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Bunny not eating - update post 52, please help :(

shannon321

shannon321

Alpha Buck
I noticed yesterday one of the bunnies wasn't eating as much and his poops were tiny, so presuming this was the start of statis and as i was going to the vet anyway for his myxi jab i phoned up and got him in earlier.

The vet couldn't find any problems, no bloat, plenty of gut noises, teeth fine. She said to just keep an eye and tempt with yummy foods, i also brought some fibreplex. Last night he was eating fresh greens, carrots, grass and dried herbs but no hay or pellets i checked on him through out the night and he still wasn't eating anything but the fresh stuff, now this morning he's nibbled some grass but is turning down greens and carrots and not eating much of the grass. I'll be taking him straight to the vets as soon as its open at 8.30 but i've felt his tummy and it all feels normal so i'm a bit lost as to what it could be?
 
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Hi, thank you for your reply.

Well we went to the vet every day from monday to saturday last week for sub-q fluids/steroids/gut mobilisers and by friday/saturday he started eating hay again.

He had his last gut mobiliser on saturday morning and things where looking up through the weekend, eating more and doing normal poops and alot more energy but he seems to off gone down hill again today so i'm just toying with taking him back to the vets again today. He's still pooping today and they are they biggest's they've been since he got poorly but he's hunched up and seems to not be eating again! It so hard to monitor how much hay they are eating as i'm giving him so much so he can pick out the strands he likes. He's not eating any of his fresh stuff and still hasn't started eating pellets again.

I'm starting to think there is an underlying problem to the stasis ?

He keeps pulling strands of hay, half eating them then either pausing with the strand still in his mouth as if he's forgotten he's eating or just dropping them and sitting there. He seems sleepy today. Just rang vets, one of them is going to call me this morning and i'll have a chat and see if he needs to go back in.

:(
 
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Has he had his teeth checked?

Sounds like he is in pain just now. If he were mine, I would take him back to the vet to get him checked over again :wave:

Good luck!
 
How's he doing now? Try mixing some of his pellets with hot water, put a teaspoon of pure sunflower oil in it, mix it up and see if he eats that :) my rupert had gas a few months back, and this was the only thing he'd eat for a few days - you might have to force feed him if he doesn't pick up.

I hope he's ok x
 
i've tried soaking his pellets and he's not interested, he also wont take any fibreplex. He runs away from the syringe and if i catch him and put it in his mouth he spits it straight out again.

Im struggling to understand how he perked up so much over the weekend and has gone down hill again today

Vets cant fit me in till 10.10
 
yes teeth have been check numerous times, he had his front teeth removed at the start of the year and while his back teeth aren't perfect they aren't at the point of needing a dental yet, no ulcers or sores or dribbling etc.

I just cant figure out the trigger for the stasis, no change in food, enviroment, nothing ??

I have a feeling the vets may want to xray him today as its been going on for so long.
 
just got home, vet cannot find any reason for his down hill turn. No impaction, gut feels fine poops are fine, teeth are fine and he says he's showing no signs of pain and is at a bit of a loss himself. He said x-rays are pointless so he's taken bloods and i should get the results tomorrow hopefully in the mean time he's given him some antibiotics and he's given me 3 doses to inject myself at home for tonight and tomorrow just as a precaution.

Has anyone got any ideas what this problem could be, the vet thinks he'll be too young for cancer or any other problem like that ? I'm at a loss completely :(

He's dropped from 1.8 k to 1.5 since last monday :(
 
Are you certain he was given steroids and not an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ?

Steroids are generally contraindicated in Rabbits. This is because Rabbits are very sensitive to the adverse side effects which include suppression of the immune system and GI tract ulceration.

Is the Rabbit Lop Eared ? The question may seem strange but is relevant.
 
i'm not sure about the steroid question but that was last tuesday and he was getting better at the weekend so i doubt that's causing problems now ?

Yes he is a lop eared (mini), i rehomed him from a home where he was kept in a tiny cage but sadly he was brought by the previous owners from an awful pet shop so im leaning towards some sort of genetic/bad breeding issue?

ETA - it must of been a steroid as he couldn't have Metacam because of it, i'm suprised by what you say as my vets fairly rabbit savvy, and i'll be disappointed if he gave him something which could of caused more problems, while no expert he's the best around when it comes to rabbits.

Thank you very much for your reply.
 
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shannon321 said:
i'm not sure about the steroid question but that was last tuesday and he was getting better at the weekend so i doubt that's causing problems now ?

Yes he is a lop eared (mini), i rehomed him from a home where he was kept in a tiny cage but sadly he was brought by the previous owners from an awful pet shop so im leaning towards some sort of genetic/bad breeding issue?
Click to expand...

Did the Vet check in both of his ears ?
 
anyone got any ideas? he's getting worse i think. very quiet just sitting in the same position unless he's eating :(
 
Today he's not eating as much as he had at the weekend, he's nibbling hay but isn't tempted by fresh food for the first time, he has spring greens, parsley,coriander, cauliflower leaves, carrots, dandilions, grass and pellets to choose from as well as 3 different types of hay (meadow,timothy and readi grass) so i can't offer much else in that department.

He's drunk around the same as my other rabbit today (they aren't bonded so easy to compare bowls) but its much less than he normally drinks. He's done enough wee and poo for me not to be immediately concerned for tonight but if it hasn't picked up by tomorrow in terms of eating i'll be straight back to the vets as he's skin and bones.

I'm so worried, searching all the forum looking for similar symptoms but cant find anything :(
 
He's not too good, still puffed up with his eyes half closed. keeping him warm and tempting him with yummys but he's interested in food is becoming less and less.

I'm so so annoyed with myself at not insisting on a pain killer yesterday, i'm ringing the vets at 8.30 and insisting on some metacam as i dont want to take him down there this morning as i'll probably have to take him this evening depending on blood tests results. I'm now sure its not stasis as he's still producing poop albeit not very much and small ones but comparing it to last week when he was in stasis there much better if that makes sense.
 
shannon321 said:
He's not too good, still puffed up with his eyes half closed. keeping him warm and tempting him with yummys but he's interested in food is becoming less and less.

I'm so so annoyed with myself at not insisting on a pain killer yesterday, i'm ringing the vets at 8.30 and insisting on some metacam as i dont want to take him down there this morning as i'll probably have to take him this evening depending on blood tests results. I'm now sure its not stasis as he's still producing poop albeit not very much and small ones but comparing it to last week when he was in stasis there much better if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

I really would take him to the Vet this morning. He sounds to be very poorly and oral medication may not be that useful. He probably needs admission for Intensive Care including medication via injection and IV/subcutaneous fluids.

I would not be happy with the administration of more steroids.....................
 
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