happysaz133
Wise Old Thumper
Just a curious question, don't worry, all my buns are fine :wave:
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Can rabbits recover from stasis without vet help?
- Thread starter happysaz133
- Start date
cpayne
Warren Veteran
I have no idea but I would think it would be a worry if you don't get meds for them and they are in pain and also meds to stimulate the gut.
Maybe if you manage to get high fibre food inside them it would help but I know the slightest indication that Doughnut is ill she's off to the vets. I couldn't cope with the stress of seeing her in pain and trying to do something myself when I know the vets can help her a lot more.
I know you are just asking a question and not going to put it into practice!
Maybe if you manage to get high fibre food inside them it would help but I know the slightest indication that Doughnut is ill she's off to the vets. I couldn't cope with the stress of seeing her in pain and trying to do something myself when I know the vets can help her a lot more.
I know you are just asking a question and not going to put it into practice!
happysaz133
Wise Old Thumper
No I wouldn't, I was just thinking about the number of people who don't notice things being a worry like that, like a rabbit not eating, would just be having an off day and see how it is tomorrow type thing. But surely not all rabbits who stop eating die...there's rabbits in hutches all over the country getting forgotten about who don't always get fed every day because they are forgotten about.
I don't even know why I'm thinking this, it just popped into my head :lol:
Rabbits can recover from stasis without vet help - but only if you or another person provide care and treatment.
Once the GI system shuts down, I've never known it re-start naturally without help. I keep a paranoid close eye on litter trays and start treatment at the first sign of a sluggish gut. I don't believe it's something which can be left.
Once the GI system shuts down, I've never known it re-start naturally without help. I keep a paranoid close eye on litter trays and start treatment at the first sign of a sluggish gut. I don't believe it's something which can be left.
BattleKat
Wise Old Thumper
I think it depends how serious it is and how hardy the rabbit is. I think the ones that aren't fed properly must kind of adapt to it, because I know of quite a few rabbits which have gone days without food and will happily eat the second they get some again.
When lola's stopped eating in the past she's really perked up after being forced to move around a bit, and one time we had to syringe feed her some stuff (can't remember what it was called but we got it from the vet) but after a few minutes she was eating and behaving normally again.
When lola's stopped eating in the past she's really perked up after being forced to move around a bit, and one time we had to syringe feed her some stuff (can't remember what it was called but we got it from the vet) but after a few minutes she was eating and behaving normally again.
I have had a number of stasis episodes over the years. I would never take the risk of 'wait and see'. Whenever my rabbits refuse their food I immediately get them checked out and onto medication. Even when I notice straight away (ie OK at breakfast, but refuse their tea), it has taken a number of days with around the clock meds and syringe feeding to pull them through.
Maybe in some cases it will pass, but I would think in so many more it would be a case of 'my bunny wasn't hungry yesterday and this morning she is dead'
Maybe in some cases it will pass, but I would think in so many more it would be a case of 'my bunny wasn't hungry yesterday and this morning she is dead'
bunkin
Warren Veteran
My bunny stops eating or drinking for up to 24 hrs and is obviously unwell and in pain. I have now found a MUCH better vet so he gets painkiller and gut stimulant but before that for 2 years and about 8 attacks my local vet even though i took him every time would not give him anything and always said come back in 24 hrs if he is still not eating or drinking:shock::shock::shock: He always got better himself within 24 hrs and started eating and drinking again. So whatever this is he def stops eating or drinking and can recover totally after 24 hrs without food or drink but now I know so much more I would never risk it again.
cpayne
Warren Veteran
That's terrible. I know when I took Doughnut once she was given lots of injections and said if she didn't pick up I had to go back the following day for an xray as it was dangerous for a rabbit not to eat. I was worried anyway and I was more worried after seeing them but within an hour she was eating again.
bunkin
Warren Veteran
Because he always recovered I did not realise how dangerous it could be. I hated seeing him in pain but the vets refused point blank to give him painkiller as of course he perked up once there and they did not know how he normally was. So glad I changed vets. His last episdoe he had loxacom and metaclopamide and although he did not seem to improve anytime soon after the jabs he did actually get totally better n about half the usual time.
cpayne
Warren Veteran
Rabbits always seem to perk up at the vets. I've said before to them when Doughnut had been ill for a couple of months that she may look active but something is wrong. A good vet can tell anyway however they act. If they feel their tummies they can tell if they are bloated or it's sensitive.
I'm pleased you have found a better vet.
I'm pleased you have found a better vet.
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
If a Rabbit is in Gut Stasis then within a very short time (less than 12 hours) he/she will start to develop hepatic lipidosis. This will rapidly worsen resulting in Liver failure and death
So no, a Rabbit in 'true' Gut Stasis cannot recover without treatment
'Not eating' is not necessarily Gut Stasis, it is just one of the symptoms. So a Rabbit who stops eating may not be in stasis to start with, but this will almost certainly occur if eating does not resume within a few hours.
So no, a Rabbit in 'true' Gut Stasis cannot recover without treatment
'Not eating' is not necessarily Gut Stasis, it is just one of the symptoms. So a Rabbit who stops eating may not be in stasis to start with, but this will almost certainly occur if eating does not resume within a few hours.
Having gone through several stasis epidsodes we now have a bottle of metacam on tap. Unfortunately when one of the buns has gone into stasis it's usually been after the vets have closed and the emergency vets are miles away, so our vet has agreed to let us have a bottle of metacam at home, along with oxbrow critical care and a bottle of gut stimulant medication along with numerous syringes.
If one of the buns does refuse their food, we bring them in, let them run around and have an empty litter tray and provide them with all of their favourites, as well as offering water in a bowl. If there is no change within an hour, they get a dose of metacam and gut stimulant (the dosage for all the buns are written in their vaccination cards). We have in the past proceded to syringe feed them some food and syringe water; though I know that syringe feeding can be dangerous if there is a blockage so it's not always appropriate, however my vet has shown me and my partner how to check for a blockage. One of the most important things is to keep the GI tract hydrated. Normally once they have had all this and made my hair go grey, along with a sleepless night they are fine. Nothing is better than the sight of droppings and the munch munch munch sound!
However, I always take the bun to the vet the following morning straightaway for a check to be on the safe side!
If one of the buns does refuse their food, we bring them in, let them run around and have an empty litter tray and provide them with all of their favourites, as well as offering water in a bowl. If there is no change within an hour, they get a dose of metacam and gut stimulant (the dosage for all the buns are written in their vaccination cards). We have in the past proceded to syringe feed them some food and syringe water; though I know that syringe feeding can be dangerous if there is a blockage so it's not always appropriate, however my vet has shown me and my partner how to check for a blockage. One of the most important things is to keep the GI tract hydrated. Normally once they have had all this and made my hair go grey, along with a sleepless night they are fine. Nothing is better than the sight of droppings and the munch munch munch sound!
However, I always take the bun to the vet the following morning straightaway for a check to be on the safe side!
I've thought about this and I think the difference is the animal itself wants to eat and I guess nibbles what it can, it's different to an animals who can't eat due to a medical condition which causes the guts to slow down.
It's the same for any animal really- so many are picked up starving and survive, but other due after a few days because something internal is wrong.
True stasis - no eating & no/scant poops, because the gut has ceased to propel it's contents, is always an emergency, needing immediate aggressive treatment whatever the time of day. There is always a cause, although this may be very difficult to establish.
My own experience is that either the rabbit has some underlying illness/pain/ or has been stressed in some way. It is common for there to be a combination of factors. Remember that humans in stasis (ileus) are in absolute agony - so are bunnies, or they wouldn't hunch & grind their teeth.
Abdominal pain from stasis, & dehyration as fluids pour out of the circulation into the gut, exaccerbate the situation.
Furthermore rabbits have a different metabolism to most other animals. They can't metabolise fat stores easily as an energy source. This rapidly causes liver damage & failure - a condition called hepatic degeneration. It also causes increased acidity in the blood stream called ketosis. Untreated, death occurs within 5-7 days or sometimes sooner
Therefore stasis rapidly & adversely affects all the life maintaining processes of the rabbit. The sooner these are restored to normal, the better the outcome.
Food deprivation is to be deplored, & can lead to stasis. However there is no loss of gut motility, severe pain, or dehydration in the intial phases. This may account for why some rabbits have been known to survive.
What is unknown is the number of rabbits who die.
My own experience is that either the rabbit has some underlying illness/pain/ or has been stressed in some way. It is common for there to be a combination of factors. Remember that humans in stasis (ileus) are in absolute agony - so are bunnies, or they wouldn't hunch & grind their teeth.
Abdominal pain from stasis, & dehyration as fluids pour out of the circulation into the gut, exaccerbate the situation.
Furthermore rabbits have a different metabolism to most other animals. They can't metabolise fat stores easily as an energy source. This rapidly causes liver damage & failure - a condition called hepatic degeneration. It also causes increased acidity in the blood stream called ketosis. Untreated, death occurs within 5-7 days or sometimes sooner
Therefore stasis rapidly & adversely affects all the life maintaining processes of the rabbit. The sooner these are restored to normal, the better the outcome.
Food deprivation is to be deplored, & can lead to stasis. However there is no loss of gut motility, severe pain, or dehydration in the intial phases. This may account for why some rabbits have been known to survive.
What is unknown is the number of rabbits who die.
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
True stasis - no eating & no/scant poops, because the gut has ceased to propel it's contents, is always an emergency, needing immediate aggressive treatment whatever the time of day. There is always a cause, although this may be very difficult to establish.
My own experience is that either the rabbit has some underlying illness/pain/ or has been stressed in some way. It is common for there to be a combination of factors. Remember that humans in stasis (ileus) are in absolute agony - so are bunnies, or they wouldn't hunch & grind their teeth.
Abdominal pain from stasis, & dehyration as fluids pour out of the circulation into the gut, exaccerbate the situation.
Furthermore rabbits have a different metabolism to most other animals. They can't metabolise fat stores easily as an energy source. This rapidly causes liver damage & failure - a condition called hepatic degeneration. It also causes increased acidity in the blood stream called ketosis. Untreated, death occurs within 5-7 days or sometimes sooner
Therefore stasis rapidly & adversely affects all the life maintaining processes of the rabbit. The sooner these are restored to normal, the better the outcome.
Food deprivation is to be deplored, & can lead to stasis. However there is no loss of gut motility, severe pain, or dehydration in the intial phases. This may account for why some rabbits have been known to survive.
What is unknown is the number of rabbits who die.
Excellent post
Rupert & Tia
Mama Doe
I did take the 'wait and see' option once with tia - because she is soooo nervous and scared, in the end (it was 2 days of barely eating - she was eating a little, and did have poos) we took her - it happened after her myxi booster, so we were advised it might be a slight groggy feeling from that (we did ring the vets immediately)... we did take her for gut stimulants after 2 days tho, and within 2 days of that, she was back to her normal self.
Rupert's episodes hae been so quick and he's looked so poorly, we've always took him immediately!
Rupert's episodes hae been so quick and he's looked so poorly, we've always took him immediately!
