Non-Obstructive Ileus – Rabbit

Clinical Signs

• Decreased appetite or anorexia
• Abnormal faecal production
  • No stool or greatly reduced stool
  • Liquid faeces
  • Mucoid stool
• Pain
  • Hunched posture
  • Tooth grinding
  • Shallow rapid respirations
  • Abdomen tender on gentle palpation
• Abnormal intestinal sounds
  • Negative or increased borborygmi – normally these are barely perceptible but can be detected with patience.
  • Increased caecal resonance
• Hypothermia
• Radiography: Remember that if you are using barium there is a difference in the time taken for different types of radiopaque material to reach the caecum, solid material being transported to the caecum in 4 hours in a healthy rabbit whereas liquids may take about 12 hours (Girling 2006)

Clinical Procedure

• Normalise body temperature
• Analgesia
• Rehydration
• Restore GI motility
• Stimulate appetite

Address underlying causes (the rabbit is an extremely holistic animal)

• Dental disorders
• Identify and remove environmental stressors
• Blood profiles
  • CBC
  • Biochemical profiles
• Diagnostic imaging
  • Urinary tract disease
  • Skeletal disorders
  • Soft tissue abnormalities
    • Tumours
    • Abscesses

References

• Girling, S. J. (2006) Diagnostic Imaging in BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine and Surgery, eds Meredith A and Flecknell P, 2nd Edition 2006, published by BSAVA Quedgley Glocs