Occasional Gas?

[minmelethuireb]

My Mini Rex Luxy has had an occasional problem ever since I got her at about 6 months old. She's almost 5 years old now. Every two or three months, she'll have a spell where I'll go to feed her like I do nightly, and she just sits in a corner, kind of hunched with her belly sucked in, sometimes drinking some water or stretching out. This seems to last about 6-10 hours, and the next morning she's always fine and has eaten her food. She's having another bout tonight. This always worries me, but it only happens occasionally and she's always better the next day.

I usually give her a couple small doses of infant Gas-X when this happens, though I'm not sure if it helps or not.

Every day she has unlimited Timothy hay, and at night I give her 1/8 cup of pellets and some green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, or basil, sometimes some parsley. I think it's probably gas, but I don't know what's causing it. It doesn't seem to be related to the veggies, because it always happens a good while after she eats them, and she gets about the same amount of veggies every day - mostly leaf lettuce.

Anyone else ever see their rabbit get occasional discomfort like this for no apparent reason?

 

[minmelethuireb]

It's about two hours later and she's already back to normal btw. I just wonder why she seems to get gassy sometimes...

 

[whiskylollipop]

Lettuce is a bit of an iffy veg to feed, I feel dark green leafys are the way to go. Herbs are usually tolerated well. I heavily recommend dandelion greens and cilantro/coriander, they're especially good for bunny tummies and may help ease her gas problems somewhat. No matter what veggies my bunnies get in their daily mix, I always make sure to include cilantro.

You're right to give her infant gas meds. She may just be one of those sensitive-gut bunnies, but it's good that her episodes aren't too severe.

 

[thisisfliss]

Alfy suffered 2 gas episodes a month or so ago and one was quite bad (overnight vet stay). I try to avoid veg that causes gas, only giving her little bits. I think it was her pellets though as I eliminated them from her diet and she's been fine ever since.

It's different for each bun. The advice I was given was to put her on hay only and slowly introduce things, that way I could tell what it is.

She has romaine lettuce, coriander, basil, mint, small amounts of rocket, carrot tops, and fennel. Trying her with thyme & oregano this evening!

 

[PaGal]

I wonder if it's possible she gets gas at times because of eating pellets and veggies all at once. Maybe it would help if you could feed her one in the morning and one at night so feed pellets or veggies in the morning and in the evening feed what she didn't have in the morning.

 

[JBun]

Does it happen to coincide with a molt?