GI Stasis

GI stasis is what happens when a rabbit's digestive system slows down or stops moving altogether. Rather than being a disease in itself, it's a sign that something else is wrong, and it's one of the most common reasons rabbits end up at the vet. Rabbits rely on constant gut movement to keep food and fibre passing through their stomach and intestines. When that motion slows, the gut contents dry out and become harder to move, which slows things down even further. It becomes a downward spiral: a rabbit that stops eating gets less gut movement, and a gut that's stopped moving makes the rabbit even less interested in eating.

Because rabbits can't vomit, anything that gets stuck in their stomach or gut has to be dealt with medically rather than being brought back up on its own. A huge range of things can trigger an episode, from too little fibre in the diet, to pain anywhere in the body, stress, dehydration, dental problems, or a sudden change in food or housing. Swallowed fur is a particularly common culprit, and long-haired breeds are more prone to it. Rarer but more serious causes, such as a twisted liver lobe or a genuine blockage in the gut, can look identical to a mild case at first glance, which is part of why any rabbit showing these signs needs proper veterinary assessment rather than a wait-and-see approach at home.

The signs to watch for include:

• Eating less or refusing food entirely: especially if a rabbit that's normally food-driven ignores treats too
• Smaller, drier or fewer droppings: or none at all
• Droppings strung together with fur
• Hunching, teeth grinding, or reluctance to move: which usually point to pain rather than a mild case
• Hiding away and general dullness

One detail worth knowing: a rabbit's body temperature on presentation matters a lot for outcome. Rabbits found to be markedly cold on arrival at the vet have a substantially higher risk of dying or needing euthanasia than those with a normal temperature, which is one reason vets treat this as a genuine emergency rather than something to monitor for a day or two. The encouraging side of that same finding is that most rabbits with a normal temperature at presentation do well once treated.

Treatment generally focuses on getting the gut moving again: fluids, pain relief, warmth if the rabbit is cold, and supportive feeding, alongside tests like x-rays and bloodwork to hunt for whatever triggered the episode in the first place. Some rabbits have one isolated bout linked to an obvious cause like a diet change, while others go through repeated episodes that point to an ongoing issue such as dental disease, arthritis, or chronic gut pain that needs its own diagnosis and management. Because the underlying cause shapes both the treatment and the outlook, this isn't something to guess at from home. Any rabbit showing reduced appetite or droppings warrants a same-day vet visit.