Low Appetite

[Dylan]

Hello again! Rose has been acting a bit strange today. She will eat any treats, but is largley uninterested in her pellets (unusual) and is not really eating her hay today. Rose is an EXTREMELY avid hay eater, she will eat a pile of hay twice the size of her (and she is nearly 4kg) almost every day. 

Rose has an interesting story: I rescued her mom when she was three months old from a really crappy breeder that did NOT take care of them (not shaming all breeders, but this was HORRIBLE!) Anyway, we got her home and I soon discovered she was pregnant. Welp, the vet that x-rayed her wasn’t even sure, but I knew it was true. I ran around like crazy trying to do everything right, but because she was so young she had a stroke while carrying them. Amazingly, she survived and recovered, successfully giving birth to seven babies (Rose being one of them). Two weeks into it we learned that she wasn’t producing her milk right when I lost a baby to hypoglycemia, and a second one to a respiratory infection caused by the stay at the vet around other sick animals. So, the other five went on to be hand nursed KMR by me from two weeks old and onward. A third baby (named Bambi) passed away two weeks later surrounded by all of his siblings of a heart attack (his heart was weak because of his mother’s stroke). Rose went on to become a healthy big bunny, and unlike her brother, she is pretty sweet toward me. 

Back to the issue at hand: Rose has been seen by a vet yearly, but has never had a health issue before. I have Periactin (appetite stimulant drug), Propulsid (gut mobility drug), Simethicone (gas med), and a natural appetite stimulant all on hand, but I want to see if I can figure out what is wrong and get her to eat before I drug her. She is acting a little clingy, but she isn’t lethargic. I checked her teeth, they are normal, she isn’t bloated and she doesn’t have a fever. Any clues?

[DanaNM]

Hmm not sure, but I wouldnt give any meds other than simethicone before seeing the vet. You could try tummy rubs and simethicone, and if that doesn’t perk her up within a few hours get her in to the vet ASAP.

It really could be anything… so I wouldn’t want to guess. Not eating something she normally eats avidly should be taken seriously. Is she pooping ok?

Also you wouldn’t be able to see a molar problem at home, they are too deep in the mouth.

. . . 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.  

[Dylan]

She seems to be pooping. She is biting some pieces of hay, but she isn’t eating too much of it. The vet is closed tomorrow, and the emergency vet uses dog medicine on them -,- However, I can email the vet immediately. She still has a lot of energy, I look at the incisors because her family has a massive history of dental disease and you can usually see if the incisors are fractured, overgrown, or discolored. I can’t see the molars to look for spurs, that’s the vet’s job

She is eating her greens, so at least something is going in. I am going to give her some critical care now to try to jump start things.

[Bam]

If you have a natural appetite stimulant you could perhaps try that, depending on what it is. Periactin increases appetite, but it also makes the animal very drowsy (it’s an anti-histamine), so I’d avoid that until you know what’s wrong, if there’s sth wrong other than perhaps painful gas.

[Dylan]

Well, I left her alone to sleep last night, and upon coming into the room this morning all of the buns had scarfed down their food… except for her. Her pellets are barely less than they were when I went to bed last night and she is still biting the hay (not an end like they do to eat it, but in the middle of a piece) and picking it up and then dropping it, and then doing it again. Her stomach still isn’t gassy, so I’m not sure what to do! I’m not home now, but as soon as I get home (two hours) I am going to give her a natural appetite stimulant and force feed her a bit, and see if she picks up eating on her own or not.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Sounds like a dental or mouth issue. There could be something going on that you are unable to see. My bun had a mouth abscess one time and I couldn’t see it. A vt with an otoscope is needed to check that far back in the mouth.

[Dylan]

LittlePuffyTail, I agree. She has a big appetite, but she takes maybe ten bites of something and then stops. Her poops are a fourth of the size of what they should be, so I am going to force feed her today. The vet appointment is set for two days but I am calling in every day to make sure there are no openings in the mean time. If she bloats or stops pooping altogether I will rush her in.

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