So where does the hair come from? Rabbits will always have some hair in their stomach contents. They
groom themselves constantly and swallow the hair. A true “hairball” is comprised of nearly 100% hair as
in the cat or the ferret. In the rabbit, hair is mixed with stomach contents in a loose mass. As this
material dehydrates, the larger particles are left behind which includes the hair. The liquid stomach
contents gradually turn into a solid tightly adhered mass. The stomach contents feel doughy and firm on
palpation. Radiographs reveal a solid mass of material in the stomach, often with a distinctive halo or air
around it.