My rabbit CAN'T eat timothy hay

[Josh]

My bun sacchiin has been choking on her hay for the last few weeks I perform the rabbit Heimlich to get her airway open again the strange thing is she only chokes on her timothy hay.
her teeth seem to be fine she can drink and eat leafy greens no problem she isnt hurt nor does she have any infection and after calling 5 or 6 vet's in my area none have exotic training so im at a loss and wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem with their buns

 

[Popsicles]

I am wondering how you know she is choking? It sounds very strange and unlikely that she can swallow other things normally but not hay.

 

[Josh]

I am wondering how you know she is choking? It sounds very strange and unlikely that she can swallow other things normally but not hay.

I know thats why it doesnt make sense to me
I know shes choking because since rabbit's cant throw up instead they salivate to the point where it comes out of the mouth and nose and she does like a phlegmy cough

 

[Thumperina]

why don't you simply try a different sort of hay?

 

[Josh]

why don't you simply try a different sort of hay?

Im not sure what other types of hay they can eat.
the only hay immediately available to me is timothy hay but I'll look into that just worried how long it would take to ship to me

 

[JBun]

It does sound like a dental or other mouth related problem. A rabbit with dental problems can be ok eating one kind of food, such as softer foods or pellets, and have problems with hay. It just depends on the exact nature of the dental issue. It's likely to be molar spurs causing difficulty in chewing up the hay sufficiently to be swallowed, so is resulting in choking episodes.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/D_problems1.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Treatment/Clipping.htm

If this is what's going on, you will need an experienced rabbit vet to burr/file down those sharp points. Have you tried looking at the HRS list of rabbit savvy vets? If you can't find one near you I would suggest contacting your local HRS or a rabbit rescue in your state for a recommendation. It may require a bit of driving to get to an experienced vet, but it is necessary to get your bun the proper help.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

In the meantime I would suggest to discontinue feeding hay as there is a good chance your rabbit could end up having a fatal choking episode or contracting aspiration pneumonia, which is a huge risk with every choking episode. Instead I would try feeding plain timothy hay pellets which are available at most livestock feed stores(I prefer the standlee brand for quality). The pellets are a larger size than normal rabbit pellets, so if your rabbit has difficulty chewing those as well, they can be soaked in warm water and the resulting pellet mush can be fed. There is also oxbow critical care food mix that is an option for feeding as well. My rabbits prefer the apple-banana flavor, and I just get mine from amazon. The pellet mush shouldn't be left out long or bacteria can grow, so excess needs to be refrigerated and fresh batches made up.

This is just a temporary measure so your rabbit can continue to eat and not develop gi stasis. It's important that you find a good rabbit vet asap to perform a thorough dental exam and determine exactly what's going on so it can get treated and your bun can get back to eating normally.
https://standleeforage.com/products/certified-timothy-grass-pellets
http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care/

 

[Josh]

It does sound like a dental or other mouth related problem. A rabbit with dental problems can be ok eating one kind of food, such as softer foods or pellets, and have problems with hay. It just depends on the exact nature of the dental issue. It's likely to be molar spurs causing difficulty in chewing up the hay sufficiently to be swallowed, so is resulting in choking episodes.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/D_problems1.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Treatment/Clipping.htm

If this is what's going on, you will need an experienced rabbit vet to burr/file down those sharp points. Have you tried looking at the HRS list of rabbit savvy vets? If you can't find one near you I would suggest contacting your local HRS or a rabbit rescue in your state for a recommendation. It may require a bit of driving to get to an experienced vet, but it is necessary to get your bun the proper help.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

In the meantime I would suggest to discontinue feeding hay as there is a good chance your rabbit could end up having a fatal choking episode or contracting aspiration pneumonia, which is a huge risk with every choking episode. Instead I would try feeding plain timothy hay pellets which are available at most livestock feed stores(I prefer the standlee brand for quality). The pellets are a larger size than normal rabbit pellets, so if your rabbit has difficulty chewing those as well, they can be soaked in warm water and the resulting pellet mush can be fed. There is also oxbow critical care food mix that is an option for feeding as well. My rabbits prefer the apple-banana flavor, and I just get mine from amazon. The pellet mush shouldn't be left out long or bacteria can grow, so excess needs to be refrigerated and fresh batches made up.

This is just a temporary measure so your rabbit can continue to eat and not develop gi stasis. It's important that you find a good rabbit vet asap to perform a thorough dental exam and determine exactly what's going on so it can get treated and your bun can get back to eating normally.
https://standleeforage.com/products/certified-timothy-grass-pellets
http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care/

That seems rather reasonable I was only able to check her front teeth but not her molars
Thanks for the list that will get me going in the right track vet wise
I need to find the timothy pellets since I have only found alfalfa type ive heard of critial feed and am buying a bag but I dont know how fast shipping is and my primary concern is gi stasis so in the meantime I just started blending her hay and mixing it with water in hopes that the hay is small enough and is easier for her to consume
Any idea if blending it is a good alternative until I recive the critial care?

 

[JBun]

I've heard of people using a coffee grinder to grind up the hay. Only thing is that you still want it to be somewhat coarse, as too fine of a grind can potentially cause digestive issues. So I would make it just fine enough that it could be swallowed easily. Usually the timothy pellets are used for horses, so if you have a Tractor supply, they may carry it. Though I know sometimes they only have the alfalfa.

If you find you need the critical care sooner, try calling pet stores, livestock supply stores, and vets to see if they carry it. Another alternative is if your bun eats rabbit pelleted feed and doesn't have trouble chewing and swallowing it, to just increase that amount some. Though do keep an eye on your buns poop to make sure it doesn't get mushy or too small. Or if there is trouble swallowing it, to make a mush out of that.

 

[Josh]

I've heard of people using a coffee grinder to grind up the hay. Only thing is that you still want it to be somewhat coarse, as too fine of a grind can potentially cause digestive issues. So I would make it just fine enough that it could be swallowed easily. Usually the timothy pellets are used for horses, so if you have a Tractor supply, they may carry it. Though I know sometimes they only have the alfalfa.

If you find you need the critical care sooner, try calling pet stores, livestock supply stores, and vets to see if they carry it. Another alternative is if your bun eats rabbit pelleted feed and doesn't have trouble chewing and swallowing it, to just increase that amount some. Though do keep an eye on your buns poop to make sure it doesn't get mushy or too small. Or if there is trouble swallowing it, to make a mush out of that.

Thanks for all the help
Ok I'll look for the timothy pellets if the poop is too small do I increase the amount of pellets?

 

[JBun]

So timothy hay pellets are just basically chopped hay compressed into a pellet. The plain timothy hay pellets can be fed just like loose hay, free fed.

The rabbit feed pellets are a mixture of hay, vitamins, and usually some grains and molasses. The rabbit feed pellets can sometimes cause a gut slowdown because of the grains and sugars in them. So with the rabbit feed pellets, if you increase the amount you are feeding(if you feed rabbit feed pellets) that's when you have to watch for mushy poop or much smaller than usual poop, as the increased amount can sometimes slow down the gut movement or alter the gut bacteria.

 

[Josh]

So timothy hay pellets are just basically chopped hay compressed into a pellet. The plain timothy hay pellets can be fed just like loose hay, free fed.

The rabbit feed pellets are a mixture of hay, vitamins, and usually some grains and molasses. The rabbit feed pellets can sometimes cause a gut slowdown because of the grains and sugars in them. So with the rabbit feed pellets, if you increase the amount you are feeding(if you feed rabbit feed pellets) that's when you have to watch for mushy poop or much smaller than usual poop, as the increased amount can sometimes slow down the gut movement or alter the gut bacteria.

Ok so more plain timothy pellets if any of that happens I scheduled an apointment with a vet problem is they are swamped and also the only place in my town that works with rabbits ill keep calling to see if I can get an appointment that isn't 2 weeks from now

 

[Thumperina]

what about this pellets? soy and grain free, sugar free (?)
I know it has alfalfa in it as well as timothy, but they have a link "why alfalfa is actually not bad - this may surprise you" on the same page
reviews are great
https://store.sherwoodpethealth.com/adult-rabbit-food/
they have some useful health info on their site

 

[doodlebugger]

Your city is listed as Las Cruces - I'm assuming you are in New Mexico? Here is a list of rabbit savvy vets. https://newmexicohrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2017-Vet-List.pdf
There is one listed in Las Cruces - East Lohman Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Deborah Cook (575) 523-5654
I would let them know that this is kind of important and see if they can work you in. Our vets will do that if they are having problems with eating. Choking is a pretty serious issue since rabbits can't vomit. So, I would be concerned that anything could cause the choking, not just hay, and so, this would be something my vet would consider serious enough to work us in.
Also, consider the brand of hay you are feeding - is it something from a pet store? Does it have any additives like pieces of corn, seeds, etc. - I would definitely avoid those. When one of our rabbits had dental problems, we used Oxbow Orchard grass which was a bit softer and easier for them to eat. They can get dental spurs that you cannot see unless they look with a lighted scope thingy, and that could cause problems. I hope you get it taken care of soon!

 

[Josh]

Your city is listed as Las Cruces - I'm assuming you are in New Mexico? Here is a list of rabbit savvy vets. https://newmexicohrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2017-Vet-List.pdf
There is one listed in Las Cruces - East Lohman Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Deborah Cook (575) 523-5654
I would let them know that this is kind of important and see if they can work you in. Our vets will do that if they are having problems with eating. Choking is a pretty serious issue since rabbits can't vomit. So, I would be concerned that anything could cause the choking, not just hay, and so, this would be something my vet would consider serious enough to work us in.
Also, consider the brand of hay you are feeding - is it something from a pet store? Does it have any additives like pieces of corn, seeds, etc. - I would definitely avoid those. When one of our rabbits had dental problems, we used Oxbow Orchard grass which was a bit softer and easier for them to eat. They can get dental spurs that you cannot see unless they look with a lighted scope thingy, and that could cause problems. I hope you get it taken care of soon!

That was the vet I called thanks for the info I did mention that she was choking frequently and tried to get us a better appointment but was to no avail ill keep calling to see if we can sneak in a better appointment
We use forti diet brand timothy hay it doesnt have additives or extras like corn though I have seen a variant with sweet potato even then we stick to pure hay but recently we noticed a quality drop in the brand they wont even say if its 2nd or 3rd cut hay so perhaps its it's to change brands

 

[Josh]

what about this pellets? soy and grain free, sugar free (?)
I know it has alfalfa in it as well as timothy, but they have a link "why alfalfa is actually not bad - this may surprise you" on the same page
reviews are great
https://store.sherwoodpethealth.com/adult-rabbit-food/
they have some useful health info on their site

Yeah ive noticed that ever since ive stopped giving them alfalfa pellets they have lost what seems like too much weight ill check that out

 

[Ratsorizzo]

Maybe hold a handful horizontal then cut across into 4 separate stalks before putting it inside? If not, the grinder sounds like a good idea as well.

 

[Josh]

Maybe hold a handful horizontal then cut across into 4 separate stalks before putting it inside? If not, the grinder sounds like a good idea as well.

I have blended several batches then mixed with water and have been giving her that along with her usual batch of greens and she has not had an episode for the last 2 days so that's progress hopefully it really just is her molars needing a good file her choking episodes were getting more and more frequent until now it's not a fix but at least she won't choke or get gi stasis until we see a vet

 

[MrB]

I have something similar with one of my bunnies

It's a dental issue

We got our bunny from an animal shelter

He was eating fine then started to go off his food, very unusual for this rabbit

He could still eat some pellets (hard oxbow, as it was the only thing he would eventually eat) but refrained more and more from other foods

Our rabbit savvy vet looked in his mouth and discovered he was missing a tooth towards the back of his mouth (very hard to see without instruments) which meant the opposing tooth was growing longer and eventually was so long it impacted his ability to handle foods that those teeth normally dealt with

They snipped the elongated tooth and as soon as we got him home and put food out he was back into eating it (a little cautious at first due to habit of not touching it but within 10 mins the old habit was all forgotten)

We were told we would need to do this very 6 - 10 weeks. We forgot about it and 6+ months later he started refraining from food again, thankfully one of the kids remembered the previous tooth issue, so off to the vet again, snip went the elongated tooth and he was back gutsing his food again (this bunny loves his food)

Hope this is the same issue with your bun as it's an easy fit, assuming your vet can both see what's going on in their mouth and is able to fix it

 

[JBun]

I'm glad you've found a temporary fix. That will at least minimize the chances of choking now and keep your bun fed until you can get into the vet to get the suspected dental issue fixed.

 

[Josh]

I have something similar with one of my bunnies

It's a dental issue

We got our bunny from an animal shelter

He was eating fine then started to go off his food, very unusual for this rabbit

He could still eat some pellets (hard oxbow, as it was the only thing he would eventually eat) but refrained more and more from other foods

Our rabbit savvy vet looked in his mouth and discovered he was missing a tooth towards the back of his mouth (very hard to see without instruments) which meant the opposing tooth was growing longer and eventually was so long it impacted his ability to handle foods that those teeth normally dealt with

They snipped the elongated tooth and as soon as we got him home and put food out he was back into eating it (a little cautious at first due to habit of not touching it but within 10 mins the old habit was all forgotten)

We were told we would need to do this very 6 - 10 weeks. We forgot about it and 6+ months later he started refraining from food again, thankfully one of the kids remembered the previous tooth issue, so off to the vet again, snip went the elongated tooth and he was back gutsing his food again (this bunny loves his food)

Hope this is the same issue with your bun as it's an easy fit, assuming your vet can both see what's going on in their mouth and is able to fix it

Yeah ive been watching her like a hawk because she will go for any hay she can eat and right now she can only have the blended hay I guess if the hay wasnt so important to her diet she might avoid it all together I also hope its teeth and its really starting to sound like it is from what you guys have told me because it seems really similar to her situation