The Dangers of Hair Blockage

by Elizabeth Hartman, D.V.M.

Rabbits lack the ability to vomit. Consequently, when losing excessive amounts of hair, for either normal or abnormal reasons, they are predisposed to hairballs. These hairballs, also known by their medical name, trichobezoars, can cause gastrointestinal obstructions.

The clinical signs associated with the presence of a hairball include anorexia, lethargy, small dry feces, absence of feces, or diarrhea. Metabolically speaking, rabbits are relatively fragile animals, and after only 24 hours of not eating, can become very seriously ill. Consequently, a rabbit who is not eating, drinking, or passing normal feces needs immediate veterinary care. Your veterinarian will probably be able to diagnose the problem based on physical exam, history, and clinical signs. However, many times radiographs are necessary to localize the obstruction and confirm the diagnosis. Unfortunately, this syndrome always carries a guarded prognosis. While surgery is often indicated, as with a gastrointestinal obstruction in a dog or cat, rabbits in this condition are generally poor surgical candidates.

In our hospital, medical treatment includes subcutaneous fluid administration, force feeding a gruel of soaked pellets, mineral oil, and fresh pineapple juice, and sometimes the administration of Metoclopramide, a drug that helps to increase the motility of the stomach and small intestines. The rabbit usually stays in the hospital until eating on his or her own and passing normal feces.

Boredom, molting, long hair, and inadequate dietary roughage are predisposing factors to hairballs. As a preventative measure, hay should always be available to rabbits free choice and on a daily basis. Furthermore, they should be brushed frequently to remove loose hair, especially during seasonal shedding. Long-haired breeds, such as angoras, should be brushed daily.

It should be noted that in treating a trichobezoar, pineapple juice is effective because it contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps digest hair. In comparison, papaya enzyme, or papain, is generally ineffective once a rabbit has stopped eating. However, the bromelain-papain tablets, found in most health food stores, given daily may be beneficial as a preventative measure.