Pinky flopping all day

[Moonlightbunny66]

I’ve mentioned this in my thread about Muffin’s infection, but Pinky had/has a big gas buildup. He’s on Trimebutine, metacam, and Sulfatrim for his wheezing. The vet also gave me Cisapride and buprenorphine just in case he needs it.

He started flopping a lot since Muffin started staying at the small animal hospital. Before, he would flop maybe once a day or less. Now he’s flopping more everyday. It was more like 6 a day, and today it seems like he flopped at least 10 times. I know some people say if they’re doing it more than once at a time it can mean they’re uncomfortable. It’s more like he flops and lays there for a few seconds and sits up. Then he will do it again maybe within 10 minutes or an hour later.

What could this mean? Expressing that he misses Muffin and doesn’t have him to cuddle right now? Or pain from his gas?

He also has bruises on his back, a few inches above his tail, we are trying to figure out what’s going on there. I mentioned this all to a vet tech at my vet clinic, she told the vet and she was surprised that I said flopping can mean they’re happy. She said she will do some research for me. I really don’t know what’s going on.

[Bam]

If he shifts position often, and if you see him “stretching”, like a human who is doing a pushup but cant keep his back straight, then my guess would be gas pain/discomfort. How is his appetite?

Flopping is often a sign of relaxation and happiness, but practically all rabbit behavior must be interpreted in context.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Bam I’m not sure about switching positions often, but he does do that stretch sometimes and presses his belly on the floor a bit. I told the vet about it, though.
He eats all his meds off a spoon and his critical care. The vet advised 6.5tbsp of critical care a day for him. It’s harder to get him to eat it during the day, he eats it better in the morning and at night. He eats the small amount of lettuce and pellets I give him, and he eats hay. I don’t know if he’s eating enough hay, but he seems to be picking out all the orchard grass.

He got fluids both times he was at the vet the past week.

The vet tech said last night that I could give him some buprenorphine, I just wasn’t sure if that was necessary yet, because we just started doing 1mL metacam twice a day instead of once.

[Bam]

I’d hold off on the buprenorphin then. It tends to make them very zoned out, which can be a bit scary to see, plus it slows the gut. It is good for severe pain, and should absolutely be given if the bun has severe pain, but it doesnt seem like Pinky is in any sort of severe pain. If I see my bun pressing his tummy and shifting positions often, I give him simethicone gas drops, and that as a rule helps.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Bam thank you. That’s why I’m nervous to give it to him. He still moves around and did a binky this morning, so I don’t think it’s necessary right now either. I’ve been giving Simethicone everyday morning and night for almost a week now, 1.75mL a dose. He still has abnormal poops, but some look relatively normal now.

[Bam]

It’s great that you’re seeing improvement! Bunny poop can be abnormal  for quite some time after a bout of stomach trouble, the importsnt thing is that there is improvement. It can be frustratingly slow though. When my bun was ill last year  I took pictures of his poop every day. It helped me see that he actually did improve, little by little.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you Bam. His poops have been abnormal since I got him last year in August, always different shapes and sizes. A lot of the time they were wet, a little improvement now from wetness. I think because I’ve been giving him less lettuce since he was off of it for two weeks to try figuring out the issue. I also noticed one time there was mucus in a couple of them. I still don’t know what the issue is. Is there such thing as chronic gas?

[DanaNM]

I journaled the issues with Pippen, the foster I cared for with similar issues. It might be informative to read: https://binkybunny.com/forums/topic/pippens-gi-stasis-cecal-dysbiosis-maybe-dysautonomiaaeaeae/

Pippen had very acute symptoms that caused him a lot of pain. Pinky doesn’t seem to be in as much distress, which is a very good thing.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thanks DanaNM. I’ll read through it.

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