Text From: https://www.facebook.com/groups/houserabbit/permalink/10153134532028809/
Posted by: Jo Hinde 
Pulled: Tue Feb 24 20:47:39 PST 2015

Rabbit Bloat Information by Jo Hinde.


        there was a discussion on here about bloat but sadly the original poster decided to delete it rather than listen to others and try to help educate others. So here is a brief overview on bloat for those people who were following the previous discussion and interested in learning more.

        Bloat is a very serious symptom that can be fatal within 12hrs - but its nothing to panic about on a daily basis if your rabbit is fit and well.

        Bloat is where the abdomen swells quickly in a short period of time. The rabbit is extremely sick and needs vet attention asap. Bloat is usually a sympton of a blockage inside the GI tract. This blockage can be made of diff things (some listed below). it can be items of food like locust beans, sweetcorn kernals or dried peas as these are all known to block intestines. It can also be ingested matts of hair that are unable to pass through the gi tract.

        Bloat can be triggered by gas if there is a narrowing, tumour or problem in the intestines. It is a mix of gas, saliva and mucous. Technically its called gastric dilation. Gas is a natural part of the rabbits digestive system due to them being hindgut fermenters. As long as their is no blockage or partial blockage then this passes through fine. if there is a pyloric narrowing then excess gas will increase the risk of bloat due the narrowing. If there is no cellular deformaties or true obstructions then a high gassy diet will not immediately result in bloat...it will cause stasis. If not treated, this can cause blockage which can then also lead to bloat.

        A good rabbit vet can easily tell the difference between a gassy episode and true bloat.

        its also not just the pylorus problems that can cause bloat. inflammatory lesions or tumours in the wall of the intestine and can cause narrowing or obstruction along any part of the gi tract inc the colon. also, adhesions, abscesses any tapeworm cysts in the omentum can also cause a problem.

        mucoid enteropathy can also result in bloat.

        lastly, the site of the blockage or narrowing also makes a difference. in the colon...they bloat type symptoms can last days not hours and is usually impacted fecal matter .if its in the large intestine then this is not usually an ingested blockage but more likely tumour, adhesions etc.

        so to sum up, pyloric stenosis may be causal, however this would show at post mortem. There is not just one main reason for bloat.