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gi stasis & snuffles :(

N

nick&keely

New Kit
we bought a rabbit from pets at home about 4 days ago, they told us he was a netherland dwarf crossed with a netherland lop but by looking at others that doesnt seem right as he has straight ears and his face is not as snubbed as the dwarfs, the only thing they didnt lie about is his age, hes only 10 weeks old which the vet reassured us is right

for the past 3 days he has been really ill with gi stasis and snuffles, we took him to the vets and they looked after him overnight, we have had him back for a day, we are force feeding him water, hes eating a bit of hay, and we are giving him panacur 0.75 ml per day, baytril 0.4 ml twice a day and metacam 0.75 ml once a day, which the vets gave us to give him,

our problem is his feces is like water and its really worrying us, is this normal as at least its showing us his guts are moving again a bit which is a good sign, any help would be greatly appreciated,

thanks

Nick & Keely

p.s this has cost us over £180 just for treatment and they still only gave him a 50/50 chance!

just thought id add he also keeps licking the runny feces, my guess is to get his fluids back into him, is this normal as it is our 1st rabbit
 
I just wanted to say how sorry I am that this has happened to you. Poor little fella seems to have found some loving people to look after him though. I'm sure someone with more recent knowledge than I currently have will be along soon, but I wish you so much luck with him.
 
thanks gertie, we are the sort of people that feel really awful when we have to restrain him to give him his medicines :( but u gotta do what u gotta do, just hope we can get him better and the runny droppings thing is really worrying as its like water
 
Oh dear poor Bunny :cry:

It sounds as though he also has enteritis which is very serious in baby Rabbits.

Personally I would not want to be giving oral Baytril to a Baby Rabbit who has diarrhoea. Obviously the antibiotics are needed if he has a respiratory tract infection, but I would want them administered by subcutaneous injection.

What was the reason for your Vet giving Panacur ?

I am wondering if coccidiosis might actually be the problem re the GI symptoms.
Did the Vet mention this at all ?

Have you informed P@H about the situation ? It is very likely that many of their other Rabbits will have been effected if they had contact with your Baby Bun.
 
He's eating a bit of hay, which is good. I can't say I've had much experience with the watery poo, though. :? I'm sure someone will have.
 
Haven't really got any advice about his situation but I would be keeping every receipt from the vets and making Pets at Home pay you back! I know it's not what you're thinking about right now and you just want your bun to get better...

Hope things pick up for him.
 
i think the baytril was an anti inflammatory to help him breathe better because his nose was full of puss from the snuffles but its cleared out a lot now, also 1 of the other ones, cant remember which will apparently help make his stools solid but im just really worried about the poor guy, he wont take more than 2.5 ml of critical care or water anymore, just struggles too much and its not like were not restraining him properly hes just 2 wriggly

thanks for the replies

just to add, got onto pets at home and they are going to reimburse any vet fees, also will give us dicount on another hutch or some free bits and bobs, even said if he dies they will refund us or replace him, thanks but how the hell after all this is a refund or a replacement going to help? at least they offered something
 
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So sorry that this has happened but glad that you're taking such good care of him.

Do keep everyone updated.
 
nick&keely said:
i think the baytril was an anti inflammatory to help him breathe better because his nose was full of puss from the snuffles but its cleared out a lot now, also 1 of the other ones, cant remember which will apparently help make his stools solid but im just really worried about the poor guy, he wont take more than 2.5 ml of critical care or water anymore, just struggles too much and its not like were not restraining him properly hes just 2 wriggly

thanks for the replies

just to add, got onto pets at home and they are going to reimburse any vet fees, also will give us dicount on another hutch or some free bits and bobs, even said if he dies they will refund us or replace him, thanks but how the hell after all this is a refund or a replacement going to help? at least they offered something
Click to expand...

It's something I guess. :(
The baytril is an antibiotic which they're hoping will clear up the infection. If it's affecting his guts (although it could be something else that is) it might be wise to get something that can be injected. Baytril also isn't very strong as far as antibiotics go so he might need something stronger but with such a little guy I don't know what to suggest. I've used depocillin injections which is a penicillin (lethal if given orally though).

Metacam is the anti inflammatory and pain killer. The panacur is commonly used to treat and prevent an ailment called E.C. The fact that he's eating hay is really good. If you're not happy with the vet's opinions and treatment don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Rabbits are actually classed as exotic pets in the veterinary world. But the fact that you were given a pain killer is a good sign too as many vets don't.

Try and get him to each as much on his own as you can if he doesn't like being syringe fed. If he has pellets you could try soaking them in water to see if that encourages him. Also you could try soaking some porridge oats in water for him. I'm just not too sure what else to suggest with his poos being as they are.
 
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thanks guys, nice to get some support off people and definatley will keep you all updated, just hope he doesnt take a turn for the worst :(
 
Jenova said:
It's something I guess. :(
The baytril is an antibiotic which they're hoping will clear up the infection. If it's affecting his guts (although it could be something else that is) it might be wise to get something that can be injected. Baytril also isn't very strong as far as antibiotics go so he might need something stronger but with such a little guy I don't know what to suggest. I've used depocillin injections which is a penicillin (lethal if given orally though).

Metacam is the anti inflammatory and pain killer. The panacur is commonly used to treat and prevent an ailment called E.C. The fact that he's eating hay is really good. If you're not happy with the vet's opinions and treatment don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Rabbits are actually classed as exotic pets in the veterinary world. But the fact that you were given a pain killer is a good sign too as many vets don't.

Try and get him to each as much on his own as you can if he doesn't like being syringe fed. If he has pellets you could try soaking them in water to see if that encourages him. Also you could try soaking some porridge oats in water for him. I'm just not too sure what else to suggest with his poos being as they are.
Click to expand...

we did actually have 2 vets opinions and they both give a very similar diagnosis, just went with the 1 we have used previously with other animals and who we trust, as for the hay it really is just nibbles here and there, doesnt seem so have an apetite at all, even though he is passing watery poo

what would you advise us to do as we really are new to caring for rabbits and weve already got too attatched to him, really dont want the little guy to die

thanks for all your help and replies
 
If your Bunny is not eating or drinking now and is still passing diarrhoea then he really needs to be admitted for intensive care. He probably needs subcutaneous fluids as he is likely to be very dehydrated.

Vets who treat Dogs/Cats very well are not necessarily all that clued up on Rabbits. Rabbits are classified as 'Exotics' in Veterinary Medicine, they have very different and complex needs compared to Dogs/Cats.

These links give information about Gastrointestinal problems in Rabbits.

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Clostridial_enteritis_rabbits.htm

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Mucoid_EnteropathyRabbits.html

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Coccidiosis_Hedgehog.html
 
Jack's-Jane said:
If your Bunny is not eating or drinking now and is still passing diarrhoea then he really needs to be admitted for intensive care. He probably needs subcutaneous fluids as he is likely to be very dehydrated.

Vets who treat Dogs/Cats very well are not necessarily all that clued up on Rabbits. Rabbits are classified as 'Exotics' in Veterinary Medicine, they have very different and complex needs compared to Dogs/Cats.

These links give information about Gastrointestinal problems in Rabbits.

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Clostridial_enteritis_rabbits.htm

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Mucoid_EnteropathyRabbits.html

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Coccidiosis_Hedgehog.html
Click to expand...

its 2 late now so we are just going to have to keep getting up during the night to give him water just in case, then take him tomorrow,

once again thank you very much for all your help
 
ok quick update, dont think hes got diarrhea it seems like he just cant control his bladder as hes weeing... a lot! and his backside is soaked all the time, please any advice, i dont know what to do and im so worried
 
nick&keely said:
ok quick update, dont think hes got diarrhea it seems like he just cant control his bladder as hes weeing... a lot! and his backside is soaked all the time, please any advice, i dont know what to do and im so worried
Click to expand...

Seriously, the only advice is to get him to a Rabbit Savvy Vet.
I do hope he will make it, poor little Bunny :cry:
 
ok so we got through the night,

he stopped weeing even though we were giving him water every 3 hours,

seems pretty annoyed with us though as he keeps turning his back to us lol, hes also starting to eat hay of his own accord and hes passed some soft poos which is really great,

keeps having his ups and downs but looks like hes on the way to recovery :D

just gnna keep on with his medication and see what the vet says tomorrow

thanks again
 
jane ive just read your post on coccidiosis, could this be the problem as he is starting to poo again but i read than it can cause gi stasis, how can we find out that this is the problem?

are there any straightforward signs we can look out for?

thanks in advance
 
nick&keely said:
jane ive just read your post on coccidiosis, could this be the problem as he is starting to poo again but i read than it can cause gi stasis, how can we find out that this is the problem?

are there any straightforward signs we can look out for?

thanks in advance
Click to expand...


Diagnosis requires a fecal test.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Protozoal_diseases/Cocc_en.htm

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/171332.htm

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/fecal-flotation.html
 
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thank you, i will make sure i let the vet know about this and maybe get him to try and test for it tomorrow,

i am so glad i joined this forum, all your help is very reassuring, thank you again
 
FINALLY! his guts have let go and he pooed everywhere, not usually something to be happy about but its great, he was out of his hutch, being curious sniffing things, he kept lying down then moving again and finally he just pooed,

they werent like usual poos, they were quite long, lightish coloured brown and quite soft but at least his guts are definately moving again, also he tried a pellet before and is eating more hay :D

this is a massive step seeing as though he hasnt really gone in 2 days, gnna carry on with his medicine and lets see if we can get our little man back to how he was running around and doing binkies :D

once again thanks for all the help and i will keep you all updated
 
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