Advice, help, stasis?!!!

[Minilopbun]

Hi everyone. My rabbit Baci is currently in the hospital on IVs :’( I️ took him in this morning at 8:30am because he did not eat yesterday. He refused hay, palettes, leafy greens, and banana. I️ got him to drink some water last night but that’s about it. He was passing 1-3 poops at a time that were really small and super weird in shape. Like really skinny on one end before it rounded out. He peed a few times in his box and around his box which is odd because he is 100% litter trained and never has pee accidents outside of his box.

The vet took an x ray and saw there was gas built up and he feels something in his abdomen area but the x ray didn’t show what it was. So he said he wanted me to get an ultra sound. His ultra sound doctor isn’t there today so he sent me to another place that was 25 mins away and they don’t see rabbits so they sent me to another 25 more mins away and they also don’t see rabbits. This was getting me nervous because I️ knew precious time was being wasted with all the driving back and forth. So the vet told us to come back to him and he would start IVs immediately and schedule the ultra sound first thing in the morning. He’s spending the night there and I’m so so sad.

Has anyone had any experience like this? I️ don’t know what the blockage could be, I’m hoping it’s something he won’t need surgery for. The vet is giving him oil to loosen the blockage and giving him meds for pain and gas, but he said the gas is the secondary problem caused by the blockage. It could be fur but he said fur balls only happen as a result of another issue like infection so he’s also giving baci antibiotics along with food and water intrv.

I️ called about an hour and a half after he started the IVs and he said baci was more active and alert than he was when we first went in and he will continue to offer hay and foods high in fiber for the rest of the day.

 

[PaGal]

I'm sorry the two f you are going through this. maybe he just had some gas which caused him to not want to eat/drink which caused him to dehydrate and the food in his system is what the vet is thinking is a blockage.

I would think the only true blockage would either be from ingesting too much hair during molting or if a bun ate something it should not such as plastic.

Hopefully if it's just food from the gut slowing down then everything the vet is doing will get it functioning properly again.

Wishing ya'll the best and saying a prayer!

 

[Minilopbun]

Thank you so much for your response. I’ve been a nervous sad mama all day

I️ called the doc around 6pm and he said he’s still refusing hay but obviously still getting fluids through the IVs..he is more active and getting “fiesty” again as the doc put it which is good. And his stomach does not feel as hard and extended as it did today so hopefully it’s just hair becoming softer and softer and he’ll pass it. Keeping my fingers crossed and prayers strong he makes it through the night and starts getting better soon!!!

 

[JBun]

Sometimes the fur can contribute to a blockage occurring because there isn't enough fiber from the diet to help push things through. I've also had rabbits get gas build up from something they ate. So hard to know what might be going on with your bun, but usually being feisty is a good sign. So hopefully this means your bun is starting to feel a bit better. In these things you just have to wait for things to start moving through, which is hard I know. I don't think I've ever felt so stressed as when I've had rabbits develop gas or bloat.

 

[Minilopbun]

Thanks! I️ think he gets enough fiber but I’m going to be more careful with how much pellets he gets from now on and ensure he gets running around the house every day. He’s mostly free roam but the last couple of days, I’ve been getting home pretty late and exhausted so I️ haven’t let him run through the whole house for enough time

Anyway, doc called and baci is eating cabbage, hay and some carrots yay!!! He’s grooming himself and again and eating! He wants to know if he should do the ultra sound, which is $500. What do you guys think? Is it necessary? Maybe another X-ray to make sure things really are moving along which is $197. I️ also don’t want to put baci through unnecessary stressors although he’s a pretty easy bunny.

 

[Minilopbun]

Also, this is the first time baci has gotten sick and definitely my first time dealing with this sort of thing so does anyone have any advice on how to look after him the next couple of weeks to ensure he doesn’t stop eating again? What foods to offer? What not to offer? What to look for and what red flags I️ should be aware of? Thanks!

 

[JBun]

Honestly, if he's eating and seems to be acting his usual self again, I would be inclined to hold off on both and just wait and see if he continues to improve and starts pooping soon. You can always do xrays or ultrasound later if he starts to get worse again.

You'll want to keep a close eye to make sure he isn't ingesting any foreign objects(like carpet or cardboard). I would be offering more hay and less pellets, though making sure he's eating the hay really well. No sugary/starchy treats(like carrots). I would be careful about cabbage with it being one of the veggies more apt to cause gas issues. If there are non cruciferous leafy greens that he's used to eating and you know doesn't cause any digestive upset, I would be more inclined to feed those. And I would keep a close eye out for any sign of lack of appetite or signs of an upset stomach(not wanting to move much, constantly changing position with belly pressing or hunched posture, staying hunched up, squinting eyes). Usually the first thing I'll try with an upset stomach and lack of appetite, is simethicone(gas x or baby gas drops) 3 doses an hour apart, and sometimes one dose of meloxicam. Usually these two meds will get them back to feeling better again within a couple of hours. If not then that's when I start considering getting my bun to the vet. Unless it's a case of severe bloat where you can see the abdomen is visibly distended and the rabbit is in a lot of pain, then it's the vet immediately. Anyways, that's just what I do.

This gives some info on dealing with gi stasis in rabbits, which is essentially part of what your bun had.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

I'm glad your bun is doing better and hope you have him home with you soon.

 

[PaGal]

Everything that JBun said is great advice. Two things I would add is feeding herbs if your bun is already used to them since you don't want to introduce new foods while a bun is having tummy issues. Mint and parsley would be good ones. Also, when my buns have had gi stasis or gas I have given them belly massages which does seem to help and all of my buns have seemed to enjoy it as well. I'll massage for 15-20 minutes at least twice a day.

 

[Minilopbun]

Thank you guys so much for your replies.

The vet wants to keep him until Thursday to make sure everything stays good. We didn’t proceed with an ultra sound or x Ray because baci is really doing so much better. I️ went to see him today and he is doing great! Alert, active and playful. The vet doesn’t make him nervous at all! Some dogs there were more scared than him lol. He came and chinned me and wanted some cuddles then continued to explore the cage he’s in. I️ brought over his normal Timothy hay and some cilantro and romaine so they could offer it to him. Checked in again just now and he’s eating a lot! Hopefully things continue to go well so he can come home Thursday!

 

[maiyaeh]

glad that he's been better
it's very important to have simethicone and hair ball relief medications ready as buns' first aid kit

 

[Minilopbun]

The vet mentioned something about hair ball relief, what is it?? I️ never knew rabbits could get hair balls UNLESS it was caused by lack of fiber, etc. so what is it that you use?

 

[Suzannnicole]

If you have a high speed blender like a vitamix, you could make a hay smoothie with water and unsweetened applesauce. Fill with hay, add 2 cups water (or 3cups if hay is really packed), blend until smooth. Then, blend in about a cup of applesauce. This makes a yummy and easily digestible way to eat the hay. If you can't or don't want to do that, There is a product by Oxbow called Critical care available at the vet and pet supply store. You can mix that up and feed with a large feeding syringe. It's similar to what I make in the blender, but it is a fine powder that you add water to. Get them eating!

 

[Aki]

The vet mentioned something about hair ball relief, what is it?? I️ never knew rabbits could get hair balls UNLESS it was caused by lack of fiber, etc. so what is it that you use?

Technically, rabbits don't get hair balls the way cats do, but when the guts stop the hair can build up in the stomach and create a blocage. The regular treatment for stasis is hydratation, pain killer (Metacam) and gut mobility drug (metoclopramide - either Reglan or Emeprid). Having an older bunny with a tendency to get slow guts, I keep a bottle of both and syringes at home which saved me quite a lot of grief over the years. But some vets add oil to that (there is a debate about this, as it can help the waste get out, but if it is quite built up it can also coat it, making a big unbreakable ball which will become impossible to expell - I personnally don't give it) ; fibreplex (some paste with fibers and energitic value, people reported good results on slow guts when it's in the early stage) ; critical care (when the rabbit hasn't been eating by himself for more than 12 hours after the treatment has begun) ; and pills for cat's hairballs (I don't know how effective they are but some vets prescribe them, Aki was given some when she was hospitalized two months ago... she was treated at the vet as she got stasis just when I was out of town for 5 days - I don't know if it was the pills or not but she pulled through).

 

[Thumperina]

gut mobility drug sounds interesting . I wonder if I should get it for my sick bun. She is eating very little veggies on her own, and I feed her some critical care but only twice a day...what you think?
also, when people say that they always have supply of metacam, where/how do you get it? looks like here in US its by prescription in a liquid form, I don't think it can be stored for a long time.

 

[Thumperina]

If you have a high speed blender like a vitamix, you could make a hay smoothie with water and unsweetened applesauce. Fill with hay, add 2 cups water (or 3cups if hay is really packed), blend until smooth. Then, blend in about a cup of applesauce. This makes a yummy and easily digestible way to eat the hay. If you can't or don't want to do that, There is a product by Oxbow called Critical care available at the vet and pet supply store. You can mix that up and feed with a large feeding syringe. It's similar to what I make in the blender, but it is a fine powder that you add water to. Get them eating!

how do you serve this smoothie? does your rabbit just eat it from a crock?

 

[Aki]

gut mobility drug sounds interesting . I wonder if I should get it for my sick bun. She is eating very little veggies on her own, and I feed her some critical care but only twice a day...what you think?
also, when people say that they always have supply of metacam, where/how do you get it? looks like here in US its by prescription in a liquid form, I don't think it can be stored for a long time.

I think you should talk about this with your vet. Mobility drug works well for stasis (without blocage). You can get that and metacam at the vet. They are prescription drugs in liquid form in France too. Most vets will sell it over the counter without an appointment with the vet though if you can explain why you need them considering those drugs have no notable side effects and that their use is fairly specific. Those products can be kept for over 2 years, they are not very expensive and the Metacam bottle is really small (the Emeprid bottle is bigger but you need more of it to treat your bunny). Considering my rabbits have a knack to show the first signs of slow guts on a Sunday or really late at night, I personally prefer to keep those at home so that I can treat immediately and stop the problem before the guts stop completely instead of waiting for a vet to be available...

Also, about your question for the smoothie, she said 'feed with a large feeding syringe' which is generally how you give medication or force feed. Of course if the rabbit will eat it from a dish there is no reason to use a syringe, but if the rabbit is eating normally you don't really have to give any special food.

 

[Minilopbun]

Thanks for all the info! Baci is home!!!! Binkying and eating hay, drinking water, and pooping... we are limiting pellets for a few days (none for tonight and tomorrow) and offering lots of healthy greens! I’m so happy my baby is doing better! He came home and happily flopped !!!

 

[Suzannnicole]

Thumperina, I put a little mountain of it on a plate. A bowl can make it hard for them to reach all of it.