Can’t Determine Reasoning for ‘Chronic’ GI Stasis??

[Laurho]

Hi there! I often read these forums, but decided to make an account to see if I could get any advice on this subject.

Back in February I added a beautiful Tan boy named Cooper to my family (was given to me from my distant family that breeds/shows). I was told he was about a year or so old, and I got him neutered within a month or two to stop his potty habits, humping and spraying. For reference, he’s also about 4.5/5 pounds, very energetic and super friendly. His litter box is filled with Timothy Hay so he always has access to plenty of hay. I feed him about 1/4 a cup Oxbow essential pellets and a small handful of spring mix two times a day. He gets occasional treats (apples, celery, fresh parsley, peppermint) and after the first bout of GI stasis I completely stopped giving him the yogurt drops I would give him like once a week.

The second week of April I caught the first signs of what appeared to be GI stasis and took him to the vet where they gave him IV fluids and then I had to force feed him Critical Care for about a day until he began eating on his own again. The vets never told me of any apparent reason behind him developing GI stasis and I couldn’t figure it out myself. They checked his teeth and physically assessed his abdomen, and asked me his diet/etc and didn’t comment on it. They didn’t do any blood work or take x-rays. After the first night he began fighting the force feeding with all his might and thankfully was eating on his own, so.. everything seemed fine. I figured maybe it was a weird stress thing because just the day or so prior I had been hammering nails into the wall in the same room (though he seemed chill then).

HOWEVER – this morning, he was completely normal. Excitedly greeted me for nose pets, and chin rubs and I let him out to run a bit. He gave me a HUGE binky and many more before I had to get up to do some things and put him back in his two story hutch and an hour or so later gave him his breakfast (to which I saw him eating).  I went back into my room this afternoon and found him scrunched up under his ramp and when I prodded him out he ran to the ramp and flopped on it, which he NEVER does, and was the first sign that something was off the first time he was sick. He wouldn’t come to me and if I prodded him he’d just move and lay back down. It seems as though he’s trying to press his belly to the floor (again something he did the first time), and is cold to the touch. I noticed he didn’t finish his pellets this morning but had eaten all the greens. I’m just blown away that a) he changed so fast, and b) that this is happening again!!

I can’t figure out where I’ve gone wrong? I have another rabbit who I got from high school (she’s now going on nine years old) and she’s NEVER gone through this, and now he’s gone through it twice in less than a month. My other rabbit I even had been caring for based off of what my school had told me to do on a summer care sheet (because originally I was only caring for her for the summer, but then they ended up telling me to keep her), so she had this awful food (with add ins/corn/higher crude protein than fiber) that she always had access to (aka, when the food was empty, fill it right back up), feeding her those awful yogurt drops/cookies/etc that I mentioned early, no hay or fresh greens for YEARS (Yes, I’m … so sorry, I was young and stupid. All the school did was pellet feed and I hadn’t done my own research for far too long, I regret it and am thankful this rabbit is somehow still incredibly healthy and thriving at her old age despite all that), but he’s been on this limited pellet, fresh greens and unlimited hay diet since I got him.

I’m thinking that perhaps I’ve been feeding him too many pellets? That maybe I should limit it to 1/4 cup per day at most? Maybe get him orchard grass too?? I just feel like my vet should have said something if she felt it wasn’t right and she didn’t. I also contacted my family member I got him from the first time and she gave me some tips, but it’s not like she said it ever happened to her with him before – and I feel like she would have mentioned that if he’d had GI stasis with her.

I’m keeping an eye on him now (vet is closed on weekends and that’s the only rabbit saavy one around), already tried to give him infant gas relief and will begin force feeding again with critical care by dinner time if he hasn’t improved. I’m really just looking for advice because I’m going to tear my hair out if this keeps happening! Thank you all!

[Rabbittherabbit101]

My bun had really bad stasis back in January and my vet told me that some rabbits are just hyper prone to catching it.

He recommended Excel brand food and limit her to around a half cup or so a day (she’s about the same size as yours). He also advised possibly adding water to the food so it’s easier for her to digest.

Now there are some days that she just doesn’t want to eat all of her pellets when I give them to her and I keep an eye on her. If he’s eating his greens that’s less a cause for concern because that means he’s still hungry and eating. He may not like his pellets, have you tried anything different? Or even switching up feeding times. Like giving the pellets first and then the greens an hour or so later.

Does he have a litter box? If so he may be eating the litter and that’s why he’s not eating all of the pellets.

 

[DanaNM]

Sorry you are going through this. He is beautiful bunny <3

My main thought is that his first bout of stasis wasn’t too far back, and recovering from stasis can sometimes occur in fits and starts, with relapses sometimes.

I would give critical care now. Sometimes giving it at the first sign of slowdown and nip it in the bud, especially if you make it extra watery. (Some buns will also eat it off a plate, so you might offer it that way).

The diet sounds fine to me, but some buns are sensitive to pellets in general, or certain veggies. You can try removing pellets completely for now and then very slowly add them back when he’s better to see if they upset him. How are his poops? Are they normally regular in size etc? Does he normally have a good appetite for hay?

Buns will often go off their pellets first when they are getting a slow down, which seems to be them knowing what they need, because fiber (hay) and moisture are the most important things for keeping the gut moving.

Keep offering fresh, dripping wet veggies (and extra portion is OK, just keep him eating), and offering hay (hand offering can help) and see if that gets him back on track.

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

It sounds like the first incident didn’t last very long. I’m wondering if he is just prone to having gas, either in general or as an after effect of the first incident. The symptoms you describe from the more recent incident suggest he has a stomachache. If he isn’t in full-blown stasis, then you might try treating him for gas to see if you can relieve the pain. Once the pain is gone, they usually start eating again.

[Wick & Fable]

Some rabbits are more sensitive to certain foods than others. Perhaps trying to eliminate some of the food variety to identify a potential “culprit” may be helpful. For example, I cannot feed one of my rabbits parsley — it doesn’t make him gassy, but it makes him pee with really high pressure and high frequency. It is known to be a diuretic, but he seems especially sensitive compared to other rabbits. In other examples, I know some rabbits can tolerate things like broccoli, while others cannot.

Does he chew on anything aside from the food provided? This includes cardboard, carpet, fabrics, litter, etc.. For one of my rabbits, they have had 2 bad episodes which resolved within 8 hours, but it was scary. Both were preceded (potentially coincidentally, but noteworthy to remember) by him chewing at carpet more than usual and shedding. This explores the idea that maybe there’s something he’s eating too much of (even if the quantity isn’t objectively a lot) that may be upsetting him.

You mention he’s very energetic! How often does he get to really move and hop around?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[jerseygirl]

Oh yes, Ive had mine have some trouble after eating cardboard too. Yet plenty of rabbits will tear & eat cardboard without a problem…

” I regret it and am thankful this rabbit is somehow still incredibly healthy and thriving at her old age ”  

It’s not the 1st time Ive heard of that. Rabbits that have lived on a diet not seen as healthy today yet they never had a problem. A friend had some growing up that ate the veggie (table) scraps and grass/weeds in the garden and they lived to be 13. We go on what we know at the time.

Was Cooper eating pellets and hay before he came to you?

I actually recommend cutting out the greens for now and seeing if those are a problem for him. Or one in particular. Some rabbits just dont cope well with commercial greens and do better on a foraged diet.

I do agree about modifying diet for now (whether greens or pellets) and seeing if there is something there bringing on gut discomfort. Keep a food diary for him and note the times you see him acting odd.

Did you find the infant gas relief drops helped at all?

Is he a good hay eater? Do you know if he was before he came to you?

His desexing surgery shouldnt have been too invasive although I suppose there is potential for some herniation of the intestines. Something to investigate if modifying diet doesnt resolve the issue.

He’s a beautiful bunny! I hope you can get to the bottom of what is going on.

[pjov0001]

This is a difficult question! My bun has chronic stasis too, she had it like 6 times in 6 months (vet bills are killing us)! Despite the excellent diet she’s on, low stress life, she’s just super prone to it. And it just happens randomly.

 

My rabbit-savvy vet just put her on 30 days of randitadine and sucralfate for a suspected ulcer, but despite the gut motility drug she had a bit of pain again the other day. Thankfully, it was resolved within half a day and she went back to eating/pooping. It was almost like a mild case of stasis. But it’s weird! So after blood tests, the found raised amylase, which might point to the pancreas. There’s not too much info on this out there, and I’m still waiting to have a full chat with my vet about what it means. But perhaps it might be an obscure reason such as this. If you haven’t had a blood test, it might good to do it just in case.

[Author]

Messages