Vet has told me to syringe feed bun ... UPDATE

UPDATE: I took Leo to the vets. He said he seems lively enough and he doesn't think that there's anything majorly wrong with him albeit he's a bit on the skinny side. He's given me some Bio-Lapis for him though and told me to keep an eye on him.

In standard bunny fashion though I've bought him back home and guess what he's started doing? Eating the most I've ever seen him eat :roll:

I'm sure my bunnies think I work just to throw money away on vet checks!

... I made a thread about Leo not eating properly the other day. I took Archie in to get the snip today and just mentioned to the vet that no matter what I try to get Leo to eat it's like fighting a loosing battle.

The only things he's interested in is kale. He was fed on museli before I got him :| so I started him on that and all he seems to do is eat a few of the greeny type discs and a few seeds. I've tried slowly introducing him to pellts but he's not having that either. I've got him a hay rack full of timothy hay which he's not touched either. He is pooing but it all seems very small balls (could be because he's young but Archies were never that small?) and quite soft and wet looking ... maybe because the only thing that he will eat is greens? He seems lively enough but in all honesty I've only had him for 10/11 days now so I don't know what his *true* personality is. For instance Archie is always sprinting round his cage whereas Leo seems to sit in his litter tray and observe more. In his freetime though he has had a run around and done a cute baby binky or two though

Anyway, the vets given me some rescue food (sorry the packs downstairs and I'm not 100% sure what it's called) to mix with some water and try syringe feeding him. However, he's not having any of that either. I've put him back in his cage for a bit with a small bowl of the paste to see if he'll lap it up but he's just sat in his litter tray cleaning.

I really don't know what to do. The vet has advised me that if he doesn't eat that to bring him in later on tonight when I collect Archie to check him over. But I don't know if I'm being paranoid or just a stressy bunny mummy?!

Think you need to get another vet in my opinion.

Sounds like he maybe going into stasis, did the vet check his teeth, ears, tummy and take his temp?

He at the very least should have given him pain relief, bunnies will not eat if in any pain (we use metacam).

Do you have any infacol (baby colic drops)?

We also give our bunny metoclopramide and zantac, bio lapis and some paste stuff (can't remember the name).

If it is not stasis and he is being a fussy bunny maybe try him with handfull of fresh grass and some fresh herbs. Where have you got the timothy hay from? Our bunny eats lots of hay because we put it in her litter tray so she can munch while she does her business.

My bunny loves the burns green oat hay, maybe worth getting a bag of this and mixing with the timothy.

Hope this helps.

Clare

He's not actually checked him over yet. I just mentioned in conversation my concerns about Leo but didn't have him with me.

They did mention something about GI Statis but obviously since bunny wasn't there it was all very general conversation and a lot of "what ifs and maybes".

I think maybe the best thing to do is to take him in tonight just to get him looked at and then go from there.

Thank you for your help. No doubt I'll be coming back in a few hours time begging for more help!

youthnovels said:

He's not actually checked him over yet. I just mentioned in conversation my concerns about Leo but didn't have him with me.

They did mention something about GI Statis but obviously since bunny wasn't there it was all very general conversation and a lot of "what ifs and maybes".

I think maybe the best thing to do is to take him in tonight just to get him looked at and then go from there.

Thank you for your help. No doubt I'll be coming back in a few hours time begging for more help!

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Ah sorry didn't realise bunny wasn't with you at the time.

Let us know how the appointment goes, good luck :wave:

I think waiting till your appointment is the best option. If there is a blockage of some sort syringe feeding could do more harm than good.

No blockage yipeee!

Thats great news, glad he's feeling better.

Hopefully they will have checked his teeth [?]:?

Yup they did. To be honest I wasn't really that impressed with the vet, he was a bit scary and looked like Jeremy Beadle but rough. I've never really taken any animals to the vet before bar when I was six and I went with my dad and guineas.

He did do a full check over but I'd rather have a vet I can build up some sort of relationship with rather than an angry sounding one who just shouts your surname and walks off into his room Ruuuuuuuuuude.