Humphrey - 9 weeks old - GI Stasis UPDATE: He is back in hospital

Hello! Just looking for a bit of support really.

Last Friday my baby bun Humphrey stopped pooping and became very lethargic. We took him to our local vet that evening (never visited before) and they gave him a metaclopramide injection and sent us home. On Saturday morning he was the same so we returned to the vet who did another metaclopramide injection and gave me recovery to syringe feed. I asked for pain relief for him but she would not give it as she felt it wasn't needed. I managed to get her to prescribe ranitidine which I had to get from another vet as they did not have in stock.

By Saturday evening he was floppy and not fighting the syringe feeding at all. I felt I couldn't wait until Monday to be seen. The emergency vet admitted him and he's been in there since on round the clock medicine and syringe feeding. He's also getting vetergesic now which is good because I can't stand the thought of him in pain I think he is only on ranitidine now and I would really like the vet to administer metaclopramide alongside this but they won't do it. I explained that surely there's no harm if I pay and they still said they would rather not.

They believe his gut is less bloated now (Tuesday evening) but he has only made 2 poo pellets since he's been in the vet and I am very worried. How long can it take for him to start to turn around? I had only had him a week before his happened but I already love him to bits and his sister is at home missing him a lot!!

I'm also worried that being all alone in the hospital cage might cause him some permanent psychological damage because so far he's been such a friendly, curious and well adjusted bun. I know that probably sounds silly.

Talya
Mum of Sapphire and Humphrey, two cuddly cute French lop fur babies

Sadly bloat in a Baby Rabbit is extremely serious

There is some doubt that Metoclopromide has any effect on Rabbits under about 10 weeks of age, so that may be why this Vet is reluctant to give it.

It is also contraindicated in some cases of bloat.

Pain relief, fluids, warmth and assisted feeding are all essential and it would seem that Humphrey is receiving this. Giving Simethicone (Infacol) or Gripe Water may help break up the gas.

I personally would question giving Ranitidine for a 9 week old Rabbit. I would be concerned about the effect on the PH of the stomach, making it more alkaline and thus potentially contributing to gut dysbiosis *but I am not a Vet*

I really hope that Humphrey can recover.

Sorry to hear he's so poorly.

Do they know what's caused the bloat? Baby rabbits are very sensitive diet-wise. Could he have a partial obstruction - have they x-rayed him to check? Sending vibes that he makes it...

Hope Humphrey feels better soon.

Lots of us have had a rabbit go through episodes of stasis so we know how terribly worrying it is for you! Sending lots of positive vibes and hope your little Humphrey starts to feel better soon!

I've just been to the vet and he has been passing very small poos. They have also withdrawn the vetergesic however, I took this little video of him whilst I was there: http://youtu.be/RvVhFKT89Fc He was like this most of the time we were there and seems to have regained his curiosity in his surroundings.

So I am happy for them to take the vetergesic away as he is still much brighter and clearly not in as much pain as before.

They said he's still not out of the wood but they have also added pineapple juice to his treatment.. apparently it's good for digestion??? I don't know, the vet seemed quite enthusiastic about it lol. They've also switched from ranitidine to metaclopramide so we will see if he continues to improve. If not, I will make sure they change back, but they are still adamant against giving them together.

I am trying not to be too happy but the above is a HUGE difference from even yesterday when he was barely moving. Also, I did give his belly a little poke and instead of being like a basketball, it's now like the old football you find at the back of your school sports cupboard. Still a way to go but I am hoping these are all good signs.

The only things I can think of that caused this is 1) Stress from coming from his mum to us the previous Saturday OR a bit of overindulgence in readigrass.. (Not new to his diet as breeder gave it but he likes it A LOT).

PS Thanks for all the good vibes and replies! As a first time rabbit owner I can be quite jumpy when anything changes with them!

You guys seem very nice

In very young buns the stress of coming from mum can cause gut issues - this plus too much readigrass could easily cause a build up of gas or another form of gut dysbiosis where the sensitive ph and gut flora is disturbed.

Re the treatment the vet gave:

Pineapple juice will not help this - in fact sweet things will make it worse. The only reason that some people give pineapple juice is if the rabbit has a blockage that might be caused by fur (like a cats furballs) however there is a debate as to whether pineapple is at all effective for this and whether buns get the same kind of grooming balls anyway. In your case this is not relevant and I would stop the pineapple juice asap.

Pain relief is usually a must in any case of bloat or dysbiosis - although they may be being extra cautious with a 9 week old - although I se they have given vetergesic anyway . .

Was he gassy when you first went in and did they give Buscopan??

Fluids would also be a must (sub-cut not oral)

I suspect Jacks Jane will post again about the ranitidne/metaclop - but tbh your vets dont sound very on top of things and ranitidine is not good for small buns

The ideal diet for the little one now would be hay hay and more hay until the gut settles. NOT sweet things at all . . or grass or veg - just hay and some small amount of pellet foods he is used to and syringed recovery food (this comes in a special packet for buns that the vet should have - )

As Jacks Jane has said: Warmth, fluids, pain relief, syringe feed, and possibly some simithecone if he still has gas.


Once he is safe and home again then I would strongly advise posting a new thread here with a title Rabbit Savvy Vet needed in XXXXX (your town) and have him checked over there asap and registered in case of future upsets.

I'm sorry Humphrey has been feeling poorly Hope he continues to improve and is feeling much better soon!

He's adorable! Glad he's showing signs of improvement. Hope he can recover fully. Sending lots of vibes for Humphrey xx

Visited the vets again this evening. He's now not pooed since Friday. The vet has done an X-ray but all they could see was gas. They mentioned the s-word if there's been no progress by Friday but I just don't understand why he's not improving

Have they managed to identify the actual root cause?

Would it be worth seeing if they can consult with a rabbit savvy vet? Or maybe even transfer him to a different, maybe more rabbit savvy practice?

Kavanne said:

Visited the vets again this evening. He's now not pooed since Friday. The vet has done an X-ray but all they could see was gas. They mentioned the s-word if there's been no progress by Friday but I just don't understand why he's not improving

Click to expand...

I think they need to transfer him to a rabbit specialist vet. Where are you?

Sky-O said:

Have they managed to identify the actual root cause?

Would it be worth seeing if they can consult with a rabbit savvy vet? Or maybe even transfer him to a different, maybe more rabbit savvy practice?

Click to expand...

The nearest rabbit savvy vet I can find is 45 mins away (used by closest rabbit rescue I could find) but I chose this vet as they have vet onsite 24 hours...

The owner of the clinic I use said he dealers with several people with
25+ rabbits so I kind of hoped he would be ok???

parsnipbun said:

I think they need to transfer him to a rabbit specialist vet. Where are you?

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Walton on Thames, in Surrey. I contacted bobtails rescue and they use a
Vet in Sutton

Removed as suggestion already mentioned by others.

Humphrey is lovely. I hope he can get better soon.

Twickenham Vetinary Surgery http://www.twickenhamvets.com/homepage.aspx can definately recommend

Agree with Janice - Christobel at Twickenham Vets, The Corner Vets in Sutton, my lot Kynochs in Bracknell and Crowthorne (Berks) - Kate Marriot and Ivan Crotaz in particular with acute cases, but also Selene Pirri and Hannah Pickett. Also Gill Tose at Windlesham Vets.

I really hope he gets well again, he looks very bloaty in the video the poor wee soul.

I have been through Gi Stasis with two young buns, the first one died at 3 weeks old of Bloat he was running around with the rest of his litter in the morning, trying out the hay and trying to climb the ramp and then on the night time he was really big and it broke my heart he died in my hands

second one I called Listy, she sat in corners facing the walls, every now and then she would go to where her little mates were and continue facing a corner, I tried infacol, water, hay, her poop was small, i took her to the vet who injected her with Metoclopromide and Metacam and a small vial of Bactrim she said if she wasn't better the next day to go back for another metacam injection. The next morning I found her laying at the bottom of the ramp, when I picked her up she was so floppy and could not use her front legs.. she died 5 minutes later as I was calling the vet back she was 6 weeks old.


I'm keeping everything crossed for your little Humphrey! it's so aganizing watching them go through this and not being able to make it all better for them

Lurocheta, I'm sorry I knew how bad stasis could be for young buns and I had to go to another bet other than my normal one as she made it clear she wasnt going to admit him but I knew he needed regular metaclopramide and feeds which i couldn't give him here.

I have just phoned the vet and he has started passing diarrhoea. Is this good?? If he is progressing I don't really want to move him to another vet and stress him out if I don't have to