Bouts of not eating

[FooFoosMommy2]

We just had Foo at the vet last week because she wasn’t eating and drinking. Our vet, who was HRS recommended, checked her out from whiskers to tail and found nothing wrong with her. No teeth issues, no kidney issues (like we were told in the fall when she had the same issue from our previous vet), no ear issues, nothing. There is nothing wrong with her. Dr. Beck did say that her stomach felt empty during the exam, and she ended up getting Mexacam (I think it was) and a shot for her stomach (it was described like a Pepcid or Zantac for bunnies), and we had to give her Metacam for three days, as a precaution since the vet said that they don’t just stop eating for no reason, and if she was in pain for some reason, it was better to treat it. I was just wondering if anyone still here deals with repeated bouts of stasis, or if anyone has any ideas what could cause Foo to stop eating, or what we could do to prevent it? As always, thanks.

[Stickerbunny]

It could be gas or stress. What is her diet? Did she get anything that day that she didn’t usually get? Any stressful things happen?

For at home care, you can try simethicone (baby gas medicine) and tummy rubs, until the vet can be seen, if it happens again. Stickers has had it happen twice and Powder once, both due to eating something that didn’t agree with them.

[FooFoosMommy2]

Her diet is unlimited hay, water, pellets as treats occasionally, and a wide assortment of veggies(parsley, lettuces ((not iceberg)), kale, raddichio, bok choy, basil, mint, parlsey, spinach, arugula, broccoli,brussel sprouts, swiss chard, etc) that get rotated out. She gets tummy rubs all the time, my husband is obsessed about checking her potty box and making sure she isn’t gassy. Nothing out of the ordinary happened this past week, the first time it was after our mouse, who she was friends with died. We do have simethicone on hand in the emergency kit. I’m just worried that it might be a chronic thing, and I don’t want her to be going through this stress every few months. Thanks!

[manic_muncher]

Do you keep a food diary for her? Perhaps you can spot a pattern if it happens again, something may not be agreeing with her.

[FooFoosMommy2]

That’s what I was thinking kinda, maybe it’s the combination of two or three of these together? Whenever we introduce something new, we give her a meal that’s just the new thing and then slowly add old favorites in with it.

[Stickerbunny]

Hm. Well, the first one could have been stress, given her loss of a friend.

Do you always have the same type of vegetables? (example: Curly parsley doesn’t ever replace italian parsley or anything of that sort) – Powders one tummy upset was when I bought him italian parsley instead of curly parsley. I was a bad bunny mom that day

[FooFoosMommy2]

She gets both kinds of parsley, neither have been an issue before. It’s what we started her on when we first found her because it was vet recommened and we didn’t know if she had ever had fresh veggies before. The only thing that differs is sometimes I go all out and treat her to organic veggies.

I was bad bun mom the other day, bc we only had broccoli and raddichio. She sent me out before the snow started to get better breakfast options =)

[jerseygirl]

It’s worth paying close attention to what her activity level or general manner is like while she is on the metacam. Even if a really subtle change. It might provide a clue.

If consider X-rays and molars checked under sedation if you haven’t gone that route yet.

2 really common causes of discomfort are arthritis and molar spurs unfortunately.

{{{Foo}}}

[FooFoosMommy2]

Jersey- she’s fine now, what the vet said was on the day we were there Foo coulda have stomach cramps or something. She perked up after the first couple doses of Metacam, but I have no idea what was hurting her. With the way she tears around the house, is it possible she pulled a muscle? This rabbit is a mystery. It was the same a few months ago, stopped eating drinking and then was fine a day or two later.

[JPetrucci84]

I had the same incident happen to me. The recommendation ended up making sure she’s exercising plenty to get a healthy appetite. Not sure what your history of exercise for her is, but something to consider. Good luck!

[jerseygirl]

This is but random but could she be getting to hot sometimes?

I know you guys up north are in winter but indoor temps can get too cosy for a bun when the heating is on almost 24/7.

[FooFoosMommy2]

We always thought that because she lays right against the heaters, we have picked up her and moved her before, but she just goes right back. We asked the vet who said that sometimes they just like to be warm.

J- Foo gets 8+ hours of out time a day. She’s only in her home (unless by choice) overnight or if we are both not home.

We, well my husband, has a thoery that she is just a drama queen. Normally the routine is that we all have dinner at the same time, Foo eats dinner with us. Last Monday, I was in class late, and my husband fell asleep before I got home, which resulted in us not having dinner. Foo didn’t eat her dinner or her breakfast the next day, which was what prompted us to call the vet. Im not sure I believe that she’d skip meals cause she’s not happy with us, although she knows she gets a lot of attention when she does (we both left work to make the appointment and she got fawned over by the Dr and had the nerve to attempt tooth purs at the office!).

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