Dehydration?

[HipHopBunny]

My rabbit Smokey hasn’t been drinking a lot of water lately, and since it’s summer and the weather has been very hot, I’m really worried. She will sometimes look dazed, and stares off into space, her head slightly tipped to one side, is this normal? Some mornings when I feed her, I see that she has drunk some water, but other days, like today, she hasn’t drunken any. She is acting normal when I hold her, and when she is having her bonding time with the other rabbits, but sometimes she just looks light-headed. She eats her hay and pellets good, and I see poop in her litter box, but not a lot of pee. Is she okay? Should I take her to the vet?

[DanaNM]

That doesn’t sound normal to me. The head tilting could be a number of medical things, which could be affecting her drinking, or they might be unrelated. I think a vet visit is in order for sure. You can try “skin tenting” to check if she’s dehydrated. Grab a firm handfull of her scruff and pull it up a bit (don’t actually pick her up, just grab the skin, if that makes sense). When you let go, it should snap back quickly (you can compare to your other bunnies if that helps). If it kind of rolls back into place slowly, she’s dehydrated.

Can you offer her some very wet greens to try to get some extra water in her? You could also syringe her some water.

In any case, yes, please see the vet.

. . . 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 advice! I did the skin tent test on her, and she snapped back quickly, but she still isn’t drinking water, and now she isn’t eating her hay! She will eat her pellets just fine, but she hasn’t been going to the bathroom or eating and drinking. I’m going to call the vet today.

Once again, thank you!

[DanaNM]

Yes definitely get her to the vet ASAP, she is nearing an emergency situation (or is in one already) if she has stopped eating and pooping.

. . . 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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