Not eating...

Hello - I am new to the site, but need some assistance with my little lop, Bailey.

She's 11 months old and just 2 days ago started avoiding her food - she gets veggies as well as hay and some pellets as treats. She normally runs right over, but has been ignoring food unless someone is sitting right next to her feeding it to her. Hasn't really been going to the bathroom much either.

We took her to the vet this morning, but the doc said he couldn't see anything wrong and if she didn't start eating in the next few days to bring her back for possible IV feeding. He also gave her a shot to assist her appetite, which has not worked - 8 hours later.

Bailey has also started to, when she eats the little amount, throw her head back when she eats almost like it hurts her to swallow. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do for her? I'm so worried!

BaileyGurl said:

Hello - I am new to the site, but need some assistance with my little lop, Bailey.

She's 11 months old and just 2 days ago started avoiding her food - she gets veggies as well as hay and some pellets as treats. She normally runs right over, but has been ignoring food unless someone is sitting right next to her feeding it to her. Hasn't really been going to the bathroom much either.

We took her to the vet this morning, but the doc said he couldn't see anything wrong and if she didn't start eating in the next few days to bring her back for possible IV feeding. He also gave her a shot to assist her appetite, which has not worked - 8 hours later.

Bailey has also started to, when she eats the little amount, throw her head back when she eats almost like it hurts her to swallow. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do for her? I'm so worried!

Click to expand...

yes, get her to another vet sooner rather than later. NO vet should turn a rabbit away that hasn't been eating for a couple of days nor suggest that you allow her to go another few days without eating. She doesn't need IV feeding, you can do so yourself with a syring and some critical care or pellets soaked in warm water. I would definitely start syringe feeding NOW, as well as giving her some fluids. Did he give you any metoclopramide to take home?? She should be having it 3-4 times a day to get her guts moving as well as pain relief and maybe some zantac to ease an upset tummy. Did he give her back teeth a thorough check? It could be that she is suffering from dental issues making eating very uncomfortable for her. She is more than likely in stasis now and as this can kill a bunny very quickly I would get her to a rabbit savvy vet, the vet you currently are using doesn't seem to understand the basics about rabbits. Your bunny is lucky that she has managed to go until now if she is not eating/toileting normally, PLEASE get her to a different vet.

Bailey has been eating - just verrrry small amounts. No medication to take home, but I believe her biggest problem is that her bowels are not moving at all. This was really what he requested her to come back for in a few days, if nothing is moving. Back teeth were checked and no problems there. The doctor is very good with bunnies as we have taken 2 other of our rabbits to him. My best bet would that the injection that Bailey got this morning was the one that you indicated. But I will inquire as to the exact type and if there is a take home dose that can be provided. Thanks so much, Charlie.

BaileyGurl said:

Bailey has been eating - just verrrry small amounts. No medication to take home, but I believe her biggest problem is that her bowels are not moving at all. This was really what he requested her to come back for in a few days, if nothing is moving. Back teeth were checked and no problems there. The doctor is very good with bunnies as we have taken 2 other of our rabbits to him. My best bet would that the injection that Bailey got this morning was the one that you indicated. But I will inquire as to the exact type and if there is a take home dose that can be provided. Thanks so much, Charlie.

Click to expand...

Hi,

hmmm....good that he seems to be ok with your other bunnies although he still doesn't sound rabbit savvy to me.... if your rabbit has not been passing anything he should really be concerned, that is stasis, you wouldn't leave that a few days. He should have given you some critical care, meds to take home (metaclopromide is a gut stimulant, and although he gave her some by injection she should still be having it three-4 times a day) He would maybe have taken an x-ray to check for any blockages. He should not have sent her home with nothing, that is a dead cert and worries me. Try and soak some pellets and liquidise them and feed her this way. Rabbits in stasis may well eat a little on their own but it will be nowhere near enough for them to pass anything through, and they need help otherwise the gut will just shut down and the rabbit dies. They are hindgut fermenters and need to have food passing through them all of the time to ensure everything works.

Try and give her some gentle tummy massages and keep an ear out for any gurgling sounds from her stomach that may indicate gas. This could be the problem causing her pain making her unwilling to eat normally. You can give her some infacol to see if that will help, but I really wouldn't leave it longer before force feeding.

The vet should have injected fluids right away. Wouldn't that be the logical thing to do for a bun that hasn't eaten or drank?

buda said:

The vet should have injected fluids right away. Wouldn't that be the logical thing to do for a bun that hasn't eaten or drank?

Click to expand...

yes it would be - the gut contents solidify to the extent they can't be passed, and gut surgery to remove a blockage is hardly ever successful with rabbits

I'm sorry to hear your rabbit is in such a bad way - for future reference if a rabbit starts to go off their food and seems a bit sluggish, you need to force feed them warm water from the kettle, about 10ml an hour, and get them to run about a bit. Simethicone for babies (assume you're in the US?) is good to give them as wind builds up and makes them uncomfortable.

See this link about how to treat stasis, which is when the guts stop - it is an emergency and the fact your vet says wait a few days indicates he doesn't understand the workings of a rabbit's gut - it will be too late by then
http://www.mybunny.org/info/gi_stasis.htm