Honey is in the emergency vets due to what looks like a blockage due to a furball. She is on fluids and being syringe fed. I thought that if there was a blockage they shouldn't be fed??! :? Am I mistaken? Vet said if no improvement in couple of days they would have to operate, but should that be done NOW? Confused.
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Treating blockages...advice please asap
- Thread starter ripminnie
- Start date
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
Is it absolutely definitely a blockage and not an obstruction?
My thoughts are the same as yours - I believed a blockage needed to be dealt with immediately - I have had two bunnies have surgery for blockages so do have some experience, sadly
Another yes to absolutely definitely do not add food if there is a blockage, it can only make things worse.
I admit to being concerned when your vet yesterday did a GA for an abdominal x-ray as it should (usually) be possible to do it conscious and save a GA. I was at work so only able to read and not post.
Definitely if surgery is needed it needs to be done as soon as they know it's a true blockage, or know that they may need to intervene and monitor hour by hour, not give a prediction of "in a couple of days".
Can you get a referral/transfer to a rabbit specialist?
My thoughts are the same as yours - I believed a blockage needed to be dealt with immediately - I have had two bunnies have surgery for blockages so do have some experience, sadly
Another yes to absolutely definitely do not add food if there is a blockage, it can only make things worse.
I admit to being concerned when your vet yesterday did a GA for an abdominal x-ray as it should (usually) be possible to do it conscious and save a GA. I was at work so only able to read and not post.
Definitely if surgery is needed it needs to be done as soon as they know it's a true blockage, or know that they may need to intervene and monitor hour by hour, not give a prediction of "in a couple of days".
Can you get a referral/transfer to a rabbit specialist?
Well she didn't have a proper GA apparently, just a whiff, she was only asleep for about half a minute. What's the difference between a blockage and an obstruction? :? X-rays showed something sitting in her stomach which is almost certainly a furball, but they're not sure if it's the cause or effect so to speak
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
If it is an impaction as opposed to a full obstruction then aggressive fluid therapy, both oral and SQ/IV plus prokinetics (metoclopromide, ranitidine, or if available cisipride or domperidone) analgesia and an osmotic laxative-LACTULOSE
Treatment options very much depend on exactly where in the GI tract the impaction is located
A full obstruction is a surgical emergency and it could not wait for 2 days.
Monitoring blood glucose may be useful, in conjunction with 'hands on' abdominal examination. A high blood glucose that continues to rise indicates a possible case for surgical intervention.
Treatment options very much depend on exactly where in the GI tract the impaction is located
A full obstruction is a surgical emergency and it could not wait for 2 days.
Monitoring blood glucose may be useful, in conjunction with 'hands on' abdominal examination. A high blood glucose that continues to rise indicates a possible case for surgical intervention.
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
I've just re-read your post as to "what looks like a blockage", not sure if the "looks like" belongs to the "furball" or the "blockage". If it only is probably a blockage at the moment and she isn't showing extreme symptoms of distress, isn't filling up with gas etc the treatment they are giving *might* be what she needs. When Elijah was admitted with his blockage it was nearly 24 hours later when he reached crisis point and needed surgery. Because of the time he was in he was being syringe fed as he couldn't go that long without food and it was at that time "an obstruction that was moving along", it only became a "blockage" when it stopped moving - if that make sense. In which case her treatment is along the lines of what Elijah received. So, if you have a sense that they are continuously monitoring with the intention of performing surgery at any given time should she need it there and then and if they have described her current symptoms and she appears not to be in distress etc, then she *might* well be getting the appropriate treatment.
Have they said anything about a blood glucose reading? That's a pretty accurate indication of the seriousness of her condition.
Edit to add: *posted at same time as yourself and Jane due to long-windedness of post!*
Have they said anything about a blood glucose reading? That's a pretty accurate indication of the seriousness of her condition.
Edit to add: *posted at same time as yourself and Jane due to long-windedness of post!*
Thank you Jane, that helps massively :wave: should any of those drugs NOT be given if the impacting is in a certain part?
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
Prokinetics are contraindicated if there is a full obstruction.
natandfluffs
Alpha Buck
I've had two buns have surgery for blockages/obstructions sadly. Merry also developed an ibstruction that eas treated eithout surgery. In all cases blood glucose testing was invaluable in deciding urgency (along with thorough exam) and when or whether to do surgery. I can't remember the values that indicate how urgent it is, but think FHB has a paper on this.
Have your vets tested glucose? Could they?
Have your vets tested glucose? Could they?
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
4-8 is normal
9 - 14 indicates a level of stress
15 is where you start to get concerned and monitor closely
20 is serious and is the trigger value for considering surgery
25+ extremely serious and highly likely to indicate that surgery needs performing as a matter of urgency
Just for comparision with Honey's case, Elijah has had a few admissions where his reading was 15 on arrival. The episode where it went to full blockage he was about 15 (from memory) on arrival but it went down to 12. The following morning it was still raised above 8 but okay so they syringe fed. He was clearly not well by mid afternoon and it had gone up considerably, by about 4.30 pm he was quite distressed and it had gone to 20 so it was decided surgery was necessary as it was clearly only going to get worse. I was lucky as it was FHB who performed his surgery.
Edit to add: Physical examinations and x-rays were also used to monitor/decide, not just the glucose readings.
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