Pet owners have to be aware of what their rabbit could potentially be nibbling on as bunnies have no way of clearing out any poisons that they could have accidentally swallowed.
IF YOU have a cat or a dog as a pet, you would have likely seen them vomit, like when they eat something that did not agree with them. As we usher in the Year of the Rabbit, let’s take a detour down the digestive tract of this animal. It has been said that rabbit owners must pay close attention to what their pets have access to nibble on, because rabbits cannot vomit to clear out any poisons they may have ingested.
Most mammals have the ability to throw up. The rabbit is a mammal, but is it true that they are incapable of doing this?
Verdict:
TRUE
Like rodents, a rabbit is physically incapable of vomiting. Once a rabbit eats something, it is a one-way street through the entire digestive system.
Rabbits do not have a gag reflex and its delicate stomach muscles and weak diaphragm cannot muster the power to move contents back up the throat.
Animals that are capable of vomiting have signals telling their brain to perform this action, but studies suggest that rabbits lack this.
On the flip side, rabbits have a great sense of smell which helps them avoid food that will make them sick.
References:
1. https://bunnylady.com/can-
2. https://bunnyadvice.com/can-
3. https://petcosset.com/can-
