Not eating veggies all of a sudden?

[Rainn]

Hi, I’ve noticed for the past two days Rain won’t eat her spring mix despite it being fresh and everything. The only thing she’ll eat is pellets, not even the hay she likes. What should I do? Her poops are still normal but they’re bound to become smaller soon if she doesn’t eat like normal. Could it be teeth problems? This started on the same day that my dad was fixing an alarm that went off. Maybe the unfamiliar loud noise has put her in some sort of shock? Or the veggies might not be the normal quality she likes?

[DanaNM]

It could be any of those things. Maybe try a new batch of hay and some new veg (maybe even some different things like cilantro or parsley), and if that doesn’t work I think a vet visit is in order since it’s been two days already. You could also try offering some critical care mash on a plate or spoon and see if she eats that willingly.

. . . 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.  

[Rainn]

Also, I don’t really have a way to try out any new vegetables since we don’t go outside for groceries unless it’s the designated day :/ I’m basically limited to only the stuff that’s already here. Unfortunately don’t have critical care atm either…

[Rainn]

I’d like to insert an image of her teeth but the file seems to be too large :/ I have repeatedly replaced her hay and veggies and still the only thing she wants to eat is her pellets. From the picture I took I think teeth are definitely a culprit in this. My father refuses to accept that they are crooked though…he thinks that’s how they are supposed to look. I think they have just gotten worse so she avoids certain foods she enjoyed.

[DanaNM]

Yes selective eating can be a main symptom of dental issues.

PM me and I can help you insert the image.

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

But yeah I mean her symptoms point to a dental issue being likely, even if you can’t see a problem with the front teeth. So maybe if you focus on her not eating hay when you talk to your father?

If he has any knowledge of horses, you might explain that horses need their teeth filed occasionally, and some rabbits do too. The procedure is very common and straightforward (and usually not too expensive), but if left too long then other issues can complicate things (like GI stasis or sores in the mouth leading to abscesses).

. . . 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.  

[Rainn]

Thank you for all the help! Luckily he agreed to scheduling an appointment so we’ll get to take her in tomorrow morning. I’m just worried because we just now got her some new spring mix and also some different veggies like mint and cilantro (those were the only available atm) but she just chins all of them and moves away :/ I’m trying to get her to eat anything so that she’ll stay okay in the night before the vets office. She’s still eating pellets but with less enthusiasm. Poops still look alright too, but I saw a couple that were strung together. Any tips on how to help her gut movement in the meantime?

[DanaNM]

It’s good you are getting her in to the vet tomorrow. It does sound like her teeth are bothering her, or possibly early GI stasis. Sometimes molting can cause some tummy trouble.  Can you offer her some pellet mash? Or critical care? If her teeth are hurting her she might eat pellet mash willingly. If she doesn’t, syringe feeding her could help at least keep her gut moving.

. . . 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.  

[Rainn]

Alright so we went to the vet’s and apparently her teeth are fine? I was expecting there to be an obvious issue with them but the vet didn’t see any. She says she can’t see any clear problem with Rain but gave us some antibiotics in case she has an infection that could be causing this. Does this sound trustworthy to you guys? I don’t mean to undermine a professional but I’ve heard what happens when an inexperienced vet prescribes something to a rabbit.

[Bam]

What antibiotic did you get? Metronidazole can have good effect on a possible tummy infection. Its sold under various brand names, Flagyl being one, but it should be possible to find the name of the active substance somewhere on the package.

There are several antibiotics that can be safely given to rabbits. Here’s Medirabbit’s list of Safe antibiotics:

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm

 

[DanaNM]

Sometimes un-rabbit savvy vets will prescribe antibiotics for tummy trouble. Sometimes they help, sometimes they make things worse. What antibiotic were you given?

Typical stasis treatments are fluids, syringe feeding, and pain management. Sometimes a motility med is needed. The poops strung together with fur mean that she might be having some slowdown from ingesting too much fur. I would groom her very thoroughly and try to boost her water intake. If she’s not eating veg or hay she will probably get dehydrated (hay eating often goes along with drinking). You can also syringe some water. Fiber and water are the keys to a functioning bunny gi tract.

The back molars can’t be seen without anesthesia, so if problems continue a deep oral exam might be a good idea.

. . . 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.  

[Rainn]

They gave her fluids at the office, and they told us to give her one dose of Meloxicam and two doses of Enrofloxacin daily.

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