My rabbit hasn't been eating since October 2nd!

[vivibee]

My rabbit Feichai is a 6 and half years old White mini rex, 5 pounds.
On October 1st evening, when he was left alone in the house, he chewed opened a box of kiwi and ate about 2 and half of them with the skin! The same night he ate pellets and grass as usual.
The next morning, on October 2nd, he didn't come to the basket for breakfast pellet as usual when I called him (usually he will run as fast as he can from wherever he is in the house to basket when I call him for pellet). I handed him the plate of pellet and he didn't want any. And since then he didn't eat any pellet! he only ate a few bites of grass yesterday.
But he does want water quite a lot.
The passed two days he has been quite energetic, but this morning his eyes started to look lazy and tired. and he is still not eating!!!!
The same thing happened in early July, but he was recovered the third day.

Is Kiwi with peel very bad for rabbit? what should I do?

Thank you very much!

 

[vivibee]

Ahhhh!!! Miracle just happened!!!! Feichai started eating the plate of grass I put next to him on the sofa, after he groomed himself!
But he ate only a few bites. now he laid down to rest again... i heard his stomach made weird noise when he was eating grass, and also whenever he is drinking.

 

[Pipp]

Has he been pooping normally? When did he last poop?

I'd be ready with some gas meds made from Simethicone, I'm sure he'd have gas after that. Is he acting uncomfortable? Pressing his tummy to the ground?

Vibration therapy may help. Put him on a running dryer, or gently massage his tummy with your fingers or a vibrating toothbrush or massage tool.

Depending on the answer to the poop question, you may only want to offer hay and water at this stage.

sas :clover:

 

[vivibee]

No, he hasn't been pooping since October 1st night!!!!!

Can I buy the gas medicine for infants?

 

[Pipp]

Gas meds for infants will work, yes.

But if he hasn't pooped for that long, you have a bigger emergency. I'd get him to a vet ASAP for emergency fluids and other treatment.

Did his poop get smaller and stop? Or did it just stop?

He may well have a blockage and he's in GI Stasis. You're going to have to especially get fluids into him. I don't know that you'll be able to give him enough orally, a 'sub q' infusion -- under the skin -- will be better at the vet's.

Really make sure you keep him warm, too.

If you're not sure the vet is experienced with rabbits, don't let them give him any gut motility medication, at least not without an x-ray.

If you can't get him into a vet, I'd suggest force feeding him water (or Pedialyte) and canned pumpkin and massage his tummy. Try and get him to run around a bit without stressing him out too much. And vibration therapy.


sas ray:

 

[vivibee]

No, he just stopped pooping all the sudden after he ate so many kiwi.

He had a few more bites of grass just now. Yes I'm feeding him lots of water. Is pineapple juice good for him?

Sigh, I can't take him to any vet, because I"m in China, there's ZERO experienced vet that sees rabbits. Last time I brought him to a vet recommended by some other rabbit owners, the vet doesn't even know what kind of vegetable a rabbit should eat, she even told me that I shouldn't give him too many fresh leafy vegetable because they shouldn't consume too much water.

I will massage his tummy now. Thank you thank you so much for all your advices!

 

[Maureen Las]

he needs to be eating different grass or timothy hays., also needs a probiotic ( you could buy a probiotic for horses at a farm store in China(I think) . A probiotic is the naturally occuring benefical bacteria in a rabbit's digestive tract.;sometimes with rabbits (and alsohorses) the delicate balance is disturbed.

You also need a baby liquid gas medication with simethicone as the only active ingredient. (as mentioned above. )

If you can get a liquid electrolyte drink for infants and syringe him this liquid it will help keep him hydrated.

For a rabbit to not eat for over 24 hours is usually getting into serious issues.

Try to get him to move about after giving the simethicone .

It sounds like he has had a serious digestive upset from the kiwi.

 

[Maureen Las]

it isn't true that a rabbit shouldn't consume a lot of water ...it is totally the opposite ; they need the water they get from greens.

Is your rabbit pooping ?

Pineapple juice is Ok to try to help the Gi tract move but in this case i would not give too much because the gut is probably already upset from too much sugar in the kiwi

The simethicone and probiotic and electrolyte fluids are the best way to go initally.

 

[tonyshuman]

Lots of good stuff said already. If a probiotic made for animals (pet or farm animals) isn't available, you can use human acidophillus caplets. Just cut open the caplet and pour the powder on something he'll eat, like grass or a wet lettuce leaf. You can force feed that too. Simethicone is the active ingredient in baby gas meds that you will want to give him. Pedialyte is also good--it's an oral rehydration drink children with diarrhea. Don't give gatorade or similar drinks--they have too much sugar.

 

[vivibee]

Thank you all for all the helpful advices!
He finally pooped! A big piece of dry and hard looking poop. but only one. He had a few more bites of grass and drank some water, but hasn't pooped again since this afternoon.
I only found probiotics powder for baby, and it contains Maltodextrin, is that safe for rabbit?

 

[Pipp]

I wouldn't use that brand if Maltodextrin was a main ingredient, that's a sugar and it won't help, I believe it will feed the bad bacteria.

They probably put it in there as a bulking agent more than a sweetener, but I'd still avoid it.

Is it listed near the top and is there a calorie count on the 'ingredients' list?


sas :?

 

[vivibee]

The ingredient list is very brief, it just saids: Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus,Fructo oligosaccharide， Maltodextrin。
In the exact order above, there's no calorie count....

He just went to the litter box, but only peed a tiny little bit, didn't poop.

 

[Pipp]

I think the pro-biotic will be fine, but he really needs liquids, fiber, gentle massage and exercise.

I think he may have a blockage issue more so than an imbalance. You have to work at getting that tract moving.

Keep trying to get him eating hay/grass and drinking water. Do you have canned pumpkin there?

Take a stem of well-soaked parsley and wave it in his face. A lot of rabbits ignore it for the longest time but then they get angry and grab it, and munch it down.

Do you know of any vets in the area? Any vet should be able to give him Subcutaneous fluids, I'm sure we find info to print out about how much to give him.


sas :clover:

 

[vivibee]

Yes, I've already put him on the running washer (spinning cycle) twice, about 7 min each time. The first time this morning successfully made him poop!!!!! But not the second time.
No, they don't sell canned pumpkin here, but there fresh ones.
No, there's absolutely NO good vet for rabbit here...I've heard so many scary stories, I don't want to take the risk. If he is still not pooping tomorrow, I will go to Hong Kong myself (it's very close from here) and get him some medicine from the vet. I know a few good rabbit vet there. But I can't bring a live animal to cross the border....
Ok, I will feed him the pro-biotic and parsley right now.
Thank you thank you so much!!!!!!!
I'm very worried...but I will stay focused and positive!!!

 

[kirbyultra]

Im glad you are close to HK. Lot of rabbit savvy vets there. They should know how to treat a bunny in GI stasis. Good luck!!

 

[tonyshuman]

That probiotic sounds ok to me. Please keep us updated on how he recovers.

 

[vivibee]

Thank you every one for helping me get through such difficult time! The good news is my rabbit Feichai has recovered!
Last night I exercised with him and fed him more water and grass. This morning he pooped!!!!! And he came to wake me up asking for pellet!!!!! He ate vigorously and drank more water. He is now back to normal. I will learn my lesson and make sure I won't keep any boxes of food or fruit on the ground or anywhere he can reach. Even sealed boxes, he would find a way to chew it open.
Thank you all for helping me and giving me advices, especially Pipp, I couldn't have done it without any of you!
I will still go to Hong Kong and meet the vet, I want to buy some medicine to keep them handy at home.
Thank you all :inlove:

 

[Maureen Las]

I am really glad to hear this !!!