GI Stasis (Ileus) in Rabbits
Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
6 cited drugs treat GI Stasis (Ileus) in rabbits: Cisapride, Cisapride Compounded Oral, Maropitant Exotic, Meloxicam, Metoclopramide, Ranitidine.
Decreased GI motility — a clinical emergency in rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and equines. Management combines prokinetics, analgesia, hydration, and species-appropriate fibre intake. Untreated GI stasis is rapidly fatal in obligate hindgut fermenters.
The overview above describes GI Stasis (Ileus) across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to rabbits — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Cisapride(Propulsid)
Gastrointestinal| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q8-12h | Until GI motility returns | GI stasis | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed, Part B - Exotic Pets, Cisapride monograph, printed p.78 (corpus PDF p.92) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712 |
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q8-12h | Until motility restored | GI stasis (prokinetic) | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed., Part B: Exotic Pets, Cisapride monograph, PDF p.92 (printed p.78): 'Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Chinchillas: 0.1-1.0 mg/kg (typically 0.5 mg/kg) p.o. q8-12h' — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712 |
Cisapride Compounded Oral(Propulsid Compounded)
Miscellaneous| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q8-12h | During GI stasis episode; continue 3-5 days after normal appetite resumes | GI stasis | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed, Part B - Exotic Pets, Cisapride monograph, printed p.78 (corpus PDF p.92) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712 |
Maropitant Exotic(Cerenia)
Gastrointestinal| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 1 mg/kg | SC q24h x 3-5 d, then q48h or 3x/wk | 3-5 days | Nausea, GI stasis | Extrapolated | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 10.4, Table 10.10, Table 10.18 (the served figure is printed in each; all lie in the chapter covering this species); located 2026-08-06. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| SC | 1–2 mg/kg | q24h | 3-5 days | Nausea, GI stasis (off-label) | Extrapolated | Ozawa SM, Hawkins MG, Drazenovich TL, Kass PH and Knych HK (2019) Pharmacokinetics of maropitant citrate in New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). American Journal of Veterinary Research 80(10), 963-968. | Sadar MJ, McGee WK, Au GG, et al. Pilot pharmacokinetics of a higher dose of subcutaneous maropitant administration in healthy domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). J Exot Pet Med. [Carpenter ref 209a] | NOTE: Carpenter's ref 40 backing the 2 mg/kg q24h row resolves to "Chen S. Personal communication; 2016" - an unpublished personal communication, not a paper. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.891 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.25. Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
Meloxicam(Metacam)
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.3–1 mg/kg | q24h | As needed | Dental pain and GI stasis secondary to pain | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits) and Table 10.18 (Treatments Used in the Management of Rabbit Gastrointestinal Syndrome) - 1 mg/kg PO q24h, supporting the 1.0 endpoint. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed, Part B - Exotic Pets, printed p.195: 'Rabbits: 0.3-0.6 mg/kg s.c., p.o. q12-24h', supporting the 0.3 endpoint. Corroborated: Carpenter et al. J Zoo Wildl Med 2009,40:601-606 doi:10.1638/2007-0115.1 (abstract), Delk et al. Am J Vet Res 2014,75:195-199 doi:10.2460/ajvr.75.2.195 (abstract). |
Metoclopramide(Reglan)
Gastrointestinal| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg/h | per hour (CRI) | Until GI motility returns | Severe GI stasis (CRI) | Extrapolated | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.892 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.867, Metoclopramide monograph spanning p.867-869; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.19 (Rabbit Feeding Recommendations.35,223). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q6-8h | Until GI motility returns | GI stasis, gastroparesis | Moderate | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.892 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
| SC | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q8-12h | Until motility restored | GI stasis (prokinetic) | Moderate | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.892 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
| SC | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q6-8h | Until GI motility returns | GI stasis | Moderate | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcu[tt] CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.892 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Ranitidine(Zantac)
Gastrointestinal| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 2–5 mg/kg | q12h | Until resolved | GI stasis (prokinetic + acid reduction) | Moderate | Oglesbee B, Lord B. Gastrointestinal diseases of rabbits. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:174-187. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-48435-0.00014-9 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.880 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Rabbits). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.