Bunny seems off

[Meg]

Hey everyone!  My two bunnies, Athena and Teddy, and I have enjoyed a couple years of their good health, thankfully.  But now Teddy (a neutered Jersey Wooly/Lionhead mix who’s almost 7) is acting kind of funny, and I’m worried.

I’m writing on a Saturday evening.  On Tuesday night, Teddy ate his supper of greens but then didn’t want his treat & hay at bedtime, but he was back to normal by morning.  The next few days he seemed like his happy self, doing races and flops, and pouncing on his supper.  But then suddenly last night, he didn’t want his supper or anything after that, and I haven’t seen him eat anything (other than half a clover flower) in the last 20 hours — which is a big worry.  (He did poop this afternoon, small poops.)  He’s had GI stasis before, and I’m concerned of course that that will start again if he doesn’t eat soon — but for now, his symptoms seem different.  He doesn’t appear to be in GI discomfort — he doesn’t hunch up and his tummy doesn’t feel tight.

But his movements are a bit weird.  He sometimes stretches out his back legs but then gets up again right away, like he’s uncomfortable or something, and once when I approached with treats this evening he took a couple steps backward, low to the ground, which I’ve never seen him do.  Another time this evening he took a couple of hops but then stopped and seemed to press his pelvis to the floor for a second or two, as though he were about to lie down, before taking a few more hops.  Then I saw that he had peed a little just before the spot where he’d stopped.  (The pee seemed normal.)  He also sits kind of curled around more — like in Sphynx posture but with his head facing to a corner instead of straight ahead.  He changes positions more than usual.  This seems so out of the blue!    Poor little guy. 

 He doesn’t seem to be in great distress — he groomed Athena a minute ago, and she seems unconcerned (whereas when he had stasis before she wouldn’t leave his side).  I’m wary of rushing him to the vet because a) we’re in a new city and don’t have an established one yet and b) these bunnies are extra extra scared of the crate/car/vet, and the last time Athena had just stopped eating and I brought them right in, it freaked them both out so much and then *both* bunnies got really bad stasis for a while immediately after that.  So if I can possibly do home care, I feel safer with that for now.  (I have an oral syringe, Critical Care, and simethicone, which I’ll probably have to start him on tonight if he still doesn’t eat.) 

 But I’m really worried and completely puzzled by his odd movements.  Both bunnies are from shelters, but neither has been on the ground outside ever, so I’m hoping it’s not E. Cuniculi. :/

 Any advice would be very, very appreciated!!  Thank you so much for reading. 

[LBJ10]

Pushing their tummy to the floor (i.e. “doing push ups”) usually means pain or discomfort. It is one of the telltale signs that Leopold has a tummy ache. He will have a problem every once in awhile and it worries me every time. I generally do the simethicone and tummy massage thing and he snaps out of it. An episode can last as long as 24-36 hours, which always worries me even more.

If the simethicone and tummy massages don’t improve things, then it’s vet time. He may need more drastic treatment like pain meds, fluids, etc.

[Meg]

Thanks, LBJ! That’s really helpful. I picked Teddy up and looked him over, and did find a little bit of wet fur from pee. But he seemed alert otherwise, and I didn’t see evidence of leg injury — and he stamped hard when I put him back down, so that was at least a good sign on that front. (;

Still, I agree he seems to have some kind of discomfort, poor sweetie. Do you think I should start syringe feeding now or give him another half day or so? He soooo hates it, I don’t want to make him worse through stress. (But I also don’t want to harm him by waiting too long! The classic bunny dilemma — so hard!!!)

[LBJ10]

What have you done so far?

[Meg]

Not much; I guess I’ve been hoping he’ll start eating again on his own if I give him a chance, at least initially. I keep offering him his favorite foods, but with no success. I just realized my simethicone expired in June!! I’m getting more tomorrow, but do you think that’s something I could use tonight, or should I not chance it? I don’t know if simethicone is something that goes bad.

Thanks so much!!

[kmurphy]

From what I read, the medicine might not be as potent but I don’t think I would be harmful. Bam might know better. It I were you I would start critical care to at least get some food in him. Best of luck!

[Meg]

OK, thank you!!

[LBJ10]

I don’t think it would be harmful, but like kmurphy said, not as potent. I would get some new simethicone if possible. I would try to massage his tummy too, if he will let you. If he hasn’t eaten this entire time, then critical care is probably the way to go. Like I said, he may need additional help that only a vet can provide (pain meds, fluids, etc.).

[Meg]

OK, thanks so much! I’ll do that.

[jerseygirl]

I remember these two! I hope you’re able to help him out. Sound like he might need a check up soon for overall health.
{{{Teddy}}}

Do you have any metacam from previous episodes of stasis?

[Meg]

Thanks, Jerseygirl!! Yeah, I am so scared to take them to the vet now after last time.

Unfortunately, I don’t. It was over 2 years ago, thankfully, and also, since only Athena had gotten the prescriptions but once we got home Teddy had stasis too, and bringing the two sick and traumatized buns back to the vet was out of the question, I had to split the meds between them. MAN, I wish there were bunny vets that made housecalls in my area!!

[jerseygirl]

Maybe there is one in your new city?
Or there’s one within walking distance?

Have you ever tried anything like Rescue Remedy to help with their nerves on vet visits?

Is he happy to sit on your lap at the moment? Sometimes our body warmth brings some comfort. I did simethicone and a heat pack (not too hot) on my lap with TimTim last week. It seemed to help him.

[Meg]

Thanks! None within walking distance, but I’ll keep looking for a visiting one. The bunny community is surprisingly not that strong here.

Haha, I just reordered some Rescue Remedy — I haven’t tried it for the vet yet but it seemed either to help during our move or to be a very useful “magic feather” for me so I didn’t stress out about them as much. (; I’m giving Teddy a little now to help with the stress of my picking him up, etc.

Yeah, although he hates being picked up, I just tried bringing him up to the couch and having him sit perpendicular to my lap with his hind legs sitting on it and his front legs on the couch, for elevation, and gave him a tummy massage that way, and he seemed surprisingly OK with it. He took the simethicone readily too (the Critical Care was another story . The gentle heat pack is a great idea — I’ll try that as well!

Thank you so much!!

[Meg]

Update: today Teddy seems improved, nibbling a little on his own and not doing any of the weird stuff he did yesterday. So it seems like that was just from lower-GI discomfort, and better now, hopefully. I’m gonna keep up the simethicone and feedings as needed, but very happy things seem to be going in a good direction! Thank you all so much for your generous help.

[jerseygirl]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for the update. : )

[LBJ10]

So glad to hear he is doing better. Sometimes simethicone and tummy massages can go a long way. Leopold has scared me a couple of times and it always seems to help him.

[Meg]

Thank you both so much!! LBJ, I’m so glad you said that — that’s really good to know. Though I’ve had my two buns for almost 7 years now, they’re my first, and I don’t know any other bunny people personally. So in my inexperience, I didn’t see that there was any middle ground between “bunny’s completely normal” and “full panic mode!!! vet and meds immediately!!”. Simethicone and massages do seem to help Teddy, even though now he runs at the sight of me ’cause he hates being handled!

Jerseygirl, it’s so touching to me that not only have you helped me all these years, but you remember Athena and Teddy among the thousands of bunnies and people you’ve helped!! (Also, I so appreciate that you’re in Australia and help me right away when it’s the middle of the night here in Washington. Thank you, thank you!

[jerseygirl]

I guess that’s the benefit of Internet communities. There’s usually bound to be someone online.

I wouldn’t call yourself inexperienced! I do understand that mental state you can get in when your rabbit becomes unwell though. It happens to me a lot and i second guess myself.
I end up texting people or posting on here. It just helps to tell someone what’s going on and also get some objective opinions.

[Meg]

So true! I’ve spent my most anxious moments on this forum, and zoomed back with gratitude when I see there’s been a reply. It really is so helpful. Thank you so, so much!!

[Meg]

One more update:Teddy did great this evening! He kept nibbling a little, and then ate some parsley as soon as I washed it, and was excited for his bedtime treat and ate it, and then ate flowers/hay! And like an hour ago he was lying down resting all relaxed, like he normally does, with his chin on the floor kind of like a napping kitty (similar to how Athena’s resting on their picture). (;

I’m so, so happy, and so grateful for your help and listening!!

[LBJ10]

Yay!

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