Uterine Torsion in Rabbits

Uterine torsion means one uterine horn twists around its blood supply. Rabbits have a bicornuate uterus, so a single horn can become enlarged, painful, and deprived of circulation. This can quickly lead to tissue death, internal bleeding, inflammation, shock, and collapse.

In pet rabbits, uterine torsion is considered uncommon, but it is a true emergency when it happens. Published rabbit case reports describe torsion occurring with other uterine problems such as hydrometra, endometritis, or uterine tumors. Because intact female rabbits are also prone to serious uterine disease as they age, your vet will usually consider torsion alongside other reproductive emergencies.

For pet parents, the hard part is that the early signs can look like more common rabbit problems, especially GI stasis. A rabbit with uterine torsion may stop eating, sit hunched, grind teeth, or seem weak and quiet. That is why any intact female rabbit with sudden illness, abdominal pain, or vaginal discharge needs prompt veterinary care.

A uterine torsion happens when a uterine horn rotates enough to kink the vessels that supply it. In rabbits, this may occur during pregnancy or around dystocia, but case reports also describe torsion in nonpregnant rabbits with uterine disease. Conditions that enlarge or weigh down the uterus, such as hydrometra, endometritis, blood-filled uterine enlargement, or uterine cancer, may increase the risk.

Intact female rabbits are the group your vet worries about most. Rabbits are especially prone to uterine disease as they age, including adenocarcinoma and inflammatory conditions. An abnormal, enlarged, or fluid-filled horn may be more likely to twist than a healthy uterus.

Sometimes no single trigger is obvious. A rabbit may seem fine and then suddenly become painful and ill. Because rabbits hide illness well, the underlying uterine problem may have been developing for weeks or months before the torsion becomes obvious.

Your vet will start with a careful physical exam, temperature check, and assessment for shock, dehydration, and abdominal pain. In rabbits, stabilization often begins at the same time as diagnosis. That may include warming, oxygen if needed, pain relief, and fluids.

Diagnostic testing usually includes bloodwork and imaging. X-rays can help show abdominal enlargement, pregnancy, or another cause of pain. Ultrasound is often especially helpful because it can identify an enlarged uterine horn, fluid, abnormal tissue, or loss of normal blood flow patterns. Even so, torsion can be difficult to confirm before surgery.

In some rabbits, the definitive diagnosis is made during exploratory surgery or emergency spay. Your vet may also look for related problems such as uterine infection, hydrometra, fetal distress, rupture, internal bleeding, or uterine cancer. Because rabbits can decline fast, your vet may recommend moving to surgery once imaging strongly suggests a reproductive emergency.

The most effective prevention is spaying before uterine disease develops. In rabbits, elective spay removes the uterus and ovaries, which prevents uterine torsion as well as pyometra, hydrometra, and uterine adenocarcinoma. Many rabbit-focused veterinarians recommend spaying once a healthy young female is old enough for anesthesia, often around 4 to 6 months, though timing should be individualized by your vet.

If your rabbit is intact, schedule regular wellness visits and tell your vet about any appetite changes, nesting behavior, abdominal enlargement, blood in the urine area, or vaginal discharge. These signs do not always mean torsion, but they can point to uterine disease that deserves prompt workup.

Prevention also means acting early when something seems off. Rabbits often hide pain until they are very sick. Fast evaluation of an intact female with sudden lethargy, belly pain, or reduced droppings may allow your vet to treat a reproductive problem before it becomes a life-threatening emergency.