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Clover's not eating and the vets are closed ...

LizJ

Warren Scout
I don't know how to tell if anyone is online this late, but I really hope someone is ...

When I fed Asta and Clover at about 11pm tonight, Clover ignored the pellets :cry: He just stayed laying in the litter tray. I fethed him out out and he let me cuddle him (definately NOT normal), and feel his tummy. Basically I could do what I liked and he wasn't bothered.

My vets doesn't have an out of hours service, so i'd have to take him about 20 mins on a bus to get him to an emergency vet. I have syringed some mushed up pellets and encouraged him to hop about, but he is still lying down at every opportunity.

How long do I leave it before I head to the vets? His tummy doesn't feel at all hard (in fact it feels squidgier than Asta's), but if syringing food is going to work, how long does it take?
 
Can you have the vet out to you?

Usually if they're lying down it means they are uncomfortable which may or may not transfer into 'pain'

Definately keep him warm and indoors if they're outdoor buns
 
Can't help much but our bun was ill before xmas with GI Stasis and on phone to vet hospital as it was a Sunday they said what does tum feel like we felt said soft not hard at all!

Anyway took her to the vet 30 mins later and when they felt her tum they said it was a little hard, they said you really have to push in too feel it especially bunnie's as she was only at beginning of stasis! Not only did vet feel it was hard but bunnie whinced with pain !

To tell if anyone on go to the home page forum lists and it shows down the bottom who on also at the bottom of each one like this it shows who is currently viewing!

Hope your bun will be ok!
 
Hard call really suppose.

Either wait till morning and stay up with bun or take to vet but then will that stress out bun as you have to go catch a bus!

Why does it always happen in the middle of night or when out at work!

Sending healing vibes!
 
I don't know how to tell if anyone is online this late, but I really hope someone is ...

When I fed Asta and Clover at about 11pm tonight, Clover ignored the pellets :cry: He just stayed laying in the litter tray. I fethed him out out and he let me cuddle him (definately NOT normal), and feel his tummy. Basically I could do what I liked and he wasn't bothered.

My vets doesn't have an out of hours service, so i'd have to take him about 20 mins on a bus to get him to an emergency vet. I have syringed some mushed up pellets and encouraged him to hop about, but he is still lying down at every opportunity.

How long do I leave it before I head to the vets? His tummy doesn't feel at all hard (in fact it feels squidgier than Asta's), but if syringing food is going to work, how long does it take?

All I can suggest is if not housebun bring inside in the warm, keep trying to get him to move, take water to him, try warm water and try a bit of his favourite veg, avoid carrots anything sugary if possible oh and tummy rubs!
 
Thanks for all your replies guys, it good to know there are other people who understand.

I just spoke to the emergency vets and the lady said to keep syringing mushed up pellets and water and wait to ring my own vets in the morning. It's kind of reassuring, but then all the stories about vets who don't know anything about rabbits make me scared in case she doesn't know much.

Clover is looking a bit perkier now - he's bitten me, which is more like him and is moving round a bit more. He had a drink too, but so far no hay/pellets. He does keep washing himself though (he's covered in syringe mush :oops:), which I guess is a good sign too.

I think I'll carry on with syringing and making him hop for a while as the bus would stress him out further. I am also not 100% sure where the vets is and the last thing my warm (moulting) house bunnies need is a walk around Victoria in the cold while I try to figure out where the emergency vets is.

Priority one (once Clover is better) will be to find the emergency vets when there isn't an emergency ...
 
Hiya,

You can always call the vet for advice even if you don't go in :)

Clean the litter tray so you can check for poops.

Water is important to so provide a bowl, you can add a splash of apple juice if you have in, or syringe it.

Moving helps the guts work and you can also massage the tummy gently to encourage movement.

As said already, keep him warm and indoors.

Try all his favourite foods to tempt him.

Tamsin
 
Sometimes a splodge of mush on their paws is easier than syringing if they are licking it off ;)
 
Thanks Tamsin.

They are indoor bunnies, so he is nice and warm. He's moulting, so I am wondering if that is the problem :?

I will try putting mush on his paws.

He has done about 4 smallish poops and has had a drink adn a half hearted nibble on some hay. I think he is perking up a bit :), though i will stay up with him and if he hasn't eaten in half an hour or so i'll syringe some more.

Thank you so much for your forum. It is so so reasurring to be able to speak to other "rabbity" people when you are unsure about what is happening with your rabbits.
 
Poops is a reassuring sign! Think someone on here once cut up some hay and mixed in with mush! Could try! Hope he is ok !
 
Feed him some kind of green veg that will get the gut moving far quicker broccoli or dark green cabbage leafs are good. Pineapple juice unsweetend in his water will also help to break down things in his tum 2mls to a bottle of fresh water.
Get some probotics from the vets when your their to add to his water while he is recovering from his upset.:D
 
one of my bunnies did this yesterday too! Really the best thing to syringe is warm water (warmed from the kettle as hot tap is full of germs) Stands to reason if you are piling food on top of a bit of an obstruction, you are going to make them worse, whereas warm water helps it all move along by keeping it moist - I'm pretty sure I force fed my first bunny to death, on the advice of the vet :(

I'm not sure if it's the action of being syringed (I hold their back end between my thighs, and lift the chest and front legs up, so they're almost standing upright, wrapped in a towel - but after I'd got 10ml water into her I let her go (my legs had gone dead! :shock:) and she stretched out and kept shifting around till there was a huge GURGLE from her tummy. I left her an hour and she was fine :p At Christmas I had to syringe a further 10ml into her, but if it wasn't working at all after 30ml with an hour in between, I'd go to the vet.

With shedding fur, you can give bromelain tablets from holland and barret - the 40mg chewable ones - one every day, which helps pass the hair through and is easier than finding fresh pineapple :)
 
Thanks for all your advice guys ... and I was going to ask about quantities this morning, so your info is great Elve :D

I syringed around 4ml of mushed up food three times between 12pm and 5am and each time he looked perkier but still wasn't eating for himself. He looked interested in hay a few times, but would then stop investigating before actually eating it. I went to bed at 6am and when i put breakfast inas usual at 8am, he tucked in as normal :D

Provided he is ok for the next hour, my plan is to go to work but come back and check on him at lunchtime, then leave early tonight. That means he would only have 3 hour in which to go down hill again without me here to notice. I will take him to the vets is he does stop eating or looks uncomfortable again.

Am I right in thinking there is probably not much a vet would do today, so not neccessary to go unless he starts to look ill again?
 
if he's eating on his own it sounds like the ball of whatever giving him tummy ache last night, has moved along by itself - you can encourage him to drink more water by warming it with a splash from the kettle and putting it in a dish - mine love their morning cuppa :)
 
if he's eating on his own it sounds like the ball of whatever giving him tummy ache last night, has moved along by itself - you can encourage him to drink more water by warming it with a splash from the kettle and putting it in a dish - mine love their morning cuppa :)

Mine too! :lol:

I agree re. syringe feeding too - in my bunnies' numerous 'episodes' I syringe feed water only, as it's poo that you want to see, not more food going in and not coming out. Once they've passed a decent amount of poo they normally start eating for themselves.

Really glad to hear Clover is doing well - sounds like all is OK now. :)
 
I will just do water if it ever happens again then. To be honest, the mushed up pellets was mostly water as I only had a 1ml syringe so large lumps didn't go in :roll:

Will keep checking on him today and go straight to the vets if it happens again over the next few days.

Thanks again everyone - your support is really invaluable :D
 
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