minimising the risk of stasis- any ideas

hi all, I was wondering if we could compile a list of things that we can do to try to minimise the risk of stasis -

betsy one of my lionheads has just got her 2nd episode in 6 months. - im hoping that she is that she is through the worst of it as ive just watched her pick out a chunk of carrot and devour it and she seems alot more perky this evening- however i woulld like to know if there is any thing else that i can do to try to stop this happening again?

obviously the ideal scenario is to find out whats causing it in the first place but im sure that there are lot of preventative measures that i can take to try to stop it happening again.

Heres what i do at the moment
- high fibre diet- ad lib hay, redigrass and a few pellets twice a day (they both get science selective at the moment) plus fresh veg once a day
- teeth checked every 6 months at least
- as they are fluffy regular grooming as well as a papaya tablet daily (although betsy wont touch this)
- the get lots of exercise- they have a run which is at least 8 foot long as well as a daily run on the grass while im cleaning them out

is there anything else that are good prevantative measures that people can add? also i was wondering if some buns are more prone to this than otehrs as thelma ( betsys sister (touch wood) has never had an episode?

thanks in advance

Gen

- Reduction in pellets can help (even if they are high in fibre, they are still very concentrated)
- Some buns seem to cope better with a mix than pellets
- Consider EC as a cause

I use bromelain pineapple flavour tablets during moult.
Increase water intake during moulting too (as well as trying to encourage generally).
I use Oxbow bunny basics as high in fibre.
Brush at least 2-3 times a day during a moult (paranoid after Katy had blockage)

Maximise fibre intake, hay should form 80-90% of Buns diet
Insure adequate water intake, many Buns drink more from a bowl than a bottle
Insure Bun gets lots of exercise
Do not allow Bun to become overweight
Keep a check on teeth for any signs of oral discomfort
Minimise environmental stressor (eg predators, too hot/damp/draughty environment, bullying by other Rabbits etc...etc)
Groom long haired/moulting Rabbits regularly to minimise ingestion of too much fur.
Do regular basic health checks. Reduced GI motility is often a secondary symptom of another underlying health problem
If you notice your Buns poos become smaller/less in quantity take action !! ie check for any obvious health problems (teeth etc), try to increase Buns hay consumption,exercise and water intake. Even if Bun is well in themself and eating 48 hours of persistent small/fewer than normal poos and a Vet should be consulted.

I was the same as you: twice in four months last year. The only change I've made is to reduce Muppet's pellets (from 15g - hardly over-fed! - to 10g per day, split between two meals). (He's a small rabbit, only weighs 3lb or so. And the pellets are Science Selective.) So far, touch wood, all fine

thanks for all your responses so far. I am going to cut down their pellets even more i think- they only get 15 g each a day at the mo but will take it down to 10. I was also wondering if this really cold weather may have contributed to it. The last time she had it she was going through a moult so we suspected a hair ball/blockage. I was wondering if really cold water may seize thigns up a bit? ive been filling their bottles and dish with warm water since the weekend.
touch wood she seemed fine this morning, same amount of poo as the night before and more active. fingers crossed that this is the case.

Glad to hear she's feeling better. It's so stressful isnt it!

Hope the fewer pellets works for you. Muppet was also moulting at the time which I did think might be a contributory factor. I've started giving him bromelain tablets (from Holland and Barrett) when he moults. I'm not sure if that's helped or made no difference.

Jack's-Jane said:

If you notice your Buns poos become smaller/less in quantity take action !! ie check for any obvious health problems (teeth etc), try to increase Buns hay consumption,exercise and water intake. Even if Bun is well in themself and eating 48 hours of persistent small/fewer than normal poos and a Vet should be consulted.

Click to expand...

This is a good method of detection. Some people have been known to keep a couple of the really large poos their buns produce and then check on a daily basis the size of what is currently being produced. Any decrease in the size means that alarm bells ring and they decrease the amount of pellets further to encourage a higher intake of hay and fibre and also a dental check.

Keeping buns on a low sugar diet also discourages the bad gut flora to reproduce which helps protect the gut.

Reassure them you are looking after them - relax

This is more of a holistic input and is not meant as a replacement for any of the above, but as an addition: if one of my bunnies is eating less or poos starting to get smaller and I can't see a possible source of discomfort or damage, I spend a bit more time relaxing with her, stroke her head, look into her eyes and tell her that I am looking after her. I think this makes us both relax about the whole situation. So far, she has always started eating and pooing normally again within two days. Before I would rush her to the vets in panic and she got more wound up and then I would be giving her meds, and we would both be getting more stressed. If she stopped eating completely and sat still and hunched or stopped pooing, I would take her to the vet, but so far, I have not had to go to the vets for stasis since I have reassured her that I know how to look after her and spent a bit more time with her. And it feels good for both of us. I know how scary it is when you know you might lose them, though, and how calm control is impossible when you are filled with fear. But I think its important to also list trying to find an antidote to our and their stress. Telling her I know how to look after her seems to work for me!

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