Please Note - Medical Advice
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.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
Okay, that's what I thought so to.. Maybe I should have asked, would you use simethicone without consulting a vet first. I personally think the answer to that question is no, but not everyone here (in the Netherlands) agrees, some say it's completely safe, whatever the case is. So I'm still doubting, should I get it for medical emergencies, or not.
Okay, that's what I thought so to.. Maybe I should have asked, would you use simethicone without consulting a vet first. I personally think the answer to that question is no, but not everyone here (in the Netherlands) agrees, some say it's completely safe, whatever the case is. So I'm still doubting, should I get it for medical emergencies, or not.
As I said, I will always consult a vet.
The reason some people I know are against just using simethicone, is because 'we' (I'm not a vet, neither are you guys I think? So by we I mean everybody that does have rabbits but is not a vet..) cannot tell WHERE there is gas.. If it is in the stomach or behind an obstruction, using simethicone could be fatal. (Well, that's what they say..)
The discussion was, should you advise people to have it in their 'first aid kit', knowing that they could use it (without consulting a vet!) if they suspect gas. Some say it's okay, there is no risk, others are against.. Don't know who to believe, since they're both reliable sources..
I could post the link, but I don't think that'll help, since it is all in Dutch..
There seems to be some disagreement about the way simethicone works as well. Some say it makes one big bubble out of many small ones and others say it does the exact opposite thing, make a lot of small bubbles out of a big one.
We use Primperid (which is the same as metoclopramide, I believe) and Cisaral to stimulate the gut movement. I never heard of Ranitidine though.
edit; Thank God for Google.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone It does make one big bubble out of smaller ones..
The problem with that is, if there is gas behind an obstruction or in the stomach and the simethicone starts to work, you have a big bubble of gas behind that obstruction or in the stomach, which is anything but good.. I mean, I can imagine that could cause the bowel to rupture as well.. That kinda is the summary of what people who are against using simethicone without consulting a vet, say. At least, if my translation is correct.