How can you tell if a rabbit has gas?

[Miyuki]

Hello all… I was wondering how you can tell a rabbit has gas.  The hiccups are worse now and I’ve read that it can cause gas.  I’m going to have to take her to the vet again for the hiccups but if she has gas as a result I’d like to try to give her some of the smithecone (although I don’t know how much to give…) to try to relieve it.

So far she pooped this morning.  She’s been out and about all day so she hasn’t eaten much since then and I haven’t seen too many poops.  I was feeing her timothy seed heads about 3 hours ago and she was eating those.  So she hasn’t stopped eating.

She doesn’t seem like she’s in pain or anything though.  But she is on Metacam.  She’s been lying down and resting ok.

[BinkyBunny]

As far as the simethecone – check out this previous discussion; https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aff/1/aft/55577/afv/topic/Default.aspx

Gas can show itself in different ways – sometimes a bunny will feel bloated -(true bloat though is an emergency!).  Other times the gas bubble is smaller and it just causes discomfort and you may find a bunny trying to find a comfortable position, some bunnies will also grind their teeth in pain, but because your bunny is already on pain meds, you may not have that.   Many times you will be able to hear loud gurgling noises too. 

I know you are planning on taking her to the vet again which is good as something obviously is going on if this is repeating.

Keep us updated.

 

 

[Sarita]

I agree she doesn’t need simethicone with metacam – I do have to wonder if perhaps some of the other medications she is on is causing this reaction – might just call the vet and talk to them on the phone and see if they want to see her.

[Miyuki]

She is only on Metacam. She has some topical eye ointment but that shouldn’t be causing anything. I have left a message for her main vet and he should be calling me back soon. They didn’t have any open appointments until Friday so if I bring her in I have to be a walk-in. Although I noticed most of the time since the doctors know me they have stopped charging me the walk-in fee.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

That’s nice you won’t have to pay a walk in fee if you drop in! I’d get it checked out for sure-hiccuping is normal but not in excess like that

[BinkyBunny]

keep us updated with this.

[LilynJestersMama]

I just went through this with my Jester bun.

How I knew something was wrong: he would huddle up in the corner of his pen, he hadn’t eaten his veggies, pellets or hay.  He had zero interest in his most favorite treats.  We took him to the vet and they did x-rays- they didn’t see any blockage but could see parts of his intestines that were darker colored.  The vet’s best guess was that it was gas.  She listened with the stethoscope and could hear sounds and could feel cecum (which is a good sign, she said).

They prescribed metoclopramide.  They also gave him subcutaneous fluids to keep him hydrated.

At home, we took a big plastic syringe and filled it with mushed up pellets in water and fed it to him.  That seemed to stimulate his appetite and he started eating on his own within a short time.

His tummy was making the LOUDEST gurgling noises that night.

We continued the metoclopramide for 5 days.

We’ve cut out veggies for right now (as we are thinking they were the culprit).  He’s now only getting timothy hay/mountain grass, pellets, water and papaya tablets (the enzymes are supposed to aid digestion).  We will slowly introduce veggies to him again, once he seems to be alllll straightened out.

I thought I was doing well by following the HRS’ recommended veggies, but something didn’t agree with Jester!

He is doing great now!!!!!!

Now I feel like we can better handle this if it happens again.

[Author]

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