I’m going to start by saying I’m very new to bunnies. I’ve only had Marshmallow for one month, BUT soon after his arrival at my house he went into GI stasis.

The vet gave me pain meds, metoclopromide (gut motility), and wanted me to give Critical Care and simethicone (for gas). Several hours after one very, very stressful dosing/feeding, he seemed to be OK — eating, pooping, bright and alert. Given how awful the experience of getting the meds and Critical Care into him had been for both of us and how well he seemed to be doing, I didn’t give him the next dose. By morning he had relapsed and was back to not eating and acting like he was in pain. After that, it took 4 days of regular syringing (pain meds every 24 hrs, gut stimulant & Critical Care every 8 hrs) before he was feeling like himself again. And the vet recommended that he continue to be on everything for at least 2 days after he started eating and pooping normally, which I did.

I’m not sure whether my experience is the norm or not, but at least for Marshmallow one dose was not enough (in spite of how well he was acting initially) and the need for the meds and Critical Care outweighed the stress of administering it. Though, mercifully, by the last dose on the third day, he’d gotten much less stressed out about taking the meds and Critical Care. (By that point wrapping him in the “burrito” was stressing him more than the actual administration of stuff, so I stopped using the towel except as a drop-cloth.)

I hope some more seasoned bunny folks also weigh in to give you other perspectives, but that is the story of my very limited experience.

I honestly think this is a question for his vet. Normally I’d agree with Deb and say keep giving him his meds, but with the very fast heart rate that the vet thought was too fast even for s stressed-out bun, it seems to me like it could be risky.

A violently struggling bun is not a lethargic bun, so that’s very good. But very impractical when you must feed the bun things. If he’s eating properly on his own now and toiletting like a good boy, I think I’d just keep a very close eye. If he stops eating you’ll have to start him right back on meds and CC.

Did the vet tell you how high his blood glucose was? I’m wondering out of curiosity. It’s a way of measuring stress levels in a bun indirectly -stress causes cortisol to be released and cortisol elevates the blood glucose.

I hope he’ll keep eating, pooping and being active. I think you probably saved him by warming him up. The pain meds lower body temp and a bun in stasis is already prone to hypothermia, so warming him up was a really good call.

He was eating normally after the first dose.  He ate some pellets and a whole pile of greens (he wasn’t eating hay anyway, likely because of dental issues). 

I really, really hope that your guy stays on track.  I totally understand all the stress and empathize with not wanting to cause it!  (For whatever it’s worth, those first couple of days I did have to take breaks when he just got too upset and come back to it a little bit later if there was more he needed to get.)

Id not call the out of hours number for a situation like this either. I think you can use your judgement regarding the meds. If you can get a little bit of meds in him it’s great, of course. As long as he’s eating food willingly and pooping he’s not in immediate danger.

My Bam also had slightly elevated blood glucose at his latest vet appt, and my vet said that’s not worrisome. It just means the bun is stressed, and buns are always stressed at the vet, that’s “normal” for the species.

It’s a tricky one – obviously stressing him out so much isn’t ideal but I’d be worried about relapsing. When Buttercup had stasis last time, we continued the ranitidine for 2 to 3 days after she’d returned to normal just to be extra sure. I would just be extra vigilant. Which I’m sure you are anyway! And if he starts to show signs again, get the meds in him.

Hooray! I’m so happy to hear this.

Yay! Good boy ???