Help – urgent advice needed

[Blackavar3]

We have just noticed one of our rabbits Clarissa is not herself – not interested in her greens (very unusual) and sitting on her own in the corner. Our beloved Leah showed similar symptoms about a year ago and passed away 24 hours later. Clarissa is getting on a bit but has been active as normal until now. I think she has ground her teeth a couple of times. I’m off to the emergency on call vet with her just now, my wife will stay online. Please advise!

[RachelB]

Oh no…. I dont really have anything helpful to add but I am glad to hear that you are getting her to the vet ASAP. Keep us updated.

{{{{Feel better Clarissa}}}}

[corpathina]

i don’t have any advice either, i’m afraid, except to pat yourself on the back for bringing her to the vet asap. i hope she’ll be alright!

[KytKattin]

I’m really glad you’re taking her to the vet! I hope she’ll be okay! ((((Healing vibes))))

[KatnipCrzy]

please keep us updated!

[Blackavar3]

Just got her back from the vet, it looks like GI stasis. She has had 3 shots – one to get her bowels going a bit, one to reduce gas and one to reduce gastrointestinal flora. We also have a sachet of liquid feed to give her. Vet says it looks like we have caught it early, but it could go either way.

[Monkeybun]

*snuggles for Clarissa* make sure to follow any instructions the vet gave you, and give Clarissa lots of snuggles from us. Hope it all goes well!

[Sarita]

Vibes to Clarissa. I’m glad you were able to get her to the vet.

[Blackavar3]

I hope we’re not being too premature, but Clarissa appears to have made a spectacular recovery. She’s eating hay and pellets again, and hopping round the room like nothing happened. She’s spending a lot of time washing (to get the remains of liquid feed we were feeding her off her dewlap), but otherwise seems like she is recovering really well. Will take her to the vet again first thing in the morning.

Are we being too optimistic - is she likely to get worse again before she properly recovers - or do you think she is on the road to full recovery?

[Monkeybun]

Has she been poopign good since the vet visit? If she is, that’s usually a good sign :p

[BinkyBunny]

I’m glad you took her to the vet because really, under the circumstances, we wouldn’t be able to help enough. We bunny owners know what “not being themselves” means, and yet there can be so many factors, so it was a very good idea to act urgently.   Sounds like she’s on the road to recovery, but since you don’t know for sure what set if off – though gas meds were given, just watch her carefully over the next few days.

Hopefully she’s pooping,because as Monkeybun said, that is a good sign.

It is not unusual for a bunny to feel “normal” again once the gi tract is on the move.

Keep us updated.

[jerseygirl]

I’m glad to hear she’s recovering. I’m off to the vet today for same reason – you have helped calm me. Nose rubs for Clarissa

[Blackavar3]

This morning she seems totally normal, running around destroying our furniture as usual – it’s like she was never ill! Haven’t actually seen her poop yet, but there seem to be 2 different types of poop in the litter tray so think she may have – how long does it take for them to poop after eating?

[BinkyBunny]

Sounds like she’s feeling much better. My rabbits seem to have a habit of pooping more at night, though they will sometimes head over to the litterbox right after a few minutes of munching on their greens. But you should at least see them poop within 12 hours.

[RabbitPam]

So glad to hear she is recovering nicely. You did exactly the right thing at the right time. I wish more members would act that quickly to get their furbabies to a vet. It really is the thing to do, and as you know, catching it early makes a huge difference.

Like all of us, the problem may require treatment longer than the appearance of illness to clear it up completely and prevent another episode, but it’s a very good sign that she’s doing so well.

{{{{{{{{{Vibes for Clarissa}}}}}}}}}}

[MooBunnay]

I’m glad you were able to get Clarissa to the vet so quickly, noticing and acting quickly is probably what led to such a great recovery. The faster you can catch GI stasis and treat it, the fast the recovery. Good job!

[bunnycutie]

(((clarissa)))i hope she heals well

[Blackavar3]

Clarissa has been absolutely fine for 3 days now, eating and pooping as normal (more than usual if anything). I can’t believe how quickly and well she recovered, after losing Leah last year we assumed the worst as soon as we noticed she was ill, but I think we caught it really quickly. Thanks for all the advice.

Still don’t know what caused it – the only change I can think of was that we had to use a different brand of hay as the shop where we get our normal stuff was shut. Not sure if this was what caused it, our other rabbit Hazel ate the same stuff and has showed no signs of illnesss, but I have binned the new hay after getting some of the old brand back in.

If anyone’s rabbit gets similar symptoms (basically unusual behaviour – not eating and sitting in the corner being all antisocial, teeth grinding) I would advise them to get to a vet ASAP, although I think the problem is these symptoms can be quite hard to spot early on.

[BB Administrator]

Posted By Blackavar3 on 09/08/2009 12:19 AM

If anyone’s rabbit gets similar symptoms (basically unusual behaviour – not eating and sitting in the corner being all antisocial, teeth grinding) I would advise them to get to a vet ASAP, although I think the problem is these symptoms can be quite hard to spot early on.

(This is BinkyBunny in Admin Mode – doing some site work)

Excellent Advice. you are so right  about getting a bunny to a vet as soon as it’s possibly noticed.  Sometimes we never figure out what  the cause is – could have started from something simple as a little bout of gas, or stress or who knows (that’s one of the most baffling things about having bunnies), but catching the symptoms of gi stasis quickly is key as hydration, gut motility drugs,etc provided with vet care can really help get things get back on track otherwise gi stasis can quickly turn VERY serious.

 

I don’t think it would have been the hay UNLESS, you tried richer  kind – like an alfalfa mix when you are normally feed low calorie hay like Timothy and/or Orchard.

Helloworld!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m so glad to hear she’s on the mend and feeling better-destroying furniture is a definite sign she’s feeling good LOL

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