issues. If anyone has any other reccomendations, I’m always open to them. 🙂

Thank you for your responses!

[LBJ10]

I would try one at a time so you can narrow it down. Most lettuces are well tolerated, but if you think the Romain was causing a problem then try the leaf lettuce first.

[DanaNM]

I wonder if something like endive/escarole might be better? Red leaf and romaine prob aren’t all that different.

Some buns seem to do better with “natural” forage, like dandelion, plantain, mallow, and other safe weeds. Fennel is also supposedly very good for gas, so maybe starting with that would be good? Dandelion is very nutritious in general.

. . . 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.  

[Author]

Messages