Taylor stopped eating

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 9sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 6 months ago by drwil.

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- 10/25/2014 at 1:45 PM
  drwil
  Participant
  191 posts
  Our bunny Taylor is two years old, gets to stay in house in a large playpen with exercise every evening for as long as she wants. Friday at lunch she was in her letterbox eating hay and by last evening she stopped eating. This morning none of her food was gone so she went to the vet.
  
  He found no fever, felt no obstruction and x-rays showed no gas or blockage. He said to watch her and give her apple sauce and pineapple. He felt being too aggressive treating her would cause more harm than good.
  
  Back at home she would not touch apple sauce or eat greens. She felt cold so I put a cotton bag full or warm rice beside her.
  
  She is grinding her teeth so she might be in pain. She does not want to move but this morning when she saw the travel carrier she tried to get away since she knows that means going to the vet. When in the vet examination room she hopped around on the floor some.
  
  Should I force feed her Pedialyte or over the counter pain medication? Would the stress of force feeding her make it worse?
  
  Her sister died suddenly at the age of 8 months with identical symptoms.
- 10/25/2014 at 2:44 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Did he check her teeth? I don’t think applesauce and pineapple would be the best – they are high in sugar and that’s not good either.
  
  No over the counter pain meds because you don’t know if they are safe and a proper dosage since those are dosed for full grown humans not small rabbits. Did the vet not have any critical care you can force feed her? What about trying to offer her some fresh greens like kale or basil.
- 10/25/2014 at 3:04 PM
  drwil
  Participant
  191 posts
  No I did not get any critical care and all the vets are closed except emergency care. The vet is a rabbit doctor. He did look at her teeth.
  I feed her red and green leaf letteeth.She did not eat that or the apple sauce she was given.
  She did drink a little water a few minutes ago but did
  Is critical care force fed? I am going to Tractor Supply to get feeding equipment.
  If she does not get better tonight should I take her to the emergency vet?
- 10/26/2014 at 9:34 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17035 posts
  Since ther was no obstruction or gas, you need to get sth into her stomach. Give critical care and simethicone (baby gas drops – helps to get the contents in the intestines moving, gas or no gas). Many rabbits are not interested in anything sweet when they are feeling un-well. You probebly need to force-feed with a syringe, but you can offer hjer some on a spoon and see if she takes it first.
  
  If you don’t have any CC, grind up some pellets (or take the residue pellet-powder that usually assembles at the bottom of the bag), mix with water and feed it in a syringe. If she’s not eaten in a good long while, pedialyte may be good. Canned pumpkin (unsweetened) is also good. Give her a tummy massage, it is also helpful.
  
  I just went through the same thing with my bunny Yohio. We got sub q fluids at the vet, an injection of metacam and other than that I was just to feed him CC and simethicone and give tummy-rubs. And keep at it, because they may not snap right back, it can take days. I’m still feeding Yohio CC twice a day and it’s been a week tomorrow, his poops aren’t yet as big as I’d like them to be.
  
  This is good info about this type of problem: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
- 10/26/2014 at 4:49 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17035 posts
  Any update?
- 10/26/2014 at 9:55 PM
  drwil
  Participant
  191 posts
  Taylor received buprenorphine, lactulose and simethicone. She has started eating and popping a little and is no longer in pain (at least she is hopping around and not hunched over grinding her teeth).
  There is one more shot of buprenorphine if she gets pain again. Now she gets only simethicone and lactulose. She eats a little hay or pellets and pops a little. She is grooming right now.
  But….I must go on business for 2 days and my wife does not have experience with animals to give medicine.
  Think I should find someone to help before I leave? Our next door neighbor is a nurse and I know a vet tech.
  Thank you for your support I just helped a woman last week whose bunny tanked like this.
- 10/27/2014 at 1:48 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17035 posts
  Thank you for updating! Grooming is great!
  
  I think your wife would be happy to have someone help her, since it is rather tricky to hold a rabbit at the same time as you give medicine and rabbits tend to vigourously dislike simethicone (I don’t know about lactulose, I have never given that) . It can be very frustrating and stressful both for the person and the rabbit. Plus it is of course very stressful to be in charge of a sick animal if you’re not quite sure that you master the situation.
  
  (((((Taylor)))))
- 10/27/2014 at 8:20 AM
  drwil
  Participant
  191 posts
  She looks to be very slowly recovering but cries when she gets her medicine. She does not understand why we are doing this to her
- 10/27/2014 at 8:34 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Poor baby. It’s sad bc like you said, she doesn’t know that you’re trying to help. I hope she feels better soon.
- 10/28/2014 at 10:02 AM
  drwil
  Participant
  191 posts
  Meadow and Max are beautiful bonded bunnies are so cute.
  Taylor is eating and hopping around but her condition is not to normal yet.
  Some people say recovery can take a long time.
  Love your angel bunny–Taylor’s mother was named Little Angel
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