The reasons why the rabbit became lethargic and stopped eating

When the rabbit stops eating and drinking, the concerned owner does not find a place for himself, and this is justified: a violation, and even more so the stopping of the digestive process, is indeed a very dangerous situation not only for health, but also for the life of the animal. The reasons for this state will be discussed in the article.

Why the rabbit does not eat or drink: the reasons

Malfunctions in the digestive system of a fluffy pet, including stopping the process, are a rather serious problem. It happens often and can be caused by several factors, which will be discussed further.

Poor condition of the oral cavity

Most often, the rabbit's refusal of food is accompanied by such a phenomenon as gnashing of teeth. By itself, with a good appetite, this sign does not cause concern - as the pet expresses pleasure. However, the simultaneous refusal of food is a reason to think about it.

Important! A loud banging with your teeth or a constant rattle indicates that the rabbit is in pain.

If the fluffy has pains in the gums, boils in the mouth, there is a dislocation of the jaw, or the incisors have grown strongly, it stops eating. Long teeth injure the tongue and cheeks, due to which the animal experiences discomfort and severe pain. It is also worth checking the roots of the teeth and the pulp for damages - often these reasons make the animal starve. Improper growth and development of dental tissue in rodents is called malocclusion. This pathology manifests itself in the asymmetry of the jaws, because of which the occlusion is formed incorrectly. Solve this problem by cutting off incisors that traumatize the gums.

Improper feeding

Unsuitable products (feeding on what is contraindicated in rabbits) are a common cause of a pet's failure to feed. Improper diet contributes to the blockage of the intestines, the accumulation of gases and the stopping of the digestive system.

In addition, for the normal activities of the digestive system of the rabbit should be fed as a juicy and coarse food. If a pet is given only one type of food, then sooner or later he will have an eating disorder, and he will refuse to eat.

Important! The way out is to balance the diet (80% roughage and 20% juicy).
A sudden change of feed (the introduction of new products, the transition to fresh vegetation in the spring) entails a shortage of some trace elements, and the pet begins to eat its own wool. Fresh water is important for the rabbit, so the owners should pay attention to the drinkers of the pets. If the animal is constantly thirsty, it will be under stress.

Stress state

In the case when the rabbit has changed the place of residence, the owners, is in a noisy place or is experiencing rough treatment, he gets stressed. The animal looks healthy at first glance, but stops eating and drinking.

Did you know? Rabbits are so shy animals that they die from fear and sudden movement, they are dying of fear and as a result can die from a heart attack.
If a change of residence really was, do not worry - this state can last only a few hours: the animal must adapt to the new environment. When the cause of stress is noise or other animals, you just need to create a pet comfortable conditions.

Infectious diseases

The second reason that causes the rabbit to refuse food is the ingestion of pathogenic bacteria. Infections produce toxins dangerous for the body, and the animal stops eating.

Learn more about the treatment and prevention of common rabbit diseases.

The most common infectious diseases that are accompanied by loss of appetite:

  1. Colibacteriosis Called E. coli. These bacteria constantly live in the intestines of humans and animals, as well as in soil and water. Fur pets are infected during meals. As a result, animals become lethargic, do not eat, do not drink, lose weight quickly and as a result may die in 3-7 days. Only the vet diagnoses the disease.
  2. Pasteurellosis. A very dangerous disease that affects the organs of sight and hearing of a rabbit. As a rule, occurs in the case of improper conditions of detention, with poor hygiene and poor diet. May be transmitted by mothers to offspring. Infected animals are not interested in food, sneezing, watery discharge from the nose. In disrepair, bacteremia and pneumonia develop.
  3. Salmonellosis. Disease affecting the respiratory and digestive system. Sick mainly young, at the age of three months. The infection spreads through food, water, and items of care. In addition to lethargy and loss of appetite, the animal has diarrhea, and the rabbit's pregnancy ends in miscarriage. The course of the disease is rapid, in 2-5 days the animal dies.
  4. Aspergillosis. Fungal disease that can be infected through the digestive or respiratory system. Main symptoms: difficulty breathing, sneezing, lethargy. The animal dies mainly from exhaustion.
  5. Coccidiosis The disease affects the liver and intestines. The young growth at the age of 3-4 months is ill for the most part. Infection occurs through water and feed. A sick animal has diarrhea, constipation, convulsions, bloating, lethargy, and refusal to eat.
  6. Cathars. There are three types: alkaline, sour, cold. Each species is accompanied by loss of appetite. Diagnosis and treatment are prescribed only by a veterinarian.

Did you know? By human standards, rabbits are considered long-lived. These pets live on average 6-8 years, and some breeds - 12-14 years.

Digestive problems

Refusal of food in rodents can be observed with problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The bottom line is that the rabbits are too sensitive in the digestive system and the cases of the stopping of the stomach are not so rare.

The following factors may contribute to problems with digestion:

  1. Wool has accumulated in the stomach. Since fluffy pets wash their tongues, they swallow the fur coat. Most of the wool falls into the stomach during the molting period. If a large lump has formed inside, digestion is inhibited, and sometimes stops. Identifying this problem is not difficult - you need to consider feces. If there is little excrement, the peas are small and interconnected, resembling beads, it means that the animal's stomach is clogged with hair.
  2. Foreign objects have entered the gastrointestinal tract. Rabbits are rodents, so the ingestion of foreign objects is not uncommon.
  3. Helminths The vital activity of these parasites causes discomfort, weakness and lack of appetite.
  4. Abscesses and tumors. Such pathological processes disrupt the functioning of the digestive tract. Animals become weak, constantly in pain and refuse to use anything.

If a fluffy pet has problems in the digestive system, these symptoms indicate:

  • hard belly;
  • rumbling inside;
  • lack of appetite, rejection of water;
  • lethargy, apathy;
  • pet all the time somewhere hiding.

Important! Lack of appetite in rabbits is a deadly condition, which is established by the absence of feces.

Preventive measures

If your pet has refused food and water, you should definitely contact your veterinarian. But to prevent the refusal of fuzzies from food and drink is possible.

To do this, perform the following actions:

  1. Give your pet rough food, including hay. Limiting it is not worth it - such products should be enough for the animal to eat plenty.
  2. Inspect the pet yourself and from time to time show it to a specialist in order to identify the problem in time.
  3. Ensure that the eared mouse does not consume cardboard and paper. Rabbits love to gnaw and scatter cardboard boxes, but if the pet began to eat cardboard or toilet filler, you need to pay attention to the diet. Perhaps your pet is missing some elements.
  4. Provide a comfortable living space. A rabbit needs a lot of space for active movements not only in a cage - it should be let out for a walk. In addition, the pet should not be bored: sitting alone in a cage, the animal begins to yearn, loses its appetite. As a solution to this problem, you can buy him a pair.
  5. If a rabbit has low occlusion, it should regularly grind its teeth.
  6. Protect rabbits from factors that can cause stress.
  7. To conduct routine vaccinations.

It will be interesting for you to read about what affects the lifespan of rabbits, how to increase their immunity, why rabbits grow poorly and do not gain weight, and also learn how to cut the claws of rabbits and how to protect them from mosquitoes.

Why does rabbit eat excrement

One of the features of rabbits is coprophagy (eating feces). And eared eat mostly soft feces, resembling clusters of small peas. Such excrement is excreted only in the daytime, and the process of eating feces is vital for the rabbit.

The use of excrement allows you to better absorb nutrients. No matter how strange it may sound, but the organism of eared pets is so constituted. In the end, I want to emphasize that the lack of appetite in a rabbit is an alarming sign that can speak both about the violation of conditions of detention and about the presence of diseases.

Did you know? Mild rabbit feces are rich in vitamins, nitrogenous substances, proteins, macro- and microelements. Herbivorous animals their prey is hard, so you need repeated and prolonged influence on her intestinal microflora.
However, the healthy existence of a fluffy pet is quite possible. The main thing here is to be patient, be attentive to the wards and respond adequately to changes in behavior.

Watch the video: 5 Signs Your Rabbit is Dying (May 2024).