Possible Gas Attack

[Bunnygal83]

Hello,



I am so glad to have found this forum. I intend to call the vet in the morning, but until then I need some advice.



Gracie is a Florida White, resuced at aprox. age 4 months. She is now 3 years old, and lives in a large pen on the floor of my bedroom with her husband, Jacoby. Her diet consists of 1/4 cup of Timothy hay pellets for breakfast, Timothy hay all day and night, and 1-2 cups of leafy greens for dinner.

She has had bouts of pasteurella and EC in the past, but has been well recently. I tried her on beet greens today, which she was eating about 3 hours ago. Now she has the same look on her face that she has in the past when having a gas attack, and will not eat her nightly raisin(highly unusual). She is in her vacation villa and won't come out.



I did administer 1/2 ml of the simithecone. I am wondering what else I should be doing, and when I should give her more of the meds(and is this the right dose?).



I have noticed that she is going through a major molt right now, and when you pat her, fur flies in the air. Chunks are hanging out at the bottom of her body, which I have been combing. The top is done shedding, but I've noticed she feels bonier. Could this be an illness or simply a thinner summer fur coat?



I am so worried so any response would be great. I will not go to sleep tonight until she at least eats a bit of hay. Thank you!

 

[Pipp]

I've found that very long (like an hour) tummy massages are the most healing. A little non-stressful mild exercise is good too.

I don't think 1/2 ml is enough simethicone, they take a lot of it, I'd probably double that dose and only give hourly for three or four hours and then stop.

Don't worry about force feeding. Is she drinking?

If she's molting, it won't really help the gas attack but I think a lot of juice flavored water and canned pumpkin will help prevent a reoccurrence.

My bunnies' gas attacks never last more than 12 hours. They snap out of them pretty quickly.

What was the 'bout' of EC? And Pasturella?

sas :clover:

 

[tonyshuman]

I agree a lot with what sas said. If my guys get a slowdown or gas attack, I do the hourly simethicone--since you say she's a Florida White, I am assuming she's more than 8lb or so--and up to 1.5mL each time is good. I also force feed water or pedialyte if they aren't drinking, about 5mL/hr, give some probiotic (Bene-Bac), and leave out some "wet fiber" like pumpkin puree or squash baby food. I also do some tummy rubs and offer a heat source. Pain meds if you have them are good too--one of the reasons I keep baby aspirin on hand.

 

[dixonsrabbitry1]

If she got gassy after she ate the greens, then something didn't settle with her right. Take away the greens for now. I raise florida white rabbits, and they should eat no less then a cup of pellets per day. Try increasing her pellet intake to a half a cup day(Just in case someone decides to read into my comments again, this is not promoting an all pellet, anti-veggies diet). Keep her on the hay. offer her some alflafa too if you can. It should help get her gi tract going again. You can also try offering the grain mixture. If you want I can pm it to you. Its wonderful, helps keep things moving, and my rabbits love it. Keep up with the sithemethicone drops. It may be she can't handle the veggies. you can try reintroducing them in small amounts after she is well again. Stop them if you have problems. It may be all, or it may be certain ones causing it. I seriously doubt the molting is causing the gi stasis, otherwise all rabbits would suffer from it.

Pro bios are also a good thing to give a rabbit too. I would suggest acid pak 4 way. you can get it at bunnyrabbit.com. its the best on the market.
Florida white are small rabbits that are around 5-6 pounds.

 

[TinysMom]

Basic At-Home Protocol for Rabbits with Gas

- Simethicone: Baby gas meds. Required.

- Hydration, Hydration, Hydration: If they will drink on their own, try spiking water with a bit of apple juice or vanilla extract.
If they aren't feeling cooperative , syringe some water into their mouths.
If you have the knowledge to do sub-cutaneous injection, it is more efficient and faster than oral rehydration.

• Pedialyte (children's rehydration drink) is super for re-hydrating buns.

- Make with the Fibre: Break out the canned pumpkin, and let them eat on their own. Again, uncooperative buns can be coerced with a syringe.

- Pro-biotics: Bene-bac will help balance internal systems (gut flora).

- Get some exercise: Let bunny out for a scamper, play an active game together to get the body moving both inside and out.

- Vibration therapy: When a bun is gassy (stomach distended, but not hard), a gentle tummy rub or massage with a vibrating toothbrush can make break up the gas quite a bit. Plop them on top of the washing machine or dryer for more vibration.

- Keep warm!: Methods include towels warmed in the dryer, a Snuggle Safe, a pop bottle full of warm water, a hot water bottle, a rice sock (fill an old sock with rice and microwave a few minutes), or supervised use of a heating pad (to make sure bunny doesn't chew on it).


As always, be sure to consult with your veterinarian should the situation not improve significantly. Remember, no gut motility drugs (Propulsid [Cisapride]/Reglan [Metoclopramide]) should be given without an x-ray for blockages. Such administration may have lethal consequences.

From our library of articles - titled bloat/gas.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Pipp had a great post, as usual. I also agree w/ Tinysmom, great info there!

Definitely watch the drinking, if she isn't you really should try syringing it. That will also help get used to being syringed fed meds, etc. in a more serious situation.

Keep us posted, best of luck.