Gastrointestinal stasis is a life-threatening emergency in rabbits where gut motility stops, causing gas accumulation, pain, and rapid deterioration that requires immediate veterinary intervention.
GI stasis causes intense abdominal pain from gas distension that rabbits, as prey animals, mask until the condition is advanced. By the time a rabbit shows obvious signs of illness — sitting in a hunched position, grinding teeth, refusing food — the stasis may have been present for many hours. The gas pain is comparable to severe human abdominal colic, and the toxin absorption from gut contents causes systemic deterioration. Prevention through appropriate diet (unlimited hay, limited pellets, no excess treats) is dramatically more effective than treatment, but many owners are unaware that a pellet-heavy or hay-free diet is dangerous. Treatment requires immediate veterinary care: hydration, gut motility support, and pain relief. Syringe feeding of critical care formula maintains gut fill while motility recovers. Hospitalisation allows monitoring and IV fluid support in severe cases. The rabbit owner education gap — many people acquire rabbits without understanding their complex dietary and health needs — is the root cause of most preventable stasis deaths.