How to transition a bunny off Critical Care?

[MooBunnay]

As I mentioned in one of my other posts – Grace got sick a few days ago and was put on critical care. She seems to be doing a lot better now. She is acting pretty normal and will go crazy if she thinks there is a treat around, and she ate all of the lettuce I gave her last night, but she is still NOT eating her hay and pellets.  I have been feeding her critical care 3x per day (morning, noon, night) and it is a pretty big syringe-ful. 

I am wondering if the feedings are making her so full that she doesn’t want to eat her hay and pellets.  Do you think I should cut down to 2 critical care feedings a day to see if it encourages her to eat more hay?

The vet said to keep her on critical care until she was eating 100% normally again, but she didn’t say whether to continue with the 3 syringe-fuls or not. What is the best way to transition her off the critical care?

[Sarita]

I would say it’s very possible she’s full after the 3 feedings…it is alot of fiber in the Critical Care. You might also consider giving her less for the 3 feedings to see how that works.

It may take her a few days to get back to eating hay though. I would hold back on the pellets since basically if you are feeding her CC that’s what she is eating.

What I will usually do is just stop the CC if they seem to be eating – it seems like they like the greens first and then decide from there whether or not I need to try more CC. But that’s just me, you could always call the vet and see what she would recommend.

How many ounces are you giving her? How much does she weigh?

[MooBunnay]

I have a BIG syringe that Dr. P gave me – if I read the syringe right it says 1 oz. Does that sound right? Its a really big syringe. And she is a decently big bunny, but by no means a HUGE bunny – about the size of Amelia Dr. P said the 3 feedings a day was how much she needed – but now that she is eating some lettuce, I’d like her to start eating some hay – I’ll take the pellets out because she doesn’t seem to care very much about them anyways!

I think I will cut out the noon time feeding, since usually when I get home she is sleeping anyways and not really all that please that I wake her up to force stuff down her throat. I’ll keep the morning and evening feedings because that is also when I give her the motility drugs.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Oh let us know how it goes!!

[Sarita]

3 feedings of 1 ounce? That could be about right. I know I try to give as much as I can when I have to feed CC. According to Oxbow though they recommend for an ill rabbit about 6.6 pounds (which is what I’m guessing Grace is based on Amelia’s weight) they recommend (this is dry product) 10 tbsp or 89 grams which I’m guessing is per day (of course they want you to consult your vet too). Now, I’m not certain how much that REALLY is since I just mix up batches without measuring.

I understand Dr. P really believes in limiting pellets anyway too so I don’t think eliminating pellets is a bad idea especially rabbits who have gone through stasis.

[Sarita]

http://www.oxbowhay.com/download

Here’s the dosage chart from the website.

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