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Comfrey had a poorly tum : Xray pics

parsnipbun

Wise Old Thumper
On Thurs night at midnight Comfrey suddenly stopped wanting to eat and started to sit oddly (NOT classic gas hunch and stretch - more of a 'shinx position but supporting his weight on back paws brought forward).

At 2am we took him to the 24 hr emergency vet (not usual vets)

Although the 24 hr vets try hard (and were super at giving Viola Rose supportive medicines I asked for when she had myxi) they are not great at rabbits . . .

They x-rayed Comfrey but although they could see he had a hugely distended stomach they couldn't interpret the x-ray further - and just said there didn't seem to be much gas and maybe he had over-eaten! They said they couldn't see a bloackage.

They gave metacam and metaclopromide - [in retrospect they probably shouldn't have given the metaclopromide].

After paying £260 we left with him ( I very very very rarely leave rabbits at the vets).

When he got home he started to drink LOADS.

By 4am he was pooing again and fine (things move quick in the life of a bun!!) and dancing around. I made an appt for much later that day with my own vet just to double check (obviously would have made urgent appt had he still been ill)

When my own vet got the x-rays sent through the next day (as I requested) she rang and said to bring him in urgently! I said he was now fine - but she said she wanted to see him NOW. By then it was 2pm.

When we arrived she said she was amazed he was still alive as he had obviously had a small blockage which had caused the stomach to fill with fluids (sucking in from the rest of the body) with a plug of ingested food in the middle of the fluid.

:shock::shock::shock::shock:

Comfrey is now happy and well - but I thought those with a 'medical' interest might like to see the x-rays. They are similar to some in Harcourt-Brown - but this is fluid and food, not any gas in the actual stomach (some in intestines).

ComfreyWayLateralabdomen.jpg


ComfreyWayDVThoraxandabdomen.jpg


PS my vet is thinking of arranging an 'intensive' rabbity session for the emergency vets! They don't see that many rabbits but now my practice has signed up with them will see lots more as my vets specialise in exotics.
 
From the x-ray I can see why the vet wanted you in urgently. The stomach was massively distended, it must have been very painful.

I had a bun who got a blockage of hair and ingesta in his stomach which had to be removed surgically. Fortunately it seems Comfrey was able to pass his and return to normal, a far better option than surgery.
 
PS my vet is thinking of arranging an 'intensive' rabbity session for the emergency vets!

Sounds like a good plan! Lucky things turned out well this time.

It seems odd to me that a vetinary practice that specialises in rabbits would sign up another practise that doesnt to act as emergency vets :?
 
Thank you for sharing your radiographs Parsnipbun, it was very interesting and I hope that Comfrey is feeling better still today. :)

We went through this ourselves on a midnight trip to the vet on Thurs night. Nino was acutely bloated and dehydrated - he also drank loads from his bowl before we made the trip - like you the emergency vet wanted to admit him but fortunately he was responsive enough to absorb sub-cuts so she could load him up with fluids and opiates and let us take him home for treatment. We also had a conscious Xray done like Comfrey, but Nino's wasn't quite as bad, he had a distended stomach and a few gas pockets through the bowel but nothing obstructing... I think the vet was expecting a total obstruction he had deteriorated so quickly.
Having seen his Xray and now seeing Comfrey's it is a very useful and educational comparison for me... my radiograph interpretation is pretty poor! Never had one done before - will certainly do so again in future. If bunny can sit still I think it is a very useful indicator and am very glad that she was happy to do it, it put both our minds at rest so we could continue metclopramide treatment and the vet felt happier about us taking him home. Waiting for the results was the worst feeling ever:(
Nino is back on form thank god.
I do hope Comfrey is fully on the mend too :)
 
That stomach is huge :shock: Thank goodness Comfrey managed to clear the blockage and survive.

Prettylupin: sorry to hear Nino has been poorly too. I hope he's all better now xx
 
From the x-ray I can see why the vet wanted you in urgently. The stomach was massively distended, it must have been very painful.

I had a bun who got a blockage of hair and ingesta in his stomach which had to be removed surgically. Fortunately it seems Comfrey was able to pass his and return to normal, a far better option than surgery.

About 18 months ago we had a bun with a complete blockage caused (it turned out) by ingesting a tuft of fur from her feet. She had emergency surgery and pulled through fine - so am now very aware of swelling tums! However she had a gas and fluid build up. Comfreys was 'just' fluid and food.
 
I saw my vet today and he dug out the old x-rays from the stomach blockage my lop had back in 2007.

When I can arrange with a vet to use their light box I will try to get some pictures and post them. Hopefully we can learn something from them.
 
Gosh that would be great - I will try and get the ones from when Willow had her blockage as well -

RU is such a great resource!
 
Poor bunneh, What a distended tummy! Thank goodness you were able to act so promtply, hope the emergency vets get their much needed learning curve on bunnehs, they can go off so quickly and so prompt action really makes the difference. Glad your buns back on form x
 
:shock: poor comfrey! i squirm in agony with ibs so goodness knows how awful he felt. thankfully you have a very good regular vet. glad he's feeling better now:)
 
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