What should you do if your rabbit eats broccoli?

Answer 1

If your rabbit has eaten broccoli, you should observe her carefully over the next 24 hours. If you notice any signs of gas, you should give first aid (see below). If the symptoms don't go away within a few hours, and the rabbit isn't eating or drinking, you should bring the rabbit to the "rabbit-savvy" vet for treatment (including pain medications, gut motility medications, and fluids).

Some rabbits can eat broccoli and suffer no illness at all, and many rabbits can eat broccoli safely in small amounts as an occasional treat, but some rabbits are very sensitive to broccoli and other "gassy" foods (like cabbage) and those rabbits shouldn't have any broccoli at all. Almost all rabbits are fine with broccoli leaves, though -- they're not as "gassy" as the florets and stems. Even if your rabbit doesn't suffer from gas, broccoli is high in natural sugars and so should only be offered as a treat. Again, broccoli leaves are safe and contain much less sugars, so they can be included as one of the greens in the daily salad rotation, so long as your rabbit isn't extra-sensitive to them. The key is to know your rabbit! Rabbits are individuals, just like humans. It's important to know your rabbit well enough so you can identify and respond to illness before it turns into something serious.

First Aid for Gas

Signs and Symptoms

• A rabbit in pain might grind its teeth (not like happy "tooth-purring"; grinding is loud, crunchy-sounding, and irregular in rhythm); she might have glassy and/or half-shut eyes; her body might be all tight and squished/hunched-up; she won't be running around and playing, nor content and relaxed; she might hide from you in unusual places; she probably won't be eating, grazing, or drinking; she might be aggressive; she might not be using the litter box.
• A rabbit with gas in particular might be pressing her belly flat and hard against the floor, trying to seek relief from the pain; her belly might feel hard and bloated, but not hugely distended. (In the case of huge distension/bloating that came on suddenly, seek veterinary care immediately -- it might not be gas and treated for gas could make the problem worse.) You might hear loud gurgling from the rabbit's belly.

Treatment

• Massage the rabbit's stomach -- this is located just below the ribs. Be gentle, but firm. Try rubbing in circles, or in lines pushing towards the anus, or using multiple fingers in a ripple motion. If the rabbit struggles or cries out, let him go -- don't hurt him! (If the rabbit just seems annoyed and shifts about a lot, you're not hurting her, so keep massaging.) If you feel gas bubbles, push your fingers into them to break them up, and them try to push them toward the anus. This can be very tiring but at least it's free, so keep at it for as long as you can; then take a break and try again. Don't push hard at solid-feeling things -- these could be organs, or bones, or a foreign obstruction in the system, but pushing hard will only hurt the rabbit.
• Administer simethicone. Look for simethicone in a liquid suspension -- this is often sold in the baby aisle of drug stores. Administer a dose once every hour for the first 2-3 doses, then once every 3-8 hours as needed. You should start to see improvement after a few doses. The commonly-cited dose for rabbits is 20mg of drug, but if your rabbit is very large you might use a larger amount. In order to calculate the correct dose of liquid, read the label and look for how many mg of drug there is in 1mL of liquid. (Note that 1mL = 1cc.) For example, if you want to give 20mg of drug, and the label says there's 20mg per mL, then the correct dose is 1mL (aka 1cc); but if the label says there's 40mg per mL, then the correct dose is 0.5mL (aka 0.5cc). Each brand is different so you have to read the label!
• Try to encourage physical activity, eating, drinking, and keep your mood happy! The less "depressed" the rabbit, the greater chance of recovery without veterinary intervention.