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FORUM DIET & CARE Urgent: Need advice on GI stasis

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    • Seawitch
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        Hi,
        I have an approx 3 year old rescued American rabbit. She is a spayed female and I’ve had her for 1 year. Last night she didn’t eat her dinner and started acting lethargic. She wasn’t even interested in spinach which she normally loves. However, she did drink some water from a bowl I offered her. I took her to our local vet today who I haven’t seen before, but I was desperate for fast medical attention and they were the only local clinic able to see me on such short notice. The vet felt her body, listened to her heart and intestines with a stethoscope, and took her temperature. His report was that he didn’t feel a blockage and her temperature was high, stating that she has a mild fever. He gave her a shot of some painkiller (I didnt see what it was), and gave her a dose of antibiotics. I was sent home with a bag of critical care and a 5 day dose of oral baytril.
        I want to know if this is a correct treatment or if I should be doing something else. She has nibbled some hay and spinach this evening which is good, but I’m still so anxious that something could be seriously wrong. Today her faces are very small and it’s worrying me. The vet told me to just give her baytril 2× a day and give her critical care in a syringe like every 3 hours. He told me to come back if she doesn’t start eating tonight, which she has but still not a lot. Sorry if this whole post is a mess, I stayed up until like 6am with her last night because I was so worried this would become a classic case of “my bunny stopped eating and then just died”. Thank you for reading this post anyway and I would so appreciate and advice or reassurance.

        -A very anxious bunny mom


      • Asriel and Bombur
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          My boy Bombur was treated with a severe form of stasis using Baytril. They will mainly use baytril if they believe infection is likely. Did they take x-rays or an ultrasound to check for blockage? I’m curious why she’s not on a motility drug. If she’s in stasis and not pooping, and no blockage is suspected, she really needs to be on one to get her bowels going again. Also, while she’s on baytril, you should give her a probiotic as well so she maintains healthy gut bacteria levels. You can buy benebac on amazon for super cheap.


        • Bunny House
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            I agree with A&B, did you see a rabbit savvy or a regular dog and cat vet? It can really change how treatment is done and the likely hood of survining stasis. And that she needs to be on probiotics. Trust me, I know how scary it is with stasis, I lost one last week to it so we are here for you.

            The vet should have done X-rays, blood tests to really see if there isn’t or isn’t a blockage and how the organs are working. Then if no blockages, start on gut moltility drugs, she needs sub q fluids no matter if a blockage or not,until she is back to normal as if she isn’t eating or drinking a lot, she will become very dehydrated fast as they actually consume more water than a big dog! Being dehydrated can cause the gi tract to pull water from other organs and dehydrate them. And then of course pain meds as gi stasis is very very painful, and gas drops. Force feeding of critical care should be done if she will not eat her daily amount on her own.

            Also, if she might have some dry poops in her cecum from not eating and being dehydrated, she should be syringe fed water so the poops inside can stay hydrated until her gut starts back up.

            Just as an FYI, stasis is a symptom of a larger issue. So that could be a bad gut that doesn’t function properly, bad teeth( did the vet check her molars for Spurs?) not eating enough fiber to keep her gut moving or dehydration could cause issues and therefore stasis is the symptom of it.

            I know what I said might scare you, anyone with stasis knows how much of a snow ball it is if the bun isn’t treated right. All of my buns have made it through it with intensive care besides my last one but he had major health complications prior.

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        FORUM DIET & CARE Urgent: Need advice on GI stasis