BunBun Hasn’t Eaten Since Last Night :(

[Dee]

Hi Everyone,

My BunBun refused to run infor his dinner last night- greens, banana and apple. It was really late cuz I was so busy- I feel awful since I would’ve noticed he was not well sooner had I served his dinner on time. He waslaying around with his wife, Nelli, as usual, but when I called them for food, he just wouldn’t go. At first I thought it was a gas episode like I think it was last time- he ws shivering and got very cold, so I warmed him up, rubbed his belly and he recovered. But it’s not 6:30 AM- he refused his food at 1:00 AM. The last time I saw him eat was sometime yesterday- it could’ve been in the morning for all I canremember. And BunBun is a very hungry rabbit usually.

  So at 2:00 AM I went and got some simethicone, but I couldn’t get him to take it. I missed with the syringe (I meltedcherry chewable tablets in water) and he got all scared because of me grabbing him. I never pick him up although he will let me- he just hates it.Here’s a list of his symptoms cuz I’m rambling.

Refuses food- will take one nibble of granola (his favorite treat) will not eat bananas, parsley, etc. Has not eaten since yesterday

Peed while sitting on the kitchen chair- very unlike him. Just kinda lifted his butt and went.

Pooped normally, about 6 poops, on the chair but hasn’t gone to the litter box.

Sits with his body flat on floor, but hind legs folded so his butt is sticking up a bit sometimes-not like him.

Very quiet and doesn’t want to be petted- has gotten less sociable throughout the night.

Body temp seems to be normal.

He needs to go to a vet, obviously. But I’m worried that his current vet is not that rabbit-savvy, although he did his neuter. Does anyone know amny good bunny vets near Worcester, MAsasachusetts or Milford, MAssachusetts? Should I just go by the House Rabbit list?

And does anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong with him? I’m so scred- he’s never stopped eating except for a few hours when he gets home from the vet. Thanks.

[RabbitPam]

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/vets.shtml

Dee,

I’m sorry BunBun isn’t well. I am originally from MA and lived in the Berkshires about 5 years ago, but to be honest I don’t know a rabbit savvy vet I would have you go out of your way for. Above is the listing from HRS of MA vets. Scroll down to find the two listed in Worcester. There may be a third near you worth calling as well.

Definitely get him in as an emergency appointment anywhere you can this morning. If you can get to one of those listed, start there, but if a vet knows him already and you can book an appointment immediately, I’d do that and then start caling around for a new vet you might want to see instead. Basically, go to whoever can see him in a few hours. The good news is that his gut is obviously still moving as evidenced by the poos and pee, so I would keep the poos in a baggie to bring with you since they may want to analyze it.

{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes for BunBun.}}}}}}}}}}

[RabbitPam]

Dee – I just saw your new post. I am copying it here to keep it all together so it won’t lead to confusion in multiple posts, and will delete your other one. It’s easier for members to reply to the same continuous thread.

I don’t know what the milky white substance is either, and actually Sammy has had that the past couple of days, though she has been behaving normally otherwise. I know some pee can be different colors, but it prompted me to make an appt. for her wellness exam next Monday, barring any other symptoms between now and them. With BunBun, I’d say it was part of the same problem that’s going on with him. Might be too early, but any luck with getting a vet appt. yet?

Dee wrote:

“Hi again,

I just noticed a chalky, white substance on on of the kitchen chairs where BunBun has been. It’s about the size of a quarter and is seeped into the fabric. Now I’m remembering, laast time he got sick and stopped eating, a couple weeks ago, I found the same substance where he was sitting. i thought someone had spilled milk on him.

Could it be bladder sludge? When he peed on the chair last night, the appearance was normal but the fact that he went on the chair was very unusual. Does anyone thin this is a possibility? Then again, Nelli is also on the chairs so it could be her… but it’s odd that this substance appeared last time too. Last time only lasted a couple hours though, but he was really cold and shivering. This time he is just lethargic and doesn’t wanna be bothered. Thanks for any help.

Dee

[Dee]

Thank you, RabbitPam! I’m bringing him to his regular vet- this seems like it may be an emergency, and they are 10 minutes away and will do payment plans if needed. I’m not sure if they are the very best, but I think a quick visit is better than waiting all day and taking an hour car ride. I will keep you posted. He’s never been sick like this before- I’m so scared. Thanks for your reply,

[RabbitPam]

I think that’s the best thing to do for now. Bring the phone numbers of the other vets with you, in case your vet is open to a phone consultation if she feels she needs a bunny expert’s help. I think with many vets, they are knowledgeable in cases of emergencies even if they don’t commonly see that type of animal and can do the most good by being there right away. I’ve met a few vets who were frank about their limits regarding bunnies, and had recommended seeing other vets. You can also check your phone book under Exotics, which are the way vets for non-cats/dogs list themselves. Then call for local exotic vets and ask if they treat bunnies regularly. It’s another way to find out after BunBun is out of the woods.

[Dee]

Well I just got back from the vet- they think BunBun has a hairball in his belly. She said his stomache feels quite full and she could hear no gut sounds whatsoever. So they’re gonna confirm the diagnosis on X-Ray and try him to move the hairball out. I hope that’s it, and that he will be ok- I get so upset when my pets get sick. I mean I’m calm enough to deal, but I am just obsessed and terrified every second of the day until they are better. The vet said that she usually has good outcomes with hairballs- she has never had to send a bun to surgery for one before, so that’s encouraging.

One question I do have is… should I have left Nelli with BunBun? He must be so scared- and Nelli doesn’t know what to do without him, she’s just hiding in a corner cuz she can’t find him. The vet said she didn’t want me to leave Nell there, due to the liability of signing a healthy bun into the hospital, and also because she thinks Nelli might get protective of BunBun and stress herself out. I just think poor BunBun looked so pitiful wrapped up in his towel as I left… I hope I did the right thing. they said it should be a short visit- hopefully he will be home by noontime. I don’t know- I’ve never had to leave one of them before except for BunBun neuter when he was just a single teenage bun.

[Sarita]

Vibes to Bunbun. If the vet does not allow it I guess there’s nothing you can do. My vet would always allow it too. Does your vet have alot of experience with rabbits? Did you ask her how she was going to treat the “hairball”? Rabbits don’t really get hairballs like cats.

[eyorelop]

As far as a future vet my bunny 101 class told us to call and ask how many rabbits they see a month and if it is only a couple check another vet off rabbit house list for one who sees more rabbits monthly. I hope you bunny is better soon.

[Dee]

Hi Pam, Sarita and Eyorelop,
Thanks for your replies and healing vibes . I sure hope the vet has lots of experience- she remarked on how she hasn’t had to do surgery on a bun for an obstruction/GI Statisand that gave me the impression that she’s treated quite a few rabbits. It’s just terrifying to have his life depending on her treatment when I’m not entirely confident in her. Eyorelop, that’s a great idea to ask how many buns a vet treats per month- I will defintely do that when I’m hunting for another vet.
So here’s the latest… I spoke with the receptionist at the vet’s- she’s a bunny mom too and has 2 bonded buns, and she said she would be afraid BunBun would be so upset about not having his wifey that he would stop eating for a few days. So I zoomed Nelli back to the vet in the blazing heat- only to have the vet shoot me down once again. She said that BunBun was on a heating pad and could not be disturbed, and that she would not be responsible for Nelli overheating if she sat on the heating pad. So I went to see BunBun (at least I was allowed to do that) and he was all alone in a big cage- plenty room for Nell to keep her distance from the heating pad. I felt so bad for him- I patted his little head and talked to him and he closed his eyes- even the vet said how glad he was to see me. At that point, she said BunBun was pretty critical- his temp was 95 degrees and the x-ray showed that his belly was distended and full of gas and I guess hair/poop, no movement at all. They gave him a shot for the pain, fluids, and some meds to get his gut going. I left thinking the worst, dropped nell off at home and returned to the vet with Rick, my husband. He couldn’t see BunBun cuz there was an animal in surgery so it was too busy out back, but the receptionist said he’s doing really well, jumping on and off his heating pad, and I didn’t hear her say this but Rick swears she said that BunBun was eating a little! Oh, I’m praying so hard that he will pull through. I will be picking him up before 6:00 PM today- from there he will either come home (I hope!!) or I will take him to Tuft’s Veterinary School for overnight care. I’ve heard they are great, but I just wanted to get BunBun to a vet fast today, and I also know that my current vet will take a payment plan. So we shall see… keep sending those good vibes our way! Thank you all so much.

[Sarita]

Continued vibes for Bunbun. Boy the vet is strict LOL.

Please keep us updated.

[Dee]

Sarita,
LOL I know- she shoulda been a schoolteacher… or prison matron. hmmm- previous life perhaps?

[RabbitPam]

Hi, Dee,
Just got online after work and catching up. She sounds pretty experienced, but I am especially pleased with the receptionist. Often they are the least knowledgeable and can make mistakes even their own vets don’t know about, so it’s good to know she understands about the bonded bunnies. I am encouraged. And I’ve heard of Tufts Vet School (not in years though. Been in FL for a while.) and always heard it was very good. Where is it exactly? Wasn’t it somewhere near Sudbury? Farther out west?

Anyway, it’s just after 6 so am hoping you have a better bunny in your arms, or a plan that includes him staying there overnight under supervision.

[Dee]

Hi Pam,
Good news! BunBun is homefor the night- my vet doesn’t have overnight care so if he goes downhill I will take him to Tuft’s in North Grafton- kinda near Worcester, and only about 15 mins away from me . Yeah, they are a teaching practice, which means they have all the state of the art equipment and people who are very motivated to be on top of their game. I think the prices may be top notch too though- but if that’s what BunBun needs, I will manage somehow.

I’m pretty pleased with how my vet has handled this, actually- she gave BunBun subcutaneous fluids, bupe for the pain and metoclopramide for motility. Plus they syringe fed him Critical Care and kept him on a heating pad…so that’s pretty much standard care for a bun in GI statis, right? Also, they are having me bring Bun in tomorrow for more fluids, meds amd observation. I hate to bring him back for another day since he looks so lonely and must be really frightened there, but I don’t wanna refuse and have him get really sick again.

I think BunBun is gettng better- the vet tech said he is still not outta the woods, but he looks to be going in the right direction. His temp rose from 95 to 101, and he began hopping over to see hr when she checked on him, whereas this morning he just completely antisocial. Right now he’s laying on the living room floor under the coffee table with his radiator and heating pad nearby. He felt a bit cool to me, so I made sure his heating elements are both right near him, since he will go sit on his heating pad if he gets cold, like he did at the vets. He’s a smart bunbun . He has started nibbling some hay (alfalfa as a treat), has eaten one Craisin, a bit of this rose hip, cranberry mix, and a piece of a dandelion leaf. So he’s not chowing down, but he’s picking. That brings me to yet ANOTHER question! Should I still be syringe feeding him even though he has started eating a bit on his own? I was told to syringe feed him Critical Care when I left the vet, but BunBun is very sensitive about being manhandled, which is how he views syringe feeding of course. He will hide for hours if I offend him, and refuse any food even if he feels ok. So I’m afraid that I will traumatize him if I grab him up and stuff Critical Care in his mouth… but then, it is a probiotic and will help his belly recover… I don’t know! What do you think? I don’t wanna start another post on that suject, so I will keep the question here. Thanks again for your help!

[jerseygirl]

Maybe ring the vet and ask? Let them know that he’s starting to eat on his own. Personally I would encourage that then risk the stress from syringe feeding. Try hand feeding an array of things to get more into him. Good to hear of this improvement! {{{{{BunBun}}}}}

[RabbitPam]

I actually am inclined to do the opposite, ie. give him one dose of syringe feeding at home since he had been taking it at the vet already and it’s nothing new for him a few hours later. He won’t stop eating right now due to emotional reasons: he’s sick and will do what feels best physically. Well, by now it’s morning and you are probably heading back to the vet’s with him in a few hours. I like the sound of her and this whole treatment. Plus he has seen his mate last night so the separation won’t be as bad for either of them since they were together again overnight.

Love that Tufts is in Grafton near you. I thought it was somewhere around there. I would be curious and ask them if they have any price breaks if someone has a pet who they could bring in regularly for the students to treat. while their equipment costs more (that’s good, too) they may like to have community pets available for learning. Worth a question or two to the head of the school. Pet rabbits are not as common as patients but are more common in a new vet’s practice.

Keep up the progress reports today.

[Dee]

Well I’m finally home from work- now I can update you guys! BunBun did well through the night- picked at his hay, ate a few more Craisins and banana pieces, and stayed at a good body temp. I didn’t end up giving him any Critical Care, but I will feel better about doing it if I have to, since it makes sense that he will do what he feels like according to his belly, not whether I have hurt his feeling or not. He’s just such a sensitive little bun- really holds a grudge too- lol.
This morning I took him to the vet’s. I tried to catch Nelli to bring her and have her fur matts taken off (I worry that her furriness is causing BunBun to get clogged up) but she wouldn’t go for it, so I let her stay home. She is getting quite stressed- her poops are softer than nornal and she’s not eating like she normally does. I hope she recovers quickly.
But back to BunBun- I brought him in and the vet gave him some more subQ fluid, took his temp (101.9) and said he’s good to go home! So I took him home, but of course he was traumatized all over again and hid from us. I had to go to work for a few hours, and now I’m back. He has a bit of poopy bum, as he did this morning, but the vet wasn’t overly concerned. I never thought that lovely smell would be as welcome as it is right now- lol. Rick (my husband) said he was hopping around with Nelli, but didn’t notice if he ate or pooped. Of course I yelled at him for that- if he’s too busy to do it, that’s what we have teenagers for! They can count poops and measure food intake, especially if it doesn’t involve too much physical activity.
I would like to see him eat more hay- he is very interested in banana and dandelion greens, but he really needs hay. He loves that alfalfa I got for him yesterday- but I’ve heard conflicting info on it. Some say it’s good to tempt a sick bun into eating- others say it has way too much calcium/protien and could cause bloat. What do you all think?
I’m supposed to go out tonight, but not sure if I should. My daughter will be home, but I just have these visions of getting home to a terribly sick, cold bunny. I will see how he’s eating I guess, and if he’s pooping at all.
I’m glad that Tufts is near me too! That’s a great idea about seeing if I can get a price break there- can’t hurt to ask. Thank you, RabbitPam . And I’m happy that you think this vet’s treatment plan is good- I was so scared they wouldn’t know what to do with him and do more harm than good.
Well I’m gonna go check on him and bring some regular hay- he likes to be served now- oh boy. I will keep you posted- and if anyone knows whether I should feed him alfalfa, please let me know. Thanks- I’m so grateful I can come on here and get help from you all- I really apperciate it!

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