Rabbit Gastrointestinal Syndrome (RGIS) is a term used to describe a symptom of abdominal pain and GI stasis.

There can be one or more of the following conditions present:

• Impactions of the stomach, intestines or cecum
• Gas accumulation of the stomach, intestines or cecum
• Intestinal obstruction
• Pancreatitis
• Adhesions
• hepatic lipidosis
• liver lobe torsion
• Cholangiohepatitis

Other clinical signs and examination findings include:

• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Abdominal distension
• Hunched back
• Grinding teeth

How do rabbits get RGIS?

RGIS falls into one of these categories:

• Dietary
• Stress/pain
• Primary gastrointestinal disease
• Systemic disease

Dietary

Rabbits eat a high fiber, low energy density diet.

They are hindgut fermenters.

Fiber promotes gastrointestinal motility.

• Not enough fiber = slow GI.  Slow GI can change the symbiosis between gut flora and the intestinal tract resulting in overgrowth of pathogens like Clostridium sp.
• Changing diet too quickly.
• Non-washed or wilted vegetables.
• Lack of transition between hay bags (each hay bag can vary).
• High carbohydrate meals like fruits, treats, oats, nuts, and seeds.
• Lack of water.

Stress/Pain

Stress and pain can decrease gastrointestinal motility in rabbits.

Stress can be from a single incident like fireworks or a long term situation like the addition of a new pet.

Pain can be acute (intense) such as an injury or even chronic issues like osteoarthritis.

Uneven wear of teeth can also cause gastrointestinal upset, either because it causes dysphagia or because the teeth have worn down to sharp points that hurt the cheeks and tongue.

We will learn about how to identify pain in rabbits in the next section…

Primary Gastrointestinal Disease

This group of diseases can be more challenging than most.

Clinical signs can look like RGIS and there may be a history of diet change or stress, but the real diagnosis can be fatal if ignored.

Systemic Disease

Many systemic diseases cause stress and pain.

It is important to manage stress and pain as well as the disease itself.

• Chronic renal disease (kidney disease)
• Neoplasia (cancer) of any type
• Reproductive disorders
• Lead toxicity
• Otitis media (ear infection)

Reasons to bring a bunny to the vet…

• Internal parasites
• Bacterial or viral enteric infections
• Foreign material ingestion
• Obstructions
• Malocclusion
• Signs the bunny may be in pain