Rabbit Belly Gurgles And Grumbles – Causes And Treatment

A growling stomach when hungry is nothing unusual in rabbits.
However, it becomes alarming when you can perceive an increased gurgling and grumbling from the stomach region of your rabbit.
You could have been the cause for this…

How? You will find out now!

Grumbling and gurgling in the rabbit’s belly – the causes

If your rabbit’s belly grumbles and gurgles, this indicates so-called flatulence.
Your animal has flatulence.

Mostly the cause can be found in feeding mistakes. However, constipation or infections are also possible.

For the right treatment, it is therefore important to first find the trigger. However, this should always be done by a veterinarian. Because in the case of constipation or intestinal obstruction, fast action is required, as they can be fatal and surgery may be required.

In addition to these causes, parasites are also a possibility, which can colonize the intestine and negatively change the flora.
Side effects from medications and ingestion of toxic plants or substances are possible, but rare.

Let’s now take a closer look at the individual causes.

Feed quantity
Too much food or too much of one food can cause your rabbit to overeat.

Too much food overloads the stomach and increases the time it takes for digestion and transportation. This gives the food time to ferment. This produces gases that can cause pain and cramps.

When feeding, it is therefore important to test fresh food in smaller quantities. This gives the animal the opportunity to get used to it and not to eat very large quantities hastily.

Lack of roughage
The digestive system of rabbits has a peculiarity, as they have a so-called stuffed stomach: They have to eat very many small meals spread throughout the day. Otherwise, the food already in the stomach will not be transported further into the intestine.

An important part of feeding rabbits is therefore roughage.

Provide your pet with hay in large quantities every day.

Besides water, hay is a vital factor. The fiber not only supports the normal function of the digestive tract, but is also important for healthy intestinal flora.

Make sure the hay is high quality, fresh and properly dried through, but not dusty. It should also not be soiled. A hayrack is therefore useful.

Spoiled feed
Fresh feed such as fruit and vegetables can spoil quickly, especially at higher temperatures. Therefore, provide only quantities that can be eaten within a short time. On the other hand, you should quickly remove leftover food, especially in summer.

Fermented fruit or mold can put an extreme strain on the stomach, throw the intestinal flora out of balance and cause diarrhea in addition to flatulence.
However, this does not only apply to fresh food.

Attention: Grain food can also spoil. This applies primarily to oil-containing seeds, kernels and nuts. These can become rancid and thus burden the stomach and intestines. If stored incorrectly, mold is also possible.

Sudden change of food
Unfamiliar food can overload the digestive system and lead to gurgling and grumbling.

Therefore, avoid a too fast change!

If your rabbit has been fed mainly dry food so far, carrot, cucumber and apple should not be on the menu right away. It is better to offer a small piece every day, increase the amount gradually and as soon as a new food is well tolerated, introduce a new one.

By doing this, you can provide variety, improve supply, and make the diet more balanced.

Likewise, if your pet has been accustomed to larger amounts of fresh food, you may want to introduce dry food. Because of the different nutritional value and the different duration of digestion, flatulence may also occur.

Flatulent or wrong food
Cabbage, lettuce and legumes sound healthy, but they can cause severe flatulence.

Therefore, fennel, carrots, parsnips and grasses are better.

In addition, avoid fruits with a high sugar content and onion plants. This is because the substances they contain irritate the digestive tract and ferment strongly, producing larger amounts of gas.
Infections
Just as humans and other mammals can suffer from gastrointestinal infections, this also affects rabbits.

They cannot vomit, but can get pain, cramps, flatulence and diarrhea from it.

Possible pathogens can be found in spoiled or unclean food. Transmission from yourself or other pets, as well as from animal feces in grass, hay, or when running free in the yard are other potential triggers.

Constipation and intestinal obstruction
While diarrhea and mild bloating are often easily treated, constipation is a much more serious problem.
Constipation can develop into an intestinal obstruction.

This not only causes food to build up in the digestive tract, fermenting and producing gas. Sections of the intestine can die, which is life-threatening and may require surgical intervention.

Possible causes of intestinal obstruction include foreign objects and food that swells significantly. Therefore, make sure that your pet cannot gnaw on textiles, keep plastic and cables away from it. In addition, you should check whether the usual amount of feces is deposited daily.

For rabbits with long, soft fur, there is also an additional danger during the shedding period: as the animals groom themselves extensively, they can pick up large amounts of loose hair. These solidify during digestion to form a so-called bezoar. This creates a solid clump that can block the digestive tract.

Infestation with parasites
An infestation with parasites such as coccidia or worms is comparatively easy to treat.

However, they can not only produce flatulence and diarrhea, but also upset the intestinal flora for a longer period of time, reduce appetite and lead to significant weight loss.
Direct detection is not possible. For this, an examination of a fecal sample is required.

Side effects due to medications
Antibiotics are increasingly known to affect the intestinal flora. This is because they not only act against harmful bacteria, but also kill the beneficial and vital bacteria in the gut.

So if medication is necessary, you may have to deal with digestive problems.
Gentle diets and a remedy to rebuild the intestines may be necessary.

Poisonous plants and toxins
Not only, but especially when outdoors, there is a risk that your rabbit will ingest poisonous plants or substances. Weeds, cleaning agents and medications are possible causes.

Symptoms of poisoning include problems in the digestive tract. However, dizziness, nausea, and uncoordinated movements can be among them, as well as bleeding.

So it’s crucial that you check the free range for potentially toxic plants, keep cleaning products out of reach, and thoroughly remove any residue.

Sticky coat
In some cases, digestive problems don’t have internal causes.

Instead, adhesions in the anal area may be responsible. If your rabbit has had diarrhea, soft droppings, or sits in the corner of the toilet more frequently for extended periods of time, the fur on the butt may stick together and become tangled.

This will prevent defecation.
As this causes food mush and stool to accumulate in the stomach and intestines, increased fermentation can begin.

Your rabbit will then not only suffer from significant abdominal pain and bloating. The tissue is also stressed. Soaking and washing of the fur or clipping free is usually required.

Diagnosis and treatment

If your rabbit is suffering from regurgitation, you should urgently consult a veterinarian. This is because the exact cause can only be determined through a comprehensive examination.

This includes palpation of the abdomen, analysis of a fecal sample, checking the body temperature and the pos.

In addition, a medical history is taken.

Here you will be asked what and how much food your animal is fed. If there has been a recent change or if the feces have changed.

Also a loss of appetite, appearing aggression or apathy as well as the rapidity of the symptoms are important indications.
Therefore, observe your rabbit closely to provide helpful information.

Treatment also depends on several factors.

If your animal has just received an antibiotic, for example, the intestinal flora must be built up. If, on the other hand, your pet is not defecating and is in the process of shedding, imaging may be necessary. This is because there is then a risk of intestinal obstruction.

Soothing agents may be useful in changing the diet. Fennel, chamomile and caraway help here. Ready-made concoctions are available and can relieve discomfort.

Checklist: Preventing digestive problems in rabbits.

Preventing digestive problems is much better and easier than treating an existing problem.
Here are our recommendations for you:

Make a gradual change in feed
Pay attention to cleanliness and freshness of the food
remove leftovers quickly
always provide enough hay
check the amount and condition of the feces
make sure the anal area is clean
check enclosure and free run for poisonous plants
use cleaning agents that are not dangerous for animals
comb and brush frequently during the change of coat
If you take these points into account, you can significantly reduce the risk of problems in the digestive tract.

However, if any problems occur, consult a veterinarian immediately.

The sooner the cause is identified, the easier the treatment will be!