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Stasis

Trufflesmum

Young Bun
Hello, looking for some advice.
Our youngest rabbit, Nala, has been with us for a month now and is indoors, she is about six months old. Her pellets are Supreme and she has a few vegetables twice daily, she is cleaned out twice a day and fresh water and a selection of hay is always available.
Yesterday, she was very quiet, hunched over, barely ate anything and her poo was soft and unusual size so we took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with stasis. The vet gave her Metoclopramide and Supreme liquid feed to go home with. (The vet didn't think it was a blockage as she couldn't feel any hard lumps).
Today, she seemed to be worse: not eating and not moving (only moving away when the liquid feed was near her). We took her to the vet again and she was given Metacam and Metoclopramide there, and we were given Emeprid and Ranitidine to go home with.
However, she was told that she can only eat hay and the liquid feed. Unfortunately, we believe she was given vegetables and muesli more than hay at a young age and so she barely touches hay, despite the many sorts that we buy her (it's a working progress). The vet recommended grass, however she has never had grass to our knowledge (only grass hay), would this upset her stomach more? Why would she be allowed grass but not kale etc out of curiosity? Also, why would she get stasis in the first place?
Many thanks in advance :)
 
Hello, looking for some advice.
Our youngest rabbit, Nala, has been with us for a month now and is indoors, she is about six months old. Her pellets are Supreme and she has a few vegetables twice daily, she is cleaned out twice a day and fresh water and a selection of hay is always available.
Yesterday, she was very quiet, hunched over, barely ate anything and her poo was soft and unusual size so we took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with stasis. The vet gave her Metoclopramide and Supreme liquid feed to go home with. (The vet didn't think it was a blockage as she couldn't feel any hard lumps).
Today, she seemed to be worse: not eating and not moving (only moving away when the liquid feed was near her). We took her to the vet again and she was given Metacam and Metoclopramide there, and we were given Emeprid and Ranitidine to go home with.
However, she was told that she can only eat hay and the liquid feed. Unfortunately, we believe she was given vegetables and muesli more than hay at a young age and so she barely touches hay, despite the many sorts that we buy her (it's a working progress). The vet recommended grass, however she has never had grass to our knowledge (only grass hay), would this upset her stomach more? Why would she be allowed grass but not kale etc out of curiosity? Also, why would she get stasis in the first place?
Many thanks in advance :)

I am sorry to hear about Nala :cry:

As she has never been a good hay eater it may be that Dental issues are also going on now. Did the Vet check her teeth ?

This is an informative article about gut stasis

http://anyflip.com/dvpt/hzvv

Feeding grass to a Rabbit who has never had it needs to be done very gradually, especially at this time of year as the new growth grass is very rich. Grass has a much higher fibre content than Kale and it is fibre that is the essential part of a Rabbit's diet, for both healthy gut function and healthy dentition.

http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/2011/10/07/grass-hay-tooth-wear/

Some Rabbits are unable to tolerate any type of hard feed (pellets). It seems they are unable to cope with an intake of highly concentrated nutrition. I have a Rabbit who has this problem. He has a pellet free diet. A few other people on RU have found this to be very beneficial for a Rabbit with repeated episodes of gut stasis for which no cause could be established despite numerous diagnostics being run.

These links may also be useful to read :

http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/ROWinter10p7.pdf

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/ar...heets/recommended-diet-for-adult-rabbits/view

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/foraging



http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?461140-Sylar-s-stasis-thread
 
Hello, looking for some advice.
Our youngest rabbit, Nala, has been with us for a month now and is indoors, she is about six months old. Her pellets are Supreme and she has a few vegetables twice daily, she is cleaned out twice a day and fresh water and a selection of hay is always available.
Yesterday, she was very quiet, hunched over, barely ate anything and her poo was soft and unusual size so we took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with stasis. The vet gave her Metoclopramide and Supreme liquid feed to go home with. (The vet didn't think it was a blockage as she couldn't feel any hard lumps).
Today, she seemed to be worse: not eating and not moving (only moving away when the liquid feed was near her). We took her to the vet again and she was given Metacam and Metoclopramide there, and we were given Emeprid and Ranitidine to go home with.
However, she was told that she can only eat hay and the liquid feed. Unfortunately, we believe she was given vegetables and muesli more than hay at a young age and so she barely touches hay, despite the many sorts that we buy her (it's a working progress). The vet recommended grass, however she has never had grass to our knowledge (only grass hay), would this upset her stomach more? Why would she be allowed grass but not kale etc out of curiosity? Also, why would she get stasis in the first place?
Many thanks in advance :)


Hi there and sorry to hear about Nala. It's a great worry, isn't it?

There are many reasons why a rabbit would get stasis. In Nala's case I would get an exam of her teeth done, especially as you say she doesn't eat hay. Have you ever tried her on readigrass?

It's also moulting season, and whilst hair doesn't normally cause stasis, it can contribute to slowed gut motility.

There's some info here:

http://anyflip.com/dvpt/hzvv/basic

I also find that giving Infacol (simethicone - infant colic drops) and tummy rubs helps enormously.

http://rabbit.org/gastrointestinal-stasis-the-silent-killer-2/

I personally wouldn't give grass if she's not used to eating it. I would probably try and tempt with herbs, coriander and dill, and possibly some rose leaves and a bit of forage.
 
Thanks for the advice. She had a thorough check up when we got her and the vet said her teeth were fine. We went to the most rabbit savvy one in the practice, according to his colleagues. I haven't seen any dribbling or any indication that she has bad teeth. We have brushed her, but as she's an indoor rabbit she doesn't seem to be moulting as much as my outdoor two.
She is now eating a little bit of hay (we've put down an a la carte selection and also some readigrass), but her intake is far less than what it would be normally. She's not at all keen on the recovery liquid feed given to us. We've had conflicting advice from the two different vets over the last two days (neither of them the most rabbit savvy one). The first said keep her on hay, introduce a small amount of pellets in a few days but not veg for weeks. The one today said give her grass which she has never eaten before. She usually loves kale and coriander and I have some in the fridge but I'm worried about reintroducing it because of their advice not to but also a bit concerned about her fluid intake as I understand dark green veg contains a lot of water. How long do you think we should continue hay/readigrass only and what should I introduce next - veg or pellets? When should I try this? Many thanks for all your help.
 
I personally would hold off the kale.. As this can actually create more gas sometimes! But coriander is much softer and would be much better to give her? And a few pellets won't hurt either if she wants them. wouldn't give her loads though.

Have you got any dandelions you can pick? Just a couple might be a nice change, but again not loads as you don't want to go changing her diet too much. Did they give you any pain relief to come home with? Xx
 
Thanks for the advice. She had a thorough check up when we got her and the vet said her teeth were fine. We went to the most rabbit savvy one in the practice, according to his colleagues. I haven't seen any dribbling or any indication that she has bad teeth. We have brushed her, but as she's an indoor rabbit she doesn't seem to be moulting as much as my outdoor two.
She is now eating a little bit of hay (we've put down an a la carte selection and also some readigrass), but her intake is far less than what it would be normally. She's not at all keen on the recovery liquid feed given to us. We've had conflicting advice from the two different vets over the last two days (neither of them the most rabbit savvy one). The first said keep her on hay, introduce a small amount of pellets in a few days but not veg for weeks. The one today said give her grass which she has never eaten before. She usually loves kale and coriander and I have some in the fridge but I'm worried about reintroducing it because of their advice not to but also a bit concerned about her fluid intake as I understand dark green veg contains a lot of water. How long do you think we should continue hay/readigrass only and what should I introduce next - veg or pellets? When should I try this? Many thanks for all your help.


Unless a vet is capable and confident to do 'conscious dentals' then they can't see more than 50% into the mouth of a rabbit with an otoscope. It could be undetected dental issues. Yes I know there's great debate about conscious dentals (yawn!) but believe me they can serve a purpose when a bunny is under par and you need to examine their teeth :D

I would never restrict a rabbit with *possible* dental issues to only hay. Some rabbits just can't manage it. I would give herbs as I mentioned above, and some bits of forage such as rose leaves and bramble for fibre. Readigrass is often well tolerated.

But then you'll get as many opinions here as from vets, it would appear, so I would go by how she is in herself and use your own instinct. I would definitely not introduce grass though at this stage - new growth of spring grass can be gassy :)
 
Thank you MightyMax. yes it was only a conscious dental examination. We were planning to get her spayed towards the end of May (although may delay because of this). I guess we could ask for a check under GA then.
I've just given a couple of sprigs of coriander and she ate it hungrily. So I may try a bit more in a while. She had an injection of Metacam at the vets at 12.30 p.m. but they didn't give us any to bring home. They have given us some oral Emeprid and oral Ranitidine to try and get down her tonight (in pre dispensed syringes). This is going to be a challenge and may add to her stress levels. It will be a bit of a challenge for me too! :?
 
Thank you MightyMax. yes it was only a conscious dental examination. We were planning to get her spayed towards the end of May (although may delay because of this). I guess we could ask for a check under GA then.
I've just given a couple of sprigs of coriander and she ate it hungrily. So I may try a bit more in a while. She had an injection of Metacam at the vets at 12.30 p.m. but they didn't give us any to bring home. They have given us some oral Emeprid and oral Ranitidine to try and get down her tonight (in pre dispensed syringes). This is going to be a challenge and may add to her stress levels. It will be a bit of a challenge for me too! :?


I don't suppose you've any organic veggie (or fruit) baby food in your first aid kit? I usually mix a little in the tip of the syringe and whoosh it's gone before they've thought about it.

Yes, get the vet to have a really good look at the teeth under GA, and if necessary file down any sharp molar spurs. I have a couple of specialist vets who will do the job without anaesthetic, which means no risk and no recovery time (and just the price of a consult). But as I say, the mere mention of it causes havoc :shock:

Hopefully the Emeprid and Ranitidine will help a lot.
 
Thank you MightyMax. I used a tiny bit of organic apple pulp on the end of the syringe and the medication went down a treat. She ate the coriander hungrily last night and she's looking a lot brighter this morning, but her poos are not yet normal, but we're feeling a bit more optimistic. I'll continue giving her a few strands of coriander this morning and may add something else this afternoon if she continues to look brighter. :)
 
yeah I would continue giving the coriander, if she wants it.. let her eat it. so maybe try increasing the amount you are giving her - she may well be getting hungry and wanting to eat now. Could you possibly look to get her any more herbs, like basil/parsley/dill. Herbs are much more softer on tummies and easier to eat. When my bunnies stop eating they are the first things they will eat.

Have you tried her on a small amount of pellets? if it is dental issue, you can soak the pellets in water slightly to soften them, and again this will really help! :)
 
Thank you MightyMax. I used a tiny bit of organic apple pulp on the end of the syringe and the medication went down a treat. She ate the coriander hungrily last night and she's looking a lot brighter this morning, but her poos are not yet normal, but we're feeling a bit more optimistic. I'll continue giving her a few strands of coriander this morning and may add something else this afternoon if she continues to look brighter. :)


You're welcome - I'm glad that helped wth the meds :D

She ought to be drinking as much as possible too, as well as fibre. Some people put this in the water to make it taste nicer:

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-suppleme...probiotic-products-c-5_172/avipro-plus-p-1225

There's no evidence it does anything, but it certainly won't harm and apparently tastes good :D
 
Thank you Ruthyjones89. Yes Nala's appetite is definitely returning. Good idea about the herbs - now on the shopping list. I haven't reintroduced pellets yet. She really didn't seem to have a problem with them before hand and usually wolfed them down but I think I'll try and increase herb and forage intake today and then see how it goes. It feels like early days... Luckily day off today and working from home tomorrow so I can keep a close eye. :)
 
Thanks for all the advice. She's slowly recuperating. Nala's got a bit more bounce. Her poos aren't yet normal but a bit more shaped. She's taking her medicine fine with apple puree. Interestingly there was one of her food pellets on the floor which she was not at all interested in, but she is liking the dandelion and bramble. I've been spacing all of the herbs out but she does seem quite hungry and comes over to look for food. Would you say it's OK to go for larger quantities (handfuls) if I keep an eye on her poos? I'm thinking because of her reaction to the pellet, it may be worth staying off them a bit longer (or not re-introducing them at all)? Many thanks once again. I feel very supported through this.
 
Thanks for all the advice. She's slowly recuperating. Nala's got a bit more bounce. Her poos aren't yet normal but a bit more shaped. She's taking her medicine fine with apple puree. Interestingly there was one of her food pellets on the floor which she was not at all interested in, but she is liking the dandelion and bramble. I've been spacing all of the herbs out but she does seem quite hungry and comes over to look for food. Would you say it's OK to go for larger quantities (handfuls) if I keep an eye on her poos? I'm thinking because of her reaction to the pellet, it may be worth staying off them a bit longer (or not re-introducing them at all)? Many thanks once again. I feel very supported through this.


Good to hear this :)

Dandelion and Bramble are good. Are you thinking that the pellets aren't good for her?

Hay is the best thing to get everything moving again, but I agree she may need a bit more quantity of food to keep strength up.

I'm glad you've found the Forum supportive! I certainly learn a lot from the people here :)
 
Thanks for all the advice. She's slowly recuperating. Nala's got a bit more bounce. Her poos aren't yet normal but a bit more shaped. She's taking her medicine fine with apple puree. Interestingly there was one of her food pellets on the floor which she was not at all interested in, but she is liking the dandelion and bramble. I've been spacing all of the herbs out but she does seem quite hungry and comes over to look for food. Would you say it's OK to go for larger quantities (handfuls) if I keep an eye on her poos? I'm thinking because of her reaction to the pellet, it may be worth staying off them a bit longer (or not re-introducing them at all)? Many thanks once again. I feel very supported through this.

I have had several stasis bunnies over the years, and my advice is to take things slow. Also, when you give her some pellets, consider dividing her daily ration so she gets some in the morning, some in the evening, and some at night. The type of pellets can also make a difference. Some pellets are timothy hay based and others are alfalfa based. Alfalfa based pellets are too rich for most adult bunnies. Of course, any changes need to be made over several weeks.
 
Thanks for asking. Yes I would say Nala is improving. She really likes her diet of forage, she's eating more hay and there's more of a spring in her step. Her poos are looking more healthy too - not quite back to normal but nearly there - at least shaped and larger. We did get one binky yesterday! I did put a single pellet of food in front of her again yesterday and she showed absolutely no interest at all. We were using the Supreme Rabbit food. I'm not sure about reintroducing it??? It's the first time we have used it. My other outdoor rabbits have Burgess Excel and seem to do very well on that. Having looked up their composition I see Supreme are Alfalfa based (ref Bunny Momma's advice) where as the Burgess Excel are not. I wonder if I should change over?
I haven't reintroduced any veg either yet (i.e. the usual broccoli or kale that she likes), although that doesn't seem too much of a problem as she's happy eating coriander, dill, dandelions and apple leaves for the time being.
Although I am happy getting forage for her throughout the summer, it will be a bit more of a challenge over the winter, so I wonder if I should aim to (slowly) get her back on a small amount of pellets?
 
Thanks for asking. Yes I would say Nala is improving. She really likes her diet of forage, she's eating more hay and there's more of a spring in her step. Her poos are looking more healthy too - not quite back to normal but nearly there - at least shaped and larger. We did get one binky yesterday! I did put a single pellet of food in front of her again yesterday and she showed absolutely no interest at all. We were using the Supreme Rabbit food. I'm not sure about reintroducing it??? It's the first time we have used it. My other outdoor rabbits have Burgess Excel and seem to do very well on that. Having looked up their composition I see Supreme are Alfalfa based (ref Bunny Momma's advice) where as the Burgess Excel are not. I wonder if I should change over?
I haven't reintroduced any veg either yet (i.e. the usual broccoli or kale that she likes), although that doesn't seem too much of a problem as she's happy eating coriander, dill, dandelions and apple leaves for the time being.
Although I am happy getting forage for her throughout the summer, it will be a bit more of a challenge over the winter, so I wonder if I should aim to (slowly) get her back on a small amount of pellets?

I am glad Nala is feeling better. You are doing a wonderful job taking care of your lovely girl.
Every bunny is different as to what type of foods and how much of each they can tolerate.
A stasis episode can throw off the balance of good bacteria in the gut, so I would continue feeding her as a stasis bunny for several days after she completes her meds. Then any changes can be made one at a time and slowly.
 
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