Critical Care and not pooping

[Knittybun]

Our young rabbit, he’s about 5 months old, hurt his mouth (the story of how he hurt his mouth and everything leading up to the vet visit is very lon) wasn’t eating. The vet doesn’t think there is anything serious wrong (did an intensive mouth and throat exam, and xray just to be sure the little guy hadn’t gotten something stuck under the skin). The vet gave us metacam (up to 1cc twice a day) and critical care. He has been of this for treatment for two and a half days, and he does eat a little bit of lettuce and a few pellets, but no hay that I’ve seen. He only eats if you literally put it right under his nose. We are really getting concerned about the lack of poop. Yesterday there was some very small poops (he’s a New Zealand, so normally he has very big poops). He still hops around and does not have a hard, bloated stomachs. Should we be really worried? I’ worried not enough of the critical care is actually getting into him, it’ always such a messy procedure. 

[DanaNM]

He may need some motility med to keep him moving, I would call the vet to see if they can prescribe something for him. Keep pushing food under his face as much as possible to keep him eating.

How often and how much are you syringe feeding him? 3 or 4 times a day is ideal if he isn’t eating much on his own. I’ve found it helps to make the CC a little more runny than the package says, about the consistency of pancake batter. Go slowly, aim for the area behind the incisors, hopefully on the side that didn’t get injured. Squirt a little in, and wait for him to swallow. It’s normal for them to spit some out and for it to be messy, just keep at it. Mixing a little canned pumpkin in can make it more palatable for some bunnies. You can also try offering some on a plate. If he is hungry but his mouth just hurts, he might be happy to lick it up that way (some bunnies love it).

. . . 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.  

[Bam]

Has the poop-situation gotten any better?

[Author]

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