Dorian seems to have an upset stomach, hoping not GI Stasis

[prince dorian the bun]

Dorian has been hunkered down with what look like a tummy ache for a bit, not sure how long as I was out running errands and I got home 2 hours ago. I gave him simethecone a little after I got home and he shot out a bunch of pellets. I thought maybe that would be the end of it as he got them out, but he is not showing much signs of recovery. I just gave hime a 2nd dose of simethecone (I am trying to do about 6ml, but he gets some on his paws or face) .  I tried giving him a bit of water but he didn’t really get more than a drop

It’s Sunday and my vet is closed and the emergency vet is far (hour plus drive) and doesn’t always have anyone used to dealing with buns so not sure what to do.

While I was typing this he has perked a little, he is washing and annoyed at my son who is trying to get him to keep moving a bit. His still not eating anything. My instinct is to give him a bit longer before rushing to a vet who may not know about buns. Anything else I can try at home?

[Bam]

Make sure he keeps warm. In my experience, rabbits tend to get cold ears when they’re experiencing tummy trouble. (Cold ears can have other causes, during other circumstances, but they are an indication that the bun is trying to preserve body heat.) You can give him a warm waterbottle to help him keep warm, but dont force it on him.

Gentle (very gentle) tummy massage and elevating the butt can also help the bun to pass gas. Here’s a link to Mary S Cotter’s video on rabbit massage: https://youtu.be/JnuxGLa2reg

It is of course very promising that he pooped quite a bit after the first dose of simethicone.

Keep keeping a close eye. If he doesnt eat anything or poops within the next 6 -12 hours, I think it’s best to contact a vet.

 

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Aw, that’s always so awful! About the simethicone: it’s difficult to get it into their mouths because they struggle so much. Breintje struggles so much that the liquid hangs off his whiskers in gloopy drops, like he’s just fallen into a plate of porridge. Sometimes I’m SO done with that bun that I put a drop on each of his front paws instead. He’ll lick it off and can get his medicine like that.

The washing is a good sign though! And the rabbittude as well, when they feel very awful they are unresponsive. Do you have anything at home which rabbits absolutely love? We use raisins, banana and parsley to check if Breintje is really ill. It doesn’t really matter if they eat treats at this moment, as long as the system is kept moving. The gas pain massage that Bam mentioned is a really good one, I always use it on Breintje as well.

I guess there’s little else you can do, and that’s awfully frustrating. Fingers crossed for poops, we’re rooting for you Dorian!

[Hazel]

Sounds like you’re doing everything you can from home, poor little guy. 🙁  Fingers crossed he keeps perking up.

[DanaNM]

If he pooped, I wouldn’t be worried about a blockage. I am not a vet, but personally I would syringe feed. It doesn’t need to be a ton, but you could do a few mL and see how he responds. Since you said he’s molting he prob just has some excess fur he needs to push through. I would keep up the tummy rubs and do another dose of simethicone.

If you aren’t comfortable with giving actual critical care (or pellet mash), you could also just do some water or hay tea. When Myra gets weird usually fluids alone will perk her up within an hour.

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

Also for giving oral fluids, I have a much easier time using the 1 mL syringes (thanks for the tip Moonlightbunny).

Can you take his temp?

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Good one Dana ^_^ The hay tea recipe is here:

Hay tea – For anybunny who doesn’t drink enough, especially for ill or recovering rabbits

[DanaNM]

Yes, thanks Ellie! The hay tea queen!

If Dorian has gotten worse and you end up reading this in the middle of the night (which I hope he has improved!), I second that keeping him warm is important. You can place a water bottle wrapped in a towel near him, so he can cuddle it if he needs to. When Bun Jovi was really poorly on a Sunday night a few years ago (he had a low temp and I was just trying to get him through till morning, similar situation with no ER vet) I put a light blanket over him and the bottle, but he was able to move away from it easily.

. . . 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]

Any update on Dorian?

[kanin]

Ohhh I so hope he’s feeling better!

[Hazel]

Please let us know how he is!

[jerseybunnies]

Do you have any updates?

I sure hope he’s feeling better 🙁

These are just my suggestions. Please seek an experienced veterinarian if you have medical needs / questions. Thank you! 

[Cinnamon Bun]

Aaw, Dorian – poor baby. When Binkie had tummy trouble, I gave her some good tummy rubs, and syringed her some warm herbal tea and pellet mush. She’s a good girl with syringe feeding most of the time, so I had hardly no trouble getting the mush into her. Please give us an update when Dorian’s feeling better! <3

[prince dorian the bun]

Sorry Guys, I thought I had posted an update, but never actually sent it! I think I was just a bit preoccupied and also so happy he was back to normal bun. So appreciate everyones advice and well wishes!! Dorian ended up being fine a little after his second dose. I gave him a third just to be safe and he gave me so much sass I felt a lot better, he also munched his hay and pooped. Ah bunny ownership, when poop is a case for celebration!  He has been fine since then.

I had tried some fluids but the syringe I got squirted to much and I was worried about it going in his lungs or such, did try with just a dropped. Will keep the hay tea in mind for next time. I do have critical care too for any future emergency. I really wish rabbit vets were more common that there was an emergency vet closer and the actual vet wasn’t 45 minutes away in good traffic. So glad I have you guys for great advice.

 

[Bam]

Yay! 😃

Thank you for the update!

[Hazel]

So glad he’s okay. You had me worried sick! 😡  A few Dorian pictures should make up for it though. 😉

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Hahaha, exactly! Being ecstatic about poop is an initiation rite into the circle of bunny owners. Bonus points if you sent pictures to friends in the middle of the night. Which, I’m sure, is something none of us has ever done before 😉 Glad to hear he bounced back to health! Getting rabbittude while you’re giving them medication is a very good sign.

[DanaNM]

Thanks for the update! Glad he’s doing better!

. . . 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

No midnight poop pics yet, but I could see doing it 😀

Side question, Dorian isn’t very food motivated, he can resist a banana if it means not going into his room for bed time. He can also be randomly finicky , he has decided he no longer likes butter leaf lettuce. He went through a phase where he didn’t like romaine and now that’s one of his favorites, he will snub apple one day and try and steal mine the next. He decided he wasn’t hungry today for example… wouldn’t take any of his treats, didn’t want dandelion (his fav). He seemed more irritated by some construction machinery (it was pretty high pitched for me and I doubt I have his hearing range) more than sick, he thumped a couple time which he rarely does, but of course was worried given he just had issues. I finally just tried putting on some mellow music and tried hay and he took that. Luckily he loves his hay (I mean he can be picky about that too, but he is a prince, only the best 😀 ) It does make it a lot harder to know if he is just being picky, or actually sick. Any suggestions there?

Also here are some pics for you @Hazel

[DanaNM]

It’s very interesting, he really sounds a lot like Myra! The construction could be stressing him out a bit. When Myra is concerned about something, she will snub food. But then she also can have little episodes where I think she is gassy. She also doesn’t really like soft lettuces like butter leaf in general, but will eat them eventually. Molting also makes buns grumpy, as we’ve talked about before.

Have you noticed this happening at a certain time of day? Like perhaps during a time where he would normally be sleeping?

I tend to have a mental flow chart when a bun snubs food or is acting weird. First I’ll give them a pet and see how they respond. If I get some tooth purrs out of them, that’s reassuring. I’ll offer a handful of fresh hay, a favorite veggie, a treat (usually in that order). My buns have always seemed more inclined to take a strand of hay from my hand only turn it down if they are feeling off. If they eat something, great, I give them more of that thing (unless it’s a treat). A pile of wet greens can be enough to rehydrate a bun that’s feeling a bit crampy.

If they turn down everything (and this is something I noticed recently, like within a couple hours), I will give simethicone, a tummy rub, and syringe some fluids depending on how they are behaving. If all of this happens around a meal time, I usually will syringe feed a little bit too. I treat things a bit differently if a bun is turning down a full meal vs. acting weird a few hours after a meal.

Usually all of that perks them up within an hour. If still not 100% but improving, I repeat. If not improving or getting worse, then it’s time to call the vet!

And all of this only applies to a bun that’s just acting a little off and being picky about food. If the bun was lethargic, showing pain symptoms, felt cold or unresponsive, we would be off to the vet right away.

My first house bunny, Bunston, was also kind of picky about food sometimes, but I never pinned down what was going on with him (I also knew a lot less about bunnies with him and know I made mistakes). He weirdly didn’t like his veggies wet. So i’d have to rinse them and let them dry, then he would eat them. He would also tend to snub his pellets first if his tummy was feeling weird, but would go for his hay (they sometimes know what they need to feel better). So I would just push extra hay on him. Fresh grass can also be really good in those situations, because it’s the fiber of hay plus water.

If Dorian continues to have these little episodes, it would be good to talk to your vet about it. They might be able to pin down what’s happening. Some vets will also give you metacam to keep at home and give permission to dose it if a bun has certain symptoms (my vet did this for Bun Jovi).

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

He’s so curious and adorable! I could never get any work done with that little face following me around the house ^_^

Construction and moult both at the same time sounds very stressy to me, poor Dorian! I’m sorry that I can’t help food-wise because Breintje is super food-oriented. He steals sandwiches and he’ll climb onto a stranger’s shoulder to get a piece of banana 🙄 What did help me spot illness was keeping a record of his daily activities. Rabbits are creatures of habit and can be quite precise in their daily rhythm: sleeping from 11 to 4 in the afternoon, starting to beg for dinner around six, etc. If a bunny with a fixed rhythm is behaving differently and you can’t pinpoint why, keep in mind that they may be stressed or ill.

For example: I learned that Breintje is not a flopper, except when he’s been cuddled for hours, while sunbathing or in summer. He does random flops, but only about twice a month. When he has gas pains he tries to pass it off as a flop, but I know that he rarely flops after dinner, so I keep an eye on him. When it’s one of his rare flops he just lies there happily, but when he has gas pains he switches sides every couple of minutes. Also: when he does a real flop he’ll sit upright again when someone comes near. When he has gas pains he stays in the flop position and he freezes. Poor bun!

[prince dorian the bun]

Pretty sure today was just the construction noise. He still came when I called him, but then would run back under the couch and flick his feet and even stomped. The second I closed all the windows and played some mellow music for him he seemed better. He came out from his hiding spots and got in a comfy looking bun loaf. He also flopped a bit. When they stopped he was right as rain. @DanaNM he does just seem more moody right now with the molt so I pass that off to that. His tum also didn’t feel hard at all. When he was sick he also had a face like he was in pain, and he did those pain flops like he wanted to get comfortable, but just couldn’t.

He has always been unmotivated by food, even when he really wants a treat he will resist it if he thinks I want to bribe him with it,  but he eats a very good amount of hay and plenty of leafy greens, he just cycles which he decided to like (he used to like butterleaf). I partially think he is just spoiled as he has a variety to pick and can get away with being choosy. But then part of me wonders if certain greens help his tum during molt more as he seems to be more a fan of dandelions and more bitter plants. Some animals do self-medicate in the wild so it doesn’t seem a stretch. I guess I am just going to have to focus on his other non-food behavior more.

Oh and this was during his usual nap times, and he had breakfast not so long ago. His last vet appointment he could a very clean bill of health. She said he is in perfect health and rarely sees buns with such perfect teeth and that he was so stoic and calm when his nails were clipped (oh little does she know the drama and sass nail clipping is at home!)

 

[Cinnamon Bun]

Doriannn! So comforting to hear he’s doing okay. Love those adorable pics!

 

[Hazel]

Yay, thanks for the pics! How can he be so adorable?? 😀

[DanaNM]

That all sounds pretty normal to me! Stress + nap time can def do 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

Dorian had another incident yesterday. It didn’t seem as bad, but he took longer to recover… I was just about to give him his 3rd dose of gas drops and he perked up and started running through his tunnels.

One thing like last time when I massaged his tummy, poops would fly out (twice this happened last night and a little under a dozen normal pellets each time), so I really don’t think it was obstructed. Also I tried the Mary S Cotter’s video on rabbit massage and I could quite get the butt lift like she did but something like it. He seemed to appreciate it and there was a lot of gurgling, especially the last time I did it it was loud. Once he felt better he ate a bunch of hay and then a big bowl of damp greens (grass and dandelions with some mint). He wouldn’t touch his pellets and I decided that was probably for the best as I heard no pellets can help in this situation.

Have left a message for a teleconference with the vet. But not sure what else I can do to prevent. He doesn’t really get much treats, maybe half a dried raspberry to get him in bed or half of the oxbow cranberry heart treats. If I clip his nails he gets raisins, but he had that done at vet not long ago. He gets pellets but only 1/8 a cup if that. The only thing other than molting that I can think that has changed is his last shipment of hay was less twiggy, not sure how to describe it, basically what he has now to me looks like ideal hay, green smells fresh and a mix of harder stems but lots of blades. His old batch was very rough and I actually mixed it with some other hay, but I did notice his pellets shrunk a little after the switch.

I really don’t want him to have to go through this again anytime soon so any advice anyone might have would be great.

[DanaNM]

I think it is probably all related to molting, or potentially he’s eating less of the new hay. We also see lots of buns getting tummy issues with the season change at the rescue. There are hormonal changes in spring a long with just acclimating to new temps etc. Unless it progresses to something that doesn’t resolve with a tummy rub and simethicone (or it starts happening a lot more), I probably wouldn’t do anything different at the moment.

. . . 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

Thanks @DanaNM I really appreciate your advice so much! He was just such a sad little bun just laying in my lap yesterday obviously in pain, breaks my heart to see him like that. He seems to like the new hay, but I can’t gage if he is eating less as easily as it tends to compact more.

[DanaNM]

Poor guy 🙁

I do think if it happens again I would prob take him to the vet, just to see what they think. They might be able to give you pain meds to have on hand.

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

Just re-read that you have a teleconference with the vet, it will be good to know what they think!

. . . 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

yep, made one for Thursday! Hopefully they can give me some advice. I do think it’s molting… it’s the only time he has issue and his exam just a few weeks ago was all good. On the plus side he seems to be at the tail end (almost literally) of the endless shed.

 

[DanaNM]

Molting can be so hard on them. If you use the search function on the forum you will find lots of accounts of GI issues during molting, there might also be some tips in there that help.

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Yes, moulting can be very difficult for rabbits. It’s still prudent to check with your vet, considering his latest tummy troubles, but I’m guessing that this is a moult problem.

When Breintje goes into moult he leaves squishy smelly carpet surprises for days before he starts to shed. We are always puzzled by what caused it: wondering if he’s eaten something bad or whether he’s ill, until we see the hair float around a short while later.

During moult there’s a high chance that he’ll get gas pains, or that he gets grumpy and wants to be left alone. It’s probably very itchy and it probably demands a lot of energy. He’s very hungry during moult and more likely to walk away when we try to pet him.

It’s only recently that he started to accept being brushed. In the past we had to pluck him gently to get all the hair out, but you couldn’t pluck him more than once a day. Now I give him a light brushing when he’s on the sofa with me. He gets fewer stomach episodes during moult itself now.

[prince dorian the bun]

Thanks, this is making me think it is molting and spring is definitely his worst one. Hopefully it is nearly over and then I am clear until next spring or maybe fall if I am not as lucky (shedding the summer coat seemed easier for him if I am remembering right).

[prince dorian the bun]

Vet thinks to think it is molting, he did suggest pineapple and papaya around that time to help break down any fluff in the digestive tract. Also he has a prescription in his records if I ever need it. Didn’t know about pineapple so may try that out since Dorian thinks papaya is yucky (such a picky bun). This vet in the anti-pellet and no treats camp, so other than those two fruit in very small doses and only during molt, was not into him getting any fruit or veg like carrots (the other rabbit vet is more moderate, personally I am too).

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