Not quite sure where were at (Bunnies Tum)

Hi Everyone..

I'm trying to get a clearer picture of where my bun is at with his recent bout of stasis/dental sort of thing. So wondering if anyone has any insights.

He's moulting heavily and often gets gut slow down when moulting, but this time it was complicated by sudden dental issues too.

Last monday, he was was eating but picky with his food, tuesday started eating barely anything and wasn't pooping and was very quiet (not himself), Wednesday 9am was at the vets and had his incisors extracted and other treament including fluids, critical care etc..

Wed/thur was only eating veg and some mushed carrot (had had pain relief too)

Early hours thur started to eat pellets and getting brighter, more active, then pooped a lot of sloppyish stools, but each batch seemed to take on a better consistency...

Then he pooped 1 small batch of the most normal (though not perfect) pellets..

He's eating, drinking, and Very active, wanting to play, wanting treats etc (though not getting any yet) zipping all over the house, exploring and chilling out, flopping .. his eyes are very bright and he seems a much happier bun and his mischeivious self.

but he hasnt really pooped for almost 2 days now, well.. he's just producing a few tiny pip like poops

Though his cecatropes are looking better and better, he seems to be constantly eating buns straight from the oven so to speak and is producing quite a lot of those.

His tummy has sounds, and gentle gurgling, and feels ok (how it feels when he is pooping)

I'm wondering whether he just needs a bit more time as I don't want to stress him again with vets etc, and it won't be his usual vet because of the bank holiday..

but at the same time, I'm thinking another round of fluids may help...

I can normally give them myself at home but I checked the solution I have which unfortunately is expired as I havn't needed to do it for over a year, and I don't really want to use it.

I'm thinking maybe because I've been giving him pro fibers, and extra pro biotic etc, that hes producing more cecatropes, so I've cut back on them and giving his tums own bacteria a chance to flourish..

but can it take a few days for poops to come through properly? he seems full of beans in himself, just want to see some poops..

Thanks

Martin

How much hay is he eating? As he's had his incisors out he may need it chopped up so he can eat it. Cecotrophes I believe are formed out of nutrients so if he's had a lot of rich food, i.e., carrot, pellets, etc, he'd produce more. He needs hay though to be pushing this through his system all the time, without hay the poops get smaller and less fibrous.

Hi Elena

Sigh.. he's never been a Hay eater, and Can't ever seem to get him to eat hay, tried about 5 different types, The vet said it might be because his teeth were in bad shape he actually couldn't eat it, and he has no interest in it whatsoever.. I thought he ate a tiny peice the other day but I can't be 100% sure..

He's been absolutely fine the last 3 years on pellets, and various veg etc...

which sort of brings another Dilema I would love to get him onto hay but I just don't know if he's actually able to eat it, and I'm worried about taking his food away to kind of force him to eat hay in case he can't then I would be literally starving him sort of thing:?

What about grass or dried grass? Sometimes you can encourage hay eating by spraying it with something fruity and sweet, apple juice and water for example. Or by sprinkling something they do like in it. If he really won't eat any hay at all I would try to encourage wild foods, a lot are high in fibre, for example plantain is very good and is fibrous.

Hi

I tried grasses, he ate them once a couple of years ago, and flat out refused every attempt since. I've tried just about every single method suggested to get him to eat hay except starving him which Im too worried to do in case he just can't:S..

He's weird, he wont eat any other vegtables at all except spring green, Kale, Carrot.. that's it

He will occasionally eat plantain and dandilion leaves

He hates fruit, or anything fruity, runs away from it

he's beyond fussy, but always been like that...

hmm...nighmare bun when it comes to his food!..

Thanks Elena, I appreciate your feedback..

You got me thinking about the sprinkling thing, but windering if there was such a thing as powdered hay I mix in some of the stuff he likes.. hmm..

Bunny Basics T pellets are hay based any may help his tummy. My dental bun had these for the last 4 years and his poops were lovely and golden (he too would not eat hay :roll: ). For recovery after dentals I have used Oxbow critical care as it is a lot smoother and they take it willingly.

You could also try some pro-fibre pellets.

Hi Bunny Babe..

Thanks, I will look up those pellets.. though I kind of expect he will just waste them, its exhausting!. he hates critical care too.

He will eat the pro fiber pellets, if I powder them and sprinkle them on his pellets, but I tried it on hay, and he just ignored it. :s

thank You..

What pain relief did he have/is he having? :wave:

Incisor extraction is painful, afterwards too for several days. I would suspect it is a pain related gut slowdown initially, exacerbated by stress/GA etc. and that this has just not recovered, which is not unusual as ileus is very persistent especially if, as you say, his diet isn't very long strand fibre based. Incisor extracted buns do find it difficult to eat hay as they have nothing to pick the strands up with and rotate them into their mouths. Chopping hay up can help with this, as can offering fresh grass (slowly first off if bun's guts are not used to it). But don't be surprised if he struggles to eat hay from now on with no incisors - this is not a bun I would force a hay only diet on at all.

Anyhow, considering his lack of fecal output and his recent operation I would certainly consider popping him to the vets today for a check over post-op and some pain relief potentially, and possibly a course of gut motility meds. Yes, some sub-cut fluids may be helpful if he is a bit dehydrated (even if not so on skin tenting), his lack of fecal output might indicate otherwise. I think he would certainly benefit from an examination, pain relief and some prokinetics for a while anyway, but I am not a vet. :wave:

Hi prettylupin

Sorry for my late responce, just catching up with everything now.. been VERY intense week! (seems it has for many)

and well, he was on metacam and I'm still giving him a little bit but cut his dose down as he's stuffing himself so I guess his teeth are feeling much better. And well, as an update, I did take him back to the vets this morning as he still wasn't pooping, soo about 10 mins before I was due to put him in his box, he popped a couple of poops out...heh, I was worried about taking him then as he just literally done his first couple of poops since last week.. but I decided best to take him anyway..

soo.. took him to the vets, and the vet thinks he's just ingested quite a lot of fur because he moults so heavily and he will be fine, gave another jab of metaclopromide, and some fluids, and I bought a bag of fluids to bring home so I can give him more if needs be..

Well tonight, he ran to his tray and there was a batch of poops theyre not perfect (yet) but's he been pooping more and more over the night, and been whizzing around everywhere.. so, hopefully it's all working through now.

If you would like me to send you some bunny basics T to try, drop me a PM with your address. There are a couple of types of critical care too - find blend and a green one which smells like aniseed. I opened a fine blend last week so could send you what is left if you want to try it.

Hi Bunnybabe

Sorry for my late reply just catching up with everything.. been intense couple of weeks to say the least. and well, Thank You.. I would be more than happy to cover any cost/postage etc. I will PM you very shortly... Thank You.

M