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    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

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Urgent Help Needed Gi Stasis

rafaman

New Kit
Hi there my 3 year old bunny rafa has gi stasis the first bout he had on tuesday it lasted most of the day but by midnight had passed and he started to poo and eat/drink the next day i took him to my vet to check him out she said he seemed fine now but to be on the safe side just feed him pellets and hay but no greens! this i did.thurday morning he started to look unwell lethargic not eating or drinking i got another appointment this time seeing another vet he did not seem to know much about rabbits had to get a book! he gave rafa a gut mobility drug,gave me a syringe full of parafin oil? and told me to get pineapple juice which i did i syringed him the pineapple but he would not tolerate the oil he just seemed to get worse so i googled stasis and immediately rushed to my local morrisons for infacol he was in a lot of pain all night and him tummy just got bigger and bigger i called the vet again and took him in this moring they x rayed him and told there was nothing except a belly full of food no total blockage they put him on a heat pad and a drip and have been giving him pain killers and and more motility drugs but she says he is not appearing to be much better and thinks i should consider having him put down tomorrow(sat) it all seems to fast to me and they dont seemd to have exhausted al the available treatments any advice please!!
 
I'm sorry to hear you bunny is poorly.
I assume the xray did not show much gas (ie bloat?)

Even with the right treatment, it can be a long and difficult battle to get the guts moving again. With Tippex Porkychicken's recent bout of stasis she was on metacam for the pain, metaclopramide, infacol, fibreplex, baytril, subcut fluids and syringe feeding. She was still eating grass and dandelion leaves so I let her have as much of these as she wanted (I believe she was craving the fibre). She was also eating fruit leaves.
Although I am not a vet I would personally not give the oil, as the gut contents tend to dry out, and the oil could make rehydrating them more difficult. you could try syringefeeding some cooled herbal tea.
Tippex's recovery came after she had some acupunture and ranitidine (zantac). I am sure they both helped.
I hope your bunny makes a recovery soon xx
 
I'm so sorry your bun has stasis.
I agree with Lilbun so much, that it is far too soon to give up. I also agree with her advice re. management.
I have also noticed the craving for fiber, (the natural way to get the guts moving) I have to be careful NOT to let Thumps eat cardboard & paper when his gut plays up. A lot of grooming & stroking when he's moulting helps too.

ALL stasis buns need pain relief, fluids & gas relief.
I can only add that some "stasis" buns seem to do well with metaclopramide
(most effective on the upper gut) & some do well with zantac ( gets the lower gut moving) & some need both. BUT your vet needs to be sure that the gut isn't blocked before motility drugs are given. My vet continues drugs for several days after my bun has started eating & pooping again.

We've everything crossed for your bun down here. Please let us know how he gets on.
 
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I wasn't sure from reading your post whether the bun was still at the vet surgery or with you at home??
 
Hoping your bun has shown some signs of improvement this morning? Everything crossed here for him. I agree totally with thumps and lilbun.
Fluids, pain relief and proper examination of the abdomen (manually and/or Xray) is essential to treatment.
When my bun has stasis/bloat wet leafy greens and veg is something I continue to feed to keep his fibre and hydration levels up - just getting bun to eat again is crucial.
If he is still admitted then I hope they are continuing with the pain meds, fluids and 'gut motility drugs' provided no obstruction and sryinge feeding him too?
It can take several days in severe cases for any improvement - I too feel they are willing to give up too easily, especially if they are not certain what is happening inside his little tummy. :?
Lots of vibes for your little man :)
 
It is far to early to suggest PTS.
One of my buns had stasis a couple of weeks ago, I took her in on the Thursday, she didn't start eating and pooing till Sunday.
It does take time, and needs the right meds to get them back on track.

Hope your bunster is doing better today
 
pooing now but not eating

thanks to everone for there support rafa overnight started to poo and his stomach has greatly reduced but vet my rang me this afternoon and said if he is not eating by the morning she wants to put him too sleep she seems determined to put him down! i feel he needs to come home and be in his own enviroment to be given a chance to eat here but not sure she will agree dont really know whether i can force the issue but i do feel he should be given more time even a healthy rabbit can stop eating in unfamiliar surroundings hopefully he will eat overnight if not i think we will be in for a major row! any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated
 
You certainly can force the issue - it's your rabbit!!! If the bun has started to poo that is a brilliant sign. :) I once had a bunny in stasis admitted overnight at the vets, and half an hour after getting her home in the morning she started to eat.
 
When he was admitted did you sign a consent form and was there a 'Euthanasia Clause' in it ?

If so you need to get a written 'withdrawl of consent to PTS' to the Vet NOW'
 
If it was me I would go and get that rabbit NOW! I am sorry, but from what you have said I would not have the confidence that your vet practice is doing the best for him or knows the best way to treat a rabbit with stasis.

It can often take some time for a rabbit to come out of stasis - if he is pooing it sounds as though he is on his way. The vet should realise this and give him the time to recover.

Whatever you do, don't let them put him down.
 
Rafaman, it would help us to know where you are. I hope your little one is insured, & continuing to poop, & hopefully eat.
Sadly general vet training gives very little time to rabbits which are classed as "exotics".
We may be able to help you to get to a specialist rabbit vet.
You have a RIGHT to a second opinion with vets.
If you are within a 50 mile radius of Swindon, N Wiltshire, please pm me. We have a 1st. rate referral center here. I'll give you contact details.
Other forum members know the top bunny vets in their own area.
Thinking of you so much.
 
What thumps has written seems to be really sensible and the best way forward.

If there is no improvement in the morning, please, please don't let your vet put Rafa down. Bring him home, post your location details on here and I am sure someone can put you in touch with another vet for, at the very least, a second opinion.
 
Sadly little rafa died yesterday evening the vet said he just flopped over gave a little kick and that was it,very hard to take as he battled so hard i wish i knew at the start of this what i know now but thats the way it goes at least he has no more pain thanks for all your support
 
I'm so sorry to hear this. My heart goes out to you.
You may find some comfort in the rainbow bridge part of the forum.
I hope that when the time is right you will feel able to share your life with a little bun again.
Please remember that our willingness to try to recommend a rabbit trained vet is always here.
 
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