Infcol/ Simethicone

[M&MBunnies]

Hi all

I’m reading a lot of mixed reviews about INFACOL (Simethicone) for when bunnies have gas issues.

What are everyone’s thoughts on it? Have you found it actually works or will the sugar in it cause more issues in the bun?

Thanks

[Bam]

I have used infacol with my buns. It’s not avsilable where I am, so I used to ask friends to buy it for me in the UK. Rhe taste seems to appeal to rabbits.

From what I can see in the ingredient list, it doesnt contain sugar. It contains saccharine and orange flavor. As you are saying, sugar can cause even more gas in an already gassy bun  so that would not be good.

This is the ingredient list I found:

Hypromellose sounds like it would be a sugar, but it isnt:

[M&MBunnies]

It’s such a controversial topic. I asked on another forum and the thread almost got shut down because of the difference of opinion.

Do you find that it works on its own or do you give pain medication/ gut motility medication along with it?

[Bam]

I start with simethicone baby gas drops alone plus elevation of the bunny butt to help gas escape. I also put the bun back on the floor away from its favorite resting spot so it has to hop that distance. Body movement sets the gut in motion.

If 2 doses of simethicone don’t make a difference, I give meloxicam, famotidine and sloppy Critical Care with added probiotics. If I have Fibreplex paste available, I give that. As a rule I dont give motility meds without having consulted a vet, since motility meds should only be given when a blockage has been ruled out.

In most instances, simethicone baby gas drops alone + some hopping around is enough.

[DanaNM]

So, simethicone is not a motility medication. In cases of true stasis, it will not help. It can help if the rabbit is gassy by aiding in the passage of the gas. Simethicone is also not a pain med, so if the rabbit is suspected to be in pain and the simethicone doesn’t help right away (within a couple hours), a vet should be consulted.

I think some of the controversy comes from people treating it as a “cure-all” or a stasis treatment. It’s really only beneficial for gas, and it may not help in all cases. If I have a suspected gassy bun I will try it, but often my first go-to when I suspect some GI issues with a bun is actually to get some fluids into the bun (either through syringe, wet salad, or sub-cutaneous if I really suspect dehydration). Simethicone is inert, so it doesn’t hurt anything to try, as long as you don’t withhold needed vet care because you are assuming the simethicone will treat things that it doesn’t.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Correct, simethicone won’t really do anything for stasis. Simethicone is used to relieve gas. A bunny can have gas pain, which can eventually lead to stasis if it isn’t resolved. People will give simethicone to prevent things from progressing.

Does it actually work? That has been debated. Some people swear by it. Personally, I have had very good luck using it for a gassy bunny. Bottom line though – It won’t hurt anything.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

It indeed depends on the situation. For just gas I’d say: yes it’s effective. It didn’t help when Owen had an actual bout of stasis, then only gut motility drugs and painkillers worked.

Simethicone is also used in human meds for people with bloating. It gathers small gas bubbles and turns them into larger ones which are easier to pass.

 

My previous rabbit Breintje was a very gassy bunny for some reason, even though we were so careful with his food and he was on grain-free pellets. If he pressed his tummy against the floor I knew it was time for Infacol and a tummy massage. (There are videos on YouTube about that.)

After 2 or 3 sessions of Infacol+massage, each an hour after another, he stunk up the place really badly… Like properly foul! And then he went back to his normal business.

He often had these attacks in the late evening, so I’d be completely zombiefied by dawn with a bunny binkying around the room like nothing ever happened. Yeh yerwelcom…zzZzzz

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