Is my bunny still sick?

[K_Hermies]

Four days ago, my rabbit stopped eating. He use to love when he got his pellets and got so excited, then just stopped. I took him to the vet and she said she couldn’t really feel anything on him, its just sometimes rabbits stop eating and sent me home with a bunch of meds. Now, (four days later) we are continuing his meds but he has zero interest what so ever in his pellets that he use to love. Only eats hay and greens every once in a while (like hardly a piece of lettuce a day). So he is eating more then before but very very little. Also, at the vet he ate the Critical Care like crazy but he wants no part of it now and is impossible to give it to him (he hardly even takes his meds). 

So I guess my question is, how long will this last? Can he just stop eating pellets and be done with them? I’ve had four bunnies in my life and I have never had this happen to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I want my little guy to feeling better!!  Thank you!!

[Wick & Fable]

Was he assessed for teeth issues? Not just the front teeth, but the back teeth (which require a vet to look at with an otoscope)? The selective eating makes me think he may have molar spurs which are preventing him from eating. I am surprised your vet did not mention this possibility, if she did not. If she did not, is she rabbit-experienced Just curious.

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]

I immediately thought of molar spurs too. Selective eating is typical of dental issues.

It’s great that he is eating hay though, but if he’s only eats very little, you will need to syringe feed him the critical care. Some buns are willing to take it from a spoon or saucer if you mix it with sth yummy though. Canned plain pumpkin (not pie filling) isoften appreciated, or baby smoothie/purée. (Baby food doesn’t have sugar added).

Is he pooping?

[FlemishDad]

Selective eating of hay and not pellets is the reverse of the usual response to dental issues and is more typical of stasis or metabolic problems. Did the vet do bloodwork to exclude liver or kidney trouble?

Rabbits do not normally need pellets but a disinterest in previously liked foods is a strong sign that something is wrong.

[Doodler]

I am kind of surprised your vet would give you a bunch of meds without having an idea of what could be going on. What kind of meds are they?

Last year my buck stopped eating his pellets as well as he used to. He had always been on the same pellets and he’d finish them within an hour. It then started taking him around 4 hours up to 12 hours. My first thought was teeth issues because he was never a big hay eater. His exam showed nothing but his blood work with differentials showed elevated liver enzymes. After getting treated for that we retested at 5 weeks and his enzyme levels were in normal range. I have since also switched pellets and he eats both his pellets and hay better than he ever used to.

[K_Hermies]

She bunny savvy! She did check his teeth, said that she didn’t see any over growth and that they looked good. But she didn’t do a blood test. He also been doing better with his veggies. He’s been eating them all. So that just makes me confused. I also use Carefresh for his litter box and bedding and he’s eats that stuff like crazy. I was told and read online that its save for him, but I feel that its weird he wants to eat that over his hay and pellets.

[Asriel and Bombur]

Can you put a grate or mesh or something over it? Like yes, ingesting a little is fine. But if he’s full on eating it and a lot of it, that is dangerous for him and it can cause stomach issues.

[DanaNM]

Stasis can take a while to recover from, and dental issues might be at play (back molars are essentially impossible to see without anesthesia). What meds were prescribed? As other’s have mentioned, it’s important to continue critical care (by syringe if needed) until he is eating completely back to normal.

That said, sometimes pellets are the first to be snubbed and last to return to when a bun doesn’t feel good. I think they must know that they aren’t what they need (the hay and veggies are more important for fiber + moisture).

. . . 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.  

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