Another small poop question

[Laura]

Hi,

I did do a search and alread read the other small poop threads. Where I learned about giving buns pumpkin.

I don’t contribute to these boards often because I have 4 Reno rabbits that are outdoors, which some of you are familiar with.  (We have already had the why rabbits shouldn’t be outside thread;  I didn’t have a choice when I adopted them from Best Friends.)

Here is my problem.  Last week Bambi stopped eating her pellets and really cut back on her hay and water intake.  She was sitll eating her veggies, but I could tell she didn’t feel well.  I brought her to the vet and the only thing she could find wrong with Bambi is that her stomach is distended.  Vet told me to give her pineapple juice 3 times a day.  It’s a week later and there is no change.  The poos are still super tiny.  I am giving her extra veggies, which she eats, but she is hardly eating timothy hay and hardly drinking. She has not lost weight.

So should I try the pumpkin?  Or call the vet. Or call the other more rabbit savy vet? (I have been to both vets with the rabbits.) How long can a rabbit go with small poops?

Here is the problem with calling either vet, I will probably have to bring her in again, and I can’t afford it (I guess I can ask if I can make payments).  Another problem with the rabbit savy vet is that he is an hour away (that’s 2 hours in the car, and 1/2 day off work), which we have done before when I brought Cinnamon in.  Bambi and Cinnamon are pals, and go to the vet together, but I can tell it totally stresses Bambi to be in the car (Cinnamon could care less).

Also, kind of off the topic.  If you know of any Reno rabbit owners please send them my way, I would love to have someone like me to talk to about the rabbits. Though I think that if others got sick buns like I did, they probably already put them down.

Thanks for listening,

Laura

[Lion_Lop_Lover]

I guess the big question to ask yourself is, “Is my bunny worth it?”
I know finances get tight, and I am nervous of when one of my four gets ill or needs the vet, because I know money’s going to be tight, but they are my kids, and I will try as hard as I can to save them, no matter the cost.

So…if your bun bun has not improved at all I would call the savvy vet and ask what she recommends, and if she says “bring the bunny, quickly” I would take her quickly…

Bun gastrointestinal stuff gets really serious really fast…

If she’s not really eating hay and she’s not really drinking… call the savvy vet and explain it to her, she could best advise you. Likely she will ask you to come in, and that’s when you ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”

Good luck…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

OHHHH Laura!!!

Ok, first, you can talk with us, even though your rabbits are outside! *hugs* everyone is welcome!

YOu need to read this article, and give the second one to your vet. They are on the condition GI STASIS which is characterized with small poops, and I think they will help you

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

for your vet (apparently the one for owners is peared down a bit for understanding)

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

Others on here have more experience with these things and can advise you better!

[Sarita]

The one who recommended pineapple juice 3 times a day doesn’t know what she/he is talking about.

It’s also possible she has teeth problems and that is why she is not eating. But you do mention distended stomach – she needs more than pineapple juice in any event. I don’t think pumpkin is the answer either here.

I guess in any case she needs to see the rabbit savvy vet as there could be many underlying causes for her not eating and having small poops – they will probably recommend that you bring her in as these thing cannot be diagnosed over the phone.

[charlie82]

Hi,

Yes your rabbits needs to see a rabbit savvy vet…one who will give you some gut stimulant drugs and pain relief for your bunny….I am shocked that your vet simply suggested pineapple juice!

Gut stasis can be potentially fatal, but with the right meds and some TLC you should be able to nurse them through it.

It cost me £50 for each of my rabbits when they went into stasis, but if it were a choice between their life and £50 I would choose their life….

I’m not sure of people putting their rabbits down if they had a treatable illness, usually only those that don’t care about them will do so. Obviously if financially it’s an issue then you have to consider the quality of life your pet has, but I also think that part and parcel of having pets is being prepared to pay for such things. I only have as many as I can afford and although they cost me quite a lot I would only consider putting them to sleep if they had no quality of life. I couldn’t put a price on their life.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

And most vets are very understanding about high costs etc. (most) …I think that’s why they try to offer advice over the phone; Sometimes not the best thing, but they are trying to help for those who can’t afford to bring them in…

See if your vet will allow payments, I think most will. If not, it may be possible for you to pay on credit card (suggests the girl with two maxed out credit cards and one student loan hehe)? Then you could pay the vet up front, but pay in payments to the credit card company…Just another thought!

[Laura]

Hi,

I don’t think teeth is an issue because she was (until last night) eating apple tree twigs. When I feed them tonight I will see if she ate the one I gave her this morning. (Cinnamon doesn’t eat them.)

I will call the rabbit savy vet.

I already read about the GI stasis.

FYI: I have spent over $1000 on Cinnamon alone in vet bills (abscesses) in less than a year. I spend $200 a month on food and Cinnamon’s meds.  Which doesn’t bother me, it just bothers my husband, who bothers me.  I think that Best Friends didn’t realize how sick these buns were, and maybe they shouldn’t have been adopted (just my opinion).

We don’t have any credit cards (just Sears), but we have lots of other bills and live pay check to pay check.

Thanks to all of you for the advice, I really do listen to all you have to say.

Laura

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Keep us posted Laura! We are anxious to hear how she does!

[charlie82]

Hi Laura,

Well it sounds like you have put a lot of work into your bunnies so only you can make that very personal decision of what’s next. Rabbits can go into stasis for no apparent reason, I think if your vet had been rabbits savvy the first thing she would have checked are the back teeth in which case you wouldn’t have to worry about that!

I know people whose bunnies have gone into stasis and they have been unable to go to vet and treated them at home. As a last option until you can get to the vet…..you can mash down some pellets with warm water and feed your bunny regularly with small amounts. Offer lots of greens and herbs to try and entice feeding. I also wouldn’t feel guilty if you took your rabbit to the vet, it seems like it was obviously stasis and the distended stomach indicates a blockage of some sort. It just annoys people I think when the most obvious of ailments are not obvious to the vet….if they were then you wouldn’t have to be concerned with what you do now!

I don’t know anything about ‘Best Friends’, but most rescues do full health screening before adopting out. Things like stasis can occur at any time of life, as do abscesses. There doesn’t always have to be an underlying cause, so it may be that the bunnies were fine when in the rescue. I hope bunny feels better soon!

Angela

[Lisa_43]

I think a lot of us find things tight, I for one have a lot of animals to look after and at the moment I am not working.

Quite a few years ago I started up a bank account were I put so much money into it a week for any vet bills.

It’s a good idea for anyone to start up if you don’t have pet insurance, so when those bills do come in you don’t have to panic about finding the money.

Just a thought.

[Bunnies4ever]

After following this post I remembered one day when I was at my vet’s office, this lady was payng her vet bill and she pulled out a credit card. She told the vet assistant that “this card is the dog’s card”. It seems that she had a credit card just for the dog’s health! I for one know how tight money can be and having that credit card worked for her. She said she only used it for her dog which I thought was a neat idea if you can do it. Having a small reserve set aside is a good idea.

[Laura]

Rabbit savy vet is not in today. So I left a message.  Receptionist said he will call me tomorrow, she will make sure of it.

I will mash up some pellets tonight.

I already have money automatically taken out from my paycheck that goes into a savings account that we use for vacation and Christmas.  I will start taking out a little more for the buns.

Really great ideas.  Thank you!

Laura

The other 2: Gerald and Clint.  (Clint is missing 1/2 his ear.)

[luvmybuns]

My bunny just had the same thing.  His poop was really small, but he quit eating/drinking so I called someone and I gave him an hour belly massage, then we made him hop around some and then I gave him another belly massage.  That helped alot.  By the next morning he was eating and hopping around.  We still took him to a bunny savy vet and she put him on antibiotics for a week.  He is doing much better now.  Our bunny savy vet is 1 1/2 hours away from our house.  Once we were there, she was well worth the trip.  We will be taking our other bunnie there in the future.  Hope your bun feels better soon.

[Lisa_43]

las711, I am not sure if it is just me but I cannot see your pictures.

[lucygoosey]

I can totally sympathize with the money issue. When I adopted Lucy I knew there would be money going into her health and such, she had teeth problems and the shelter she was staying at didn’t have money to fix them, so I agreed to pay for her spay and teeth surgery so she could be more comfortable (around $300). Turns out, the teeth were okay to stay in, which means I have to pay every 4 months to have them grinded down ($200 ea time).

A lot of people seem to think that if you chose to have a pet you should have prepared the finances for it. But who knew that taking in a little 2lb bunny JUST FOR EXAM could cost up to $60? It really baffles me, especially the vets who know nothing about bunnies, and agree to see them anyway because they want the dough.

I live in Canada and there is no pet insurance for bunnies which I find even more stupid (since US and UK have it available). So it’s a double whammy over here.

Now onto your bunnies, is the tummy distended from a blockage? Or gas? If she’s eating veggies and nothing else, maybe a tummy massage could help? However, if the tummy is taut DONT MASSAGE. In addition to feeding liquidized pellets make sure to get lots of fluids in her as well. My bunny went into GI Stasis on Christmas DAY and I couldn’t find a bunny savvy emerg clinic to save my life, so we massaged Lucy until 5am and the next day she started eating again.

Let us know how it all turns out.

Sending love,

Claud & Lucy 

[Gizmo_Fluffybutt]

I can completely understand the finance issue. I had a very sick kitty that became paralyzed suddenly and no one could figure it out. He needed to go to the neurologist and they suggested MRI’s and all kinds of insanely expensive stuff (oh, did I mention I’m a full-time student?!?). Anyway, in my desperation I was preparing to offer work for services, making payments (which no one would agree to, by the way) and begging profusely. One of the vets told me about a company, Care Credit, that offers a “credit card” specifically for vet and medical bills that would allow you to make payments and not pay interest if you paid within 12-18 months (depends on the vets office). I got one of those cards over the phone while I was at the office and wound up using that for his bills on the spot. Managed to pay it off and never pay any interest. I’ve even used it for my own medical bills (like an eye exam a few days ago) and had the same result. You have to go to a vet that accepts that particular card, but I’ve had no problem finding vets that accept it.

I know a credit card isn’t the answer for everyone, dependent on credit situation, but it certainly saved me when finances got tight.

[Laura]

Posted By Lisa_43 on 01/24/2008 5:54 PM

las711, I am not sure if it is just me but I cannot see your pictures.

Well shoot.  I will try again.  Thanks.

1125451873471.jpg
1125451890654.jpg

[Laura]

Vet didn’t say what the reason was for the distention.

Interesting about the massage.  But I wouldn’t be able to tell if it was taut or not.

Her poops were a bit larger this morning, so maybe the extra pineapple juice did something.  I’m still waiting for the vet to call though.

Thanks, Laura

[Laura]

Posted By a_grim on 01/24/2008 9:53 PM
I can completely understand the finance issue. I had a very sick kitty that became paralyzed suddenly and no one could figure it out. He needed to go to the neurologist and they suggested MRI’s and all kinds of insanely expensive stuff (oh, did I mention I’m a full-time student?!?). Anyway, in my desperation I was preparing to offer work for services, making payments (which no one would agree to, by the way) and begging profusely. One of the vets told me about a company, Care Credit, that offers a "credit card" specifically for vet and medical bills that would allow you to make payments and not pay interest if you paid within 12-18 months (depends on the vets office). I got one of those cards over the phone while I was at the office and wound up using that for his bills on the spot. Managed to pay it off and never pay any interest. I’ve even used it for my own medical bills (like an eye exam a few days ago) and had the same result. You have to go to a vet that accepts that particular card, but I’ve had no problem finding vets that accept it.

I know a credit card isn’t the answer for everyone, dependent on credit situation, but it certainly saved me when finances got tight.

I’m looking into that RIGHT NOW!

Well, neither rabbit vet I use takes it, but our cat vet does.

Thanks, Laura

[Lisa_43]

Adorable rabbits, thanks for sharing.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Cute bunnies!!

[Laura]

The vet sill hasn’t called.  I just called and the receptionist said he is super busy and the only doc that is in.  I told her that I need to speak to him, I don’t care what time it is.  So we will see.

Can someone help me with the pellet mush.  I made some last night and it kept getting stuck in the syringe.  I thought I mashed it pretty good with the spoon, but ovbiously not.  I think I can cut the tip of the syringe to make it a bit bigger, maybe that will help.

Now if she goes in it won’t be until Tuesday, because I have a class to take on Monday for work, and I can’t get out of it.

Laura

[Laura]

The vet called last night at 8 pm.  He wasn’t very helpful either.  He just said to keep her hydrated and get an x-ray.  Oh and that the pineapple juice would take some time to work.

Well Bambi is doing better today.  Her poops are getting bigger, she has a bit more energy.

I made pellet mush in the food processor last night.  But it still got stuck in the syringe.  I got a bigger syringe last night, but that didn’t work either, too much was getting into her mouth.

So I will just keep a close eye on her.

Laura

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh my Laura how in the heck did I miss this discussion?! You’ve received some great advice and I have to say that I am really disappointed in the vet. The pineapple juice is not going to help a blockage or GI stasis. I’m glad to hear though you are trying to get her to eat some fiber. You’ve tried plain pumpkin? You might want to soak the pellets a bit longer in some Pedialyte (for hydration) and then try pureeing it. How long did you let them soak for? Also soak some veggies in Pedialyte as well or just water, more fragrant things like mint, parsely, cilantro to tempt her to eat. If the poops are getting bigger that is better. Is she shedding a lot? If so you might want to consider grooming her in case she has ingested a lot of fur that was part of the cause of it. I know your vet isn’t too readily available but will they give you some Critical Care?

Just making sure you’ve seen this article too;

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

[Laura]

Posted By Scarlet_Rose on 01/26/2008 1:03 PM

Oh my Laura how in the heck did I miss this discussion?! You’ve received some great advice and I have to say that I am really disappointed in the vet. The pineapple juice is not going to help a blockage or GI stasis. I’m glad to hear though you are trying to get her to eat some fiber. You’ve tried plain pumpkin? You might want to soak the pellets a bit longer in some Pedialyte (for hydration) and then try pureeing it. How long did you let them soak for? Also soak some veggies in Pedialyte as well or just water, more fragrant things like mint, parsely, cilantro to tempt her to eat. If the poops are getting bigger that is better. Is she shedding a lot? If so you might want to consider grooming her in case she has ingested a lot of fur that was part of the cause of it. I know your vet isn’t too readily available but will they give you some Critical Care?

Just making sure you’ve seen this article too;

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

Hi,

I’m disappointed in the vet too, espically since I don’t have a choice.  I only know of 2 rabbit savy vets; the one I occasionally go to is an hour away, the other is 2 hours away.

I didn’t soak the pellets, I just added warm water and tried to smash them! Dang.  Well I know better if there is a next time (which I hope there isn’t!)

She is not shedding at all, it’s too cold. 

Anyway, crazy thing is that Bambi is doing better today than yesterday.  She ate most of her pellets this morning! She has been eating veggies all along, so I have been giving her extra veggies in place of her pellets. I saw her drinking water this morning when I was cleaning, and I know she ate a small apple tree branch last night.

I think she is on the road to recovery.

Thank you for your help Scarlet Rose!

Laura

[Gravehearted]

I’m really glad to hear she’s eating a lil better today – it’s so scary when they’re sick. Sending lots of healing to Bambi and hope she’ll continue to improve.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Laura you are so welcome! I am very glad to hear Bambi is better.

[Laura]

Bambi is doing LOTS better now! Her poos are the same size as Cinnamons now, so I can’t tell them apart. Usualy hers are BIGGER than Cinnamons. But at last, they are normal poos. Her energy is back and she is pestering Cinnamon again, just like she used to. Yippie!

Thanks to everyone!
Laura

[Sarita]

I’m glad she is doing better – I think you noticing right away and taking control of the situation helped more than anything.

The vet with the pineapple juice thing though – well that’s just old fashioned and doesn’t work. It probably did help hydrate her though. It’s pretty easy to do sub-q fluids too on your own so that might be something you can ask the vet about next time and see if they will consent to let you do this at home – less stressful for the rabbit too if they don’t have to go to the vet daily for this.

[osprey]

Glad to hear that Bambi is on the mend.

Were you able to find the snuggle safes to give the buns some extra warmth?  I wonder if the colder weather could have slowed down her digestive system and caused the small poos?

 

[Laura]

Posted By osprey on 01/29/2008 2:16 PM

Glad to hear that Bambi is on the mend.

Were you able to find the snuggle safes to give the buns some extra warmth?  I wonder if the colder weather could have slowed down her digestive system and caused the small poos?

 

I’m sure the cold didn’t help when she was feeling bad.

I have not bought the snuggle safe yet.  But I will.  The last few nights haven’t been that bad (down in the 30’s and 40’s) so that is good.

I’m bringing Bambi in on Monday for a follow up check and to have her eye looked at. She is starting to get a white film on her eyeball where she can’t close it all the way.  I put ointment on it every night, but I think the cold air got to it.

[Author]

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