Bun isn’t pooping – what to do until Monday??

[MochiBun]

Hi everyone, I’m posting to see if anyone has any advice to help my wife and I make our bun feel better from now (12 PM) until tomorrow (9 AM) when the vet’s office is open.

Here’s what’s going on:

Last night, I noticed that our bun (Mochi) had dropped a lot of moist cecotropes. When I was cleaning that up, I looked in his litter box and noticed his night poops were smaller than normal and very dry and a few were connected with fur. Normally he’s a very good pooper!! I placed fresh hay in his litter box, so I could watch and see what the rest of his poops were like. The problem is, he hasn’t pooped. 

His diet consists of LOTS AND LOTS of fresh hay, a little bit of pellets (which he isn’t touching) and the last veggie I gave him was some mint and red leaf lettuce last night. 

I did some research here on binkybunny and some Google searching and read that it’s best not to give them veggies when they’re constipated, as that can lead to them needing to poop but not being able to. 

The vet’s office isn’t open until tomorrow morning, as it’s Sunday here and I want to know what I can do to make sure this doesn’t turn into anything worse. I’m assuming he’s constipated or might have a fur blockage as I noticed the furry poop.

He is 2 and very healthy. He’s never had any other issues, and his diet is a healthy one. He’s a Lionhead Flemish Giant mix, so he’s very furry. 

Any help would be great!!

 

[sarahthegemini]

I wouldn’t stop the veggies, I’d give veggies but really wet so he’s getting some water in him as that can help move things along. Also, anything to encourage hay. You could even try a tummy massage. Is he lethargic or looking uncomfortable at all?

[Bam]

Here’s a link to a good video on how to massage a bun’s tummy: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyC6CWbm5M

If you have or can get baby gas drops (simethicone), that can often help a bun feel better. You give 1 ml per hour of the 40 mg/ml solution. It’s not absorbed by the body, all of it gets pooped out. Baby gas drops are sold at Walmarts or Tesco etc, depending on where you live of course.

Also make sure he keeps warm. Buns can get hypothermic when they’re poorly. You can use a hot water bottle or hand warmers wrapped in a towel.

[MochiBun]

Thank you for replying!! I gave him some of the red leaf lettuce, and he’s eating that now. He does have an appetite, which I’m thankful for. Hay wise, he’s still eating that. I have been massaging his tummy off and on, and as he’s very good with cuddling and being handled, he’s let me do so. He’s not lethargic or uncomfortable looking, he’s playing and stretching, when he’s napped, he flopped comfortably as he always does. No grinding teeth or anything like that, but he HAS been trying to chew *anything* he can. (Of course, the only stuff he can chew is what is safe for him!) 

[MochiBun]

Thank you!! I’ll get him some simethicone. Is this the right one?? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Infants-Gas-Relief-Simethicone-Drops-100-Ct-1-Oz/10324604

I noticed this morning that the tops of his ears were colder than usual, so I’ve been making sure to keep him warm. He’s an indoor only bun, of course, so that isn’t hard.

[Bam]

I’m glad to hear he’ll eat his lettuce and hay and isn’t lethargic! The equate drops are good. They’re 20mg/ml so you can give 1-2 ml per hour for the first three hours, then 1 ml every other or third hour.

This is a very good article from a highly trusted source (Dana Krempels), if you like to read up on gut stasis in buns. Your bun doesn’t seem to have full-on stasis, and hopefully it won’t come to that, but there’s still good advice and info in the article: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

[MochiBun]

Hi everyone, here’s an update:

Mochi started pooping a little bit last night, off and on. First very dry, followed by very wet poops. He didn’t seem in pain or uncomfortable, except I’m assuming gas was moving through his tummy as he’d look a little shocked off and on. I have not seen any poop this morning or pee. I called a rabbit specialized vet this morning, they just opened, and they advised a teaspoon of mineral oil and if I don’t see any change by this afternoon, to bring him in.

Does this sound right?? I plan on calling other vets too, but I know you guys are very knowledgeable and won’t let me led astray.

[MochiBun]

I gave Mochi the mineral oil, which didn’t seem to do much. I wasn’t comfortable with that vet, so I called and made an appointment with another one and we went in today. The vet gave Mochi an exam, said he’s healthy though a bit heavy, has a healthy and good life (good food, free roam, etc.) and felt around his tummy. He couldn’t feel anything wrong, no heaviness or doughiness. He said that since he’s drinking and eating, he’s most likely okay just blocked, so he prescribed Metoclopramide for two – three days and if no change, they’ll do an x-ray and or ultrasound. I’m hoping for healthy pees and poops soon!!

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By MochiBun on 2/20/2018 5:25 PM

I gave Mochi the mineral oil, which didn’t seem to do much. I wasn’t comfortable with that vet, so I called and made an appointment with another one and we went in today. The vet gave Mochi an exam, said he’s healthy though a bit heavy, has a healthy and good life (good food, free roam, etc.) and felt around his tummy. He couldn’t feel anything wrong, no heaviness or doughiness. He said that since he’s drinking and eating, he’s most likely okay just blocked, so he prescribed Metoclopramide for two – three days and if no change, they’ll do an x-ray and or ultrasound. I’m hoping for healthy pees and poops soon!!

Just saw your previous update. I’m not so sure about mineral oil, I’m glad you took him to another vet to have him examined. Fingers crossed for lots of poos!

[MochiBun]

Thank you!! He’s peeing, which is good, and he’s eating like usual. Still very little pooping.  Lots of tummy massaging and cuddling. He’s very energetic. Taking his medicine well.

We had a HUGE snow storm and the weather, even though he’s an indoor bun, does seem to affect him a lot. Could that be part of what he’s going through?? 

[Bam]

How is he doing now?

I agree that mineral oil isn’t really part of up to date bunny healthcare.

I don’t know if the weather can affect an indoors bun, but it probably could. Changes in atmospheric pressure could tell them sth. The wild geese here “know” when it’s going to snow, they up and leave in preparation, they want open fields and open waters. They are rarely wrong.

[MochiBun]

He’s peeing, eating, grooming, playing. He’s still barely pooping. When he does, it’s just a few pieces and it’s not often. 

We’re so <g class="gr_ gr_26 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="26" data-gr-id="26">confused,</g> because everything else is normal!!&nbsp;</p>

The only thing he doesn’t want to eat is pellets, which are just a small part of his diet but it’s still kind of strange. His main diet is, of course, hay and veggies and he’s eating them up happily.

The vet said it’s weird, as he IS eating, so all of that food should be going… Somewhere. He wasn’t bloated at all at the vet’s office and he hasn’t been acting like he’s uncomfortable. 

[MochiBun]

@bam – I have a quick question. The med from the vet doesn’t seem to be working. It’s Metoclopramide and my mother-in-law looked this up and supposedly it’s use is causing tremors in the bun’s stomach to move things along. Is this true?! He does take the medicine like a good boy, but it’s not helping yet.

[Bam]

Metoclopramide is a gut motility drug. It sets the intestines inmotion so their contents can be propelled forward. It’s usually very effective in rabbits but it can be combined with ranitidine, another gut motility drug that has its action higher up in the GI tract.( Both these meds are “human” meds but used for nausea (metoclopramide) and excess stomach acid (ranitidine)). You can ask your vet if they think this would be a good idea. You can also try the gas drops again. They could potentially help lubricate the intestinal wall so the food can pass through more easily. (There is no scientific evidence to support this. I don’t think there’s been any studies made.)

He really ought to poop soon. Hydration is very important. Serve him his greens freshly rinsed and dripping wet (if it doesn’t make him refuse them, that is). 

Regarding the pellets, it’s not entirely uncommon for buns to go off pellets when they feel a bit crappy. If it’s only a small part of his diet he should do fine without them. Keep offering them though. 

[MochiBun]

Update: Everything is wonderful!! Mochi’s pooping like normal, peeing, eating, drinking, playing and more. Thank you so much for the advice and support!! We’re all very grateful.

[sarahthegemini]

What a great outcome! Yay! 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Glad to hear it!

[Bam]

Happy news! Yay! Thanks for updating.

[Author]

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