Joey not eating normally ; should I force feed ?

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Joey . 9 yr old neutered mini-rex X . Very active rabbit that doesn't seem his age . No prior health issues other than several bouts of stasis that resolved without issue.

Normally eats timothy hay, small amount of timothy pellets and veggies

OK so some of you know what is going on with him because of FB but I will go over it. Last Tues he left some of his pellets, wasn't eating his hay and was quieter and I knew I had to keep an eye on him. Then I noticed that he was having momentary episodes of losing his balance. I looked him over carefully and saw no nystagmus nor tilt in any direction .. no sign of external ear infection.
To the vet the next day and she put him on the floor to see how he maneuvered. He looked almost normal in her office ( I think that he was able to pull himself together in a strange place.) She could find nothing at all obviously wrong with him ..checked his eyes for postional nystagmus , no external ear condition etc etc.

I brought up EC but she thinks that he may have a a beginning inner ear infection . We are treating him with 2 antibiotics and if he doesn't improve she will treat for EC
Ok so today is the end of the third day of meds and last night his behavior was markedly improved. He was humping his stuffed rabbit and way more active, drinking water etc. and I was very optimistic .

The first 2 days he would eat greens , a few oats, a small amount of alfalfa hay but had absolutely no interest in timothy hay or either alfalfa or timothy pellets ( this is abnormal) so I attemtpted to force feed him all kinds of combos of canned pumpkin , critical care with pineapple juice etc. and got small amounts into him with a fight

This rabbit has a history of being difficult to force feed . During periods of stasis the force feeding has actually prolonged his episodes due to stress.

When his behavior looked better last night I decided to not try to force feed. ;he is way more animated and active but he still has balance issues . Today he is not pooping

Normally if a rabbit is eating at all we would recommend not forcing it but what if he is not pooping ??? I am afraid we are going to add stasis to the already existing problem

Any thoughts?
Thanks
Maureen
 
angieluv wrote:
 

Joey . 9 yr old neutered  mini-rex X . Very active rabbit that doesn't seem his age . No prior health issues other than several bouts of stasis that resolved without issue.

Normally eats timothy hay, small amount of timothy pellets and veggies

OK so some of you know what is going on with him because of FB but I will go over it. Last Tues he left some of his pellets, wasn't eating his hay  and was quieter and I knew I had to keep an eye on him. Then I noticed that he was having momentary episodes of losing his balance. I looked him over carefully and saw no nystagmus nor tilt in any direction .. no sign of external ear infection.
To the vet the next day and she put him on the floor to see how he maneuvered. He looked almost normal in her office ( I think that he was able to pull himself together in a strange place.) She could find nothing at all obviously wrong with him ..checked his eyes for postional nystagmus , no external ear condition etc etc.

I brought up EC but she thinks that he may have a a beginning  inner ear infection . We are treating him  with 2 antibiotics and if he doesn't improve she will treat for EC
Ok so today is the end of the third day of meds and last night his behavior was markedly improved. He was humping his stuffed rabbit and way more active, drinking water etc. and I was very optimistic .

The first 2 days he would eat greens , a few oats,  a small amount of alfalfa hay but had absolutely no interest in timothy hay or either alfalfa or timothy pellets ( this is abnormal) so I attemtpted to force feed him all kinds of combos of canned pumpkin , critical care  with pineapple juice etc. and got small amounts into him with a fight

This rabbit has a history of being difficult to force feed . During periods of stasis the force feeding has actually prolonged his episodes due to stress.

When his behavior looked better last night I decided to not try to force feed. ;he is way more animated and active but he  still has balance issues . Today he is not pooping

Normally if a rabbit is eating at all we would recommend not forcing it but what if he  is not pooping ??? I am afraid we are going to add stasis to the already existing problem

Any thoughts?
Thanks
Maureen
i only want to help-please take no offense to my writing,-i have a joey too--he is a cottontail,-behavior is very important,-and if he is falling over-then baytryl- or azithromycin..-which will directly affect the gi tract,--probotics,super probotics are very important-as this product resists the antibiotics and allows some flora to florish,,--cecos,and poops are important--if force feeding mush up some cecos with the critical care..as you are doing a fine job,,always offer grasses,lots water,,--must keep the gi tract functioning--prevent shutdown--sorry to cut this short--i will try to monitor this post,,sincerely james waller:innocent:pray:due to the bunz age weigh him on a digital scale 3-4 times daily,-until you sure he is better
 
Are there any treats that he absolutely loves? I'd give him some of them, just to get something in him. Would he eat any of the pumpkin etc of you put it on a little plate & let him eat it himself? As he's active, I'd do these things & see if he's pooped by morning. If not, then you'll probably have to force feed.
 
You could try offering different mashes on the end of a spoon. Sometimes if you touch it to their mouths they'll lick as a reaction and get some nourishment.

I've never gone through this sort of illness with any of my rabbits, but I would, if I believed quality of life and the will to continue was there, force feed.
 
He eats hay onlyif I get in his xpen with a fresh bag and let him eat it out of the bag. So I have been in and out of his pen today..still just a little poop but that is better than yesterday
 
Did the vet get a look at his teeth? The change in diet choice could be related to tooth issues. I would just continue to give him the tastiest food and keep a close eye on him. You might consider doing a gas treatment protocol. Could he have had a mini-stroke?
 
He had his teeth looked at but nodental x-ray. Teeth wasn't foremost in our minds because loss of balance, lethargy and loss of appetitewere the primary symptoms.

If this continues I will have to consider something like a tooth root issue:? but right now I believe that it is tied in with the balance problem
he did eat hay on his own yesterday eveining and I thought the problem was resolving but he is not eating it today so I don't know what is going on here.

Idon't know how one would diagnose a small stroke . She really couldn't see much wrong with him but it shows at home

Probably I will ask for an EC titer and labs if this doesn't resolve in a few days.

 
no,watching,accessing-behavior-is what we do best,..try offering chew treats ie.fruit tree branches,-or does he prefer only soft foods,??,--feel for lumps-facial and otherwise,even feet and legs,--perhaps give tummy rubs--inspect for fur mites,pests,etc.-and keep an eye on the water bowl and poop box,--please advise if things runamuck---sincerely james waller--:innocent:wink:pray:
 

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