Hello there, I realise there's a billion threads on the stasis issue, but I have a few particular questions. Bandit and I have just come back from the vet and I just wanted to double check a few things. I'll give you a bit of the history first.
Yesterday, I noticed Bandit was a little gassy and had a few slightly mushy poos, not a lot, but still enough for concern. He only gets a salad in the morning, so I decided that when I fed him this morning, I would cut out the bok choy and brussel sprouts to see if it helped. I put him in his hutch last night at around 9pm with a clean litter tray. This morning at about 5:40am I went out to feed him and there wasn't a single poo or any pee in his litter tray. Obviously cause for concern. I fed him his salad and while he wasn't super enthused about eating, he did eat. At that time of the morning there wasn't much I could do except go to work and wait until the vet opened. On my "lunch" break at work 8:40am, I drove home to check on Bandit. He had eaten all his salad and pellets and there was some poo and pee in his litter tray, a good sign. If there had still been nothing, I was going to take him to the vet immediately. But since there was some, I went back to work and made an appointment for 1pm which we just got back from.
The vet said there's a lot in his gut, but that she couldn't feel many pellets. She gave him subcutaneous fluids and also a Metamide injection (which I'm assuming is similar or the same to the Metacam that people on here mention). I now have a bag of critical care for him which I'm somehow supposed to get in him
Now, here's my main question, she (the vet) suggested I mix the CC with some pineapple juice because the enzymes in it are good to help break down the stuff in his stomach. I did ask her whether the sugars would make things worse but she said it would be fine as it's such a small amount. So what I'm wondering is if I should definitely give the CC with pineapple juice, I was going to look for unsweetened tinned pineapple and use the juice from that. Should I perhaps use just a tiny bit of pineapple juice for taste and a little bit of water instead? Or am I fine to just go with the pineapple juice?
Also, any additional tips on looking after a stasis bunny would be great. He's currently in his set-up in the laundry with fresh hay and a clean litter tray so I know when he goes. He's reasonably lively, and I feel like it was caught in a reasonable time since he's also picking at hay a little, but I know getting his tummy moving again to form some pellets is the biggest hurdle. Is it a good idea to try and keep him moving around to stimulate stomach movement? And also, because pellets lack any moisture, is it a good idea to still give them to him today in his treat ball? Or should I just focus on getting the CC in him and having him eat some hay?
Also, I may have missed when she said it, but I don't recall her saying how long I should be giving the critical care to him, just today and then stop if he starts pooping like normal, or should I give it for a couple of days. She told me that she's there until 7pm tonight so can ring her anytime if I had any more questions.
Yesterday, I noticed Bandit was a little gassy and had a few slightly mushy poos, not a lot, but still enough for concern. He only gets a salad in the morning, so I decided that when I fed him this morning, I would cut out the bok choy and brussel sprouts to see if it helped. I put him in his hutch last night at around 9pm with a clean litter tray. This morning at about 5:40am I went out to feed him and there wasn't a single poo or any pee in his litter tray. Obviously cause for concern. I fed him his salad and while he wasn't super enthused about eating, he did eat. At that time of the morning there wasn't much I could do except go to work and wait until the vet opened. On my "lunch" break at work 8:40am, I drove home to check on Bandit. He had eaten all his salad and pellets and there was some poo and pee in his litter tray, a good sign. If there had still been nothing, I was going to take him to the vet immediately. But since there was some, I went back to work and made an appointment for 1pm which we just got back from.
The vet said there's a lot in his gut, but that she couldn't feel many pellets. She gave him subcutaneous fluids and also a Metamide injection (which I'm assuming is similar or the same to the Metacam that people on here mention). I now have a bag of critical care for him which I'm somehow supposed to get in him
Now, here's my main question, she (the vet) suggested I mix the CC with some pineapple juice because the enzymes in it are good to help break down the stuff in his stomach. I did ask her whether the sugars would make things worse but she said it would be fine as it's such a small amount. So what I'm wondering is if I should definitely give the CC with pineapple juice, I was going to look for unsweetened tinned pineapple and use the juice from that. Should I perhaps use just a tiny bit of pineapple juice for taste and a little bit of water instead? Or am I fine to just go with the pineapple juice?
Also, any additional tips on looking after a stasis bunny would be great. He's currently in his set-up in the laundry with fresh hay and a clean litter tray so I know when he goes. He's reasonably lively, and I feel like it was caught in a reasonable time since he's also picking at hay a little, but I know getting his tummy moving again to form some pellets is the biggest hurdle. Is it a good idea to try and keep him moving around to stimulate stomach movement? And also, because pellets lack any moisture, is it a good idea to still give them to him today in his treat ball? Or should I just focus on getting the CC in him and having him eat some hay?
Also, I may have missed when she said it, but I don't recall her saying how long I should be giving the critical care to him, just today and then stop if he starts pooping like normal, or should I give it for a couple of days. She told me that she's there until 7pm tonight so can ring her anytime if I had any more questions.