Sick Bunny

[Chelsea]

Silas was completely normal yesterday, but this morning is not acting himself at all. He came up on our bed and laid down next to me at some point during the night (normal), but did not ask for attention at all (not normal) and stayed there all morning even after opening the refrigerator and calling him for breakfast (again, not normal). I was able to get him to eat a few pieces of arugula and a sliver of carrot, but that was all. I’m fairly certain he hasn’t used the litter box for at least 6 hours. I’ve called every vet within a 45 minute radius and no one can see him today. The vet who has seen him before suggested that we put him back on buprenex for pain and metoclopramide to stimulate appetite (we have some left over from last time he was sick, but she will also get him more) until we can have him seen on Monday. 

I have critical care and pumpkin puree I can syringe feed him, and I can give him the two medications. I also have a probiotic and gas drops. My concern is I have no idea what is wrong. I can try to drive an hour to the nearest big city and have him seen there, or I can cross my fingers. It really hasn’t been very long, so maybe he’ll snap out of it? I’m not sure. I do know though that no place will be open anywhere to see a rabbit after 2 pm today until Monday.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Hi Chelsea how are you doing? I can hear and feel your concern and is there is one thing I would do, which is get in the car and go see a vet.
I don’t want to think that on Monday you’ll be saying “I knew I should have…”

If Silas is not eating or acting normally, that is your priority, to get him back eating & pooping.
Go with your gut instinct.

((((silas)))

[Chelsea]

Nobody can see him in the nearest large city either. I’ve called about 20 different vets by now. I’m so sick of waiting on hold for what seems like forever and then hearing “sorry, our rabbit vet is not in today.” He seems to be feeling a bit better now and just used the litterbox. Clearly still not normal though.

[Luna]

In the meantime, the first thing I would do is give him some baby gas drops (simethicone). If he has gas then it will help, and even if its not gas it won’t hurt. Also check his temperature (do his ears feel nice and warm or are they cold). Is there an emergency animal hospital in your area as opposed to a veterinary clinic? If the emergency animal place treats rabbits then you don’t need to have an appointment for them to see him right away.

[Chelsea]

His ears feel cold – I noticed it immediately this morning. The local emergency vet will not see rabbits. The emergency vet about an hour away will see any animal including rabbits, but said they do not have much expertise in rabbits and should be viewed as a last resort. She literally told me “I would not bring him in unless he is dying.”

[Luna]

This could mean his temperature is low (there’s no way to really know for sure unless you use a thermometer). If you have a hot water bottle, fill it and wrap it up in a towel and put it next to him, but let him be able to move away from it if he wants to. Do not leave the hot water bottle with him unattended.

How long ago did he eat his arugula and carrot, and how long ago did he poop? Is he drinking water at all? Lethargic still? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get a clear picture/timeline. ((((Silas))))

[Chelsea]

Well, persistence pays off, because he is currently at the vet having x-rays done. I called back our local vet again to ask about checking his temperature and giving him a heat pad, and she was able to locate a vet working at a new emergency clinic (normally only for cats and dogs) who has some experience with rabbits. He’s dehydrated, and his temperature is indeed low. I don’t know yet if we’re bringing him home today or if they are going to keep him over night.

I can’t believe how fast this happened – he was completely normal yesterday. Thank you for your support!

[Luna]

Luna sends healing vibes ((((Silas))))

[Chelsea]

Argh. I wish we had just kept him home. 9.5 hours at the emergency vet, and he didn’t eat or poop at all. They didn’t even try to feed him. She refused to give him pain medication, saying the xray just showed gas and all he needs is metaclopramide. She said gas drops are a bad idea. I don’t trust a word of it.

We just syringe fed him a teaspoon of critical care mixed with pumpkin, and I’m contemplating giving him the buprenex anyway. I know it is not an ideal pain medication for rabbits, but it all we have :-(.

I’m open to any suggestions, because at this point I think I trust advice from here more than from that vet.

[Vienna Blue in France]

I’m sorry Chelsea but don’t know enough about advising re giving medication…. but I’d always heard from here that simethicone or gas drops can’t do any harm if is a bun doesn’t really need them. 9.5 hrs at the vet! Wow!

Keep going with the critical care and anything else he will take. Have you been gentle tummy massaging? That can’t hurt either.
Sitting in front of him, put your hands under belly whilst gently rubbing/kneading whilst lifting his hindquarters off the ground – bubbles go up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyC6CWbm5M

Atleast the xrays didn’t show anything else, like obstruction.

(( Silas )))

[Bam]

We can’t give medical advice here since we aren’t vets, we can only provide you with info do you can make informed decisions. Gas drops can be given on suspicion of gas according to both dr Dana Krempels and Medirabbit. Dosage is 1 ml per hour for three hours. Try to make the bun move around, it helps get gas out. Sitting him in your lap and lifting his butt up like Vienna says also helps gas escape.

I had a vet who refused to give my Yohio pain meds when he wouldn’t eat, so I know the feeling of deep frustration. Buprenorphin is problematic though because it slows the gut. I’d try the gas drops first, they as a rule work within 30 minutes.

Keep him warm. If he can sit in your lap with a blanket on him it’d be great.

[Azerane]

Sorry to hear that Silas is unwell. I hope that he is starting to improve though. His temperature being low is something very important to get on top of. Bandit had gut stasis a few times but there was only one time when I really feared for him because his ears felt ice cold to the touch. I was up with him all night, keeping him close and warm, petting his ears, massaging his tummy etc. It’s exhausting and scary but do whatever you can. I’m sorry to hear that the vet visit didn’t go very well, it can be a real problem with non bunny savvy vets but in a pinch usually any vet is better than no vet at all, it’s just a shame that it’s so common for vets to not understand the needs of a rabbit.

[Chelsea]

Thank you, and I know you can’t give real medical advice. I was feeling very frustrated when I wrote that.

He is doing better now – I would describe him as stable. He got up at about 11 and ate maybe a quarter cup of hay and arugula. He slept next to me all night, and his stomach was burbling away. This morning he ate about the same amount of hay and arugula again. He’s pooping small amounts of tiny rock droppings. The only medications we have given him so far is the metaclopramide and some benebac. In fairness, the emergency vet was very nice, and they did their best. They just don’t know much about rabbits and they were extremely busy. Ironically, there was a lot of confusion while we were there because a cat named “Bunny” came in at the same time.

[Luna]

It’s good to hear that Silas is doing better . I agree with everyone’s advice, and I would also suggest dousing his veggies in some water so that it helps him keep hydrated as much as possible. ((((Silas))))

[Vienna Blue in France]

Lol. “He got up……”
I can just imagine him getting out of bed in his pjs, yawning, having a scratch and going to the kitchen for breakfast…..

[Azerane]

Lol, Vienna

I’m glad to hear that Silas is starting to do better, I hope he continues to eat well and his poops improve too

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m hoping he feels back to himself soon. Poor guy should have been given pain meds. Gas can be very painful for bunnies and that’s usually why they refuse to eat.

Gas drops, if giving the proper type and dose, are not harmful. It’s always my first “go to” when a bun refuses to eat.

Gentle tummy massages can also provide some relief.

[Chelsea]

He just had a huge sneezing fit. Otherwise he’s been the same all day – mostly sleeping, occasionally getting up and taking a few bites of lettuce, hay, arugula or pellets. There is very little in his litter box. We’ll see how he does tonight, but I suspect we will be back at the vet tomorrow.

[Azerane]

At least he’s nibbling something, better than no food at all.

[Chelsea]

Absolutely. I actually thought he was showing a lot of improvement compared to yesterday until he started sneezing. But maybe I just got some critical care in his nose and it’s nothing.

[Gina.Jenny]

Come on (((Silas))) eating vibes x

[Chelsea]

Today he wouldn’t eat hay, lettuce, pumpkin or herbs but wanted to chew on sticks. We had a heck of a time giving his meds and syringe feeding him. At the vet he completely refused to have his mouth examined. He’s doing amazingly well though for how few poops he has produced and how little he has eaten, and his temperature is normal. We’re dropping him off tomorrow morning for head xrays, blood work and possibly a urine sample. In the meantime, he’s got metacam now and approved infant gas drops. I can’t believe the emergency vet never checked his mouth, but it now seems likely he might be suffering from a tooth problem. My fingers are crossed, because I like the idea of a clear diagnosis that is treatable.

[Azerane]

Get better soon, Silas! Don’t you know you’re causing your mummy all sorts of worry!

Wishing him all the best at the vet tomorrow. Nose rubs for Silas

[Luna]

Good to hear his temperature is normal. I’ve heard scary stories of buns going into shock from temperature loss and how hard it is to bring them out of it sometimes. I wouldn’t worry too much about the sneezes (if it happens just once in a while), but it is still very much worth mentioning to the vet to help diagnose the little guy. Luna sends more vibes ((((Silas))))

[Chelsea]

And today’s update: the emergency vet basically had no idea what they were doing. According the medical records they finally received today his temperature on Saturday was 105.8, and his x-ray showed the worst gas the vet had ever seen. She said she was surprised they let us take him, since she would have been worried about his stomach rupturing. I don’t understand what happened, and why we’ve gotten such conflicting information. The good news is his x-ray today was much better, his temp is still normal and his teeth look great. Unfortunately, his stomach is clearly not emptying properly. They want to keep him over night for at least a day or two to make sure he doesn’t have an obstruction. It’s really nerve wracking feeling so uncertain about whether the vets actually understand how to treat rabbits, but I keep telling myself we’re doing the best we can. While I don’t have 100% confidence in our current vet’s knowledge, I do know she’s clearly shown more care and offered more help by far than anyone else we’ve talked to.

I’ll miss him tonight – since he’s been sick he’s been spending every night sleeping up against me on our bed.

[beebun]

Oh, Chelsea! That sounds terrible. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I hope silas feels better soon. Sorry I can’t offer any advice but please know both of you are in our minds.

((silas))

[Chelsea]

I am desperately hoping we’ll be able to bring Silas back home on the road to a full recovery tomorrow. As of this morning he had still only produced a few rock hard little poops, so they kept him from another day. Today they’ve been feeding him tons of fruits and laxatives/stool softeners to try to get him to pass the impaction. If they find it in his stool tonight and/or the x-ray shows his stomach is emptying normally they will let us bring him home. I talked to the staff this evening, and they said he seems to be much more active now and is delighted by his fruit diet. It scares me a bit they are giving him so much high carbohydrate stuff, but I can appreciate that treatment for a partial obstruction would be different than for normal GI stasis. I could google search recommended treatments, but I’m afraid it would just make me worry more. I really hate how much more poorly understood/widespread rabbit care is than cats and dogs.

[Vienna Blue in France]

(((( Silas ))))

[Bam]

(((((Silas)))))

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

I hope you’ll have him home again soon, and yes it’s very frustrating that vets have such poor knowledge of rabbits. Get well soon Silas!

[LittlePuffyTail]

(((((Sending Healing Vibes your way)))))

[DanaNM]

So sorry you are going through this! Sending healing vibes! 

I have noticed arugula can make my buns gassy (it is in the cabbage family, along with kale, broccoli, etc). Try offering cilantro and carrot tops. My bun is currently dealing with stasis and he has eaten carrot tops when he wouldn’t eat anything else. 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Chelsea]

He’s back! I am SO relieved. Thank you everyone! I took pictures of all the x-rays because a) I find it fascinating and b) if we ever have to take him to an emergency vet again hopefully I will have a better idea of what I’m looking at. The vet told us to give him as much hay and water as possible, very few pellets, and as much fresh leafy wet greens with fruit treats (max 2 tbsp) as it takes to keep his stool soft. We’ve dealt so much with how to keep him from soft stool that this will be new to us to focus on nothing hard, at least for a few days. We don’t know what caused this, although too little water and/or eating something my kids dropped seem to be prime suspects. I think I may try adding a bit of juice to his water to get him to drink more (I meant to ask the vet about this but forgot) and try some different types of hay and a new hay rack. I think unfortunately part of the problem is when we switched to Sherwood I was so delighted the messy soft poops were gone that I didn’t adequately make sure they were staying soft enough and he was drinking enough water. I’m so happy we are getting a chance to try again and fix it.

Saturday March 11:

Tuesday March 14:

Today March 16:

[Aaron]

How is Silas doing today? Poor baby! I am a nervous wreck when Sebastian or Juliet is sick. Sebastian had GI Stasis a couple of weeks ago, and I had a gut feeling that something was wrong. My mom was like “Oh he is fine!” I basically cried and flipped out before we took him in, and sure enough he had Stasis. I hope Silas feels better soon and give updates.

[Chelsea]

He’s doing MUCH better. He seemed excited to greet my kids and is laying down at my feet right now. He downed a carrot top in no time, and pooped a bunch in his litter box. His droppings are still really small, but soft now. I’m really happy and relieved.

[BunnyFriends]

Yay! Glad he’s all better.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

You’ll have trouble finding people who are happier about poops than us fur-crazies

Hurrah for poops! Get well soon dear Silas!

[Bam]

So happy to hear he’s pooping again and eating carrot tops!!! Continued recovery-vibes for (((((Silas)))))

Thank you for the x-rays!

[sarahthegemini]

I’ve read through this thread and am so pleased to hear your latest update. Thank goodness he is okay! It’s so scary isn’t it when they get poorly but hopefully it’s plain sailing from now on! Happy for Silas , woo!!

[Luna]

Yay Silas! I knew you could do it .

[vanessa]

Yeesh! Scary! I’m so glad he is doing better. I’d be concerned now about the bacterial balance in his gut from all that fruit…

[Aaron]

I’m glad for you and Silas! Such a cutie! That is good that his poops are a bit softer so if anything was causing him discomfort in his bowels it would eventually move out. Are his poops still small?

[Chelsea]

Yes, his bacterial balance is definitely a concern. She said she kept the fruit under 2 tbsps, but she also gave him small pieces of whole wheat bread, which just seems bizarre to me. Still, it’s hard for me to complain too much given that he’s alive and clearly doing a lot better.

Yes, his poops are still really small. He’s still eating well, active and seems happy. Today he made 20-30 poops about 1/4 to 1/2 the normal size. I’m about to start him up on the laxatone again to try and increase their size/wetness. He’s also still got metacam, benebac, gas drops, and metoclopramide. I’ve been wetting down all his greens (carrot tops, lettuce, cilantro, parsley) and I tried adding a splash of juice to his water but he wasn’t interested. I’m wondering if i should switch his pellets back to oxbow instead of Sherwood since that gave him lots of large soft poops before.

Bam, if you don’t mind answering, does this seem about right to you? I understand of course if you prefer not to answer.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

If he doesn’t want to drink, maybe you can try to brew some hay tea. Dutch vets often advice it for buns who refuse to drink. It smells good to most buns and it encourages them to drink. It also contains some nutrients from the hay. You make it by putting hay in a cup, and pouring boiling water onto it. Let cool down to room temperature, and drain the fluid into a water crock. Change daily, because it spoils quickly.

[Chelsea]

Silas is continuing to do really well, but his poops are still smaller and lighter colored/drier than normal. We stopped giving him the different medications because he was acting so normal and making lots of poops, but I’m wondering if that was the right call. Or maybe we just need to adjust his diet? He weighs 6 lbs (down 4 ounces which is probably a good thing) and here’s his current daily food consumption:
* about 2 cups of lettuce, cilantro, parsley and carrot tops (maybe too much, I’m not sure – the vet said a minimum of 1 cup), wet
* 2 tablespoons of Sherwood Professional pellets (he’s not eating it all)
* one tsp or smaller piece of fruit

* unlimited timothy hay

* fresh water   

[vanessa]

That sounds good to me. Is he still eating lots of hay?

[Chelsea]

I think he’s eating about 2-4 cups of hay per day. I’ve been adjusting his litter box to try and track it better, but it’s still a bit of a guessing game. He drank probably 1/4 cup of water today. I’m so used to him having lots of large mushy poops all his life that these small little hard light colored ones weird me out a bit.

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