Bunny Not Eating 30 Hours!

[Bill Jesse]

Female Dutch 8 years old. Healthy lives with a female Spot in a large indoor hutch and during the day is out side in a 60 square foot pen. Last night she did not eat her supper pellets, hay or vegetables. Gave her some time and checked again. Same thing. I tried tapping her on the nose with hay and she bit at it but did not chew. Got angry.
Checked again and then stayed with her until 4 in the morning and no change. She is not lethargic and feels strong. At 6 this morning I checked on her and no change so got a rush call into an experienced rabbit vet. The vet checked her with no outward signs of anything. All the vitals were perfect, tummy soft and no obvious blockage. The vet could not find anything wrong with her. She dosed her with .07ml of Metacam, 0.3ml Buprenorphine and Sub Q fluids. I did not see any of that done.
Took her home and put her in the outdoor pen where she did run but mainly sat in one spot. Put down fresh hay but she would not touch it. She would not eat supper and is lying in the "safety corner' of her pen.
I called the vet and she said the rabbit may need 24 hours to recover and that the Buprenorphine would make her drowsy. If no change by morning then I should bring her in again.
I am afraid that the lack of food will shut her system down so will try to get some critical care into her.
Very, very worried.

 

[Watermelons]

You should be trying to get some food into her.
I want to assume the vet ruled out a blockage? were the teeth checked? an x-ray done?
Did the vet give metacam to take home as well? or any gut mobility drugs?
If you don't have critical care, put some pellets in a blender with pedialyte or apple juice and make a slurry and syringe feed that. Syringe some water as well.
Keep her warm. Massage her tummy often. Get some simethicone (baby gas drops) as well

 

[Bill Jesse]

Thank you for your reply. She lives in an heated small barn but as it was near freezing last night I brought her and her cell mate into the basement of the house. It is warmer but not hot. I did give her some Critical Care but as you know more gets on the towel than in her tummy. But she got some.
When I went to bed she and her buddy were snuggled together in a small carrier with the top off. I put down new hay, water, some pellets and the regular vegetables. I checked at 2 am and nothing was touched although I saw Duchess take a few pellets and some hay.
At 6 they were still snuggled but the vegetables and pellets were gone. I have a feeling that her buddy took it all.
I do not think they were happy indoors as the last time I did that was 8 years ago after their spaying. Too many strange noises so I took them back to their hutch and could see a difference in their moods.
Anyway I put down fresh pellets and hay and she nibbled on the pellets and then went for the hay. She is not a fast eater at any time so I have to watch her lest her buddy steals the food. She is more alert and comes to me when I approach the screened hutch. She is much different than she was and I am feeling a bit better. I will be monitoring her. Thanks for the tip about the pellets/blender idea.
Bill