Not eating hay after surgery

[Cinnimon&Ollie]

Hello, as some of you know my bunny Ollie had his teeth trimming surgery on the fifth. As of now both my bunnies are separated because they are fighting don’t know if this could add to it or not. He is eating treats, pellets and veggies, just not hay. Should I get him some critical care? Or anything else? Is it ok if he isn’t eating hay right now?

[Cinnimon&Ollie]

Also I forgot to say that he is acting normal otherwise and is still pooping.

[Bam]

His gums could still be sore after the trim. Did you get any metacam for him to give at home?

If he’s eating everything else and seems normal, I dont think you need to syringe feed him just yet. If he’d eat CC from a plate it’d be good, but most buns wont do that. (It’s of course always good to have some CC in the household though, if stored in the freezer it keeps a v long time).

I dont think the separation would cause him to refuse hay if he’s eating everything else. Did he eat hay before the trim? I had one bun that needed 4 or 5 days after a trim to get back to eating like normal.

[Wick & Fable]

Hay is the most effortful food for a rabbit to eat since it is a sandpaper texture and they grind it before swallowing, so it’s definitely common for it to be the first food to be ignored if there is any mouth discomfort. I’d give it time and just monitor, especially if he’s eating everything else.

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.

[Cinnimon&Ollie]

They did give him meloxicam to give at home. He won’t eat cc from a plate (I have tried that before). I keep the cc in a closet, is it supposed to be in the freezer? Also he did eat hay before. How long should I wait until I give him cc? Sorry for all the questions I am just worried because he has had GI problems before. ( I know it’s common for them to have GI problems but my other bunny never had any problems and he has a few to say the least).

 

[LBJ10]

Would he eat fresh grass? You would have to make sure it was pesticide-free. Can’t remember if you live somewhere with RHDV or not. I suppose you could always buy potted wheat grass if there are concerns.

[Bam]

You can soften hay by steaming it in a metal sieve. My vet recommended this to me when one of my buns had difficulty chewing hay. Only steam portion size amounts at a time, it will dry quickly at room temp. Moistened hay can be stored in the fridge for about a day or so, but it is an excellent medium for microbial growth, so its best not to store it longer.

Oxbow mentions storing CC in the freezer to extend shelf life. I do that, because I’ve had to use CC very infrequently with my buns – they’re still young. If you need to use CC more often, its better to not freeze it, too many freeze-thaw cycles can speed up the degradation of nutrients.

 

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