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Stasis - makes you wonder

Crunchie

Warren Veteran
Reading all the threads on the bunny health forum just now regarding poor wee mites that suffered with stasis it makes you wonder just how common it is.

Damn near everyone I know that's had rabbits has had them die for no apparent reason when they've not been that old. I wonder how many folk didn't catch the warning signs (not that there are many) and either didn't notice or decided just to take bunny to the vet the next day if it hadn't improved.

I remember the first time Honey had it the only things we noticed that were wrong was the fact she wasn't eating and the fact she was letting us approach her. If I hadn't been a member of this forum I'm unsure if I'd have thought she was just being huffy and not bothered visiting the vet.

I'm not speaking about anyone on the forum by the way more people I've known in real life. I wonder if it's something that needs to be focused on a bit more. In my vet there are leaflets about myxi and VHD but nothing that suggests a refusal to eat is so serious. :(
 
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I think stasis is something you very often learn about the hard way unfortunately.

I had a bunny (pic in my avatar) many years ago who died of stasis,I'd realised she wasn't eating but not known it was a bunny emergency and by the time I got her to the vets the treatment was too late and she died 4 hours after the vet visit.

I would never ignore those syptoms now and I'd sooner over-react than under react .
 
That's a good point. I knew a little about stasis from when my boys were neutered, and Buttercup wouldn't eat afterwards, but my vet had warned me to watch out for it. However, I didn't realise it could happen at any time, and if I hadn't joined this forum I might have lost Clover in April. I'd noticed he wasn't eating and took him straight to the vet, but if I hadn't had the info from here I would probably have left him until the next day in case he perked up in the meantime.

It would be good to see information in leaflet/poster form at vets surgeries as it's so common.
 
i was the same as you blackberry at christmas 2008. bunny stopped eating and if i hadn't of joined this forum i would of prob left her til new year to see a vet :shock:
when i got rabbits i just thought they were easy and you just fed them. :oops: :roll:
how things change........:lol:
 
Same I'm afraid:oops: I NEVER knew it existed until I joined here. Feegal would have died:shock::cry:

Definitely more leaflets/posters in vets about it. Good grief I think there should be billboards across the country about it. It has to be what your average bun dies of mainly, as Feegal only had a square centimeter of three different new herbs, imagine what most rabbit owners feed them on a whim:?
 
Fortunately before I joined here I only had Mischa and Mini and they both wolf down their food and have never had problems with that but I didn't know anything about stasis either.

When Mischa was ill we were told how important it is that they continue eating as when they stop eating it can be difficult to get them started again but no explanation of why. Mischa was so good back then and even though he hated the recovery food he would eat other things.
 
Totally agree, when i had my first bun tilly i knew nothing about stasis. Ironically and hideously she died of it a few months ago despite me being well educated on it by then and getting her to a vet straight away.
The amount of people who like me have lost their buns in this shocking way even though they know what theyre dealing with, makes me wonder how much vets actually know about it. I think the cause and treatments are something that definatly need to be researched alot more and to a very in depth level.

RIP all of our poor stasis buns :(
 
i looked in the information pack i was given when i joined my vets. it does mention contacting them ASAP if bunny stops eating but no mention of stasis more of a teeth problem.

they also tell us to bring them straight in as an emergency if i phone about not eating, so anyone who knows thier rabbit would feel worried enough to phone the vets for advice if it stopped eating wouldnt they?
 
Might be worth contacting the RWF to see if they produce any posters or leaflets on the subject that could be sent to vets to help raise awareness.
 
they also tell us to bring them straight in as an emergency if i phone about not eating, so anyone who knows thier rabbit would feel worried enough to phone the vets for advice if it stopped eating wouldnt they?

You would hope so, but for those who just see their bunny once a day for food and water I doubt would notice.
 
You would hope so, but for those who just see their bunny once a day for food and water I doubt would notice.

Also, when you are a new bunny owner you don't realise how quickly a bunny needs to be treated. You think maybe they're just a bit tired or having an off day, and if they're no better by tomorrow you'll take them to the vet. :oops:
 
I've had bunnies all my life, all lived long and died of old age and the exception Peter got pneumonia. The first bout of stasis I encountered was with Lola and she didn't eat for 5days, until an angel called Judy (_thumps) sent me some recovery herbs and hays and it worked a treat alongside the drug overdoses from the vets! :oops:

Thankfully I had RU, the first time I've been through it, and the only reason little miss Hooligan Lola got it was after her dental and the stress of the vets.:(

Thankfully I knew enough, and I'm yet to lose a bunny to stasis or bloat. touch wood.
 
If it hadn't been for the information on this forum I wouldn't have known what the symptoms of stasis were and may not have taken Waffle to the vets when she most needed it.

She went into stasis very rapidly as she had only not eaten for about 3 hours and when I took her to the vets they said there were no gut sounds at all.
 
Thanks to the info on here I was able to spot the minute Loppy went off [5pm on a Friday!:roll:],even the vet was amazed I spotted it so quickly but I had been so well educated by RU!!!! Now I am constantly on poo watch-even digging around in litter trays :oops: [it paid off as I as able to spot that Ozzie "wasnt right" a few weeks ago]
 
I agree with all the comments. I really think there needs to be so much more publicity and information about GI Stasis.

I mean, every horse rider/owner I know has heard of colic and know some of the signs and what to do but how many rabbit owners know about stasis?
 
we didnt know about anything bunny when we first got Alvin. but Ste spotted Alvin had stopped eating that first time and we took him to the vets... i really struggle to see how people dont spot the difference between a happy hungry bouncy bunny and one on hunger strike :shock:

i guess i learned right from the start because of Alvin's iffy tummy... the two blokes at work had never heard of stasis until i had Alvin and they had bunnies years before me..

leaflets would be great for new owners :D
 
There is a wonderful vet nurse, Jo, who specialises in rabbit care round the corner. She gives free consults every Wed. morning about housing, diet, general checks by owners, eg. nail care,& prevention of fly strike, immunisations, & signs of illness, on request. She was a tower of strength.

Very sadly, none of the vets in this large practice have any interest in rabbits at all. I was totally unaware that rabbits were classed as "exotic pets". When I'd been to the vet 3 times in 36 hours knowing Thumper's gut had stopped completely (no bowel sounds) & nothing was being done, it was thanks to Maizey, I demanded a 2nd. opinion & he was admitted to GWR within the hour.

Yes owners have to be aware & go to a vet early, but I so wish that all vets could "get their act together " on this condition which can prove fatal so rapidly. I am told that blood glucose is a good way to distinguish between "obstruction" & other causes of stasis. My heart breaks when owners get their buns to a vet, but the vet doesn't appear to pull the stops out for the bun. Your Honey is a case in point Crunchie.
 
Very sadly, none of the vets in this large practice have any interest in rabbits at all. I so wish that all vets could "get their act together " on this condition which can prove fatal so rapidly.

I agree!! Rabbits are the 3rd most popular pet in the UK,I think vets should have a duty to know about them and how to treat them,eg.I have absolutely no interest in orthopaedics but I have to know about it for my patients,I have to provide up to date research/evidence based care.It should be the same for our bunnies!!!
 
It's stupid that they are classed as 'exotic' pets. Do you see wild cats and dogs running through England's fields? No didn't think so.
 
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