Rabbit acting weird…

[hufflepuffluna]

Hi! I hope you all are doing well.

I’m getting worried about my dwarf rabbit of 3 years.

Yesterday and this morning he was fine and dandy. Normally, he goes crazy for carrots and pellets. I obviously regulate his intake of both of those foods but he goes crazy to the point that he goes running around and going in circles around my legs. Tonight, as usual, a give him a handful of spinach, 3-4 small baby carrots and a pinch of pellets. When I enter the room, he always watches out if I have food and, when I do, he goes to his cage and waits for the food. Tonight this didn’t happen. (Sidenote: he also recognizes the sound of the hay bag and the pellets bag so whenever he hears it he comes running to me). He was in the cage just sitting there andI put the food in front of him and doesn’t even smell it. So then I grab some pellets and throw them in the cage. He does absolutely nothing so now I’m worried.

I think he may have GI Stasis but I have no idea what he could have eaten to give him that. He also seems to be laying down a lot which I know is a sign of stomach (or something of the sort) pain or problems but I don’t know. I’m still rather young so I depend on my parents to take him to the veterinarian and I’m unemployed. Any advice on what I could do?

 

[JBun]

Yes, it could be some sort of digestive upset. It could be a veggie that is slightly off that was fed, or something bad was in the hay. I first try 3 doses of baby gas drops(simethicone) an hour apart. If it's minor gas pain, this will often resolve the issue. If after the third dose there isn't any improvement and/or it's been more than 12-24 hours since my bun last ate, then it's time to get bun to a knowledgeable rabbit vet, as that long without eating is considered an emergency and there could be something more serious going on. Or if a rabbit has a bloated stomach or diarrhea, or it's condition is declining, that is an immediate emergency and needs to be taken to the vet immediately.

(simethicone dosing)
https://rabbit.org/gastrointestinal-stasis-the-silent-killer-2/
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

 

[hufflepuffluna]

Yes, it could be some sort of digestive upset. It could be a veggie that is slightly off that was fed, or something bad was in the hay. I first try 3 doses of baby gas drops(simethicone) an hour apart. If it's minor gas pain, this will often resolve the issue. If after the third dose there isn't any improvement and/or it's been more than 12-24 hours since my bun last ate, then it's time to get bun to a knowledgeable rabbit vet, as that long without eating is considered an emergency and there could be something more serious going on. Or if a rabbit has a bloated stomach or diarrhea, or it's condition is declining, that is an immediate emergency and needs to be taken to the vet immediately.

(simethicone dosing)
https://rabbit.org/gastrointestinal-stasis-the-silent-killer-2/
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

Thank you so much! It’s been overnight and I think it was just gas pain. Since I’m still not very knowledgeable in rabbits, even though I’ve had him for a long time, I guessI just panicked.

Yesterday he was also avoiding me to lay down but this morning he woke me up by jumping in my bed and I saw that he ate some hay (he’s eating right as I write this, in fact) and he ate the food I left him so I think it passed.

He’s had some gas before but, this time,I felt like it was way too extreme and unlike he’s ever behaved before. I’m just glad that he feels good enough to be eating.

Again, thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Roo1234]

Hope he stays healthy

 

[SirLawrence]

Thank you so much! It’s been overnight and I think it was just gas pain. Since I’m still not very knowledgeable in rabbits, even though I’ve had him for a long time, I guessI just panicked.

Yesterday he was also avoiding me to lay down but this morning he woke me up by jumping in my bed and I saw that he ate some hay (he’s eating right as I write this, in fact) and he ate the food I left him so I think it passed.

He’s had some gas before but, this time,I felt like it was way too extreme and unlike he’s ever behaved before. I’m just glad that he feels good enough to be eating.

Again, thank you so much for the advice!

When I first got my boy Lucas, he went through a few bouts of stomach upset. I say stomach upset and not GI stasis, as the boys live inside with me, and I notice pretty much immediately when they're off. I stayed up massaging and giving simethicone and pain meds several times. Since then I have stopped giving him any type of fruit, and it seems to have stopped his issues. He doesn't seem to mind; he's such a good eater of hay and his pellets!

If you're feeding him treat-like foods, maybe cut them out entirely for a bit and see if he stops having stomach issues? I would be suspect of the carrots, they have a lot of natural sugar, and may be upsetting his tummy!

And as a side note, I personally limit my buns' spinach intake. While it's not dangerous, if it's a staple of their diet, it can lead to issues as it's got oxalic acid (oxalate) in it, which can build up over time.