I hate stasis!!!

My poor bun, Lucca is having a bad bout of stasis, which I think is due to stress. I had to take him to the vet on Wednesday because his eyes were watering, he had blocked tear ducts so the vet took him out the back to flush them, they cleared just fine but I think the ordeal stressed him out too much.

What's strange is, he ate his dinner on Wednesday and breakfast on Thursday with no problem, but I came back Thursday evening to a very listless bunny who wouldn't nom his favourites and was pooping very small poops, so off to the out of hours vets we went, she gave him painkiller injection and gave me zantac to give twice a day plus oxbow. All he seems to want to do is sit bunched up in a corner of his hutch.

I took him back to the vets Friday morning as there was no improvement. she gave him some metacam and said to continue with zantac and oxbow and offer his faves often. He perked up a little and ate a small amount of parsley, dandelion and grass but only pooped very tiny poops. He still only wanted to sit in a dark corner in his hutch.

Today he seems ever so slightly better, he is sitting outside his hutch and he is eating a little more than yesterday but poops are still small and very few and far between. I just hope he's slowly coming through it. Does anyone have any little tricks to kick start his belly?

Im surprised the vets didnt give him sub cutaneous fluids, especially in this heat.

Id syringe him plenty of water aswell and ask them to give him fluids next time you see them.

Vibes for the little fella xxx

Yes, fluids. Is he used to lots of greens/veggies? If so, offer them washed and still soaking wet. Hydration is key to getting a stasis bunny tummy going again. Fresh herbs like coriander, basil, mint, thyme, parsley etc can all be fed quite freely at these times, they don't seem to cause too much gut upset which is something you want to avoid as any dysbiois can bring back the stasis.

I'd also recommend getting him to eat as much hay as possible. But even better - bramble leaves. Blackberry/bramble - grows everywhere. As long as above dog-pee height and away from spraying then the leaves can be fed ad lib (I remove thorns first personally) and they can really help get the gut moving.

If your bun is still not right later today the I would pop him back to the vet today for some more pain relief (it only lasts 24 hours max) and pain can be ongoing, I'd also be asking for some fluids given SQ. Tummies post-stasis can take up to two weeks to re-establish full gut motility so you will need to be vigilant and encourage eating over this next two weeks as much as possible.

What was the reason for the dear duct flush? Generally, unless done by an experienced vet this is a tricky procedure and some buns find it a lot less distressing done under sedation or a GA.

Aww poor Lucca, try lots of different herbs like mint and basil and blackberry leaves.
I agree with Gemma lots of fluids are essential in this heat as he could become very dehydrated!
Tummy rubs are also helpful.

Hi, thanks for your replies, means a lot.

Prettylupin, I took Lucca to the vets because he had watery eyes, the vet said his tear ducts were blocked, so she flushed them. I didn't feel particularly comfortable with her doing this, but I thought she should know best. I really wish she hadn't taken him out the back to do the procedure though. He gets anxious very easily, especially when I'm not in sight, but the vet didn't seem to understand this and insisted she took him out back to have the assistance of a nurse. I shall be more insistent in future - you live and learn i guess.

Anyway, he's eaten grass, herbs, dandelions and a few pellets today but his poos are still small and hard - however, he has passed a large 'special poo' this afternoon, which he didn't eat. Is this a good or bad sign??

Adorabunny said:

Hi, thanks for your replies, means a lot.

Prettylupin, I took Lucca to the vets because he had watery eyes, the vet said his tear ducts were blocked, so she flushed them. I didn't feel particularly comfortable with her doing this, but I thought she should know best. I really wish she hadn't taken him out the back to do the procedure though. He gets anxious very easily, especially when I'm not in sight, but the vet didn't seem to understand this and insisted she took him out back to have the assistance of a nurse. I shall be more insistent in future - you live and learn i guess.

Anyway, he's eaten grass, herbs, dandelions and a few pellets today but his poos are still small and hard - however, he has passed a large 'special poo' this afternoon, which he didn't eat. Is this a good or bad sign??

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It's good in that it means at least his caecum is functioning. With true stasis the whole thing stops - so frankly any output from his tum - normal droppings or caecal droppings is better than nothing at all. They often don't eat them when ill because of gut flora dysbiosis which makes them smell or taste wrong. Just keep him eating whatever you can get him to eat - try and get some hay in there if you can too. Lack of fluids and a sluggish gut will be making his droppings small and hard - but atleast they are passing - this is good. Fluids and fibre will improve this. Fibre = hay, grass or bramble leaves. Fluid - offer dandelions soaking wet and anything else he eats too.

A lot of practices will take bunny out the back so they can be assisted by a qualified nurse and also away from an anxious owner - my practice does this too. I have only challenged it once simply because the procedure done did not necessitate it and she didn't tell me she was doing it - so I was a bit cross! But for a tear duct flush I would expect it. However, I would want sedation or a GA personally after what I have read, unless the vet doing it was very experienced and exotically qualified.

Prettylupin, your replies have been very reassuring, thank you

If his eyes were watering is it possible that the cause was actually tooth problems and that is why he isn't eating?

Sorry I'm not expert but has it been considered?

Schuette said:

If his eyes were watering is it possible that the cause was actually tooth problems and that is why he isn't eating?

Sorry I'm not expert but has it been considered?

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That was my thoughts too, did the vet check his teeth at all?

Yes they checked his teeth on all his recent visits to the vets, and said his teeth are fine. Thats the reason I took him, I though he may have teeth trouble but no, the ducts were just blocked. The vet said quite a lot of white stuff came out when she flushed them. He had an ulcer on his eye from a hay scratch a few weeks ago, which I treated with gel so I think it's related to that.

He seems much better today, eating almost normally and moving about but his poops are still a bit small. I wondered, should I continue with the zantac for another day or 2?? I've stopped the oxbow as he munched lots of grass, dandelions, pellets and herbs yesterday, is that ok??

Brambles were mentioned, I can't find any round here which I would trust as being clean, do strawberry leaves work in the same way?

Adorabunny said:

Yes they checked his teeth on all his recent visits to the vets, and said his teeth are fine. Thats the reason I took him, I though he may have teeth trouble but no, the ducts were just blocked. The vet said quite a lot of white stuff came out when she flushed them. He had an ulcer on his eye from a hay scratch a few weeks ago, which I treated with gel so I think it's related to that.

He seems much better today, eating almost normally and moving about but his poops are still a bit small. I wondered, should I continue with the zantac for another day or 2?? I've stopped the oxbow as he munched lots of grass, dandelions, pellets and herbs yesterday, is that ok??
I would continue with the zantac for today but if he is doing well tomorrow morning maybe stop then.
With regards to the Oxbrow, if he is eating on his own now, even if it is not as much as normal I would not worry about syringing him any more. The stress of doing so may be even more stressful and set him back.

Brambles were mentioned, I can't find any round here which I would trust as being clean, do strawberry leaves work in the same way?

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I do not know about Strawberry leaves but I actually brough a Blackberry Waldo bush from my local garden centre. It is a thornless variety of bramble and I have re potted it and have it outside our front door.
Just make sure if you do buy one ensure they have not been treated with any pesticides or insecticides!