GI stasis is the most common medical emergency in pet rabbits. Owner awareness and rapid veterinary response are essential for survival and welfare.
GI stasis causes significant suffering: gas accumulation in the gut is painful, and the progressive deterioration of a rabbit in stasis involves escalating distress. Because rabbits mask illness as a survival behaviour, owners may not recognise the severity of the situation until the rabbit is critically compromised. The stoic presentation of a rabbit in stasis — quietly sitting, not eating, producing no faeces — can be mistaken for tiredness rather than emergency. Owner education about GI stasis recognition and the need for immediate veterinary attention is one of the most impactful welfare interventions for pet rabbits. Prevention through appropriate diet — predominantly hay — is even more important, as GI stasis is significantly rarer in well-fed rabbits.