Gastric trichobezoars in rabbits are best described as which presentation?

• A. Diarrhea and dehydration
• B. Hairball within the stomach
• C. Anorexia and abdominal mass
• D. Cough and sneeze

Answer: (C)

Gastric trichobezoars in rabbits are hairballs that form in the stomach and can cause obstruction. The most typical presentation is anorexia with a palpable abdominal mass, reflecting a large hairball occupying space in the stomach. While the hairball itself describes the lesion, the question asks what the animal shows clinically, which is loss of appetite and a detectable mass in the cranial abdomen. Diarrhea and dehydration are not classic primary signs of a gastric hairball, and coughing or sneezing points to respiratory issues.