Pet of the Month
Volume 11, March 2012
Pop´s Story
The LVS small animal practice pet of the month for this month is Pop Fletcher
Pop is a 2 ½ year old lop eared rabbit. He was seen by the LVS small animal practice an Langford, in February when his owner noticed that he stopped eating and was very quiet with a swollen belly.
At the Small Animal Practice an x-ray was taken to see why Pop’s belly was so big. On the x-ray we could see gas in his stomach and part of his small intestine which seemed to be caused by something getting stuck. Blood tests showed that Pop was very sick and needed to be treated quickly.
Pop was anaesthetised and surgery carried out. The obstruction was found and gently massaged through his small intestines into his lower bowel. He was given painkillers and other medicines and made a good recovery from his operation. He was able to go home the next day and was seen most recently on the 5th of March when his wound had fully healed and he was back to normal health.
What could have caused Pop's obstruction?
Rabbits cannot vomit and so anything they eat must go through their intestines. Causes of obstruction include; fur mats; carpet fibres; plastic; whole pulses; whole locust beans; cat litter or other small objects. In Pop’s case we do not know the cause but suspect a lump of matted fur may have been to blame.
Intestinal obstruction is a serious life threatening condition. Rabbits may die in under 8 hours if left untreated. Pop’s owners did the right thing by getting him to the vet.
To prevent intestinal obstruction occurring in your rabbit - be careful of what things are in the environment that could be nibbled and eaten. Check your rabbit’s fur regularly for mats – particularly on the underside of the hind feet. Look at your rabbit regularly throughout the day to make sure he is well and happy. If you are worried about your rabbit then phone your vet.
If you feel your pet has a story to tell and shown courage throughout, please let us know and they may well be our next Pet of the Month.
