Sick bunny need advice

[Thearina]

One of my rabbits, Abbie, is sick and I would like some advice on what to do. Up till yesterday Abbie was eating, drinking, pooping, and playing the same. But she has not ate or pooped since yesterday until earlier today in which she had a glob-like poop. But that is the only poop she has had and still wasn’t eating. Her stomach also appeared bloated and felt extra gassy when I felt it. She also wasn’t very perky or active. There is not any emergency clinics that will see rabbits within a couple hundred miles and I couldn’t get her in to the vet until late to day. I looked on the internet to see what could be wrong with her and what I could maybe do for her until I could get to the vet. From what I could find Abbie appeared that she MAY have gi stasis and/or gas. So until I could get her the vet I gently massaged her stomach throughout last night and today. After massaging her stomach for a while it appeared and felt to help her stomach appear less bloated. I tried giving her timothy hay and orchard grass, veggies, and mushed of her pellets but she wouldn’t eat any of it.

When we finally got the vet the vet listened and felt her stomach. The vet said her stomach did look bloated and gassy so she did x-rays. The x-rays were done very quick because the vet didn’t what to stress Abbie out more than she had to or put Abbie under anesthesia unless she REALLY had to. The vet said that Abbie wasn’t fat but her abdomen did look bloated on the x-rays. She showed me the x-rays and said that Abbie didn’t have anymore gas than what was normal. She also said that when she did the x-rays she expected to maybe see more gas than was normal and/or a hairball. But she didn’t see any of that. The vet showed me some lines that was on the x-rays that she said shouldn’t be there and that they appeared to be causing a blockage of some kind. The lines looked to be in the upper left (I think) area of the abdomen. She sent Abbie home with reglan and pain med 3 times a day, plus some liquid stuff to help her stomach. The vet said that if Abbie hasn’t passed any poops by tomorrow morning to bring her in and that will to another x-ray to see how she looks again. But she said that if the meds aren’t working and Abbie doesn’t appear to have anything able to pass then she will have to do surgery on her. The also asked me who did Abbie’s spay because the vet said that Abbie’s spay scar was up in the kinda middle part of her abdomen and usually it is done lower in the abdomen right over her ovaries and such. The vet said that there also could maybe possibly be scar tissue built up in Abbie’s abdomen where she was spayed. But the vet said that she has only heard of this happening and not every seen that happen before.

After we got home as soon as I took Abbie out her carrier and put her in her cage she started eating some orchard grass. She didn’t eat very much, but I hoping maybe she’ll improve and won’t have to have surgery.

I would like some opinions and advice on what to do for Abbie. The vet said that surgery is a last resort but that by the x-rays Abbie appears to have some sort of blockage. I was wondering if someone has had experience with this and if surgery would actually be a good ideal? Most of the websites I’ve read don’t recommend surgery or I’m really not sure what to do. I would really like some advice

Also please note that the vet I took Abbie to is not any exotic vet, but does and has experience with rabbits. I live way out in the country and don’t have very good dog/cat vets let alone rabbits ones. The closest exotic vet is around 3 hrs away in a big city and I don’t know which ones would be good or bad since I live so far away. To be completely honest, if Abbie does have to have surgery I trust the vet I took her to more than any vet I can think of because this vet does have experience with rabbits and has done surgeries before similar to what Abbie may have to have. 

Again I would GREATLY appreicate some advice/opinions.

 

[Scarlet_Rose]

Thearina – Surgery should be an absolute LAST resort for GI stasis.  Gut motility drugs as well as an anti-gas drug like Simethicone should have been prescribed by your vet.

Please read this very good info on GI stasis and don’t be afraid to call your vet up and ask for the meds listed and/or take your rabbit back in with the article in hand.

http://www.rabbitcare.org/ileus.pdf

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=484

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

You must get your rabbit to eat in order to help push the blockage through.  Try wetting veggies down with water and/or Pedialyte.  You can find Simethicone over the counter for babies at a store near you.  Here is info on dosing:

 Simethicone (anti-gas treatment):

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=1&postid=55577&view=topic

More info on GI Stasis from previous discussion:

GI Stasis:

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=1&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=55267#55720

 I am going to alert the other moderators to keep an eye on this discussion so we can be sure to help you through this difficult time.

 

[Thearina]

I’ve tried wetting down her veggies and all she does is just smell and turn her head. When I got her home she ate a little bit of orchard grass. She seems a little more perky since getting back from the vet which was at around 7:20 p.m. and it is now 10:19 p.m. She is actually grooming herself and her bondmate some. Which she hasn’t done since the day before yesterday. I asked for advice because from what I’ve read it seems like Abbie has gi stasis and all the website i looked at said to only do surgery as a last resort and most rabbits don’t live long after surgery IF they make it through. The website also said that it may take a few days for a rabbit to have poops and for the meds to work. So that is why I came on her for advice because I really not sure what to do.

I have another question: how can I tell if Abbie is pooping with her bondmate being a cage with her? I ask because they are laying together and its hard to tell if any poops are Abbie’s. Neither Abbie nor her bondmate are completely litterbox trained. But I do think Abbie may be pooping because there are some poops half the size of other and they don’t look like cecal pellets.

[Scarlet_Rose]

It’s good you came here. Like I mentioned you can get some Simethicone and give that to her yourself to help alleviate the gas – that does not take several days to work, it is nearly immediate and can be a life-saving procedure. It does sound like your bun may be recovering and keep up with the good job on massaging her belly. Try some fragrant veggies like cilantro, mint or parsely to tempt her. Gently bat her lightly on the nose with them, most rabbits will eat it out of annoyance. Sometimes this will also stimulate the appetite as well.

My rabbit sitter seperates the bonded pair with a panel and each has their own litterbox so she can tell which rabbit is pooping what, especially when one is in stasis. However, since she is comfortable, I hesitate to tell you to do that. Keep up with the fiber, you can try some canned pumpkin (without the spices) to tempt her as well as it is high in fiber and nutrients. You want to be sure that she does not get dehydrated either (hence the soaking veggies).

[KatnipCrzy]

The vet sounds concerned about a blockage- has your bunny possibly gotten into anything lately- chewed up the carpet, shredded foam, anything like that?

[Thearina]

Well she just ate a small (quarter size) piece of red leaf lettuce So maybe her meds are working. I gave them about 4 1/2 hrs ago. I think that she may have poop because their small poops laying in the area where her butt is(corner area). She was laying down but is now setting up and her bondmate hasn’t been laying where her butt is only in front of her. So I think their hers, but not absolutely sure.

I don’t want to separate them only as a last resort because all last night and today her bondmate has been laying with her and grooms her. And she acts like it makes her fell better. And I think if I separated them even with just a grid she may not do as well. And I know the male doesn’t do good that way because I had to do that when I had the spayed/neutered at the same time and he was trying to hump her right after the surgery. And I had to separate them but the male REALLY relies on the female and is his boss/protector kinda. And the male won’t hardly eat if she’s not right there against him.

[Thearina]

Sorry KatnipCrzy I didn’t see your questions until after I posted. But to answer your question there is NO way they could have chew anything harmful because I make sure everything is pickup and only let them out when I’m right there to watch them. Plus the room they play in does have electronics or cords and that is way they get to play in that room. They don’t eat or dig up my carpet or wall, etc (at least so far ) Their actually very good about stuff like that.

Scarlet Rose: I’ll try to get some Simethicone in the morning because I live in a VERY small town (less than 400 people) and there aren’t any stores open right now and the close store that stays open late or all night is 45 min- 1hr away. So all try to get some tomorrow and maybe some parsely and or mint but the only store that close to me that really carries is in the same town (45min-1 hr away) that carries the Simethicone and the only good looking veggies are the the red and green leaf. Most of the time their other veggies (like parsely and mint) look welted and not good. But I’ll take look tomorrow.

I plan on calling my vet tomorrow and having her give me some more meds for a couple more days to see if Abbie keeps improving and then go from there.

Thanks for the advice.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I believe Reglan is a motility drug, pain meds are a great thing (often pain will cause them to stop eating or give up-pain meds can be very important for survival)

Honestly I think your vet sounds great! Sounds like she’s being very cautious, knows her stuff and is concerned. Those articles you were given are great, definitely read them and show them to your vet

Is their any way you can tell your bunnies poops apart? Sometimes if they are close in size it’s hard to tell. I agree about not seperating them, that could stress her out. And calling the vet tomorrow is good too Maybe you’ll be able to tell if she poops because they’ll likely be misshapen, smaller, darker, or mushier then regular as she’s having some sort of tummy upset-it’s unlikely they’ll look like perfectly formed normal poops so I bet you’ll be able to tell.

Ok, *hugs* for you, {{VIBES}} for her. We’re all hoping you’ll jump on here soon to let us know she’s pooping!!

[Sarita]

Did the vet do any sub-q fluids? It would be good to do sub-q fluids as well. Really a blockage would not require simethicone since that is for gas. I agree that another x-ray is in order and a better look. You really don’t need to do simethicone either if you are giving reglan as well.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Good point Sarita, sub-Q fluids are a good thing to ask the vet for!!

[Thearina]

Sorry for a late up date but I’ve been trying to get however much sleep as I can.

Abbie is now eating her veggies small amount (to be safe), a ton of orchard grass and timothy and finally her pellets. She finally started having poops in this morning that I knew were hers because they were kinda smaller and a few bigger clumpier ones than what her bondmate usually haves. Most of her poops look really good almost normal but there are a few here and there that are lumpy. But I’m just really happy she doing better I know she’s also feeling better because she is not be good about taking her meds like she was earlier. But she’s not bad about giving meds. She’s actually usually fairly easy.

I called my vet this morning and said that I didn’t have to bring her back in just yet since Abbie is doing at lot better and she didn’t want Abbie to get stress out. She’s going to give me some more meds for a couple more days to see if Abbie keeps doing better and returns to normal. If a rabbit gi stasis and was on meds how long is that rabbit usually on the meds? My vet didn’t say how manys days worth of meds she’s going to give me.

The vet didn’t give sub-q fluids because she said that she really didn’t want to stress Abbie more than she was already with us being at the vets office for 2 1/2 hrs, getting an exam, and x-rays. I was going to get the simethicone but decided not to since was Abbie starting/currenting doing good.

Thanks for all the support and advice. I’ve really appreciated it!

[Sarita]

I’m glad she’s doing better.

As for meds, it really does vary but it is a good idea to continue for at least a few days (or whatever the vet recommends) for the medicine.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

YEAH ABBIE!!! Woot!! Poops AND eating-that’s fantastic!

[BinkyBunny]

I got to this late, but it looks like things are finally coming along. Please keep us updated. Sending out “Completely Back to Health” Vibes.

[MooBunnay]

Yay! I’m glad she is starting to eat some food again It might be a good idea to purchase some simethicone to keep just in case she has any gas trouble again so that you can get it to her right away. I hope she’s 100% better soon!

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s great news! I am so glad she is slowly getting back to normal again!

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