Gut Stasis - A True Emergency
NOTE: Before reading this, if your rabbit or rodent has not eaten within the past 8-12 hours, contact an exotic veterinarian immediately. This is a severely life-threatening condition and if not treated quickly can lead to death
Rabbits and rodents, much like horses, are considered hind-gut fermenters. Most of their digestion takes place in their large intestine, which takes up the majority of their abdomen. These animals need to have food and water on hand constantly and should graze consistently throughout the day. Gut stasis is where the normal muscle movements of the stomach and intestinal tract slow down, and digestion is impaired. Predisposing factors include stress such as underlying illness or pain (especially from dental disease or respiratory illness), and most commonly inappropriate diet. These animals need a lot of fiber to properly digest their food, and feeding a high amount of simple carbohydrates like cereals can increase the risk of gut stasis.
Signs of gut stasis include:
On physical exam, decreased number of normal gut sounds are found. Treatment will depend on how severely the patient is affected, but usually includes abdominal massage, force feedings, fluid therapy, medications to stimulate intestinal motility, pain medication, and treatment for any underlying problem that is causing pain or stress. We will also check for underlying problems in the GI tract including intestinal parasites, dental disease, foreign bodies (usually hairballs), and any evidence of toxins such as heavy metals. With early treatment of the gut stasis and underlying causes, outcomes are usually good. The prognosis becomes more guarded the longer the patient initially goes without eating, and if this problem is long-standing (2-3 days) then the prognosis is poor for survival.
Rabbits and rodents, much like horses, are considered hind-gut fermenters. Most of their digestion takes place in their large intestine, which takes up the majority of their abdomen. These animals need to have food and water on hand constantly and should graze consistently throughout the day. Gut stasis is where the normal muscle movements of the stomach and intestinal tract slow down, and digestion is impaired. Predisposing factors include stress such as underlying illness or pain (especially from dental disease or respiratory illness), and most commonly inappropriate diet. These animals need a lot of fiber to properly digest their food, and feeding a high amount of simple carbohydrates like cereals can increase the risk of gut stasis.
Signs of gut stasis include:
- Decreased or absent appetite
- Refusing to eat normal food, preferring treats only
- Small fecal pellets (either in size or number or both)
- Hunched abdomen (sign of pain from gas buildup in intestines)
- Grinding teeth (sign of pain from gas buildup in intestines)
- Diarrhea
On physical exam, decreased number of normal gut sounds are found. Treatment will depend on how severely the patient is affected, but usually includes abdominal massage, force feedings, fluid therapy, medications to stimulate intestinal motility, pain medication, and treatment for any underlying problem that is causing pain or stress. We will also check for underlying problems in the GI tract including intestinal parasites, dental disease, foreign bodies (usually hairballs), and any evidence of toxins such as heavy metals. With early treatment of the gut stasis and underlying causes, outcomes are usually good. The prognosis becomes more guarded the longer the patient initially goes without eating, and if this problem is long-standing (2-3 days) then the prognosis is poor for survival.