Advice about gut stasis - anyone who's rabbit is prone to it?

Moley has had two spates of stomach pressing, March and last night. The vet gave him Metacam in March and that sorted him out the next day he seemed fine.
Last night he got exactly the same symptoms this time he got a few more drugs and fluids under his skin. He didn't move all night and has done a couple of poos, is eating some hay and a couple of dandelions. The vet said if he still wasn't his usual self by now then I should admit him and have some x-rays done! But I just don't know! Will the x-rays benefit us is it worth the risk of GA and the stresss, when he seems to be getting back to normal? Or should he be totally normal by now.?
How often can buns get this and will it just keep happening - can I change his diet?
Help!

In normal circumstances they shouldn't need a GA for an abdominal x-ray, all of my bunnies have had it done without, even Tinky, who shall we say is quite spirited!

With gut stasis my rabbit vet usually takes a blood glucose reading as well as physical examination if the two suggest there is a problem they often go to x-ray straight away. If there aren't any particular signs to suggest x-ray is needed then they go observations instead to see if they start eating, symptoms settle etc and they are just medicated at that point.

In a case of a rabbit who is having a second episode of stasis within a couple of months of the first one an x-ray sounds like a really good idea, but again conscious rather than GA if at all possible.

Edit to add: Eating hay at this point sounds really good. It can take a while for them to eat as normal again after an episode of gut pain.

Thanks bunny buddy, I have taken him back and they will try to do the X-ray with gas and no GA. they will also be taking bloods. I think you're right we need to know what's happening.

Thank you for your advice ... Appreciated x

Sorry I'm so late.
If bunny is acutely ill, a blood glucose level can often distinguish between whether there is a blockage or not.
The research was done by Frances Harcourt-Brown.
Also ultrasound doesn't need a GA & is more useful in some ways than a straight XR but your vet needs special skills to interpret it.

It can be quite difficult to find the underlying cause of stasis. Often several factors add up into 1 big one.
We tummy bunny mummies used to stick together a little while back.
My bridge boy had a very difficult tummy. We found that adding the foods that wild buns eat was more than helpful, so others tried it with favourable results.
If you have a look at this old thread you'll notice that it doesn't matter what the underlying cause of stasis is, all the rabbits benefitted alot. Woody fibre -safe tree leaves on the twig- or bramble leaves are particularly helpful.
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...ried-given-your-stasis-prone-buns-tree-leaves
Sorry I chat so much in it

Another thing which helps a lot when they're gassy is to encourage them to hop around - not to be done if they are hunched or tooth grinding.

Thank you thumps, the thread was v interesting and I will try to change his diet. I am just worried as I can't get his medicine into him and therefore he isn't being helped!! The vets have advised me how to do it but even with 2 adults he just won't take it!

Rab-bit said:

Thank you thumps, the thread was v interesting and I will try to change his diet. I am just worried as I can't get his medicine into him and therefore he isn't being helped!! The vets have advised me how to do it but even with 2 adults he just won't take it!

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Join the clan of tummy bunny mummies. It's often very difficult to get meds into them, I think some of it is because they feel full to bustin'. It's surprising how bright they can be when it comes to avoiding meds too!

If bunny needs the full set of meds - metacam for pain, maxalon, zantac & critical care, it's a bit large a volume to try to disguise in food which they're not eating anyway!

The breakthrough for me came when I actually did it at the vets. Thumper was so quiet in different surroundings that it was easy peasy which boosted my confidence no end.
Get everyting ready beforehand.

There are 2 basic techniques for holding - wrapping them in a towel -a bunny burrito. You need to get a fold over the front legs main part of the towel underneath & fold it over the bum & then lap it over over the back.
I never put him on a table. I had to do it myself & I was too scared he'd shoot off the end of the table.
I did it on my knee wearing a skirt so I could let him drop down a bit, make him feel a bit insecure.
Then the wriggles began & every trick you could imagine.

The other method is to sit & kneel on the floor & get bunny between your thighs, thus blocking off escape under you & constraining escape to the sides.

I found it very important to keep calm by having a determined mind set. I'd also talk to him about it "Look matey I hate doing this to you, but you're not going to make it without this - now please come on & help me".

The best hold for me was to restrain left head movement, & putting his chin on his chest, with my left hand reach under the chin & lift his muzzle with my finger. Syringe in just behind the front incisors where there's a gap. Yep, bunny will purse his lips tightly but there's always a small gap there. Nozzel of syringe is directed across the mouth towards the other side.
Usually this will make bunny chew. (Tip while he's chewing he's swallowing). If he stops chewing he isn't & will let it dribble out. My bun's mouth holds about 0.2ml before it dribbles out. No chew =wait until he does, then next 0.2 ml in.
From then on it's determination not to give up, not allowed off knee, until it's all in. I end it with "All finished" which gives bunny permission to get down.

Metacam is usually quite easy to get in. Benjie is a right toe rag but he'll lap metacam neat from my palm. I just put in 0.2 ml at a time so if he doesn't lap I know how much he's had.
Maxolon is the next easiest & zantac the worst. I had to alternate zantac with metacam.

With Thumper even the vet couldn't get critical care into him. She gave him a large subcut injection & fortunately he always started eating very quickly.
Hope that helps a bit.

I am joining the clan! Thank you again for the advice I'm glad I'm not just useless, but thinking about it even the vet has a hard time with Moley. He is so big 5.7kg and he knows it too. I wish he would just lap up the meds but as soon as he smells it, sees the syringe or the towel that's it he is out of there. Definitely not stupid is our mole.

It's more the stress it causes us all, I do talk to him tell him exactly those things but he doesn't want to listen to me.

I don't have critical care as he is eating lots of grass, leaves, greens and pellets and hay, his poos which he is passing now are stringy and he is passing lots of these, three strung together at once.

Thanks again Thumps I feel less alone then I did....

Rab-bit said:

I am joining the clan! Thank you again for the advice I'm glad I'm not just useless, but thinking about it even the vet has a hard time with Moley. He is so big 5.7kg and he knows it too. I wish he would just lap up the meds but as soon as he smells it, sees the syringe or the towel that's it he is out of there. Definitely not stupid is our mole.

It's more the stress it causes us all, I do talk to him tell him exactly those things but he doesn't want to listen to me.

I don't have critical care as he is eating lots of grass, leaves, greens and pellets and hay, his poos which he is passing now are stringy and he is passing lots of these, three strung together at once.

Thanks again Thumps I feel less alone then I did....

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Oh my, Moley is very bright indeed.
He'll take some outmanuevering.

I need to go back a bit. 1st. step of all is to try to isolate him somewhere where he can't give you the big run around & hide. In my house this is the hall stairs & landing. It was easier with Thumper cos he preferred downstairs so I'd shut that door 1st. Benjie has lots of hidey places where he chooses to spend most of his time -in our bedroom, but he'll move out when I start to block off his favourite hidey holes!
Then I get ready, then it's catch your high speed rabbit. I've an old half bed sheet I throw over them as the dark blurr passes. If you get bunny in the middle they stop. I know it sounds awful but the more they run around the more frightened they get.

You know I thought that Benjie was a penny short of a shilling until we had the 1st. runaround in the bedroom. He was brilliant - made a countermove to every move I tried & on his feet!

As a last resort Thumper took a gut motility drug called domperidone when all other drugs failed. It's a much smaller volume to get in, & has the same effect as maxolon & ranitidine together. Thumper took it no probs. It's only been used in rabbits for about 4 years & I don't know the indications for its use.
Possibly worth discussing with your vet if all fails - but I think you'll get there.
Once they learn that you'll win in the end - they just put up a "token protest":lol:

Yes, it's impossible for me to disguise meds in food too - they smell it a mile off, even on the hand which has opened the bottle.:shock:

Peg away at it, I've every confidence that you'll win.

Oh another trick I trained my buns out of biting using their language, by forcing a "submission" out of them. Finger across forehead & increasing the pressure until the chin touches the ground keep it there for about 5 secs.
It's actually very humilating for them, so I only ever use it for "teeth on". They use it naturally when fighting - the bun who puts his chin on the ground is saying,"OK you're stonger than me. I give in".
It's slightly different from the request for stroking/grooming.