Rabbits are natural prey animals. As such, they are quick to start and stress, being evolutionarily hypersensitive to their surroundings. Unfortunately, rabbits also do not exhibit obvious signs of injury: they don’t whine like dogs, hiss like cats, or show any other sign of being weakened or in pain.
Instead, to their own detriment, rabbits are more likely to simply freeze and go into shock if highly stressed or injured!
In this post, we will go over how long rabbits stay in shock and how best to treat a rabbit in shock if you come across your homestead or pet rabbits in this dangerous state.
Rabbits in shock are in grave danger of death; it is very important to treat them quickly and effectively, preferably with a trained vet!
What is Shock And Why Does It Happen To Rabbits?
Shock is a physical state that your rabbit experiences when they are so frightened, injured, or otherwise highly (and usually chronically) stressed that their body starts shutting down. It is usually caused by hypovolemia, which is when there is not enough liquids in the blood, and leads to the body receiving lower and lower amounts of blood and oxygen.
Shock effectively and slowly shuts down the rabbit’s systems and quickly leads to death if not immediately addressed and remedied.
What Causes Shock In Rabbits?
What might cause shock in a rabbit? Common causes of shock in rabbits, as shared by The Collapsed Rabbit, include:
- Prolonged anorexia
- Gastrointestinal stasis
- Respiratory distress
- Urinary obstruction
- Trauma
- Heat stress
Rabbits are especially prone to shock if fed sweet or treat foods in excess as the higher sugar content of these foods can cause stomach and gut blockages and GI stasis. In addition, unclean living spaces and inadequate exercise for your bunnies can encourage respiratory distress and urinary obstruction.
Remember, your rabbit will not show obvious signs of going into shock until it is too late. Pay attention to “frozen”, inactive rabbits or those that seem to be laying down for abnormally long periods of time!
Signs Your Bunny Is In Shock
Telltale signs that your rabbit is slipping into shock center around a lowering body temperature and weakened blood circulation. Their heart will begin to struggle to pump and they will exhibit:
- Very cold ears – rabbit ears are important temperature gauges. Cold ears suggest a dangerously low body temperature.
- Weakness and overall limpness of their body – a result of poor and failing blood circulation.
- White gums – occurs when blood levels are very low.
- Shallow and/or rapid breathing – signifies oxygen levels are low.
- Glazed eyes – due to lack of energy and bodily shut-down.
- Low Pulse – exhibited through the veins in rabbits ears, happens when body temperature is low and blood flow is failing
How Long Does A Rabbit Stay In Shock
Unfortunately, a rabbit that has slipped into shock won’t last very long if it is not treated immediately.
If you come across your rabbit and believe that it is experiencing shock, call a vet immediately! Listen to their suggestions and carry-out any procedures they ask of you. Do not try to transport your rabbit to the vet if it is more than a few minutes away. While your rabbit can die of shock if not treated, they will surely die from the added stress and time that transportation (if more than 15-20 minutes) to a vet will take.
How To Treat A Rabbit In Shock
We recommend calling a vet immediately if you notice that your rabbit is exhibiting signs of shocks. If they ask you for the body temperature of your rabbit, follow these steps to taking your rabbit’s temperature. As you wait for the vet to arrive or, if you need to help your rabbit recover before bringing them to the vet, you can start with trying to warm your rabbit.
Helpful Hint: Learn how to take your rabbit’s temperature when the rabbit is healthy, so that you’ll confidently be able to do it when the rabbit is ill.
Increasing the body temperature of your rabbit is essential as this will jump-start their shock recovery. This can be done by using soft, clean blankets and towels to wrap and hold your rabbit.
A hot water bottle is another effective solution. Just be aware not to put anything hot directly on your rabbit as you can burn their sensitive skin and cause further stress!
In addition, feel free to gently rub your rabbits ears as this will help transfer heat from your body to theirs and stimulate blood flow.
You may realize that your rabbit’s eyes unglaze and their gums appear redder after being wrapped up and rubbed for a while. Don’t unwrap your rabbit! Rather, share all progress with the vet. They will let you know when it is safe to unwrap and/or transport your bundled rabbit to them.
Note that rabbits experiencing shock have very low liquid levels and are usually extremely dehydrated. For this reason, you may need to offer your bunny water or other liquids (usually a saline solution) to help them fully recover from shock. A vet can provide the best solution and instructions when it comes to rehydrating your bunny.
Overall, increasing your bunny’s body temperature and liquid levels are of utmost importance when helping them recover from shock.
Can Rabbits Recover From Shock?
Yes, if noticed and treated properly and immediately, many rabbits can recover fully from experiencing shock.
It is very important to bring your rabbit to a vet so that thorough shock treatment, as well as a general health and illness assessment, can be completed. This will ensure your rabbit recovers fully and will help you identify and address any weak points, diseases, or unhealthy living conditions that caused your bunny to experience shock in the first place.
Note that a bunny recovering, or just recovered, from shock should be observed and tended to carefully. Make sure to supply them with lots of high fiber hay, quality pellets, and water so that they can reach a stable and healthy state.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Shock in Rabbits
How Do I Know If My Bunny Is Traumatized?
A traumatized rabbit experiencing shock will be still, limp, and cold to the touch. They may exhibit glazed eyes, very cold ears, and white gums.
What Do I Do If My Rabbit Is In Shock?
If your rabbit is in shock, call a vet immediately and begin by trying to warm up your rabbit, following the suggested steps above. Stay in contact with the vet and do not attempt to move your rabbit a lot, as this added stress can cause them to die.
Video for recognizing and treating stressed bunny rabbit
Final Thoughts on Rabbits Experiencing Shock
Shock in rabbits is a serious occurrence that poses a threat to the life of your homestead or pet bunny. You can help your rabbits avoid this awful state by:
- Bonding with them
- Securing a safe, familiar, and calm environment for them to live in
- Feeding them healthy foods
- Ensuring they always have access to fresh water
- Bringing them to regular vet appointments
- Offering them shade and cooling options during hot months and sunny and warming options in cold months