Very ill rabbit need advice (in vet currently)

[Humphrey]

Hi, so if any of you have had a sick rabbit before or have had special cases please help and at this point I am open to any possiblility. I am a new rabbit owner as I found my Humphrey in the middle of the road last year in august. He is aprox. 1 year old and should be weighing around 4lbs as when I first got him. He was what seemed to be a very healthy rabbit when I found him. I had him go in for a check up where I learned everything he would need and so forth after having no luck in finding the old owner of him. A month after the first check up he was brought in for weight loss and urine scald on his feet and bottom. My vet did a blood test which indicated infection and decied to send him home with antibiotics. this was in october. Come december he started to lose weight again but I was able to get him to gain it mostly back. Towards the end of January I noticed he was starting to lose weight again and fast to which I brought him into the vet again where they ran x-rays and more tests on him. It was discovered he had some blockage in his intestines and was put on fluid therapy and pain meds due to the GI stasis he was experiencing. My vet held him for 2 night during this period with care instructions for home since he had been showing signs of improvement and weight gain. He went home weighing about 1.8lbs not a week later as of today his is no longer pooping in the last 24 hours after reintroducing greens and hay along with Oxbow critical as well which were all in the care sheet given to me by my vet. I have a very rabbit savy vet however he is not a specialist. He is an exotic pet vet and gets many other rabbits as well and I trust him with my baby. But I need help because what ever is happening to him we can not figure out and all we are doing currently is treating symptoms not the real cause. I requested to have him tested for E. Cuniculi while at the vet. If you guys have any imput please let me know and any stories you can share. It is unknown if he will make it through the night. Thank you In advance. 

His normal diet consist of: timonthy hay unrestricted, timothy pellets (1/8c) 1x a day, and a full bowl of water at all times. (all brands are oxbow even store bought treats. He gets some fresh greens such as paresley, broccoli, various lettuces, and carrots

He is exercised daily

[LeahM]

there are many people who know much more than I do, but I know it’s a relief to hear from someone so I can tell you what I know.

First of all, I’m sorry. Humphrey is lucky you found him.

Stasis can be a very long road to treat. It sounds like he probably didn’t have a true blockage if he turned around with the supportive treatment you described, at least to the best of my knowledge.

What is his appetite like? Was he eating well when he left the vet? Did he go home on any motility meds? I would guess there is a possibility that his GI problems could be secondary to the antibiotics. Do you know what the antibiotic was? Were you doing SQ fluids at home?

[Humphrey]

His apetite was never a real problem he has alway been an agressive eater and never had a problem with food. He was sent home from the last visit with pain meds and antibiotics. The brand he was given was orbax 0.5mg. And once sent home was on 20mg 2x a day of oxbow critical care. Sunday night I started him on hay and fresh greens but he was still getting weaker and from last night to about 1pm he had no poops and tbh I and still so new at everything I could be missing something I just dont know what. I have never had any experinece at all with rabbits so I am still very new to all this

[Humphrey]

the vet recommended he have extra fresh greens at home as he was having larger poops than normal and they were too dry which is what caused the blockage leading to stasis. However he suspects this is a chronic issue and he may have more episodes in the future

[Humphrey]

I just got an email from the docotor telling me he is responding to fluids and going to the bathroom again. However it seemed he was having the same problems as he did last time and I will have to wait 7 days for the e.cuniculi test to come back

[Bunny House]

I’m sorry you’re going through this. EC tests are unreliable so it’s best to treat it on suspicion as test can be false negative.
Have you heard of megacolon? I would ask your vet since he said that the poops are larger than normal and that’s what we think my other bun had but he died under surgery for a blockage removal. Megacolon can have life long issues and require a gut motility drug names cisapride, it works wonders. What color is your bun? White buns with the broken block spots tend to have it.

Remember, no motility meds if there is a blockage as it can rupture the intestines.

[Humphrey]

This is the picture of my bun if you can see it. We think he is a hotot mix. I will defintily be looking into the Megacolon. And as for motility meds I dont know what those are so if you could pleasd I’d love to learn more.

[Bunny House]

There’s no picture, make sure to be on a computer to add and then there should be a button that actually attatches the pic after you uploaded it.

Gut motility meds would be cisapride or metaclopromide, but that can also have generic names as well.

Is he yours in the profile? Does he have block spots down his back?

[Asriel and Bombur]

A gut motility drug helps the gut start moving again when a bunny has been in stasis.

I agree EC tests are often unreliable. That said, I have a bun with chronic EC, which manifests itself as frequent stasis/gas and kidney issues such as incontinence and urine scald.

Here’s an article about Megacolon, which to be honest does sound similar to what your bun is experiencing.
http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Megacolon

[Humphrey]

Yes he is the one in pitcures on my profile. And he has no other marks on his body besides the one you can see in the pitcure. Other than those he is completely white. Thank you guys all for the help. I’m waiting on a call from our vet today to see if I can bring him home today however I feel like we still have a long road of ups and downs with him.

[Humphrey]

Good news is he is coming home tomorrow. The vet is going to teach me how to palpate his stomach and give him fluids at home in case such things happen again along with possibly adding some new medication to take for helping gi movement. I am also talking with a rescue that has much experience with rabbits who have megacolon syndrom. He is going to help me with at home care on a day to day basis. Which is really what I need to know. So hopefully this time we can get him going!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Glad to hear he is coming home. (((((Continued Recovery Vibes)))))

[Humphrey]

His is offically home. My vet does suspect he has megacolon syndrome so we are going to proceed with treating him as such. I have fluids to give him every other day and looking to possibly putting him on a motility drug if he can not pass anything while home. But for now we are going to start experiementing with his diet slowly to see what works and what doesnt while also consulting specialists for help. I have learned so much about this and continue to do so, I also hope this can help others as well understand and be better prepared than I was. I will keep everyone posted on the recovery status. Thank you all for your help.

[LeahM]

how’s humphrey today?

[Humphrey]

He doing well today. Still pretty weak in the limbs though. He is responding to fluids at home eating well and drinking well. Today he weighs a whole 2lbs and 10oz!!! Big step from barely weighing a pound last week. He remains active and today is pooping a ton! So yay. Just gotta hope we can keep him on this road to recovery, if anyone who struggles with megacolon bunnies wants to hear the story please pass them along. I cant give any advice but I know from experience reading each story helps just a bit more cause from what I’ve seen and read each case is different in its own way. He is currently on Timothy hay, critical care food, selective pellets and paresel/watercress for fresh foods at this moment. We are slowly reintroducing new foods to see which work best for his system. Thank you guys all for your help. I will keep you posted for more any changed

[Humphrey]

Just an update on bun. Last night he broke his back while trying to jump his perch in his pen I suspect and in doing so he passed away on his way to the vet early this morning.

[FlemishDad]

I’m so sorry. It seems so unfair after all your love and good work. He couldn’t have had a better hoomin companion.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m so very sorry. How heartbreaking….. My deepest condolences.

(((((Binky Free)))))

[Doodler]

I am so sorry for your loss. To have you both go through what you did and then have this type of ending isn’t fair.

[Humphrey]

Thank you guys so much. I’m just glad he didn’t suffer long. He was in tremendous pain and it makes me feel better that he didn’t have to endure it for long. His ashes are going to be spread over the Santa Cruz mountains and I will receive his paw print from the vet that is doing the cremation.

[Kiki]

I am so sorry for your loss. I recently lost my kitty and it’s the worst feeling ever.  Your bun was lucky to have such a loving/concerned parent as you. 

[Author]

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