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Rabbit off his food?

A

ajshep1984

New Kit
Our Bailey has been eating a lot less since monday, he hasn't touched his dry food since tuesday and he's not eaten a great deal of anything else either.

He's not himself either, normally you can't fuss him without him having to lick something, he's not licking at all now. He usually spends hours hopping round the garden, digging up my plants and munching away, he's just had a short wander and then laid down the last few days.

We took him to the vets and they looked at his teeth, couldn't see anything wrong but want to put him under and have a better look. Because he's not eaten much recently they've given us some liquid food stuff to force feed him and we've bought him commercial treats which he's also had a go at today, he's booked in for Wednesday.

Any thoughts?
 
It's good you've got him to the vets :) Not eating is usually a secondary sign of something else eg teeth but could be anything that's making him feel unwell.

The important thing is to keep him eating until the main problem can be identified and treated.

So tempt him with his favourite foods. You might find picking him things like fresh grass and dandelions will encourage him to eat. Herbs are usually good too plus apple etc.

You might find if you mix up the powdered food he will eat it out of a bowl so you don't have to syringe it. If he looks tempted you can mix it with other things eg pureed apple.

You can also use vegetarian baby food jars.

Tamsin
 
Its a hard one because they stop eating for different reasons and it so easy to blame teeth . I have had 3 buns go off their food this year , one had a dental even though nothing was wrong with his teeth he has never recovered and only eats banana and softened pellets . One went off his excel but was eating veg and hay he was wasting away and was PTS because he had kidney probs . Then only last week my lop was in the vets for 6 days because he stopped eating and pooing , vet said nothing wrong with his teeth but i could be because he is having trouble getting rid of ear mites . Hope you get him sorted x
 
ajshep1984 said:
Our Bailey has been eating a lot less since monday, he hasn't touched his dry food since tuesday and he's not eaten a great deal of anything else either.

He's not himself either, normally you can't fuss him without him having to lick something, he's not licking at all now. He usually spends hours hopping round the garden, digging up my plants and munching away, he's just had a short wander and then laid down the last few days.

We took him to the vets and they looked at his teeth, couldn't see anything wrong but want to put him under and have a better look. Because he's not eaten much recently they've given us some liquid food stuff to force feed him and we've bought him commercial treats which he's also had a go at today, he's booked in for Wednesday.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Is he on pain relief? If his pain is not adequately managed then he won't eat. Is he pooing? I'm concerned they've left him until Wed to investigate this. A bunny not eating is an emergency and I would want him to have his GA and xray if this is what is needed whilst he still has strength to cope with it before he becomes any more anorexic. He needs pain relief until he can be investigated and if he's not eating you need to force feed him by syringe....you must keep his guts moving. He will also need fluids by syringe if he is not eating or sub-cut.
Is he pooing? If not then he needs an abdo exam also and possibly some gut motility agents. I'm concerned about your bunny....if you are too, then you need to call the vets back as an urgent case. Is he eating and pooping this morning?
 
It was his teeth, they sorted him out today and he's eating a bit more than he was now.

prettylupin said:
Is he on pain relief? If his pain is not adequately managed then he won't eat. Is he pooing? I'm concerned they've left him until Wed to investigate this. A bunny not eating is an emergency and I would want him to have his GA and xray if this is what is needed whilst he still has strength to cope with it before he becomes any more anorexic. He needs pain relief until he can be investigated and if he's not eating you need to force feed him by syringe....you must keep his guts moving. He will also need fluids by syringe if he is not eating or sub-cut.
Is he pooing? If not then he needs an abdo exam also and possibly some gut motility agents. I'm concerned about your bunny....if you are too, then you need to call the vets back as an urgent case. Is he eating and pooping this morning?
Click to expand...
Yes he's been pooing all along.

He had pain relief on Monday and again today.

The reason they left it until today is because they wanted him to have eaten more before having the anaesthetic.

He's had meds to get his gut going today too.

Hopefully now his teeth are sorted he'll start to pick up. :D
 
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