Hi! I would consider taking him to a different vet immediately for the possible stasis. I think the current vet is automatically assuming that the decreased eating/not pooping is due to your bun being sick, as opposed to checking him to make sure it isn’t the onset of stasis. Antibiotics can upset the natural gut flora, which can lead to stasis.

As for the head tilt, antibiotics can take a while to show improvement. Below is a recent thread where some members were discussing how long it took for their bun to recover from an inner ear infection:
https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/165076/Default.aspx

Hi jaspersmom,

I agree with Luna, I think it’s worth seeking a second opinion. If he hasn’t pooped, then GI Stasis is probably already underway, which means he probably needs subQ fluids, and to be checked that there isn’t a physical blockage. It’s worrying that your vet doesn’t know that not pooping for 12 hours is serious for a bunny.

Did your vet also mention EC as a possible cause of head tilt and wobbliness?

Please don’t worry about the vet thinking you’re overdramatic! You’re being a good owner.

That said, when Luna was admitted to the vet for 24 hours with GI stasis, when I brought her home I was really disappointed by the state she was still in, and I thought I would end up having to take her back in in the morning. But then she did start eating and pooping a few hours later, and slowly got back to normal over the next few days. It can be a slow process.

I would keep force feeding him the critical care for a bit longer before going back to the vet. It could be that the antibiotics unsettled his tummy a bit. It’s also good that he’s eating lettuce by himself, as a sick bunny often won’t eat anything voluntarily.

However, if you do think he takes a turn for the worse, please don’t worry that you’re bothering the vet. It’s their job!

Completely agree with S&L. Keep trying to get Critical Care in him, even if he isn’t super-pleased with it, hopefully he’ll start eating voluntarily. Fresh herbs, if he’s liked that before, can entice a bun to eat, especially if you break the twigs (tip from BB!) so the fragrance really reaches the bun. Cilantro, parsley and dill are often popular, some buns like basil and mint too.

You can also try a very light tummy massage like in this excellent Mary S Cotter video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyC6CWbm5M

Im sorry to hear about your bun being sick. I just went through this with my bunny and he is still recovering from the head tilt. The thread that Luna posted was started by me when Blu started to show signs of something being wrong.

Don’t be afraid to question your vet. I did with mine and also brought up ideas of meds to give him from reading people’s post. As far as the not eating much, I am not sure because Blu never really lost his appetite except one time when I doubled dosed his medicine on accident.

I can tell you that Baytril did not work for Blu and it was SMZ TMP, and Panacur that showed signs of improvement. My problem was just being patient because I wanted results right away but it does take time. Blu is back to normal now, other than his head tilt but he has adapted to it very well (its slowwwwlly getting better).

Is your vet rabbit savvy or do they just see them every once in a while. Is it the same vet from when you took him to the ER? Because I have noticed when I called around for a 24 hour – ER clinic (when Blu gave me a scare after my vet closed) that those vets see rabbits but do not specialize in them. Also, you said that he is on something similar to critical care – if that isn’t working you could try the actual critical care brand. They make a banana flavored one that Blu could not get enough of.