My rabbit won't eat :(

Hello everyone, Im new to this forum, I just found it while searching for help with my bunny.
Ok i'll say whats wrong, I have a bunny called Basil, he is 3years old, and a small bunny. We also have a girl bunny called Nibbles who is 5yrs old. They are both trained house rabbits and very very spoilt, and have alot of love.
The thing is Basil has stopped eating. Hes previously had trouble with his teeth, which I suppose is on going. We took him to the vets a few months back, but due to his spoilt nature wouldnt even let the vet look at him, and they gave up and said he'd have to be put under anesthetic, which we didnt want to do as he is too sensitive and we were afraid he might die under it from the stress.
We were told to cut his teeth when they got long, so my dad does this every time they grow abit too big and Basil goes back to eating again. However hes not eating today and his teeth look fine.
He keeps going and sitting in his litter tray and his house hutch, and hes been sleeping in my parents bed alot. hes usually all over the house.
He ate some carrot tops earlier, but hasnt eaten anything since. He looks like he wants to eat but cant.
Hes also drinking alot too.
He usually loves porridge and he hasnt eaten any of that either.
We're just really worried and dont know what to do?
Any advice would really, really be appreciated.

Hiya,

Sounds like he will need to go to the vets for a dental.
Id possibly get another vet as well if your own is telling you to cut them, you shouldnt as by cutting them, the tooth can fracture and shards can become buried in their gums, causing infections and abcesses

Um i have another question if thats ok? do they have to put him under anesthetic or is there another way a bunny can be sedated? Hes so spoilt he gets scared when visitors he doesnt know come to the house.
Oh another thing its bank holiday, and we live in a rural part of wales where most vets aren't trained with small animals, their main customers are farmers.

christina83 said:

Um i have another question if thats ok? do they have to put him under anesthetic or is there another way a bunny can be sedated? Hes so spoilt he gets scared when visitors he doesnt know come to the house.
Oh another thing its bank holiday, and we live in a rural part of wales where most vets aren't trained with small animals, their main customers are farmers.

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Some vets can do "conscious dentals" i personally do not know of any but i know a few members on here have had them done. I would personally call round allllll the vets in your area, find the ones rabbit savvy and then ask them.

Ok thanks
Hes such a sweet little creature, its just horrible to see him out of character and not eating his favourite foods.
Nibbles was a little quiet the other day also, but shes back to her old greedy self now. We thought maybe they'd had a little tiff or something.

Keep an eye on him, if he can not eat/will not eat, he will have to go to the vets as an emergency case.

Kris xx

thanks for your advice, i really appreciate it.
we'll see what happens tomorrow.
I'll keep you posted

Hope he is okay

If he still isnt eating though, please teke hom to the vets asap, maybe the reason you can not see anything wrong with him is as his back teeth need burring down?

StarlightsAnimalSanctuary said:

Some vets can do "conscious dentals"

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what exactly is it?

Sorry to hear that Basil is not eating.

You could try this link: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/system/FAVSearch.asp?NodeID=89660 to help you find a rabbit savvy vet (look for a small animal accredited practice). I've never heard of a vet telling you to do a rabbit's teeth yourself, sounds quite bananas if you ask me:shock:.

You should really try to get him to a vet today, if he's not eating, rabbits go downhill so quickly.

I know that you're worried about your rabbit having a GA but if you go to a vet that knows what they're doing, then the outcome is more likely to be positive. I have very nervy rabbits (Inky in particular hates being held) but they have both had GAs (Inky's had 3 so far) and have been OK.

Lots of vibes

FC xx

Where are you in Wales? If you are North Wales, my vet is not too far away from there and he does conscious dentals.

It does sound like it could be his teeth. Could you add a bit of warm water to his pellets and try to syringe it to him until you can get to a vet?

it's likely to be his back teeth that are causing the problems. there are vets in coventry and nottingham who does dentals without GA... if you can't get to one who can do it without GA, I'd say you have no choice but to have the dental done under anaesthetic, as he is in pain. In the meantime, I'd get hold of some metacam from your vets and ask them for some syringes to syringe feed him...
good luck and hope he feels better soon!

Just to emphasize what others have said. It's important to keep his gut moving and to keep him hydrated. If you mix the pellets with water sometimes they just lick it up, otherwise you have to syringe feed. Sending vibes for Basil.

Anthony & Max & Harlie

hello everyone, thanks for your answers
Basil went to the vet this morning at 9am, and the vet looked in his mouth and said his gums at the back of his mouth were looking a little red, so she gave him an injection of painkillers, antibiotics and a laxative to get his bowl moving again.
Hes been in the garden grazing abit and playing with nibbles, so i think the painkillers have helped

I live in west wales, in the cardigan bay area and no one here specialises in small animals, the nearest is swansea which is an hours drive away.

The vet came out as an emergency appointment too, and charged £60 just to come out, Basils worth it though

christina83 said:

hello everyone, thanks for your answers
Basil went to the vet this morning at 9am, and the vet looked in his mouth and said his gums at the back of his mouth were looking a little red, so she gave him an injection of painkillers, antibiotics and a laxative to get his bowl moving again.
Hes been in the garden grazing abit and playing with nibbles, so i think the painkillers have helped

I live in west wales, in the cardigan bay area and no one here specialises in small animals, the nearest is swansea which is an hours drive away.

The vet came out as an emergency appointment too, and charged £60 just to come out, Basils worth it though

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£60 to come out? wow, mine charges £90, and thats just for a standard call out, not an emergency :shock:

Wow £90? thats alot, i thought £60 was alot hehe.

Basil is still quiet, but hes eating, he doesnt like taking his antibiotics though, theyr in his water.
Hes down the garden now with nibbles, they're sitting under the trellis, hes been doing some grazing too

Glad Basil is a little better. Did your vet actually say why the gums may be red? Were the teeth OK, e.g. no spurs digging into the cheek or tongue.

My vet is near to Deeside, I think that would be too far for you.

She didnt say much, she just said he had red gums and thats what was wrong with him.And she just kept on saying she wouldnt like to put him under a GA because it was too dangerous for him.
She said all his teeth were ok and everything though. I dont think shes that experienced to be honest.

Basils just had a drink of his water thats got his antibiotics in and hes just had quite alot of food too