Gus doesn't seem to be feeling well...

[funnybunnymummy]

So last night, Gus was acting super grumpy after dinner. He would growl and nip if we tried to pet him. He was also doing this weird stretch whenever he'd get up from laying down, where he'd stretch his back legs behind him and arch his back upward (usually he arches the other way and stretches his front legs). His belly felt really full, but I thought that was just because he had his breakfast salad at noon, then his dinner salad and then his pellets early. (It was an incrediblyhectic day! )

Then this morning, instead of inhaling his pellets like usual, Gus didn't seem to be interested in eating. He just stayed laying on the bottom of his cage, even when we moved the dish right in front of him. I gave him some acidophilus and a papaya tablet andimmediately afterhe ate his pellets. Since then he's had some haybut no salad (Ithought hay would be betterinstead,but he hasn't eaten much even thoughI was feeding it to him piece by piece. He maybe had a dozen pieces). My kids fed him some banana chips earlier this morning, but he usually gets a few banana chips and/orCraisinsthroughout the day (yes, I know he gets waaaaayyy too many treats. I'm trying to keep a handle on that... )

When I tried picking him up,he growled and nipped me. His belly still feels really full (though he hasn't eaten much today).

I'm guessing it's gas. I'm going to be heading out to get him some Ovol drops, but thought I'd post here for some advice first.

I can only think ofa fewthings that are throwing off his digestion:

I bought what I thought was bok choy, but actually turned out to be some sort of Chinese broccoli. I've stopped feeding it to him, but he was eating about 1-2 stems of it with each salad (he gets two salads a day) till last night.

Or,going outside to eat his hayis causing him stress, which is throwing off his tummy.

Also, I forgot to give him his hay cube last night, so he went about 12 hours with nothing to eat.

Plus, he's at the tail end of a moult.

Or it's a combo of all of the above?

Sorry that got long!

Thanks in advance for any help!

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Well, he seems to have perked up in the last half-hour or so. He went outside and was eating his hay anddoing binkies and running in circles around the patio. Even ran into the fence.

His tummy has shrunk quite a bit. It doesn't feel near to as balloon-like as it did. And he seems much happier and not grumpy anymore.

So I guess the gas passed?

Do you think I should tweak his diet? Or just keep himaway fromChinese broccoli?

Thanks!

Rue

 

[tonyshuman]

Sounds like gas. Maybe the bok choy gave him gas--my guys do fine with it, but it can be gassy. How long has he had that? How long has he been going outside to get hay? They could both be reasons, but I would put the bok choy at the top of the list. A bit of gas meds should clear things up.

 

[aurora369]

I have fed the chinese broccoli before, and my buns didn't have a bad reaction to it at all. It is possible that Gus doesn't sit well with it, but if he's been eating it for a while (couple of days) he probably would have reacted within the first 12 hours of eating it.

Not having food in the GI tract can cause some gas. That might have something to do with it. Stress can also cause some GI upset and gas as well, since yesterday was very hectic, it may have stressed him a little bit. Molts are also stressful on the body as well, and can cause a bit of sensitive tummy.

It sounds like it was most likely a combination of things, and not something too serious if he's perking up and eating now.

You can give him some baby gas (Ovol) about one to two droppers. If it is some gas, then he should perk up even more. It won't hurt if the gas has already passed, and will help if there is a bit left to go.

Running around and being active will also help work out any gas and get his system running again, so good that he is active.

-Dawn

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Thanks, guys!

I'm thinking you're right and it's probably a combo of things. He's had gas once or twice before, but it usually only lasts for an hour or so (usually in the evening after his salad and a few treats from the kids and hubby... ) and treating him with the papaya enzyme and an acidophilus tablet have always seemed to clear it up pretty quick.

It's just this morning, when he still wasn't feeling well that I got worried! Especially, when I realized I'd forgotten to give him his hay cube!

He's only eaten the Chinese broccoli4times now (bought it on Sunday). So that's why it was my first guess. I'm not that familiar with the Asian greens, so when I bought it, I just thought it was fully grown bok choy. It wasn't till yesterday that I spotted the floweret on it and clued in it was a broccoli!

As for his hay, he's been eating it outside for over a weeknow. Some days he's just fine with staying out for an hour or so, but others he wants in again after only a few minutes. I'm sure, in time, he'll get used to all the smells and sounds and want to stay out all day (and eat more hay)! But for now, I only let him out when he wants and for as long as he wants. (Some days, I swear, I'm getting up every 5 minutes to let him in or out the door! )

I'll get him some Ovol drops this afternoon just in case the gas comes back again.

Thanks muchly!

Rue

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

funnybunnymummy wrote:

Well, he seems to have perked up in the last half-hour or so. He went outside and was eating his hay anddoing binkies and running in circles around the patio. Even ran into the fence.

His tummy has shrunk quite a bit. It doesn't feel near to as balloon-like as it did. And he seems much happier and not grumpy anymore.

So I guess the gas passed?

Do you think I should tweak his diet? Or just keep himaway fromChinese broccoli?

Thanks!

Rue

interesting.//.build up of gas/gas attack/will cause undue pain,,-rabbits are rear gut fermenters with alot of intestinal track trapping gases,,can a rabbit expel gas.??,,some say so,,so maybe thats what happened,,worth watching the behavior,,and make sure the diet consists of 70% nondigestible fiber(hay)-,,or there will be a repeat/gas attack,..sincerely james waller:rose:

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Well, I determined it's the Chinese broccoli. After I got back from the store, I gave him a leaf and, within half an hour, he was bloated and grumpy again. So I dosed him with the simethicone drops (not a pleasant experience! I've got scratches on my arms and chest!) and now he's totally fine again.

Anyone know any good recipes for Chinese broccoli?

Thanks!

Rue

 

[Maureen Las]

funnybunnymummy wrote:

Well, I determined it's the Chinese broccoli. After I got back from the store, I gave him a leaf and, within half an hour, he was bloated and grumpy again. So I dosed him with the simethicone drops (not a pleasant experience! I've got scratches on my arms and chest!) and now he's totally fine again.

Anyone know any good recipes for Chinese broccoli?

Thanks!

Rue

I never had Chinese broccoli but was thinking asI read this thatI would be afraid to feed regular broccoli to my rabbits becauseI would fear gas.

it is good that you pinned it down to a veggie that you can now eliminate.

Iwould keep Ovol on hand in the house...it is great to haveit handy when you need it.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

I've never fed Gus regular broccoli (or cucumber or cabbage either!) because I was worried about gas. He's totally fine with bok choy, which is what I thoughtthe Chinese broccoliwas when I bought it! (Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have tried it!)

I've got 50 mL of Ovol now, so I think I'm good for any future bouts of gas we may experience. (Just gotta figure out how to administer it without being clawed to death! :shock

Thanks!

Rue

 

[Pipp]

Ooooh, Gai Lan! My favourite!! Just steamed with a little oyster (or soya) sauce.

And yes, the gas can build up, it's not really a eat-and-bloat thing. Feeding it too many days in a row, or just too much of the same brassica group - cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc -- can affect them.

I try for a balanced mix of brassicas, leafy greens, herbs, etc.. I try for a variety of greens like lettuces, arugula, beet greens, etc; stemmy things like carrot tops as well as a variety of herbs like parsley, cilantro, dill, etc, and something not green like a carrot or pepper. Once in awhile I throw radicchio, collards, chard or endive or something else odd for my area. (Pipp LOVES gai lan).

Its hard to say don't feed him too much cabbage, kale, spinach, iceberg lettuce or the other things we hear, because if they're just part of a huge variety, they're great. If they comprise the bulk of the meal or they're fed it daily, not so great.

Come into the big city, I can show you great (cheap) veggie sources!


sas :bunnydance:

 

[asianangel]

LOL Chinese broccoli is the bessstt but I'm biased cuz I'm Asian. We usually stirfry it in a wok with oyster sauce, a bit of sugar, and a splash of Chinese cooking wine (makes a world of difference, I'm serious!) & 1 clover of garlic (slightly crushed).

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Thanks, Sas.

I'll have to get some oyster sauce.

I try to give Gus a good variety of green leafy veggies (that Salad of Pipp's looks an awful lot like Gus's salads!). He'shad pretty much every kind of lettuce that's been available. And any kind of tops or leaves that we don't eat he gets (radish, carrot, celery, even cauliflower).Bok choy and kale havebeen no problem either.But I think I may just leave off the Gai Lan/Chinese broccoli rather than risk another bout of gas.

Thanks!

Rue

 

[Pipp]

Well you can send the Gai Lan our way, really want to try that recipe!

You can never tell with sensitivities. Dill couldn't eat cilantro. I can't eat certain brands of apples!

Happy to see Gus is as pampered as Pipp! (Although in this pic, she has already eaten the carrot, pepper and cauliflower off the top).

PS: All lettuce counts as one, unfortunately. I was very disappointed to find that out!


sas :bunnydance:

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Lettuce counts as one what? One type of veggie?

A typical salad for Guswill consist of:

1-2 lettuce leaves (this week it's endive)
3-5 stems each: cilantro, curly parsley, italian parsley
1-2 radishes (including tops)
1/2 a kale leaf
1 stem of mint
3-5 carrot tops
1 baby bok choy

I try to mix it up and I try to offer something different each week.

In the summer he'll get dandelion (I'm thinking of seeding some in a pot), strawberry, raspberry and blackberry leaves, lemon balm, oregano, basil, etc. fresh from the garden. (Spoiled rabbit! )

Thanks!

Rue