What to expect with GI stasis recovery?

[Alyshia]

Hi all,
My bunny and I spent most of last night in the bunny hospital with GI stasis. She wasn't eating and was acting uncomfortable when I took her. They gave her subcutaneous fluids, metoclopramide to get her gut working and buprenorphine injections for pain. They sent us home with pain meds, metoclopramide, a probiotic and critical care formula.
I am just wondering if anyone who has experience with this could share what their bunny's recovery process looked like? My Misty has been nibbling some hay all day and ate a bit of the critical care on her own. But we're on our way back to the vet to get more subcutaneous fluids because she hasn't drank or peed all day.
Thanks in advance!

 

[JBun]

It really depends what originally caused the GI stasis, and also the severity of it. Simple cases due to minor GI upset, will usually resolve in a day or two. More severe cases can take a few weeks to get back to normal, while having the rabbits appetite and bowel movements fluctuating day to day, but progressively getting better. Then there's also having to consider that if there's an underlying health problem that caused the GI stasis to begin with, if that hasn't been discovered or worked out, then the recovery won't progress and the rabbits condition could continue to worsen.

With your vet giving buprenorphine, that can cause it's own issues. It can result in making the rabbit even more lethargic, and so less responsive to start eating or acting normally again. As well as causing more of a GI slowdown due to it being an opioid pain med. Unless there's a specific very painful condition that it's needed for, I much prefer that meloxicam as pain relief is prescribed instead. So hopefully meloxicam was sent home with you and your rabbit isn't still getting the buprenorphine(my opinion and preference).

If you're giving sufficient amounts of critical care feedings throughout the day and the mixture isn't too thick but is soupy enough, they can get enough fluids that way and it may be a reason why a rabbit isn't drinking any extra. Though if also not peeing, then yes, that's a concern and a problem.

Is the vet an experienced rabbit vet, and was a cause determined by xrays, blood test, dental exam, or physical exam? Sometimes if a rabbit has started eating again on their own but is still refusing to drink it can be a sign of a dental problem, or bladder or kidney issue. Especially if your bun is showing signs of not being able to urinate well even when getting fluids, then there could be a bladder or kidney issue going on.

 

[roytaa]

my bunny had minor GI stasis and almost at same time she took her meds , she started eating ALOT for past 3 days she dident eat , and her poops also was 3x larger
i hope same scenario happen to your bunny too