Refusing to eat voluntarily

[Winnie]

Hello everyone,

New here. I’ve had a bit of a look around and I hope someone can give some guidance.

We have a dwarf cashmere lop, 7 1/2 years young, desexed.

He’s been going strong, with a couple of short gi stasis stints over the past two years.
Recently he’s had another one, caught before he stopped pooing and eating altogether, our very house bunny savvy vet has checked him out, he’s back teeth are fine, he has no front teeth (terrible malocclusion as a wee bun), no blockages.

He spent the majority of last week at the vet during the day so they could syringe feed him every couple of hours while I was at work and then I took over at night. His poop has improved remarkably, normal amount though smaller in size than we would expect but improving in size and shape and only at night. He is however refusing to eat!!

He will look at his food take a bite or two and then refuse. Meaning he is still at 4 hourly critical care feeds. I’ve tried holding off the feeds thinking maybe he is just full of those but still nothing.

He is still on 8 hourly maxolon.

My main concern is that he is not eating on his own. Vegies, hay, grass and a small amount of pellets, nothing seems to entice him. He doesn’t fight the syringe feeding just guzzles it down.

I’ve left a message for our wonderful vet but wondering if anyone has experienced this?

Thank you

[jerseygirl]

Poor baby. And a lot of work for you also!
Is he drinking okay?

I wonder it the cross action of chewing is painful for him?
Have you tried putting the critical care in a dish to see if he’ll eat it that way?

Maybe your vet will need to sedate him to check the molars again, along with soft tissue tongue.

[Winnie]

Hi Jersey Girl, thanks for your reply.

I have put the critical care in a bowl and he refuses to even look at it. Meanwhile he will almost come running for the syringe.

I have had some progress overnight however with him eating very small pieces at first by hand and then from his bowl. Still refusing hay in all sizes and varieties though. And not eating as much as he should.

He doesn’t seem too keen on his cage (which is always open) and has made no attempts to go to the room with his litter box (which is on the ground). He’s usually a very tidy boy and in the last two weeks he’s just decided he will go wherever he is! Not like him at all! 🙁

[Winnie]

Still hand feeding but off to the vet for a blood test tomorrow to see if there is anything there and then she can make sure he is strong enough for anaesthetic to really get in to check his teeth again. Hopefully some answers soon. I think there is something with his teeth because if you position the food just right he takes it and chomps away happily but if he drops it he can’t/won’t pick it up but if I give it to him again off he goes happily.

[Winnie]

He is in kidney failure. Nothing further to be done but palliative care. :'(

Thanks for your response in our time of need Jersey Girl

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m so very sorry to hear that.

[Author]

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