Not eating post vaccine

[prince dorian the bun]

Dorian and Miu just had their 2nd vaccine shot today. It’s a bit traumatic for them, especially Miu as it involves a long car ride as well the vet part. Dorian is more chill than Miu and also pretty bonded with us, so even though he didn’t like it one bit and pouted a bit, he’s eating.  Miu however is not, she’s mostly laying there slightly trembling.  (She has moved locations as she is annoyed at Dorian). I have tried tempting her with various foods, but so far she sniffs them but hasn’t eaten. I am not sure what to do for her. I don’t want to force feed her right now as that will just add trauma,  but not sure how long she can go without food. It’s been a little over 2 hours at this point, so hoping she eats a bit of hay or such soon. Any suggestions of what I can do? I am trying to give her space right now.

[prince dorian the bun]

Of course right after posting this she ate a little hay and took some pellets from me. She still seems stressed,  but at least she’s eating and stopped trembling.

[Bam]

Oh, I’m glad she’s started to eat something! My only tip would be to offer peace and quiet (low lights, not too loud sound on the tv if you’re watching sth with a lot of gunfire etc), plus a selection of (small bits of) extra yummy treats strewn around the bunny area.

I havent noticed any problems after vaccinations of my buns, but I remember my dog threw up and was really out of it the night of her one year quadruple vaccine. I myself reacted strongly to my 3rd covid jab, with a fever, chills and a blinding headache. For Miu  there’s also the stress of the whole vet trip, which obv makes everything worse.

Its wise not to bring on the heavy artillery right away. A bun can go at least 6 hours without eating.

[prince dorian the bun]

Thanks Bam! I can’t leave snacks about as Dorian will just eat them all before she even has a chance.  His appetite recovered just fine! But she’s got some hay and is snuggled in a hidey box behind the couch. It’s pretty quiet right now,  so they are both napping.  I really wish vet visits weren’t so stressful for her.  At least they’re all done with vaccine and hopefully no visits needed for a year.

[DanaNM]

I’m glad she perked up!

For future reference, my personal rule of thumb for when to syringe feed after a vet trip or some other stressful experience is if they haven’t perked up by dinner for their salad I syringe feed. They may not be happy about it but usually just getting that little bit of calories and fluids into them helps them start feeling better on their own.

. . . 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

Thanks @DanaNM, good to know. She’s eating fine now thank goodness. Still a grumpy little bun and been stomping her foot at Dorian who is feeling amorous (he hasn’t tried to mount her or anything, but he is getting a bit carried away with grooming).  She has very little patience when she’s in a mood. Almost feel bad for Dorian, but he is kinda being a bit too needy.

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