my rabbits loosing weight!!!

[rachelheil09]

Help! My rabbit has been losing weight recently. you can see his backbone and his figure is becoming super skinny. His poop has been super small for the past 3-4 weeks. I adopted him about 4 weeks ago. He got neutered a day before we got him. He hasn’t eaten a lot of hay since we got him but he does nibble a few times here and there. He loves pellets but tends to eat to fast and then chokes. I’ve been spreading a small amount of pellets around his enclosure a few times a day. He chews his veggies very slowly. I’m not sure what to do. Should I bring him to the vet?

 

[Jasminebunny]

Help! My rabbit has been losing weight recently. you can see his backbone and his figure is becoming super skinny. His poop has been super small for the past 3-4 weeks. I adopted him about 4 weeks ago. He got neutered a day before we got him. He hasn’t eaten a lot of hay since we got him but he does nibble a few times here and there. He loves pellets but tends to eat to fast and then chokes. I’ve been spreading a small amount of pellets around his enclosure a few times a day. He chews his veggies very slowly. I’m not sure what to do. Should I bring him to the vet?

I'd ..
First take him to the vet .Is he eating veg , drinking , do you feed him pellets?

Not eating hay is not good , it can cause GI stasis ( gut stasis ) Gastrointestinal Stasis: The Silent Killer | House Rabbit Society.
Try different types of hay , maybe your bun doesn't like the kind of hay .

You said he chews veg slowly , might be a problem with his teeth .

How much does he weigh?
Is he eating anything at all?

 

[rachelheil09]

I'd ..
First take him to the vet .Is he eating veg , drinking , do you feed him pellets?

Not eating hay is not good , it can cause GI stasis ( gut stasis ) Gastrointestinal Stasis: The Silent Killer | House Rabbit Society.
Try different types of hay , maybe your bun doesn't like the kind of hay .

You said he chews veg slowly , might be a problem with his teeth .

How much does he weigh?
Is he eating anything at all?

He is drinking a lot of water and he still goes crazy for pellets. He is eating some hay but not enough to maintain his weight. When we got him, he was 3.5 pounds. We don’t know how much he is right now cause we don’t have a scale to weigh him. I ordered some orchard grass hay from oxbow so he could try but because of COVID-19, it’s going to take a while to deliver. I think it said it would come on the 18-21. I know he is not in stasis but if his appetite keeps declining he might go into it. I want to take him to the vet but my parents don’t understand that rabbits need to see a vet just like a dog or a cat. I’m getting very concerned about him.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Drinking a lot of water is a sign of teeth issues because the water can reduce tooth pain. Since he doesn't eat hay his teeth don't wear down properly. Is he drooling? You need to weigh him: https://www.wikihow.com/Weigh-a-Rabbit-without-the-Correct-Scale.
https://rabbit.org/dental-disorders-in-rabbits/

 

[Jasminebunny]

He is drinking a lot of water and he still goes crazy for pellets. He is eating some hay but not enough to maintain his weight. When we got him, he was 3.5 pounds. We don’t know how much he is right now cause we don’t have a scale to weigh him. I ordered some orchard grass hay from oxbow so he could try but because of COVID-19, it’s going to take a while to deliver. I think it said it would come on the 18-21. I know he is not in stasis but if his appetite keeps declining he might go into it. I want to take him to the vet but my parents don’t understand that rabbits need to see a vet just like a dog or a cat. I’m getting very concerned about him.

Please , show them about Gi stasis and everything.
Do you have a shop nearby , that you could get cc if not , I have a hand feeding recipe , I've found that some of mine will eat it off a spoon

Here's the recipe

0.5 carrot
1 SMALL slice of banana
1 Piece of bell pepper
1 piece of fennel
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pellets dissolved in water

I hope your bun is okay

 

[rachelheil09]

Drinking a lot of water is a sign of teeth issues because the water can reduce tooth pain. Since he doesn't eat hay his teeth don't wear down properly. Is he drooling? You need to weigh him: https://www.wikihow.com/Weigh-a-Rabbit-without-the-Correct-Scale.
https://rabbit.org/dental-disorders-in-rabbits/

I’m pretty sure he is drooling but it’s hard to tell cause he has a head tilt from an ear infection from before we got him. Whenever he drinks water, there’s always water on his chin and face. I will try weighing him.

 

[rachelheil09]

Please , show them about Gi stasis and everything.
Do you have a shop nearby , that you could get cc if not , I have a hand feeding recipe , I've found that some of mine will eat it off a spoon

Here's the recipe

0.5 carrot
1 SMALL slice of banana
1 Piece of bell pepper
1 piece of fennel
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pellets dissolved in water

I hope your bun is okay

Thank you!

 

[Mariam+Theo]

It is really sounding like teeth issues. He needs to get to a rabbit-savvy vet because there is nothing you can do. They will do a check-up, check his front teeth (for overgrown incisors), check his back teeth (for molar spurs), and do an x-ray. After that, they will file down molar spurs if he has any, clip front teeth if needed, give you Critical care, give you pain medicine, and possibly give you some other medicines.

 

[rachelheil09]

It is really sounding like teeth issues. He needs to get to a rabbit-savvy vet because there is nothing you can do. They will do a check-up, check his front teeth (for overgrown incisors), check his back teeth (for molar spurs), and do an x-ray. After that, they will file down molar spurs if he has any, clip front teeth if needed, give you Critical care, give you pain medicine, and possibly give you some other medicines.

How much would it cost to bring him to the vet? I appreciate all you help!

 

[Mariam+Theo]

It depends on the vet so you will have to call yours. Make sure it is a rabbit-savvy vet, not a dog/cat vet. At my vet, it is $55 to get him in for a check-up, $125 for an x-ray, $44 Metacam (pain medicine), and $20 for Critical Care. I'm not sure how much it would be for them to check his teeth or clip/file them down.

 

[rachelheil09]

Please , show them about Gi stasis and everything.
Do you have a shop nearby , that you could get cc if not , I have a hand feeding recipe , I've found that some of mine will eat it off a spoon

Here's the recipe

0.5 carrot
1 SMALL slice of banana
1 Piece of bell pepper
1 piece of fennel
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pellets dissolved in water

I hope your bun is okay

There is only fennel seeds at the store, would that be ok to feed him instead of the plant?

 

[Mariam+Theo]

The seeds should be fine for him to eat. They help with gas pain.

 

[Jasminebunny]

There is only fennel seeds at the store, would that be ok to feed him instead of the plant?

Yep , thats fine!

 

[Jasminebunny]

There is only fennel seeds at the store, would that be ok to feed him instead of the plant?

I forgot you have to blend the veg a puree then add the oats and pellets and them the banana

 

[JBun]

How much pellets do you feed or does he eat each day, and how old is he? What brand and type of pellets are you feeding him?

It's not necessary to make a hand feeding mix if he is eating his pellets fine. Plus I don't feel a hand feeding mix should have so much sugar in it. Excess sugar can alter the guts microbial balance.

The face and chin getting wet after drinking may not be from drooling but because he has a head tilt and some of the water runs out of his mouth. Dental problems may still be a possibility, but I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just yet.

Do you know how long ago he was treated for head tilt, was he taken to a vet for the diagnosis and treatment, was the head tilt caused by an ear infection or e cuniculi, and what medications he was given to treat it?

Did you get him from another owner, a rescue, or a shelter? Was he having problems with weight loss or eating hay and veggies in his previous home?

 

[rachelheil09]

How much pellets do you feed or does he eat each day, and how old is he? What brand and type of pellets are you feeding him?

It's not necessary to make a hand feeding mix if he is eating his pellets fine. Plus I don't feel a hand feeding mix should have so much sugar in it. Excess sugar can alter the guts microbial balance.

The face and chin getting wet after drinking may not be from drooling but because he has a head tilt and some of the water runs out of his mouth. Dental problems may still be a possibility, but I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just yet.

Do you know how long ago he was treated for head tilt, was he taken to a vet for the diagnosis and treatment, was the head tilt caused by an ear infection or e cuniculi, and what medications he was given to treat it?

Did you get him from another owner, a rescue, or a shelter? Was he having problems with weight loss or eating hay and veggies in his previous home?

We got him a month ago from a shelter. They said he had an ear infection before we got him. He was neutered the day before we got him. I took him to the vet on Thursday and they said it was an overgrown check tooth. They also said that he still had some of his ear infection left which was surprising because that happened in 2015 (or that’s what the shelter said). But he’s on critical care tell his appointment on tuesday to get his teeth trimmed. He is also on an antibiotic and a steroid. He is doing much better but he’s having a lot of diarrhea. We called the vet and they said it’s ok because all he is eating is critical care which is mushy so that’s why his poops are. Do you think he should be having diarrhea or is that not normal??

 

[JBun]

What antibiotic and how is it administered (oral, injected)? Is he also producing normal round fecal balls?

If not and everything is coming out watery or pudding like with no normal fecal balls, that is an immediate emergency, could be due to a negative reaction to the antibiotic. If he has developed enterotoxemia from the antibiotic, it can cause life threatening diarrhea which needs immediate treatment with the antibiotic metronidazole and cholestyramine to absorb deadly toxins released by the bacteria.
https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/enterotoxemia
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm