Unwell bunny + travel?

[noodlebeer]

My Gus is 3. I came home from work yesterday to find him hiding in his cardboard box (unusual). I managed to get him out but he ran straight to my room and started stretching himself out on the floor – the same thing he did a few monts ago when he had (i presumed) gas. That passed in under two hours and he was fine. But because i had been at work for 10 hours i had no idea how long he had been feeling like this so I took him to a vet (not a bunny vet but the best i could do at 7pm on a friday)
She said he didnt have a blockage and there were some noises. He got pain meds and something to help his digestion and i have more to give him this morning.

Last night all i managed to get him to eat was a tiny bit of apricot juice off my fingers and a few blades of grass. I left him out a variety of foods. I just woke up to find he has only eaten a small amount of fresh grass and hay but nothing else. I picked him some more grass and hes picking as t it a little, and there were a small amount of small poops (yay!) His personality seems normal and he is hopping around the kitchen quite actively.

If this were a normal week i would just go on gradually encouraging him to eat and take him back to the vet if need be. But its not, its christmas, and tomorrow i am meant to be driving for 6 hours with him back home. Im stressing out that the drive will make him worse (as he barely eats during car travel as it is) but i dont have much of a choice. I cant leave him here with anyone and i cant not go home for christmas (my old sick Gran is looking forward to seeing me).

Does anyone have any advice?

Tl;dr – bunny barely eating and have to make a long car ride with him tomorrow, Im stressing out.

[Q8bunny]

Ok, first off, if it’s digestive, such as gas, stop all fresh foods. Hay, water, pellets only, unless he refuses those but will nibble on fresh stuff. Handfeeding hay is totally a must sometimes if bun is poorly.

Do you have simethicone (baby gas drops) on hand? If not, try to get some and give him 1ml per hour for three hours, then 1ml every three hours after that. It’s the best go-to gas buster for buns and there’s no risk of an OD so you can literally dose your bun at the first sign of something not being quite right.

As for the drive… do it, but make him comfy and stop often for a little tummy massage and lots of pets to relax him. I’m only saying this because it sounds like you have to go anyways, so… yeah.

Let us know how you guys get on.

[noodlebeer]

Update:

It’s been a super stressful week! Gus sulked the entire drive and continued to do so when we arrived at my parents.  For the 4 days/nights we were there he was chirpy enough (though, seemed on edge most of the time) but refused to leave my room.  He wouldn’t eat his dinner at all over night, and would only eat during the day if someone was there with him to keep him company/hand feed him (prima donna!) He would also only eat certain foods and turned his nose up at food he would usually snap up. 

The drive home was much better, he ate a little along the way and spent the trip stretched out relaxing, rather than hunched like the first drive there. 

Now he is back home he is almost normal again! He loves routine and familiarity, as I’m sure most buns do.  He’s following me around the house again, eating hay frequently, and for the first time in a full week he ate his entire (small) dinner alone in his pen.  Last night he even gave a binky   I’ll keep a close eye on him for the next few days at least to make sure he’s back to normal.

Here he is at my parents place – he loved the window!

[FlemishDad]

What a cutie! Glad things worked out, more or less.

[Q8bunny]

Oh, he’s gorgeous!

Honestly, sounds to me like you had a fabulous trip experience – by bunny standards. Glad all is well. Love to fussy Gus.

[Author]

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