Bisto’s stopped eating – UPDATE: signs of improvement!

[GrumpyBun]

 Bisto finds breakfast time very exciting. He is always upstairs with his pellet bowl, jumping around when he sees me in the morning – the sight of the pellet tub often prompts binkies. This morning he was flopped downstairs and didn’t react at all too them. 

“Bisto! It’s your breakfast! Breakfast!”

He moved over to the other side of his his hutch and flopped down again and started breathing heavily and rapidly. I offered him some pellets – no. Strawberry, cherry, cranberry… nothing. I left him to see if he’d eat his pellets but he was clearly uncomfortable and so I picked him up (which he let me do without a struggle, most unlike him) and his stomach felt hard and bloated.

So off to the vet we went. Apparently he’s not gassy, but his gut has stopped moving food through. He’s been given critical care – the vet gave him a dose there – a painkiller and an injection of imetoclopramide to get him moving. He’s also got oral doses for twice a day. He’s eaten one piece of coriander but nothing else, he’s not interested in his dinner.

Any spare vibes?

[Otti]

Hmmm it’s so weird that it happened so suddenly. Is he still drinking? You can add apple juice to his water – just a bit – to make him more interested in it. Should help things get moving as well.

If he’s not drinking he should probably get sub Q fluids at the vet.

Is he home now or still at the vets? You could try a soft tummy massage or even see if he’ll eat soft stuff like a bit of apple sauce or critical care with carrot juice in it, to see if maybe it’s a tooth issue?

(((super get well vibes to Bisto)))

[littlemissflip]

Thinking of you and Bisto, and hoping Bisto recovers quickly! Have you tried mixing a little fruit juice into his critical care? That might help stimulate his interest in it.

Also, did you vet give you any GI motility meds that you can administer at home? Our previous bun had GI stasis issues periodically, so our vet prescribed Reglan to give him to help stimulate GI motility. That always seemed to help a lot.

I’ve been there… GI stasis is so scary. I hope Bisto regains his appetite very soon!

[LoveChaCha]

I don’t have much experience in this but Chacha and I send get well vibes!

[GrumpyBun]

Unfortunately I was out yesterday until after midnight, so I don’t know how well he was yesterday afternoon/evening. My husband can’t remember whether he ate anything or not. The vet said his hydration was good, he’s home with me now so I’ll try and gentle tummy rub once he’s recovered from the syringe feeding (he’s in a definite grump at the moment). He’s got motility meds for morning and night so hopefully he will start perking up soon. Luckily my vet runs it’s own emergency service (one of them is always available on a rota system) and they said to call if I’m at all worried so at least I know they’re on hand.

Many thanks for the vibes – they are much appreciated!

[RabbitPam]

{{{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes for Bisto}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[lashkay]

Lots of Healing Vibes for Bisto!!!!! Eat your vittles, little guy….

[jerseygirl]

Any update Donna? I hope he’s responding to the treatment.
{{{Mega vibes}}} coming from Oz to the UK for Bisto!

[GrumpyBun]

Thanks for the vibes everyone, and jerseygirl – it’s really touching that you’ve remembered my name as well! Unfortunately I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you use yours so I cannot return the compliment.

It’s 1.30 pm here and I’ve been up since 8.30 with him. He’s eaten four strands of coriander (cilantro), a kale leaf and a couple of watercress leaves. He wont eat anything he has to pick up, only what you put against his mouth and he’ll only eat a couple of pieces at a time. Strangely, if he drops it he won’t bother to pick it back up..? Won’t even think about pellets; I tried moistening them which Oxo thought was brilliant but he wasn’t interested. He won’t think about hay either, not even straight from the bag which normally he loves. The syringe feeding is not going well. I can only get him to swallow tiny amounts before he holds it in his mouth and then lets it fall out once I move the syringe. I’ve been putting the syringe in the side of his mouth like the vet showed me but I can’t get him to swallow. He’s not drinking which is a bit of a worry as he’s not eating enough wet veggies to be getting his hydration from there. He’s just so quiet. He’s abandoned his routines and just wants to lay behind the sofa on his own (so Oxo’s bored and on mischief patrol!)

My main concern is pooping. He’s hopped into his litter tray a few of times and I think he’s pooped a couple of times but I simply do not have enough poops for two rabbits. I can’t make up my mind whether I should seperate them and possibly stress them out to monitor poops or leave him quietly be.

Clearly though, I need to never replace my washing machine. Each time we’ve had a bit of extra cash and started shopping for one a bunny has decided it needs to visit the vet!

[Sarita]

Did the vet check his teeth?

[GrumpyBun]

Yes, she did. I can’t recall how exactly how she phrased it but essentially although she couldn’t say he had absolutely no issues without sedating him as it was hard to throughly examine his very back teeth, and they were wearing slightly unevenly she was confident that they were not the primary cause. They were in good condition and shouldn’t being bothering him enough not to eat at all.

[GrumpyBun]

It got the better of me and I seperated them to check he was pooping – we have poops! Tiny, malformed little poops, but poops! And more cecals than poops, so he’s obviously not eating those. But poops are occurring!

[Sarita]

Yippeee. Thank you for the update.

[Otti]

Are you adding a bit of 100% apple juice to his water? That might help him drink more…

If he continues to not eat normally, his teeth might have to be checked again more thoroughly

[jerseygirl]

*Poop celebration* We really need an emoticon to signfy that.

Hope he’s still improving. Has Bisto had any ailments in the past? Can you try syringing him some water? If he’s avoiding lowering his head for food, perhaps he is also avoiding it to drink. Which is odd!

(btw, I’m Kate. : ) I used to have that in my siggy but I’ve been without one for a while now.)

[GrumpyBun]

Kate! I shall have to remember We definitely need some sort of poop emoticon. I like your last (I think) siggy – where there’s a way, a bunny will.

I haven’t added anything to his water: when we were trying to get Oxo to drink more we added things to the water and they concluded we were trying to poison them and refused to have anything to do with it. Silly buns.

Well, we are getting better. A truly awful smell emanated from behind the sofa last night which I can only attribute to a particularly noxious bunny fart… and about 10 minutes after he hopped out and ate a couple of bits of watercress on his own He’s even had a couple of pellets this morning and a few strands of hay. He’s not eating hay, just a few strands that were put in front of his nose. Still eating very little and it’s only once he’s eaten without encouragement but it is an improvement. He’s also brighter today as he’s hopped around a little rather than just laid behind the sofa.

The vet agreed that as he’s eating a little, pooping, peeing and looking brighter we should just continue with treatment at home for today rather than stress him with a vet visit but if he’s not dramatically better tomorrow we’re popping back in to have another look.

[Heather&BabsyBooboo]

Tons of good wishes from us to my near neighbours! (We’re in Newcastle) keep us all posted x

[Dee]

I hope Bisto’s doing better today! Sounds like he was improving yesterday. That’s just the way BunBun acted when he had GI stasis- and the recovery part was the same too. He got better very slowly- I had to hand feed him a lot for the first week afterward, and even his favorite foods weren’t that appealing to him. It’s so scary, I know… I hope the worst of it is over now.
{{{{{Healing vibes to Bisto}}}}}}}

[RabbitPam]

Bunny farts behind a sofa can definitely indicate good news.

However, if it were me, I’d be down with a flash light checking to make sure it was only air, in case there is a remnant of a more solid healing under there.

Here’s a new icon to use for such an occasion:

[Dee]

LOL Pam- love the new poop icon!

[GrumpyBun]

 Lol, Pam! I love the celebratory poop artwork   Luckily, the recovery appeared to remain gaseous outside the litter box. I don’t think I’ve ever been so pleased to smell something so, err, pungent before.

I think we’re ok. He’s perked up no end, poops are getting bigger and rounder and he, if anything, appears to be making up for missed meals. My little piggie wig. He’s just humped Oxo’s head so he can’t be feeling that poorly.

Thanks for all your vibes and concern – I really have appreciated it.

 

[jerseygirl]

RP, I can always rely on you. I shall save that!

grumpybun, do you keep any simethicone products on hand? Not sure all that’s available in the UK but did see you might have Infaco there? This is the one I use. It’s good when you suspect the buns might have some gas discomfort. It might not have particularly helped Bisto in this incident if he had a bit of a blockage – but it’s safe to give and wouldn’t have worsened anything. I recall Jersey had an episode like Bisto and I ended up getting a motility shot done for her. When things finally started moving it began with her passing a ‘plug’ of mucus then that lovely smell. Ick. Then she was able to toilet normally. She pretty much started munching food straight away.

Happy to hear Bisto is back to his silly old self.   I don’t know what it is, but your avatar pic of the boys always reminds me of the Muppet judges! 

[Author]

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