rabbit has gas?

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buster2369

buster2369

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Joined
Oct 8, 2011
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Location
Westchester, New York, USA
hello, I have never posted on the infirmary before, but last night around midnight, Buster stopped eating. It was very sudden, he had been binkying and pooping/peeing and eating like a crazy rabbit.(all normally) Then all of a sudden he started acting sick.

I don't believe he ate anything odd. Before I went to bed I gave him a big plate of all his favorite veggies and pellets also hay and water. I even threw in some crunchy treats to encourage him to eat.

I was concerned about him when I went to bed so I ended up waking up early to check on him.

As soon as I let him out of his pen he ran behind his favorite chair and flopped... he keeps running behind things, hiding in corners and under the table. I know that's a bad sign. :expressionless

I think he might have gas because he keeps pushing his stomach in the ground and stretches with his butt in the air.

I had some metacam leftover from his neuter 6 weeks ago, so I gave him 3 ml of that.
I also picked up some baby gas x and gave him 2ml of that. He had a little bit to drink on his own. He has peed once and has been leaving normal poop behind.

I also made a slurry of pellets, pineapple juice and water and gave him 1ml of that. I may try some camomile tea in a syringe.

He doesn't want to eat on his own. This is very unusual for him. He is normally a very active, very hungry bunny.

Here are some specs about him:
Weight: a little less than 3 pounds.
Last ate on his own 12 hours ago. He had some fresh cilantro, pellets and kale/romaine lettuce and parsley and lavender.
He is currently moulting and I am brushing him twice a day and picking out loose fur.

I have also tried belly massage but I don't know if I'm doing it correctly.

I don't have money right now to take him to the vet. If it is necessary, I will, but I really would like to make him feel better myself.

Anyway, I know everyone here has had experience with similar problems. This is my first rabbit and the first time I've had to deal with something like this.

I appreciate any help you can provide, I am starting to get scared and worried...:confused2:

Thank you
-Andria-




 
So sorry Buster is feeling under the weather. I wonder if it's because he's molting big time that it's throwing him off and making him feel yucky? I know Willard has gotten that way when molting heavily. I thought it was gas too. I guess a heavy molt is very uncomfortable. Right now Neville is losing his baby fur on his back and he's constantly scratching, but he hasn't stopped eating.

You are doing everything I would do so I really don't have any other suggestions. Oh, how about a warm towel for Buster to lay on. That could sooth belly issues too if you don't think the tummy massages are working.

Wishing all the best for Buster. Please keep us posted.

K:)
 
With his laying belly down butt up it sounds like gas. You can give him 1 mL simithacone every hour for three hours. When I massage a belly I take them to the side of the couch or bed and get on my knees. I then flip them so they are laying with their whole back supported and little pillows proped on either side. I take my right hand and start with the fingers and thumb far apart on either side of the abdomen. I draw them together while pushing down a little. You end up squishing the belly in the middle. If it feels hallow it's gas. If it is really bad you can feel the bubbles pop under your fingers as the simithicone works. Generally the buns will relax into this because it feels so good. Once in a while you can feel hard poops in there too and it helps to move them along as well. I massage for about 10 minutes after each dosing.

You might want to cut out the produce other than cilantro until the gas passes. Please keep us updated.
 
One of my buns had a gas problem a month back. Massages worked very well and I recommend them. Brandy did an excellent job of explaining how to give one. Be gentle though as you don't want to make anything worse.

I second using simethicone as well. It works wonders. Within 15 min of giving my bun was hopping around normally again. You can buy it at any drug store, but buy the infant stuff.

Feel better buster!!
 
Just wanted to give him an update. I have been giving Buster baby gas x. In fact I just gave him some 15 minutes ago. Currently he is still not eating on his own,:( but I have been trying to force feed a slurry I made with pellets every 30 minutes. I have also tried to force him to drink 1ml of water with an oral syringe every 15 minutes.

He is starting to jump and dig at his favorite sheet he likes to tear. So I am guessing he has some energy to expel. He is getting very angry with me since I keep shoving things in his face.

I called the vet and the doctor wasn't in today but will be in tomorrow. If he is still not eating in the morning ill take him.

I just want him to make it through the night. I don't know if I should sleep tonight,just to be able to keep an eye on him.

I just want him to eat and poop again!


YAYY ! BUSTER HAS DECIDED TO EAT HIS VEGGIES OFF HIS PLATE! It wouldn't be my first choice of what he would eat but I just wanted him to ingest something! :) Hopefully the gas won't come back but I am willing to keep treating him. I wonder what could of caused the gas?

HIS STOMACH IS STARTING TO MAKE VERY ODD NOISES! I can hear his stomach from here. He sounds like me(since I have a digestive disorder). Does that mean the gas is breaking up?

Anyway
Thanks for your info. You all eased my mind :D
-Andria

 
The previous post was an update.. I wanted to add a picture.

Buster just pooped in his litter box and I thought it looked odd what he passed, so I wanted to see what other people thought...




It almost looks like mucus. Or even a parasite of sort! I hope its not. Is that normal? The stool is very hard. * I smashed some of it with a qtip*

He is moving around now, and even eating some veggies, he doesn't seem interested in his pellets or hay.

Can this problem come back? Should I give him gas x tomorrow just to be safe?

Thanks again :bunnyheart


 
I'd take that with you to the Vet. There is definitely something odd going on inside Buster which needs to be really looked at. I'd be guessing looking at a pic. I would say worms? And with the "all size" poo that's showing Buster having a hard time. Maybe the gas x relieved the pain, but Buster needs something more I think to get his poo back to normal again.

I'm truly not an expert, but I've never seen poo like that before. My advise, see your Vet.

Please keep us posted. Hoping Buster is feeling better soon.

K:)
 
Keep watching his poo. That doesn't look normal, but sometimes it takes a few times of pooping or a few hours before it returns to normal, especially if he hasn't been eating hay. If things don't get better, or he stops eating and pooping again I would get him checked out.
 
Keep an eye on him, looks like irritated gut. If it continues into tomorrow I would take him to the vet as the molting might be causing him to go into a gi status. Check the library info on that and see if anything sounds familiar. I would keep up the simethicone ( one dropper full 2-3 times a day usual dose ) occasionally today so that you keep the gas moving. Rather than parasites it could be fur finally moving through. Try and get some pineapple juice ( fresh ) or bromelain ( papaya enzyme ) tablets down him or add 1/4 tsp of plain meat tenderizer to his water. Main thing is to keep him eating and drinking.
 
Hello everyone again,
I wanted to give another update on Buster.
He is doing very well today! :) He had been eating his veggies (that I keep spraying with water) and he even started to eat hay! It's like he knows what to eat to feel better. :)
His poop is looking better, still shiny but normal size now and I haven't found any 'hair strings'.

His pee looks a little darker than usual so he may still be dehydrated.
I don't know if I should give him more gas x. Since he is feeling better, it will be difficult to get him to take a syringe.

Here are a few pics of his progress:

Here is the 'poo string' that came out after the previous picture I took last night. I think this is what he needed to pass..



Buster finally interested in eating hay :) *notice the cardboard chewing next to him*



I noticed he has been chewing more cardboard since yesterday. Is that because he feels like he needs fiber? He hasn't been interested in the papaya or pineapple lately, I think that is how this all started. Well that, and fur licking...

Anyway thanks for all your advice, I will be using it. :D Everyone made me feel better during my first experience with GI stasis :)
-Andria

 
So glad to hear Buster is doing well.

Wow, definitely looked hard to pass. Glad he's interested in hay. I'm really fortunately. By observing my buns, when they are really molting, they really chow down on the hay and engulf lots of water. It does seem they know what makes them feel better.

I've given papaya but I have to say my buns rely on hay and water when they are molting. And I try to brush as much as possible. But I still see a hair once in a while in the poos.

K:)
 
Ooooh I went through this with Harvey last week. He ate fine in the morning but didn't eat or act normal for the rest of the day until he passed a mushy poop. I notice that happens when he eats too much sugar or something that doesn't agree with his tummy. This time I gave him a few too many papaya bites the night before :embarrassed:. He definitely starts feeling better once he passes that bad poop. So I think it's a bit of a stomachache. Kind of sounds like what Buster had. But in Buster's case it's whatever he just passed. Looks like hair or maybe fibers from cloth or card board?
I usually stop the gas meds after he starts feeling better, because it's a pain when he's feeling better.
 
Hello all :)

I thought I would give another update on Buster.
He seems to be doing well, last night he was sitting some odd positions, pushing his bum in the ground a little bit. (only once or twice)

He was eating a lot and exercising so I decided to not give him more gas x.
He has been eating a good amount of hay so I think that is helping a lot.

His poop is not consistent. He'll be going normal one minute and the next he'll poop out something mushy or another hair string.

Here is a picture of his mushy poo:


photo(23) by andria2369, on Flickr

*Sorry its not the best quality...

He has been eating a lot of veggies since the incident so I believe that may have caused the mushy poo. I also gave him a raisin, so that may also be why...

@Mia, I have no idea what breed he is... I always wanted to know. I always presumed he was a mix, since he has red eyes but color in his coat... I believe he is a polish rabbit..:confused2:

Thanks again everyone for all your feedback. :biggrin:
-Andria

 
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