Anyone who's ever had a rabbit with intestinal problems knows how helpless it can feel. You do everything "by the book": good hay, appropriate pellets, no treats, rest, and regularity. And yet... the stool remains abnormal, the animal loses weight, and real improvement seems elusive. Intestinal problems in rabbits are often unpredictable, persistent, and difficult to overcome – for owners, shelters, and foster families alike.

With sticky stool , chronic weight loss, and conditions like megacolon , the cause is rarely due to a single factor. It's almost always a combination of disrupted gut flora, an overloaded gastrointestinal tract, and a body that has been out of balance for a long time.

The rabbit gastrointestinal tract: fragile and refined

A rabbit's digestive system is a remarkable yet fragile one. Everything revolves around a well-functioning appendix, where fiber is converted into nutrients the rabbit can't directly absorb. When this bacterial balance is disrupted—by stress, illness, poor nutrition, or a history of constipation—problems arise and gradually accumulate.

What often starts with somewhat softer droppings can, without you noticing, develop into wet cecal droppings, sticky hindquarters and ultimately a rabbit that continues to lose weight despite a good appetite.

Sticky poop: a signal that something deeper is wrong

Sticky stool is more than just a practical problem or something that's "just part of it." It's a clear sign that the appendix isn't functioning properly. The composition of the gut bacteria has changed, meaning nutrients are no longer processed correctly. The body tries to compensate, but in doing so, it becomes even more unbalanced.

In many rabbits, we see that sticky feces are accompanied by a voracious appetite. The animal spends all day eating, yet still doesn't get what it needs. This leads to deficiencies, weight loss, and ultimately a weakened immune system. This cycle is even more difficult to break, especially in rabbits with dental problems—such as missing front teeth.

When regular crashes

Conventional treatments often focus on symptom management: thickening stool, adjusting diet, and sometimes medication. But for chronic intestinal complaints, this is often insufficient. Especially when there has been a severe blockage or long-term disruption of the intestinal flora, the body remains in a kind of "survival mode."

We also see this in conditions like megacolon , where the large intestine partially loses its natural mobility. Rabbits with megacolon remain vulnerable for life, react strongly to food, and often have variable stools and difficulty maintaining weight.

It is precisely in these situations that a different approach may be necessary.

Naturopathy: restoring instead of suppressing

In naturopathy, the focus isn't on eliminating symptoms, but on restoring balance. For gut problems, this means calming the nervous system, helping to regulate inflammation, supporting gut flora, and giving the body confidence to heal itself.

CBDa oil for animals plays a special role in this. CBDa works through the endocannabinoid system, which in rabbits is also involved in stress regulation, inflammatory responses, and intestinal function. In practice, we see that CBDa helps calm the gastrointestinal tract and improve communication between the intestines and the nervous system.

In addition, supporting the microbiome is essential. A disrupted gut flora doesn't recover in a few days. Microbiome Balance from CBD & Herb was developed to guide this recovery process and gradually restore a more stable gut environment.

A practical story that gives hope

A foster rabbit with severe sticky feces, a previous appendectomy, and missing front teeth seemed stuck in such a vicious cycle. Despite carefully adjusted food, high-quality pellets, and a strict elimination policy, the feces remained wet, and the animal continued to lose weight. It was very hungry, but its body couldn't absorb what it needed.

After starting with CBDa Pets oil , Microbiome Balance , and a supportive intestinal herbal mix, there was a noticeable rapid change. Within a few days, the sticky stool decreased significantly. The stool became more stable, the animal visibly calmed down, and its weight began to slowly increase. After a few weeks, the rabbit was almost back to its original weight, and the food could be carefully reintroduced.

What was particularly noticeable was not just the improvement in bowel movements, but the recovery of the entire system.

Time, patience and trust

For chronic intestinal problems, time is crucial. A rabbit's gastrointestinal tract that has been out of balance for months or longer doesn't respond to quick fixes. Support over several months is often necessary to achieve real, lasting improvement.

Reintroducing vegetables requires patience and care. These rabbits often respond better to simple, organic food, free of pesticide residues. Sometimes it turns out that a rabbit has a persistent intolerance to certain vegetables – and that, too, is valuable information.

Finally

Intestinal problems in rabbits can seem hopeless, especially when conventional options are limited. However, experience shows that recovery is possible, even with severe symptoms such as sticky stools and weight loss.

By working at the foundation – the gut flora, the nervous system and overall balance – naturopathy can make a difference where other approaches stop.

💚 Not by forcing the body, but by helping it remember what recovery feels like.