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Bunny not eating dried food - help!

Jimmy Mack

New Kit
Hi

I was wondering if anybody could provide some advice with regard to my little Lionhead, Malcolm. He has almost completely stopped eating his dried food, cue many trips to the vets, unfortunately none of which have been particularly productive. He hasn't stopped eating completely and wolfs down his herbs (mostly parsley, mint and coriander) and he seems to be chomping away on grass. He's also just as lively as ever, I'm just watching him chase some birds round the garden now!

I am really worried about this not eating his staple diet, the dry food. He lost his companion, Whizzy, on Sunday, she was an old girl but she had also stopped eating (although she wasn't eating anything at all). He had already slowed his eating before she died, I'm worried there may be some kind of disease although my vet doesn't seem to think so. They've said his teeth are fine as is his heart, no blockages in his tum and basically that he is physically in good shape. He's currently having Panacur every day as well as a sachet of bio-lapis which is meant to replenish the good bacteria in his gut. I'm keeping a close eye on him, he's drinking plenty of water but his poo is very hard and small which I know is not good/normal.

So I was wondering, has anybody experienced anything like this before? I'm completely flummoxed and I am desperate to get our little fella back to his old self. The main worry is that it is some kind of illness, we are keen to bring a new bunny in from the rescue centre to keep him company but I don't want to risk it if she could end up getting poorly. Does anybody have any ideas or tips on what I could possibly do? I would be ever so grateful for any help.

Thanks

James
 
I would not totally rule out Dental problems, it is impossible to accurately view 100% of what is going on in a Rabbit's mouth whilst the Rabbit is awake. Sometimes it is only when the Rabbit is under GA that the problem is able to be seen.

Did the Vet prescribe any prokinetic medication (medication to increase gut motility) ? Personally I would take him back to the Vet again and discuss whether it is now necessary for him to have a GA/Dental examination. Far better that this is done when the Rabbit is still well within himself and eating a little rather than waiting until the Rabbit stops eating altogether

Good luck :)
 
Thanks for the advice JJ, I'll get him back to the vet as soon as I can, I have the bio-lapis which is meant to help kick start his gut, I mix one sachet in some water and syringe feed him every day. That's another thing actually, do you have any tips keeping your bunny calm whilst syringe feeding and making sure they swallow? I am struggling in this department (as is Malcolm!).

Thanks again for the help.

James
 
That's another thing actually, do you have any tips keeping your bunny calm whilst syringe feeding and making sure they swallow? I am struggling in this department (as is Malcolm!).
My Christmas carers became experts at this (I'm terrible at it!): the 'bunny burrito' is good for keeping them immobile: there are great videos online (just put 'syringe feed rabbit' or similar into YouTube) showing you how to wrap them in a towel safely. Stroking their throat gently usually initiates the swallowing reflex. I wouldn't call it relaxing, but it may be less stressful!
 
Thanks for the advice JJ, I'll get him back to the vet as soon as I can, I have the bio-lapis which is meant to help kick start his gut, I mix one sachet in some water and syringe feed him every day. That's another thing actually, do you have any tips keeping your bunny calm whilst syringe feeding and making sure they swallow? I am struggling in this department (as is Malcolm!).

Thanks again for the help.

James

The Bio Lapis is not a prokinetic as such, it is given to try to re-establish the correct balance of 'good' gut bacteria. The prokinetics usually prescribed are Metoclopramide and Ranitidine. Or sometimes Cisipride.
 
Thank you both, have watched the youtube vids and feel a bit more confident now, also, as I had some time on my hands I watched a load of videos of rabbits chasing things (cats, snakes etc!) Good old youtube!

I will have a word with the vet about prokinetic meds, how are they administered? is it a job for me and my syringe again!

Thanks

Jamess
 
Thank you both, have watched the youtube vids and feel a bit more confident now, also, as I had some time on my hands I watched a load of videos of rabbits chasing things (cats, snakes etc!) Good old youtube!

I will have a word with the vet about prokinetic meds, how are they administered? is it a job for me and my syringe again!

Thanks

Jamess

The medication can be administered via injection or orally. The Vet usually gives the first dose as an injection and then if the Rabbit is not to be admitted oral medication is dispensed for the client to administer at home.
 
Hi

I was wondering if anybody could provide some advice with regard to my little Lionhead, Malcolm. He has almost completely stopped eating his dried food, cue many trips to the vets, unfortunately none of which have been particularly productive. He hasn't stopped eating completely and wolfs down his herbs (mostly parsley, mint and coriander) and he seems to be chomping away on grass. He's also just as lively as ever, I'm just watching him chase some birds round the garden now!

I am really worried about this not eating his staple diet, the dry food. He lost his companion, Whizzy, on Sunday, she was an old girl but she had also stopped eating (although she wasn't eating anything at all). He had already slowed his eating before she died, I'm worried there may be some kind of disease although my vet doesn't seem to think so. They've said his teeth are fine as is his heart, no blockages in his tum and basically that he is physically in good shape. He's currently having Panacur every day as well as a sachet of bio-lapis which is meant to replenish the good bacteria in his gut. I'm keeping a close eye on him, he's drinking plenty of water but his poo is very hard and small which I know is not good/normal.

So I was wondering, has anybody experienced anything like this before? I'm completely flummoxed and I am desperate to get our little fella back to his old self. The main worry is that it is some kind of illness, we are keen to bring a new bunny in from the rescue centre to keep him company but I don't want to risk it if she could end up getting poorly. Does anybody have any ideas or tips on what I could possibly do? I would be ever so grateful for any help.

Thanks

James

Is Malcolm still eating his hay?
 
Hi MightyMax

Malcolm is not really eating much hay but then he never has been that into it. He's been out in the garden and is eating quite a lot of grass but still no breakthrough with the dry food although he has eaten a tiny amount today. He's just got back from his latest trip to the vets, I asked about prokinetic drugs but they said they didn't want to risk them yet as they could apparently aggravate any blockage he may have (although they are quite certain there is no blockage there), they will be the next step if he doesn't improve over the weekend. For now, we have just been given extra bio-lapis and some lactulose to try and loosen him up a bit.

So we'll be keeping everything crossed over the weekend and hope that he improves, if not we'll be back on Monday. Thanks everyone for all their advice and please let me know if there is anything else we should be doing, we're desperate for our little fella to pull through.

Thanks

James
 
Hi MightyMax

Malcolm is not really eating much hay but then he never has been that into it. He's been out in the garden and is eating quite a lot of grass but still no breakthrough with the dry food although he has eaten a tiny amount today. He's just got back from his latest trip to the vets, I asked about prokinetic drugs but they said they didn't want to risk them yet as they could apparently aggravate any blockage he may have (although they are quite certain there is no blockage there), they will be the next step if he doesn't improve over the weekend. For now, we have just been given extra bio-lapis and some lactulose to try and loosen him up a bit.

So we'll be keeping everything crossed over the weekend and hope that he improves, if not we'll be back on Monday. Thanks everyone for all their advice and please let me know if there is anything else we should be doing, we're desperate for our little fella to pull through.

Thanks

James

Hi James

Thank you for the update. So glad he's eating lots of grass - this is really good for keeping his insides moving along properly.

I would consider the vet looking closely at his teeth, just to be sure there isn't an issue lurking there that's preventing him from eating his dried food. Does he eat veggies at all? Dried food isn't strictly necessary to health so long as he gets a variety of grass, hay, forage and veggies.


You could also try him on readigrass, which is a very tasty alternative to hay, and just as good for teeth and digestion. It's a bit richer in protein than hay, but it works fine for all my rabbits, who eat it 24/7
 
Hi MightyMax

Malcolm is not really eating much hay but then he never has been that into it. He's been out in the garden and is eating quite a lot of grass but still no breakthrough with the dry food although he has eaten a tiny amount today. He's just got back from his latest trip to the vets, I asked about prokinetic drugs but they said they didn't want to risk them yet as they could apparently aggravate any blockage he may have (although they are quite certain there is no blockage there), they will be the next step if he doesn't improve over the weekend. For now, we have just been given extra bio-lapis and some lactulose to try and loosen him up a bit.

So we'll be keeping everything crossed over the weekend and hope that he improves, if not we'll be back on Monday. Thanks everyone for all their advice and please let me know if there is anything else we should be doing, we're desperate for our little fella to pull through.

Thanks

James

Re the Lactulose. Did the Vet advise you about the importance of making sure Malcolm has a good water intake ? Lactulose is an osmotic Laxative and it works by drawing fluid into the bowel and rehydrating the contents. So a good water intake is essential to maximise the efficacy of the Lactulose.

I must admit that I am a bit :? about the treatment your Vet has given thus far. With-holding prokinetics 'incase there is a blockage' but then stating that they are 'quite certain that there is not a blockage makes no sense to me. If a blockage/impaction/obstruction is suspected then further diagnostics are needed straight away. It's not a wait and see situation :?

Is Malcolm still bright within himself and what is his 'output' like now ?
 
Hi all

Thanks again for all your replies.

Mightymax - Thanks very much for getting back to me and for all the advice. They had a good look at his teeth again today and have said that they can't see any problems there. He is eating herbs at the moment, I was thinking of getting him some other veg to keep things interesting for him, he likes watercress and spinach particularly but I just wasn't sure if they were suitable for him at the mo? I've used readigrass before and it went down pretty well, my local pet shop sell it so I shall pop out tomorrow and grab some more of that, thanks for the tip!

JJ - Malcolm is still fairly bright and active, he was sitting around a bit more today but I think that was mostly down to the great British weather! Thanks for the advice re the lactulose, I'll make sure he has plenty of water available. He's been drinking a fair amount the last few days so hopefully he'll keep that up. It was weird with the prokinetics, I thought he was all set to get some but then the vet had a chat with another vet and they decided that it'd be something we'd have a go with if there is no improvement on Monday. As for the 'output' they are still rather small and hard at the moment unfortunately, I'll be keeping a close eye on them over the weekend (how's that for valentines day!) and will take some samples to the vet with me. Thanks so much again for all the advice.

Have a good weekend everyone, I will keep you updated on our little chaps progress and hopefully it'll be good news soon.

Many thanks

James
 
I am new to this site and cannot believe how many people encounter issues similar to the ones I had in the past with my bunnies. Other posts have give you some good advice. Allow me to add one more thing to the mix.

As a multiple rabbit owner, I was always suspicious when two rabbits stopped eating their dry food at the same time. While it did happen to me that more than one bunny (4 out of my 6 at the time) got the same type of illness, it is also possible that the dry food has an off taste or smell to them.

Did they stop eating when you got a new bag of dry food? When was it manufactured? Where is it stored? Could it have picked up a scent from other items stored next to it at home or in the store?
 
I am new to this site and cannot believe how many people encounter issues similar to the ones I had in the past with my bunnies. Other posts have give you some good advice. Allow me to add one more thing to the mix.

As a multiple rabbit owner, I was always suspicious when two rabbits stopped eating their dry food at the same time. While it did happen to me that more than one bunny (4 out of my 6 at the time) got the same type of illness, it is also possible that the dry food has an off taste or smell to them.

Did they stop eating when you got a new bag of dry food? When was it manufactured? Where is it stored? Could it have picked up a scent from other items stored next to it at home or in the store?

Bunny Momma you are right ... The dry food could have a problem with micotoxins. I have come across this more than once.
Worth trying another bag ...
 
Hi all

Bunny Momma - thanks for the suggestion, we did think that the food may be an issue and we bought a new sack. Burgess have changed the packaging for Excel, not sure if the recipe has changed, has anyone had any similar issues recently? We keep the food in the cupboard under the stairs, he's started eating the old food now but not anything from the new sack so we are at a bit of a loss. Would it be a good idea to get a tub with an airtight seal to put the food in?

On the poo front, lots more of it yesterday, still quite small but softer. As I've said, Malky has been eating more dried food and is still polishing off his herbs and grass, we're hoping he has turned a corner, will keep you all posted, thanks or all the help, we really appreciate it.

Thanks

James
 
Hi all

Bunny Momma - thanks for the suggestion, we did think that the food may be an issue and we bought a new sack. Burgess have changed the packaging for Excel, not sure if the recipe has changed, has anyone had any similar issues recently? We keep the food in the cupboard under the stairs, he's started eating the old food now but not anything from the new sack so we are at a bit of a loss. Would it be a good idea to get a tub with an airtight seal to put the food in?

On the poo front, lots more of it yesterday, still quite small but softer. As I've said, Malky has been eating more dried food and is still polishing off his herbs and grass, we're hoping he has turned a corner, will keep you all posted, thanks or all the help, we really appreciate it.

Thanks

James
Hello Jimmy Mack,

So glad your bun is eating better.

I would keep dry food in a dry area and putting it in a plastic tub with a lid will help keep it fresh and keep moisture from getting into the bags.

We do not have the same brands available in my area so I cannot talk about your particular brand. From my experience with other brands, even when the food is not contaminated or stale, I sometimes notice a slight difference in color/smell from one batch to another (one time I even tried tasting it myself LOL). That is why, even with the same brand, I will mix the new with the old before I give just the new batch.
 
Hi all

Just an update for you all with regards to our little Malky. I don't know whether to stick or twist at the moment, he is eating some dried food but I would say it's only about 30g per day when he would normally be eating somewhere in the 50's. He is still eating all his herbs and veg at night and has been on the grass all week. However, he's stayed in doors all day today which is totally out of character.

Think I'll take him back to the vets tomorrow. Does anyone have experience of anything like this? he's not stopped eating his food just slowed right down, the vets can't find any blockages and they say he is physically fine but something is clearly not right. I just want to do the right thing for our little chap.

Thanks for all your help

James
 
Hi all

Just an update for you all with regards to our little Malky. I don't know whether to stick or twist at the moment, he is eating some dried food but I would say it's only about 30g per day when he would normally be eating somewhere in the 50's. He is still eating all his herbs and veg at night and has been on the grass all week. However, he's stayed in doors all day today which is totally out of character.

Think I'll take him back to the vets tomorrow. Does anyone have experience of anything like this? he's not stopped eating his food just slowed right down, the vets can't find any blockages and they say he is physically fine but something is clearly not right. I just want to do the right thing for our little chap.

Thanks for all your help

James

I still think that Dental problems may be the primary issue. I would definitely take him back to the Vet tomorrow. As previously mentioned it is impossible to be 100% certain that there are no tooth problems from an examination on a conscious Rabbit.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on x
 
Hi all

Just an update for you all with regards to our little Malky. I don't know whether to stick or twist at the moment, he is eating some dried food but I would say it's only about 30g per day when he would normally be eating somewhere in the 50's. He is still eating all his herbs and veg at night and has been on the grass all week. However, he's stayed in doors all day today which is totally out of character.

Think I'll take him back to the vets tomorrow. Does anyone have experience of anything like this? he's not stopped eating his food just slowed right down, the vets can't find any blockages and they say he is physically fine but something is clearly not right. I just want to do the right thing for our little chap.

Thanks for all your help

James

Are you sure he can actually 'eat' the grass he is on? Rabbits don't actually need dried food to be well, and if he were eating hay it would be far less worrisome. The change in his behaviour is what's concerning ...

I would be interested in what the vet has to say. Do ask the vet to take a look at his teeth (as best he can, it's not always easy)
 
I noticed my boy had stopped eating dry food and was still sneezing because of his snuffles. I took him to the vet who didn't seem too concerned. A few days later he got poo on his back end and had to be clipped. 2 days after that I found him in his run with his head all twisted over. He went downhill very quickly and 2 days later I had to make the heartbreaking decision to have him pts.

I believe had he not had snuffles the ecuniculi might have been picked up when i took him 10 days prior re not eating pellets. My advice is to keep a very close eye on ur rabbit and be wary of current problems masking underlying conditions.
 
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