Hairball Blockage

[Happi Bun]

I've been reading alot about Hairball Blockage and what to do to prevent it. One website suggested hairball control cat food...but I do not have faith in that information because rabbits are strick herbivores. :?

I got curious and took myself down to the local pet store. May I add that they had some ADORABLE baby bunnies. Alas, I resisted. I am strictly going the route of fostering for a local rabbit rescue then possibly adopting later on. So where was I? Oh yes, hairball blockage.

They had an itemspecificly for rabbits and hairball prevention. I found it very interesting. But would it truely be useful? That is my question. My other question is how common is a hairball blockage that needs surgery to be removed? I have read that it depends on what you are feeding and how. A long with how often you brush your rabbit and its fur length.

Lets say you are feeding a high quality pellet, good hay available all day, and at the minimum, 3 kinds of green's along with veggies and a bit of fruit. Lets also say the rabbit is a short hair, groomed daily to remove excess hair. At least 30 hours a week of excerise time and has a big cage. What are the odds of a hairball blockage that would need surgery to be removed?

(This all just for my learning purposes )

 

[naturestee]

Welcome to the forum! Kudos to you for reading up on rabbits, and for planning on adopting.

I actually just finished an article on this, and there is a lot of information below it because it is in our health library. I really recommend reading this.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=28622&forum_id=10

Now, let's see about your questions.

Hairball remedies- don't bother. They might be useful sometimes, but they can also cover a blockage with even more water repelling stuff (the main ingredient is a thick oil), prevent water from getting in and softening the blockage. Frequent, regular usage may also prevent fat soluble vitamins from getting absorbed, which is why many people no longer recommend these same hairball remedies for cats.

Surgery is extremely rare and should only be done in a last resort, mainly if the blockage is unnatural such as carpet fibers which the system will never be able to deal with. The surgery is very dangerous.

Hairballs in themselves are fairly rare, usually the intestine slows down and then a small blockage forms because of it, not the other way around. True "hairballs" are actually more rare than previously thought.

Brushing depends on the rabbit. I really only brush when they are molting, and then most of it is just plucking off clumps of loose fur. Although I have normal-furred rabbits, long-haired rabbits should be groomed at least weekly, more for angoras or any individuals prone to matting.

Hope that helps!

 

[Happi Bun]

:bowThank you for the link and info, very helpful!

 

[Ivory]

You have to remember that hairballs in a rabbit aren't like hairballs in a cat. They're made of different things and accumulate a little differently. Also, hairball problems usually don't cause stasis, they're usually more of a "side effect" of it.

As far as surgery, it's generally not the way to go. The risk of infection in animals like rabbits is extremely high.

Other than that, it's all been pretty much covered.