gut stasis (again) U/D post 51 good news

My Honey bunny is suffering from gut stasis once again, she seems to be quite prone to it but hasn't had it in a while (or if she has it's resolved itself).

On Saturday morning she ate her breakfast (some dried stuff with a handful of pellets between her and Roly). But when everyone came back home at about 4pm we let them out. She went out for about two seconds then ran back in and sat hunched up in a corner.

Her ears felt cold and she wasn't interested in food so I took her in and syringed fed her some pineapple juice along with some water. By 7.30pm she hadn't improved enough for me to be happy with her so we took her to an out of hours vet. He gave her two jags one of which was a pain killer but she didn't seem to be in a lot of pain (according to him). He also gave us some meds to take away (metacopramide and something else beginning with "r"). Anyway she took her meds last night and had a nibble of some spring greens and fresh basil so we assumed all was improving.

However this morning she is still not really wanting to eat a lot. The vet said we should give the meds at least 36 hours to work and take her back in on Monday morning if we were still unhappy with her. As far as we could see she hadn't gone to the toilet last night and I'll need to check to see if she has this morning.

Any suggestions? The vet told us to blend some of her pellets softened in water in a food processor and try syringing her that.

Hi there

We go through this quite often with Biscuit.

Firstly get some metacam (pain relief) and 1ml of infacol (colic drops for children) into her.

I suggest, getting your bunny moving (bring inside if outdoors).

Get a heated bunny pad and put next to her.

Next tempt with fresh herbs, dandillions, keep waving under her nose until she gets annoyed and takes the.

Also massage her tummy.

I would also suggest seeing a different vet, they don't seem that bunny savvy.

Good luck x

Where can I actually get metacam? I can't remember her ever being given that before.

Was the vets advice really that bad? The last time she had this problem she was kept in at the vets and when we got her back she was OK. I was surprised that we were being sent away with her again last night. I don't even really know any other half decent vets in the area either, what a pain in the rear.

I've just given her her morning dose of meds and she's still not interested in food. I've syringe fed her some softened pellets but I'm scared of givingher much more in case it's a blockage she has and pumping more food in might make things worse.

She is drinking a fair amount of water though.

The fact that she's drinking well is a good sign. It's more important that she poos that eats at this stage.

Is the R medicine Rimadyl? If so, it's a painkiller (a different one to Metacam).

I swear by peppermint tea - cool it till it is just warm and then syringe it in regularly. Tummy massages too, if not too tender. That used to produce poos within minutes sometimes. Sometimes the poo would just drop out on me while doing the massage!

Right ho she's had 1ml of infacol and has been lapping some cool peppermint tea. We've been rubbing her tummy a bit but she's still not really looking much better. Is there maybe a ood vet in the Stirlingshire area I can ring just in case?

Forgot to say the other stuff she has is ranitidine solution. I'm sure I remember her being given something called fibreplex before.:?

Did the Vet give her any SQ fluids ?

Personally I'd want her re-assessed by a Vet today.

Ranitidine is Zantac - it is a lower gut motility agent. She needs pain relief. How on earth does the vet know she is not in pain!!! :roll: Rabbits hide pain.

I would want her back at an emergency vet today receiving more pain meds and some sub-cut fluids. If you have the gut motility agents at home then you can continue these at home. NSAID only last 12-24 hours (potentially 36) but it would depend whether he gave her a NSAID injection or an Opiate injection such as Vetergesic. Opiates only really last 8-12 hours. So it would have worn off by now. She needs pain relief as a priority. Fibreplex would be helpful but perhaps better once she has started passing droppings again?
If she is thirsty she is potentially quite dehydrated and I would want her to have some fluids under the skin to get her through the day.
You also need a vet to examine her more carefully to feel for any obstruction before continuing to administer the metclopramide/zantac (Ranitidine). Zantac is 12 hourly and Metclopramide is 8 hourly.
Infacol or gripe water is very helpful if she is bloated.

If a vet gives her some opiates today she could also have some NSAID's like Metacam/Meloxicam/Rimdayl at home to be given in oral form. (They can in fact be given at the same time).
I would take her back to the vet now for pain meds (injected) and ask for some to take home, fluids and some fibreplex. Meanwhile keep her warm and keep tempting her with herbs/leaves anything she will eat. If no obstruction and not too bloated then I would start syringe feeding as well. Good luck

Jack's-Jane said:

Did the Vet give her any SQ fluids ?

Personally I'd want her re-assessed by a Vet today.

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Nope she only got two jabs at the vet which was apparently the same as what I've been given to give her orally. That cost £89 to see her out of hours.

I don't know of any good rabbit vets in my area, I had trusted my usual vet but I must admit I was worried that they sent honey home again andwith medicine she hadn't had before (as far as I'm aware).

She's still drinking the cool peppermint tea but her stomach looks quite round. I'm scared there is a blockage somewhere as there's no way she could have eaten anything out of the ordinary yesterday.

Hold on a minute... the first message states that the bun was given pain relief last night. Most vets consider that the injections last 24 hours. Personally I don't - I halve the dose and give it every 12 hours, but it presumably means that the bun has had the full 24 hours dose.

Crunchie said:

Nope she only got two jabs at the vet which was apparently the same as what I've been given to give her orally. That cost £89 to see her out of hours.

I don't know of any good rabbit vets in my area, I had trusted my usual vet but I must admit I was worried that they sent honey home again andwith medicine she hadn't had before (as far as I'm aware).

She's still drinking the cool peppermint tea but her stomach looks quite round. I'm scared there is a blockage somewhere as there's no way she could have eaten anything out of the ordinary yesterday.

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Jane beat me to it.... She sounds bloated - she needs a vet now for pain relief and fluids. In the meantime infacol/gripe water and tummy rubs and try sitting her on a hot water bottle on your lap. She may need a conscious Xray for an obstruction. Lots of vibes x

Crunchie said:

Nope she only got two jabs at the vet which was apparently the same as what I've been given to give her orally. That cost £89 to see her out of hours.

I don't know of any good rabbit vets in my area, I had trusted my usual vet but I must admit I was worried that they sent honey home again andwith medicine she hadn't had before (as far as I'm aware).

She's still drinking the cool peppermint tea but her stomach looks quite round. I'm scared there is a blockage somewhere as there's no way she could have eaten anything out of the ordinary yesterday.

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I am not liking the sound of that :?

Can you contact the Vet you saw yesterday?
I think a conscious abdominal xray might be advisable as the picture you are describing is indicative of a *possible* obstruction.

OK I'm taking her back to the same vet I was at last night. I'll say she needs pain relief and fluids and most probably an Xray as well. Anything else?

She has had he meta and zant this morning at about 10am.

I'm confused and not sure of the full picture here. What are the drugs you have been prescribed to give orally? You say that they are the same as those injected, therefore I'm assuming Metoclopramide (oral) and Rimadyl (painkiller). Is that right? :?

Crunchie said:

She has had he meta and zant this morning at about 10am.

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Metoclopramide and Zantac?

SarahP said:

I'm confused and not sure of the full picture here. What are the drugs you have been prescribed to give orally? You say that they are the same as those injected, therefore I'm assuming Metoclopramide (oral) and Rimadyl (painkiller). Is that right? :?

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Yes that's correct, she was given the two as injections at the vet and we were told to keep giving her them orally until Monday at least. We were also told to give her a dose last thing at night (last night) so she's had three lots altogether.

I'll take her back up to the vet in 10mins, I'm just waiting on my mum to come back with herredit card.

I'm just thinking, if you've given Rimadyl and Metoclopramide at 10 am, they might still have time to work. I'd give it another hour, personally, but the choice is obviously yours.

SarahP said:

I'm just thinking, if you've given Rimadyl and Metoclopramide at 10 am, they might still have time to work. I'd give it another hour, personally, but the choice is obviously yours.

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Rimadyl does not come into the equation at all

Bun has had :
Metoclopromide
Metacam
Ranitidine....... all at Vets yesterday

Take Home meds were Maxalon (oral metoclop) and Ranitidine (Zantac)
So no analgesia since yesterday

No sorry the meds I took home were Metoclopromide and Ranitidine and that's what she was given as injections. She hasn't had anything else sorry I got mixed up with the Rimadyl.

She's now at the vet and is being given fluids and pain relief, he said that she feels far more gassy and bloated than she did last night. I asked about an Xray but he says that he wants to try a more intense course of meds first as he wants to avoid knocking her out if possible. He's wondering if perhaps she has teeth problems that he can't see (but would be able to see if he had her sedated). If it's a problem with her gut the Xray would confirm that but treatment would be the same anyway.

I'll ring him back at about 4pm and see how she's getting on.

That's not what is said in post 16. I'm bowing out of this now as I'm too confused and am sure I am not helping.

edit: sorry - only just seen the last post. will keep fingers crossed. x