Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A UPDATE – Bloated, uncomfortable bunny

Viewing 13 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • FluffyBunny
      Participant
      1263 posts Send Private Message

        Yesterday evening, Mr. Bunny seemed a little off. He was sitting in a strange place, couldn’t seem to get comfortable, and didn’t seem very interested in food or human attention. He’s a sensitive bunny, and he gets gas very easily, so I figured that it was just gas from the kale I gave the bunnies the night before last. I gave him a gentle belly massage and some Simethicone.

        Within a few hours, he seemed much more alert. He had made some very large, slightly misshapen poops and eaten hay. He ate his veggies normally, and he even took some more Simethicone and two papaya tablets willingly.

        I gave  him another belly massage after he was done eating. His belly was still very bloated, and I noticed that most of the upper part of his belly was extremely firm – too firm to even be pressed down. I felt Ms. Rabbit’s belly, and she had it a little too, so I figured that it had something to do with the fact that they had just eaten.

        This morning, he seemed a little uncomfortable again. He was behaving more normally than he was last night, but he still seemed a little off. He had made some poops that were smaller than normal. He ate his pellets normally, but he had very little interest in human attention. I gave him another dose of Simethicone and some dried papaya (since I’m out of papaya tablets).

        I gave him another belly massage a few minutes ago. He still seemed off, and he wasn’t quite as interested in food. His belly was making noises loud enough to be heard from across the room. He was still extremely bloated, and the firm spots on his belly were still there. The top of his belly wasn’t quite as firm, but the sides and middle of his belly seemed a lot firmer. Every time I touched the firm parts of his belly, he started grinding his teeth loudly and breathing harder than I’ve ever heard him breathe. As I massaged his belly, I could feel that some of the firm spots softened slightly.

        Is this something I should be concerned about? Do you think that his belly is just firm because of bad gas?


      • Sarita
        Participant
        18851 posts Send Private Message

          I would try to get him hydrated by encouraging more water consumption, wet veggies and also encourage eating more hay. Also you should start with critical care as well.


        • FluffyBunny
          Participant
          1263 posts Send Private Message

            I don’t currently have any Critical Care. Is it really needed if he’s still eating?

            I have some grape-flavored Pedialyte…should I mix some of that into his water?


          • Sarita
            Participant
            18851 posts Send Private Message

              I would do a pellet sludge then – make your own. I would try if his poops are smaller than normal to get more fiber in him.

              No, I wouldn’t do pedialyte. You don’t want to change the taste of his water. Encourage fresh green veggies and sprinkle with water.


            • FluffyBunny
              Participant
              1263 posts Send Private Message

                Alright, I made a bowl of pellet sludge. I made it really watery, so I think I managed to get at least a couple of ounces of water into him. He seemed quite thirsty as soon as I put the bowl in front of him – he ate all of it on his own.

                He’s still a bloated, but some of the firm spots on his belly have softened. His belly doesn’t seem as tender as it was before – he didn’t grind his teeth when I felt his belly this time. I’m hoping that he’ll continue getting better tonight.


              • Sarita
                Participant
                18851 posts Send Private Message

                  Keep us updated!


                • RabbitPam
                  Moderator
                  11002 posts Send Private Message

                    {{{{{{{feel better, Mr. Bunny}}}}}}}}}


                  • Momto3boys
                    Participant
                    123 posts Send Private Message

                      I hope he is feeling better soon, it’s so scary when something is wrong with one of our babies.


                    • Andi
                      Participant
                      1048 posts Send Private Message

                        Sounds like everything your doing is on the track to recovery.

                        I find this happends often with a couple of my bunnies during this time of the year (molt time!). On top of everything you are already doing I would encourage movement, I chase my bunnies around clapping my hands encouraging them to move (Not yelling scaring, more like cheery “lets go guys”). I find the movement really helps get things moving.
                        It can take the poops a few days to get back to normal looking, and if he eats on his own that is always a great sign.
                        Good Luck, hopefully today all the bellies are back to normal.


                      • FluffyBunny
                        Participant
                        1263 posts Send Private Message

                          He seems to be better today. His poop is a little wetter and larger than normal, but he’s made a whole lot of it. His belly doesn’t seem firm or bloated anymore. He seems to be back to his normal self. I think he just had some really bad gas, probably worsened by the fact that both bunnies are shedding a little.

                          Thanks for all your help and vibes!


                        • skunklionshow
                          Participant
                          1257 posts Send Private Message

                            Based on your original description, it reminded me of my own Jessi’s bloat over the summer.  So I was curious, when is it just gas or when is it truly life threatening?  For Jessica I did the tummy massage & got the teeth  grinding & that’s when I rushed her into the ER…so I was just wondering if Simethcone should have been my way to go or the ER.

                            thanks


                          • BunnymomKS
                            Participant
                            113 posts Send Private Message

                              Sounds like what my big Palomino boy Shamrock went through a couple of months ago. It was really scary. And at first I wasn’t sure if it was stasis or bloat or both. I did the tummy massages and gave him some Critical Care “gruel.” I always make it a bit on the warm side as I would think this would help relax the muscles. I put petromalt stuff in too, to help anything that needs help passing through the intestines.

                              He kept seeming better, and I’d put him in his cage, go to check on him awhile later, only to find him lying passively in his litterbox, which is a red flag that he isn’t feeling right. So I’d get him up and try things like more tummy massage. I was kind of afraid to give him too much Critical Care in case there was a blockage. I got out my heating pad and held him with the heating pad on low wrapped around him. Because I’ve heard their body temps can drop and they can go into shock. He seemed to be helped by this. I helped him stretch out hoping that would also stretch and loosen and relax his knotted up innards. Then I just sat and cried and prayed and comforted him.

                              After awhile I put him back in his cage and as I was setting him down he let out a skunky fart and I think he pooped a few little poopies then. We had to do Critical Care again later and I had to monitor him for a few days but I felt better knowing he passed the gas (he did it another time) and things were not blocked. I was just so thankful that the crisis was past.

                              I don’t know if this was directly connected or not, but I discovered not long after that episode that he had been finding fur in little nooks and crannies such as between his litterbox and this patio block he likes to sit on. And EATING it. So I made sure I found and cleaned out those little places. And last week we had a major grooming session, of which he heartily disapproved, but I felt better!


                            • KatnipCrzy
                              Participant
                              2981 posts Send Private Message

                                For members that are wondering- I would have to say if your bunny is NOT eating- take it to the vet.  A bad gas episode OR stasis could cause enough pain for a bunny to not eat.  So even if it is gas and the bunny is not eating, the bunny still needs to be seen by a vet.  GI stasis itself is often a symptom and not a diagnosis- so a rabbit that will not eat from having a gassy painful belly will slow its GI tract down from not having the normal “input”.  And pain meds and fluids and possible other treatments can be necessary for a bunny that started with a gassy belly.

                                This is not in reference to Mr Bunny- as he got approp home treatment and recovered- but members were wondering about if their bunnies needed a vet trip.  My bunny- Griffin had an episode- it was a Friday- he was still eating some- but he was not himself and since it was a Friday- he went into the vet to avoid ER charges and not seeing an experienced exotics vet anyway.


                              • FluffyBunny
                                Participant
                                1263 posts Send Private Message

                                  Although Mr. Bunny never stopped eating this time around, he’s had gas several times that caused him to entirely stop eating.

                                  Generally, I’d say that if your bunny isn’t eating/pooping and you suspect they have gas, it’s a good idea to try a belly massage and some Simethicone before going to the vet. If they’re not starting to feel better after 1-2 hours, it’s probably good to get them checked out.

                              Viewing 13 reply threads
                              • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                              Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A UPDATE – Bloated, uncomfortable bunny