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Stasis and urine control problems

David W

New Kit
Can anyone give advice please?
We have a very sick rabbit on Friday morning.He could hardly move and was obviously in pain-unable to poo and even when straining to do so. He was also wet underneath. We took him straight to the vet who said he had a full colon and bladder . They tried to relieve the bladder with a syringe and gave him Zantac syrup. We nursed him through last night and he seems livelier today and has managed to pass a few pellets, but less than normal. He is still very wet as he can't pee properly but seems to be constantly dripping , he is beginning to stain (a orange-red colour) and smellls strongly. He is eating again and seems much more like his old self (getting cross when we try to feed him the Zantac)but we are still worried about him.
Is there anything else we can do? Is this simply the 'stasis' I've read about ?
Weve got a fresh pineapple ready if that will help ...Ive seen some recommend this.
Thanks David
 
Was he given any pain relief ?
As his urine is very smelly he may well have a bladder infection. Was he given antibiotics?

I would not give pineapple. IMO it contains too much sugar and this can cause serious problems with gut dysbiosis.
If he is straining to urinate then personally I think he needs more Veterinary attention tonight.
 
Thanks for such a speedy reply Jack's-Jane,
He wasn't given any pain relief or antibiotics. His urine was tested, and they said no infection but that it was a bowel blockage. Could that be the cause of his inability to pee? He isn't straining any more. In fact not since last night not long after the zantac. He doesn't seem to be in pain, hes been jumping in and out of his litter tray, jumping onto the couch and rolling over.So much happpier, just a little less than his usual self. He has continued to poo all day ..not quite as much as normal..though as i speak he seems to be catching up! It seems as if that is returning to normal graually ..its just the dripping now that hasn't changed. We keep drying him and he is trying to keep clean. Do you think he's on the mend?
David
 
Urine nearly always tests negative for infection because the bacteria commonly found in the bladder can't survive in air.

It's usually safer to just assume there is a bacterial infection and treat with antibiotics...baytril is usually effective against bladder infections
 
Thank you again for your replies.
I dont think he has eaten anything unusual . He stayed in his hutch nearly all the day before as we were out. He has been eating from the lawn, lots of dandelions.No change as far as I'd noticed.Could it have been caused by any other plant from the lawn? ..its not at all weed free.
I have read that shock could possibly induce this. Is that likely?
A couple of days before he was thumping away and quite upset by the neighbour's cat. He was still thumping for several minutes after we brought him in.I dont know if that could have set things off.
Ill get the vet to check again tomorrow as he clearly has just a urine problem now. However he seems much happier now,lots of leaping around and cleaning, much quicker reactions too. Its quite tricky to give him the medicine now..any hints for syringe feeding Zantac?
 
A simple shock can't causes all that. The orange color pee is caused by the dandelions.

Something else is causing the above symptoms.

To syringe feed, just put the syringe half way thru, at the center of the tongue, and slowly push the syringe every 0.5 ml or so. If you push too fast, it may end up in the lung, and you don't want that
 
A blocked bladder is excruciatingly painful and rapidly fatal, so if his bladder is still full or he is straining to pee he needs urgent veterinary attention. Even if he is dripping it could be full to the point of bursting. Did the vet examine him for bladder stones/sludge?
 
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The vet did check Willow's bladder. I hope he isnt in pain..or i'd have taken him back to the vet. He certainly was hurting on Friday and really moaned when being examined, he was lethargic weak and uninterested. I haven't been back as he seemed so much better. Wouldn't it would be obvious if he was in pain? He is still seeking out food , drinking , cleaning and running. We are going back tomorrow anyway as only one of the problems has been solved.
 
The vet did check Willow's bladder. I hope he isnt in pain..or i'd have taken him back to the vet. He certainly was hurting on Friday and really moaned when being examined, he was lethargic weak and uninterested. I haven't been back as he seemed so much better. Wouldn't it would be obvious if he was in pain? He is still seeking out food , drinking , cleaning and running. We are going back tomorrow anyway as only one of the problems has been solved.

Although pain is rarely obvious in rabbits it does sound like he is feeling better in himself from what you say but if he is still dripping I would ask for a urine sample and maybe an xray as well. Blood tests may also be useful to check his kidneys are working properly. E.c. can cause incontinence too but I think other causes are more likely :)
 
Thanks for all your help!
After a couple of days at the vet (and with a few ideas about his condition that I got from you folks) Willow has returned and is fine. He was pretty well sludged up ..but not at all when tested on Friday! All thats left is a wobbly bulge in his belly...I guess thats the result of some underskin hydration he was given.
What did we do that caused this probem? How do we stop it happening again? It was really distressing for Will, us and cost £140.
Thanks again.
David
 
When I 1st read this thread, I got the feeling that whatever was blocking his colon, was sitting pretty low down & also blocking the exit to the bladder, so he couldn't wee. Did you find what was causing the block? e.g. 2 poops stuck together or something equally big? even a line of poops strung together with fur (moulting) like a bead necklace?

Sludge is calcium carbonate crystals. All rabbit wee is usually slightly cloudy with them. If it's very opaque the rabbit is often either slightly dehydrated or has a diet too high in dried feed with calcium supplement. Please don't ask me how they do it, but the thinner wee usually comes out 1st, followed by the thicker "sludge" until the sludge gets too thick to pass & builds up with less & less room for wee. Clumps of crystals are very painful to wee out. Dribbling wee out is serious- the bladder is too distended to squeeze it out.

Willow has 3 reasons for dehydration -
a) If the bowel is blocked it usually fills up with fluid & gas behind the block. - not enough fluid into the blood stream - can't make enough wee to stop the crystals forming.
b) Won't eat or drink if the bowel is blocked.
c) Been very hot recently. Rabbits can't sweat, but breath more quickly, & lose loads of water that way. Also breath more quickly when in pain.

I can only suggest that you keep a close eye on what's in the litter tray. (mine hops onto a rolled up towel in front of a narrow plastic tray for carrying mugs! & does everything back) It does mean that I know exactly what he's "doing". I know how much wee & whether he's doing fewer poops or variable sizes or misshapen ones as early signs that he has gut probs. We're off to the vet at the 1st sign of trouble, to avoid these probs. But sometimes it all happens too fast.

Plenty of fiber (hay) keeps the gut moving. I prefer a water bowl to bottle, it's easier to drink from as long as there is plenty of space so they don't get it mucky or knock it over. We can leave water on their veg. etc. Standard advice about keeping them cool in this awful hot weather.

Everything crossed it doesn't happen again! I'm so pleased he's through it now.
 
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