Looking for advice for my sick bun

My bun went into the hospital back on Sat night as he was becoming lethargic. Over the week beforehand his appetite had decreased to where he stopped eating pellets and I could only tempt him with grass, bits of apple, etc.

So while he was in, they rehydrated him and syringe fed him which seemed to help perk him up again. They also were giving him pain meds, and something to get his guts moving again. They had also found a mass in his tummy which we have since learned is an enlarged lymph node. They couldn't see this as interfering in any way with his digestion, so still couldn't explain why he would still not eat. Teeth were checked. They were found to be a little long, and they did rasp them down just in case they were bothering him. This was done yesterday pm.

He recovered well from that, and basically since they couldn't explain him not eating, we have brought him home just this afternoon. While he was in the only thing they could tempt him with was a piece of banana, and a tiny bit of dandelion leaves. But nothing significant.

We have baytril, metacam, and zantac, plus a Critical Care to feed him. We are going to try to see if we can tempt him to start eating again here at home.

So.... while he hasn't been home for much more than an hour now, I am not convinced that he is really 'with it'. Could that be the drugs, in particular, the Metacam doing that? He seems alert in his eyes, but like he's there, but not there. I suppose it's very similar to how a human might be if they are on painkillers. Is this normal? could he just need more time to get used to us again?

Also, what sort of tried and true things have you tried that might help to get him to start eating?

I guess I was expecting him to be more lively and curious. It is afternoon though, so maybe he just wants his siesta?

Any hints and suggestions are most welcome, esp with experience on buns returning from hospital and any drug side effects, etc.

Thanks!

Hi sorry to hear your bunny has been so unwell.

It is usual for them to be quiet after returning from the vets as the whole experience of being handled and the car journey will have stressed him out.

Sounds like your vet has done all the right things.

Get some fresh herbs, I found Biscuit loves the ones grown in pots, basil etc.

Also raisins and plantain were used to temp her when not eating.

How much critical care are you getting into him?

Is he indoors?

It is pretty hot today, my bunny is stretched out in the sun and indeed having a siesta. Is he laid out flat and relaxed or hunched up like a cat?
Is he laying somewhere where he normally doesn't?

As he has just got home an hour ago, try to temp him with danilions (spelt wrong) and herbs, but try not to panic too much yet (I know it is hard). Give the meds time to work, and obviously keep him hydrated and as much critical food in him as possible.

Good luck.

P.S Has he got access to unlimited good quality hay?

Bramble came home from the vets yesterday, after a similar problem to your bunnies. He was pretty quiet yesterday, but much bouncier today and eating well. I would keep a close eye on him, but if he is anything like Bramble he should be okay. I guess the trip to the vets is stressful for them.

It is very hot. Bramble is laid out under his sun shade, and just had an enourmous slurp of his water!

Sending you bunny good wishes for a speedy recovery.

Critical Care: He had some at the vets as they showed us how to do it. So in a couple of hours now we need to give him more. They said about 6-10ml depending on how much he will take, 4-5 times a day. He weighs 1.2kg.

He has both a water dish and bottle to use. We've given him some drinks from the bottle by hand just to make sure he is getting something - we're probably just bugging the heck out of him right now!

We've moved the patio umbrella over so he is fully covered in the shade, and I've put in a frozen pack that he is laying next too. Oh, and he's sort of just sitting in a ball in his usual corner, with his feet either in front, or tucked under.

I've managed to tempt him with a stalk of some sort of weed we have in our lawn that he likes ( and we have plenty of them ). Second one he wasn't interested in. Right now there's a bit of apple and lettuce along with some dry pellets. I'll try some hay too. We've never been able to get him to eat hay - even Timothy hay - but I do have a fresh pack we were trying before he went into the vets so I'll stick some of that in.

I guess maybe I am just worried. We don't have a run for him, but usually let him out 3 times a day for about an hour to hop around the garden, so hopefully when it cools down later he will perk up a bit more. I might even just taken him into the grass anyway and sit with him and see how he reacts.

I'll look into getting some fresh herbs too. Any others that seem to be favourites? or does it just depend on the bunny?

Ok, now I know he's feeling more relaxed.... he's stretched out by the hutch door.

Glad to hear he is more relaxed and stretched out, they are such a worry.

Biscuit hates mint but loves basil, corriander, parsley.

Also carrot tops are good for tempting.

Get some plantain from The Hay Experts, they go mad for it and a few bits can be put on top of their hay.

We use good quality timothy hay (from West Willow online) in her litter tray ontop of newspaper so that she has a munch when doing her business.

Maybe worth trying different kinds of hay from The Hay Experts (they send you a pack of about 6-8 different ones for you to try). Biscuit loved the green burns oat one, smells lovely too.

Whereabouts do you live?

Lettuce is NOT good for bunnies.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/going_green_oct_06.pdf

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/Feeding130807.pdf

Sometimes bunnies in stasis get more hypothermic than hot. I tend to keep mine warm when they are sick as if you feel them their body temp has dropped off a bit. I might move the ice pack away, I know it is hot today but if he is in the shade he should be ok. I wouldn't want him getting too cold to be honest.
My bun weighs 1.5kg and I give more like 15-20ml critical care every 4 hrs or 10ml every 2-3. Obviously you can only give what he will take so you might have to play the amounts and timings by ear depending on his responsiveness.
I think if he is alert but not eating then you might need to reassess his pain meds - how much Metacam are you giving him? Stasis and dental pain post-filing could be putting him off his food. I know there has recently been a lot of talk on here about under dosing with Metacam so it is possible he could be having more. I had always gone with my vet's 0.2ml/kg once a day and have recently learned this is in the lowest dosing range so you may want to talk to your vets about a higher dose - seeing as it is now Tuesday and he's still not eating! I would also suggest a probiotic alongside his antibiotic?

Ok, So I have purchased the taster hay from The hay Expert and some probiotic as well, so I'll start that as soon as it arrives.

Also went to the store and bought some parsley and basil, raisins and banana. He's just downed about 10ml of the critical care. He is also poo-ing which is a good sign too.

He just had his teeth done yesterday evening. The doctor will call tomorrow morning to see how he's doing, so I'll ask about pain, if I should give him more, etc etc. He is getting .15mls once a day - next dose due at 9pm.

This afternoon he has taken some greens on his own - not alot, but enough to make us optimistic that he'll pick it up. He's also had a bit of a run in the garden, mostly because he got away from me when i first tried to feed him. But he headed for his favourite spot to poo in and sat there for awhile to do his business before heading back towards his hutch. Had nibble on the shrub next to it and then decided he'd had enough.

Just to say try having a little dish of critical care beside him, we found ours was happy to eat it that way. Its certainly less traumatic than syringing it! We just popped a bowl down every couple of hours to keep her topped up.

Hope he's on the mend.

I don't like Critical Care (CC). I try it, it smells bad, and it tastes bad. CC is a board based emergency supplement that even lizard can eat.

So about 1 yr. ago, I stopped using it in emergency and go with this idea:

Get some blackberry or raspberry, smash it via juicer. You need about 6 oz. Get some hay stem, cut the stem in 1 mm length, mixed it w/ the blackberry. Put the mixture in a 35 ml syringe and force feed your bun.

I was doing the above for 1.1 yr., 3 times daily on my bridge bun Goofball. It's very healthy and the blackberry is anti-oxidant too.

The point is, when a bun is not eating, you want to re-induce his diet. I just can't see CC can do that as no animal would like the smell and taste of it. So I use the above to induce my bun to eat more, and it works very nicely

Happy Hopping said:

I don't like Critical Care (CC). I try it, it smells bad, and it tastes bad. CC is a board based emergency supplement that even lizard can eat.

So about 1 yr. ago, I stopped using it in emergency and go with this idea:

Get some blackberry or raspberry, smash it via juicer. You need about 6 oz. Get some hay stem, cut the stem in 1 mm length, mixed it w/ the blackberry. Put the mixture in a 35 ml syringe and force feed your bun.

I was doing the above for 1.1 yr., 3 times daily on my bridge bun Goofball. It's very healthy and the blackberry is anti-oxidant too.

The point is, when a bun is not eating, you want to re-induce his diet. I just can't see CC can do that as no animal would like the smell and taste of it. So I use the above to induce my bun to eat more, and it works very nicely

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Is this enough for them calorie-and-vitamin -wise? i'm worried that since he still isn't eating, that if I try something like this it will make him deteriorate quickly for lack of daily calorie requirements.

At this time he still isn't eating much at all. Today: He has picked out a tiny bit from the dry food to eat. Literally just a few bites of some romaine lettuce, a few bites of banana, and a few nibbles at the grass.

He's been out of the hutch a few times and is going around the garden a bit more like he used to. I was hoping that the activity would make his appetite pick up but not as yet.

I even gave him what used to be one of his favourite treats - a bunny donut - but he even turned his nose up at that.

He has been giving us a harder time eating the critical care now that he's at home, but I don't see as we have a choice if he isn't going after anything else.

Bramble likes Corriander and Parsley. I've been growing everything myself. He is yet to try Mint!

How much water should my bun be getting per day? I've noticed that he isn't drinking from the bowl since yesterday morning, nor the bottle, so I've started trying to give him water every hour to prevent having him decline. I've added some of that berry drink to the water that you can buy for rabbits/guinea pigs to just make it more appealing to him.

Today I've bought some green tea, peppermint tea, and pineapple juice to try too. So far he's turned his nose up at the pineapple juice. I even diluted it as I thought maybe the smell was too strong. Tried giving it to him from a spoon, so I might have to try the syringe.

I'm testing out some new greens for him today as he's still not interested in any of the hay or pellets.

I've started to use the Critical Care every two hours, and just try to get him to take 5ml if I can. If I can get him to eat some leaves though before the next feeding, should I let him miss a Critical Care feeding? I was thinking that if I am trying to get him to eat his regular foods, but then syringing the C/C into him, perhaps it's not allowing him to get hungry enough for it? Does that make sense? This really is such a balancing act. :?

JsGypsy said:

How much water should my bun be getting per day? I've noticed that he isn't drinking from the bowl since yesterday morning, nor the bottle, so I've started trying to give him water every hour to prevent having him decline. I've added some of that berry drink to the water that you can buy for rabbits/guinea pigs to just make it more appealing to him.

Today I've bought some green tea, peppermint tea, and pineapple juice to try too. So far he's turned his nose up at the pineapple juice. I even diluted it as I thought maybe the smell was too strong. Tried giving it to him from a spoon, so I might have to try the syringe.

I'm testing out some new greens for him today as he's still not interested in any of the hay or pellets.

I've started to use the Critical Care every two hours, and just try to get him to take 5ml if I can. If I can get him to eat some leaves though before the next feeding, should I let him miss a Critical Care feeding? I was thinking that if I am trying to get him to eat his regular foods, but then syringing the C/C into him, perhaps it's not allowing him to get hungry enough for it? Does that make sense? This really is such a balancing act. :?

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How much does bunny weigh? You need to try and get in around 10ml of syringe food if you can every two hours, or 20ml every 4, so double really what you are giving. I know it is very hard, you'll just have to give as much as he will take. If he eats a few leaves in between that's great...encourage that as much as you can, but I wouldn't miss a feed until he's really showing almost normal appetite again and eating lots by himself. You can always tail the feeds off. Normally unwillingness to eat by themselves indicates that pain is not under control and/or they are dehydrated. So yes, I would recommend you make a mug of peppermint tea/camomile/fennel whatever you have and let it cool right down to room temp (let the tea bag steep for atleast 5 mins) then you need to be getting as much fluids in as possible as well. I think it's around 100ml per day? If you are worried your bunny is dehyrated then you really need to consider a trip back to the vet for some sub-cut fluids. We gave three lots of these in a 24 hr period AND syringed fluids on top - our bun was very dehyrated and this affected her willingness to eat.
Good luck....just keep going
Has he kept up with his pain meds as well btw?

prettylupin said:

How much does bunny weigh? You need to try and get in around 10ml of syringe food if you can every two hours, or 20ml every 4, so double really what you are giving. I know it is very hard, you'll just have to give as much as he will take. If he eats a few leaves in between that's great...encourage that as much as you can, but I wouldn't miss a feed until he's really showing almost normal appetite again and eating lots by himself. You can always tail the feeds off. Normally unwillingness to eat by themselves indicates that pain is not under control and/or they are dehydrated. So yes, I would recommend you make a mug of peppermint tea/camomile/fennel whatever you have and let it cool right down to room temp (let the tea bag steep for atleast 5 mins) then you need to be getting as much fluids in as possible as well. I think it's around 100ml per day? If you are worried your bunny is dehyrated then you really need to consider a trip back to the vet for some sub-cut fluids. We gave three lots of these in a 24 hr period AND syringed fluids on top - our bun was very dehyrated and this affected her willingness to eat.
Good luck....just keep going
Has he kept up with his pain meds as well btw?

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He weighs 1.18kg. He is taking 3 meds right now: Medacam, zantac, and baytril. The vet told me yesterday he is on the max pain killer given for a bunny his size.

He has both a bowl and water bottle, but I have yet to see him use either one since yesterday morning. So I've been going out every hour today and getting him to lick 2tsp worth of water from a spoon(flavoured it with a berry drink for small animals). I try to throw in just some plain water too.

I've got the peppermint tea in his dish, but he's showing no interest. I've only tried it once with the syringe so far and he seemed to tolerate it.

I've started feeding the CC every 2 hours. On the hours in between I am trying out some greens and or fruit - sometimes he takes a couple of leaves, sometimes he doesn't. When I give him the CC, I try to syringe some pineapple juice in intervals, breaking up the feeding.

He still seems bright and waits by the door to be let out - even if it's just to go lay down in the cool and away from me. I think he's getting really fed up with me now.

JsGypsy said:

He weighs 1.18kg. He is taking 3 meds right now: Medacam, tramadol, and baytril. The vet told me yesterday he is on the max pain killer given for a bunny his size.

He has both a bowl and water bottle, but I have yet to see him use either one since yesterday morning. So I've been going out every hour today and getting him to lick 2tsp worth of water from a spoon(flavoured it with a berry drink for small animals). I try to throw in just some plain water too.

I've got the peppermint tea in his dish, but he's showing no interest. I've only tried it once with the syringe so far and he seemed to tolerate it.

I've started feeding the CC every 2 hours. On the hours in between I am trying out some greens and or fruit - sometimes he takes a couple of leaves, sometimes he doesn't. When I give him the CC, I try to syringe some pineapple juice in intervals, breaking up the feeding.

He still seems bright and waits by the door to be let out - even if it's just to go lay down in the cool and away from me. I think he's getting really fed up with me now.

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That's good you are getting something into him. Fluids are VERY important though. I would personally not give too much pineapple juice and concentrate on syringing him around 10ml of water or cooled herbal tea instead every 2 hours. It is a hot day, this will only make his dehydration worse. He might need to go to a vet this evening and have some sub-cut fluids to tide him overnight unless you can get a lot more fluids down him by syringe. Good luck and keep going whether he's fed up or not, just let him rest a couple of hours in between and start again. He should have a probiotic if he's taking baytril. Has he done any droppings or wees today? You need to get as much syringe food and fluids down him as you can every couple of hours. Give him a chance to rest quietly in between and keep tempting the leaves as well.

Well we have had a bit of hope today which I am seriously convinced has to do with giving him water by syringe or spoon every hour.

He started eating some of his pellets which is the first time since he's been back home. And I mean actually eating them too - not just a dainty nibble. I did have to set the dish in front of him, but who's complaining. Only the one time so far though, so fingers crossed.

He has taken a poo out in the yard too, and then ran a couple of circles around my husbands legs when he was done - just as he used to do.(I never thought I'd be keeping track of poo this much in my life!)

And to top it all off, he even started eating some of his greens on his own when we put him back in his hutch.

Sorry, I meant to mention in the last post that I have put some BioLapis in with his CC for now until my shipment of the probiotic from the Hay Experts arrives.

I'll watch it on the pineapple juice then. He doesn't really like it at all anyway!

JsGypsy said:

Well we have had a bit of hope today which I am seriously convinced has to do with giving him water by syringe or spoon every hour.

He started eating some of his pellets which is the first time since he's been back home. And I mean actually eating them too - not just a dainty nibble. I did have to set the dish in front of him, but who's complaining. Only the one time so far though, so fingers crossed.

He has taken a poo out in the yard too, and then ran a couple of circles around my husbands legs when he was done - just as he used to do.(I never thought I'd be keeping track of poo this much in my life!)

And to top it all off, he even started eating some of his greens on his own when we put him back in his hutch.

Sorry, I meant to mention in the last post that I have put some BioLapis in with his CC for now until my shipment of the probiotic from the Hay Experts arrives.

I'll watch it on the pineapple juice then. He doesn't really like it at all anyway!

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Well done you! He's turning the corner it seems...you have to jump on this opportunity and keep him eating either by himself - really work on this now, get lots of tasty herbs and things to tempt him. Change the hay - get a nice fresh handful, doesn't matter what he eats as long as he starts to eat by himself again....this is crucial. It's the change from syringe food to solids - the sooner they do this themselves the better the prognosis usually. He does sound a lot better tho.
I have to say, when Poppy had her impaction and stasis she was just spiralling down until we finally got her to swallow some fluids. It was the camomile/spearmint tea that finally encouraged her to swallow and I got around 30ml in one go in! After that she visibly perked up and was much more interested in eating herself. It took a day or two after that to get back to normal but it just shows how important fluids are and how much the dehydration can really tip the balance. Well done