Updates and advanced therapies for gastrointestinal stasis in rabbits

Gastrointestinal stasis is currently a vaguely defined term for decreased gastrointestinal motility. The term gastric stasis syndrome was previously proposed, but falls short of an accurate description, as in many cases portions of the gastrointestinal tract other than the stomach are affected. The term rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome (RGIS) defines a complex of clinical signs, symptoms, and concurrent pathologic conditions affecting the digestive apparatus of the rabbit. When ill rabbits present for examination it is important to determine if RGIS is present and if so, begin treatment and a diagnostic workup to determine underlying contributing factors. Identification of underlying cause is often difficult; many rabbits present with evidence of RGIS whereby attempts to identify an underlying cause are unfruitful. In many cases, these rabbits respond positively to supportive therapy including fluids, hand feeding, and motility-enhancing drugs.