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Help please! Very worried owner

Hesperus

Hesperus

Warren Veteran
Dear everyone,

My bunny Harry (4, uncastrated) isn't himself. Yesterday he wouldn't run up to see me or follow me around as he normally would and he seemed listless. So, I rang up the vet and the nurse saw him straight away. She couldn't see any reason why he should be ill at all, and as he seemed to perk up a bit and he had eaten as much as usual she said to bring him back today if he wasn't right.

Well, this morning, he was back to 100% normal. Perfectly happy, running around like a nutter, had eaten as usual. But within the past hour he's suddenly gone back to being miserable, not moving, lying down funny and just not interested in anything. He didn't run straight for his food, hay or any greens either, I tried a variety. I've just left him now to be quiet (he lives in a shed) and will go and check on him again in an while.

Has anyone got any advice or had similar problems? I'm worried he's going to die but I took him straight to the vet yesterday and then he seemd ok today, apart from now. I'll obviously get him a 9am appointment tomorrow if he doesn't eat but does anyone have any ideas? Please help a desperate mum!
 
What are his poos like ?

Does he have any previous history of passing 'sludgy' wee ?

Do his ears feel abnormally cold ?
 
To be honest Id get him to a vet tonight. I dont mean to worry you but he could be ging into stasis in which case he needs gut stimulant and painkillers as soon as possible.
In the meantime bring him inside with you and keep him very warm. A gentle tummy massage might help.
Of course Im no expert so might be wrong but better safe than sorry IMO.
Good luck, I will be thinking of you and your little guy. Let us know how he gets on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Thanks for your reply.

His poos are normal shape, colour, consistancy and quantity. I looked through them and nothing in them at all.

I've only had him a year but his wee has always been normal as long as I've had him and last night's litter looked the same as usual.

And his ears and the rest of him feel fine.

I also felt his tummy because I know when my guinea pigs have had problems a gentle massage helped but that felt fine too. He's also not tender to be touched anywhere, not grinding his teeth and not limping or anything. I don't know what could be wrong. :(
 
Reply to the replies that came up when replying:

No, they couldn't find anything wrong with him at all just said bring him back if not better today, and like I say he seemed the picture of health until an hour ago.
 
Just as an update I went to see him, he's not touched any pellet food (though he doesn't eat much of that), he has eaten at least one piece of hay (that's all I saw him eat when I went out) and one piece of cucumber. So I guess that's better than nothing.
 
It does sound like the start of gut stasis. I would get an emergency vet to give him fluids, pain killers and a gut stimulant NOW if I were you. That is exactly what I did when Feegal went funny. It was midnight, but he would/could have died if he did not get the meds he needed. Good luck.

ETA don't leave it until morning, the vet told me that because Feegal was seen quickly he stood a higher chance of survival.
 
Update on Harry

Update:

Before we got him to the vet, he perked up again. Now he's absolutely fine again... Thing is we took him to the vet when he did this on Tuesday and they couldn't see anything wrong with him, and today he's fine. He's eaten, he's had his water and he's hopping around destroying things.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?? How can he be bad one minute then fine the next?
 
It's happened to us a couple of times. He's refused food & been "miserable" not moving, & after a short car journey to the vet he's fine.
He's had gas, causing tummy ache, & the journey helped him to pass it (rear end only cos buns can't burp).

It's just like early stasis, & not to be taken lightly. Mine has loud tummy gurgles with gas. Encouraging them to hop around, gentle tummy massage, & I use infacol for my bun, help. But if there's no improvement in an hour, it's the vets. [Make sure you've got a good bunnyvet (Exotics trained!] ;)

Good luck :)
 
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