Tummy trouble?

[Lara]

Calypso had a little bout of tummy trouble a few weeks ago and it sent me into a tizzy. Tonight I came home and my sister and I went to say hi to the buns. Echo was loafing, but she looked a little off. My sister even said “Why does Echo look so scared?” It was time for pellets, so I sprinkled them around, and Calypso was the only one to get excited and head down to eat them. I tried a piece of carrot and a raisin (her favourite treats) and nothing! So, I gave her a nice long tummy massage, which she really enjoyed, and will keep an eye on her overnight.

I know that bunnies get tummy problems with an improper diet, but what else contributes to it? Calypso and Echo always have tons of fresh timothy hay and lots of water. They get a handful of pellets and a big pile of greens between them every day. I try to keep them well groomed to cut down on hair in the gut.

What else can I do? Am I missing something? I feel terrible when my babies are sick! I wish I could make them feel better, and I feel like there must be something I can do to prevent it. Any advice will help.

And please send healthy tummy vibes to my sweet little Echo princess!!

 

[jerseygirl]

I don’t have any answers for you, just lots of vibes. {{{{{Echo}}}}}
Hope it passes soon!

[Sarita]

How long has it been since she’s been in for a physical exam? It’s possible that it could be dental as well.

[Andi]

I have found sometimes if I feed much later then I would usually that can make some tummy troubles in my sensitive bunnies. Other then that you’re doing everything you can to help prevent.
I also like to give canned pumpkin during molt times, to help with any hairballs. Plus it’s a yummy treat

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Andi on 09/15/2010 09:09 AM
I have found sometimes if I feed much later then I would usually that can make some tummy troubles in my sensitive bunnies. Other then that you’re doing everything you can to help prevent.
I also like to give canned pumpkin during molt times, to help with any hairballs. Plus it’s a yummy treat

 

Can you tell me more about the pumpkin?  How much do you feed?  How does it help?  I’ve never heard of it!

[Andi]

I feed a table spoon pretty much (sometimes for two bunnies, all depends). Pumpkin is high in fiber, so it helps things move in the digestive track. The one thing when going to buy it is to make sure the can says 100% pure pumpkin (and NOTHING else), some of the pumpkin pie filling cans can look very similar and you don’t want to feed that to your bunny! lol
Can’s are large and the pumpkin doesn’t keep very long in the fridge, so I put the rest in ice cube trays, freeze it and then pop them out and put them in a sealed container (You could plop them in little piles on a cookie sheet to freeze as well) They can be given frozen, and defrosted in the microwave.
My dog loved pumpkin as well, so if you have other pets they may be able to eat it as well, or you can add the pumpkin to pet (& people) cookie recipies.

[Dee]

Wow, Andi- I’m so glad that you mentioned that feeding some bunnies later than usual can cause tummy problems! I’ve noticed that in my BunBun- he gets very restless and demanding if he’s not fed by 10 PM (they get fresh greens and unlimitied hay all day but their “dinner” is the big deal cuz it has bananas and apples with it). And I’ve noticed that twice, when I’ve fed REALLY late, he has had tummy trouble. Once it was gas, the next time a bout of GI stasis that landed him in the bunny hospital for a day and nearly killed him. Very scary.

Lara, I hope Calypso is feeling better today! They always seem to get sick at night/on holiday/on weekend. If Calypso is not eating by now, I’m sure you have taken her to the vet. My rule with my buns is that any illness that involves refusing food, including treats, is an urgent issue. I don’t know what I’d do if I had a bunny not eating at 6:30 PM- that’s a rough situation since most vets are closed then. “Emergency vets” are hard to find, often unfamiliar and very expensive, but it’s scary to delay treatment too. My BunBun went from appearing perfectly fine to GI stasis,with no gut sounds, severe pain and a temp of 95- all in the space of only 12 hours. The speed with which bunnies get sick terrifies me.

I have learned on here to always have simethicone on hand, to administer in case the buns get gas. I also have some Metecam for pain, in case I have another middle of the night emergency. I would REALLY like to get a motility drug to keep here too, but not sure if any vet would just give it to me. The pumpkin is a great idea- I’m gona get it next time I’m at the store. I bet mixing that with some Critical Care and water would be a very good “recovery” solution for a sick bunny.

[Sarita]

Well, really hay is the best thing to give rabbits for their fiber. Also the fresh vegetables.

Dee, I agree, that pumpkin is great for rabbit that is ill.

[Andi]

Posted By Sarita on 09/15/2010 04:24 PM
Well, really hay is the best thing to give rabbits for their fiber. Also the fresh vegetables.

Dee, I agree, that pumpkin is great for rabbit that is ill.

Absolutly. Nothing will replace hay for fiber. It’s just so natural & good for bunnies.
I will feed pumpkin as a treat during molts, or when trying to get a sick bunny to eat, so maybe 4 or 5 times a year.

[Lara]

Thank you all for the advice and vibes. I’m happy to say that Echo improved after her nice, long tummy massage. Before I even went to bed, she was nibbling on hay and pellets, and this morning she was her normal hyperactive self, demanding baby carrots as usual.

Sarita, that’s actually something I’ve been wondering about. It’s been almost a year since either bun has seen a vet. How often does everybody take their buns in for a check up? Has it been too long for my babies?

Another question is: Where can I find Critical Care?? I’ve looked for it in pet stores occasionally, but never really knew what I was looking for. Plus, when you have a healthy bun, it can slip to the back of your mind. However, after seeing both buns going through a bout of tummy trouble, getting some to have on hand is now a priority. Any idea where I can but some in New Brunswick, Canada?? LittlePuffyTail, any idea?

[Sarita]

I usually do once a year for my healthy rabbits. It’s good because your vet can check their weight, answer any questions and in case there is an emergency you have already established a relationship with the vet and can just do drop offs for emergencies.

Your vet should carry Critical Care – just call them and ask.

[RabbitPam]

I just took Sammy in for her “Wellness” exam two years after her initial exam. The vet sends me a postcard about twice a year to make an appointment, and I didn’t go for the full exam until this month. However, we’ve been to the vet at least 2-3 times in that period for an easy nail trim. At each appointment I was careful to note whether I should expand the visit to be a total wellness exam, but she was in such good health that I just did the nail trims. The vet doesn’t do a check up with trims anyway, but if they had seen something wrong, I would have asked for something more thorough. This month I opted for a total going over (she did that with her first appointment as a baby when I got her.). She was still in perfect health so it was worth it, but I felt better about having waited. I used the opportunity to discuss minor issues that came and went during the year before I even had time to call. (Like a large gooey sleep in her eye a couple of times that came right out. She was never in pain from it so I just made sure the vet knew when examining her eye.)

So I’d suggest once a year if you can financially, immediately visit if you have a problem, and every 2 years if all has been well.

[Andi]

I ‘try’ to do a once a year visit if the bunnies had not been seen for anything that year.
As mentioned Vet’s carry critical care, mine usually orders it in if it’s not on hand. It has an expirey date so not a lot of clinics have it on hand. I found some clincis had no clue what it was either, so you may have to shop around.
Oh, and i like the really fine critical care, it’s much easier to feed.

[Author]

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