Wool Block

Yesterday morning I lost one of my latest rescues to wool block. While I knew that he came with a wool block issue, I had no idea just how severe and chronic his issue was. 

His previous owner stated that he had suffered from wool block and was given dandelion leaves as a "cure." I took this information in with a grain of salt- knowing that dandelion leaves don't "cure" wool block and that, should he really have wool block, I should be able to treat it. 

It is important to mention that the rabbit was living on white bread, hay and the occasional dandelion. 

However, once the rabbit came home and was under observation, I noticed that his wool block issues were much worse than I had originally thought (and had been told). His poops were tiny and raisin- like with the occasional "string of pearls." He rarely ate his pellet ration- which I attributed to the fact that he had not been given pellets at his old home and most likely needed to warm up to them. At first, he would eat little bits of hay but would mostly eat dandelions, grasses, plantain, etc. from the yard. He also gingerly ate banana with enzymes.

When he began eating less, I did an emergency shear and began pushing enzymes, greens, grasses, and hay- forgoing pellets altogether. The shearing was rough because he was skin and bones... it was difficult to shear around his hips because his bones jutted out and made it hard to shear close to the skin without nicking him. When I was finished, I was horrified. 

While I had weighed him shortly after he arrived, I figured that he was just a small buck- like another French Angora I rescued who just happens to be small. I had no idea how thin he was. I also noticed that the wool on his stomach as essentially one large mat and that he most likely had not been sheared/ groomed on his belly for years- if ever. 

At this point, I realized how sick he had been- most likely for months. 

While every attempt was made to save him, the wool block was simply too severe to fix and he passed away. In the end, after we had run out of medical/ home- care options, we did our best to make him comfortable and brought him inside our house to go in warmth and comfort. He was not alone and we saw to it that his suffering was minimal. 

I am still in shock over his death. I also feel angry. 

Wool block is preventable and anyone who CHOOSES to "own" an Angora rabbit should know how to prevent, spot, and treat wool block. Every breeder who CHOOSES to sell Angora rabbits should also choose to educate potential Angora owners regarding the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of wool block. 

Apparently, neither owner nor breeder in V's case chose to act responsibly. 

Wool block is serious; IT CAN BE LETHAL. It is, however, both preventable and treatable. 

What is wool block? Wool block is a condition in which ingested hair, undigested food matter, and mucous form a mass that blocks or inhibits healthy digestion. It can lead to infection, starvation, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, fatty liver and kidney failure. 

It is important to understand that:

 (1) rabbits- being very clean animals- are fastidious groomers. This is a given. If you have a rabbit, he will groom himself. 

(2) Rabbits, unlike cats and dogs, cannot cough up ingested wool. 

Therefore, wool in a rabbit's GI tract is inevitable. 

So, if one wishes to concentrate on prevention, the solution(s) ought to be apparent. 

1) Keep your rabbit well- groomed. Use a slicker/ rake to pull loosened wool from his coat. Any wool that ends up in a brush won't end up in his stomach. Different breeds require different levels of care. Research the grooming needs of your particular breed and develop a grooming routine. 

2) Keep a shearing/ plucking schedule. Wool MUST be removed from an Angora rabbit every 90 days. Shorter wool is less of an issue when it comes to ingestion while longer wool is. Moreover, molting Angoras will naturally release their wool every 90 days (or so) and WILL ingest any wool that is not removed. 

3) Feed high- quality, high- fiber, high- protein pellets or a suitable non- pellet substitute. 

4) Ensure that your Angora has access to hay AT ALL TIMES. Unlike other rabbit breeds, Angoras must have access to hay at all times. A hand full given a few times a week won't cut it. 

5) Make sure that your rabbit has access to clean, fresh water at all times. 

6) Make sure that your rabbit is getting enough exercise.

7) Be observant. Learn to recognize normal from abnormal. Poops connected to each other by strands of wool is a warning sign- indicating that the rabbit is ingesting large amounts of wool but that his digestive system is working correctly to expel it. Small, dry, raisin- like poops indicate worsening/ advanced wool block. Going off feed is a symptom of serious/ advanced/ lethal wool block and aggressive medical/ home treatment should begin ASAP. No poops/ eating in a 12- 24 hour period is considered a veterinary emergency. 

Remember that rabbits are prey animals and, as such, will attempt to hide the fact that they are ill. A rabbit owner who knows his rabbit(s) will be better qualified to judge what it typical and what isn't. Someone who spends quality time with her rabbits will be more likely to sense that something is off. Going off feed usually means that an ailment has progressed to the point of extreme severity and is always considered a medical emergency. 

If you don't have the time to observe and/ or get to know your rabbit, you are most likely not the right person for the rabbit in your care and should consider re- homing your rabbit with someone who has time/ is willing to spend time with the rabbit in question. 

The main goal is to prevent the ingestion of too much/ too long wool while also dealing with the fact that your rabbit will ingest some amount of wool; a  high- fiber diet will help move any ingested wool along. The aforementioned preventative measures should be considered the bare minimum that can/ should be done to help prevent wool block. 

In addition to the aforementioned preventative measures, I give my Angoras enzymes (bromelain and papain) once a week. During shearing/ molting/ extreme shedding, I increase the amount of enzyme given. I also give high- fiber treats like banana peel. 

I also forage for greens/ herbs in my yard. Some healthy edibles for rabbits are: most grasses, dandelion, cleavers, chick weed, plantain, dock (2- 3 times/ week; always before plant sends up flower stalk), clover, and willow, berry, grape and non- stone fruit tree leaves and branches. 

Please remember that prevention is more effective than treatment for severe wool block (if it can be treated at all). I won't go into treatment options because I truly believe that, if a breeder is responsible and educates his/ her customers, and is more interested in finding rabbits a good home rather than making money, deaths and serious injury from wool block would be rare. If rabbit owners took responsibility for the health and welfare of the rabbits in their care, wool block wouldn't have to be an issue. 

V did not have to die. Had he been cared for by those who CHOSE to be his caregivers, he would still be alive today. Please remember that, the rabbit doesn't chose his "owner," but instead is chosen by his owner. Angora ownership/ breeding is a conscious decision and there is simply no excuse for people who behave irresponsibly and negligently with regards to the rabbit for which they have decided to care. 

A note to the negligent (you know who you are): it is not my responsibility or desire to defend your actions. You- the human being- have chosen not to properly care for the rabbits in your possession. While you speak loudly through your actions, the rabbits in your possession have no voice and therefore are the victims in need of defense.