My friends rabbit Jasper has gut statis - Sad news

My friend Vianne has a gorgeous lionhead called Jasper, and he's really very poorly and she's asked me to put a post up to ask for your help and advice.

It started wednesday and they sent her away with a packet of recovery science. He stopped eating and would only drink if syringed and also had diarroeah.

Apparently he's had lots of recovery and he's been admitted since Thursday where the vets are constantly force feeding him and hydrating him.

He's had a bit less diarroeah today but he's still not eating on his own. He's also been running around the theatre floor (which I thought sounded quite positive).

She is registering with the forum now, so she can join in with the discussion, but she is desperately worried and wanted to know what the chances were for him pulling through, as its been such a long time since he's eaten and he's not showing any interest in food.

I did recommend infacol and pinapple juice, and the vet is trying the p.juice today.

Hes a piccie of him with me, he's adorable:

My baby! (Jasper)

Hello, thankyou soooo much Kerri for all your support!

I'm so worried about him, I'm just waiting for the vet to ring me this morning, I'm so worried, I just wish hed eat something! They said we've caught it early, but it can go either way. Apparently they can become very ill very quickly? if their body decides to suddenly get rid of all the bad stuff!?

Will keep you posted.

Vianne xx

awwww he's such a cutie - poor bunster and what a worry for you both.

Do you know if the Vets have given any Gut mobility drugs yet to try and get the gut moving :?: - some of these can take a couple of days to kick but it important that he starts to eat again.

Also do you know if they have taken any xrays of his Tummy and also checked his teeth just in case this is causing the problem with him not wanting to eat.

With Statis I'm affraid its almost like a process of eliminating the various causes and sometimes not just a simple as it being diet related.

Don't be affraid to have a chat to the Vet to ask if various checks have been done - sometimes somthing quite unobvious might be the cause.

Oh - yep just another pointer - sometimes bunnies are much happier and relaxed in their own environment - Buffy spent a couple of days hospitalised a couple of years ago with Statis and they had problems getting her to eat whilst she was there - then when she came home - Bingo :!: - she tucked straight into her hay in her usual hay box.

Sending a snuggle for your bunster - hope this helps :wink:

bunnytales said:

awwww he's such a cutie - poor bunster and what a worry for you both.

Do you know if the Vets have given any Gut mobility drugs yet to try and get the gut moving :?: - some of these can take a couple of days to kick but it important that he starts to eat again.

Also do you know if they have taken any xrays of his Tummy and also checked his teeth just in case this is causing the problem with him not wanting to eat.

With Statis I'm affraid its almost like a process of eliminating the various causes and sometimes not just a simple as it being diet related.

Don't be affraid to have a chat to the Vet to ask if various checks have been done - sometimes somthing quite unobvious might be the cause.

Oh - yep just another pointer - sometimes bunnies are much happier and relaxed in their own environment - Buffy spent a couple of days hospitalised a couple of years ago with Statis and they had problems getting her to eat whilst she was there - then when she came home - Bingo :!: - she tucked straight into her hay in her usual hay box.

Sending a snuggle for your bunster - hope this helps :wink:

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Thanks for your reply Lany, I think its probably a good idea if he gets sent home, as long as Vianne can manage to syringe him etc (Im always here Vianne if you need a hand!). Im sure Lily must be missing him too and it may just be the tonic he needs to get him back on his feet. The xray etc that Lany suggests sounds a good idea Vianne. Dont be worried about prestering the vet, he's your baby at the end of the day, and if it was a person, you'd visit and ring whenever you could. xxx

Jasper

Yeah I think they've given him everything under the sun! Gut - motivating injections, painkillers, a drip, force fed fibre! Normal hard food, they've even been to the supermarket to get his favourite spring greens and brocolli! They tried pineapple juice yesterday nd have had him running around the theatre! And they've been giving him tummy massages! I'm waiting for a phone call from them this morning!

I'm just so worried because he's my baby. His companion lilly (gorgeous lop eared) is looking for him all the time which is so sad, i've been trying to make up for him not being there (not really working!) I think I may ask them to do an x ray today, they said it could be that he had a hairball or something, especially with the length of his hair!! I just don't want him being given any anasthetic as this can be dangerous for rabbits can't it?

Vianne

Hiya Vianne/KerriC

Its good that the Vets are obviously trying really hard for your bunny but I'd have a gentle chat with them and explain that he has a bonded pal at home - it could be that some of the stress of being away from his pal isn't aiding his recovery but I guess the Vets may be worried about releasing him too soon if he needs fluids so they're only looking out for your bunny which is brill.

As I mentioned Buffs changed completely once she got home and although I still had to give constant nursing, tummy massages, medication etc and loads of TLC I'm sure it helped her being back with her pal.

Anasthetic :?: - Yep there's always a small risk but generally Vets are really good and there's no more risk to Rabbits than to Cats and Dogs and the Xray could help pin point exactly what the cause of the Statis is.

Worth checking if your Vets use a Gas Type Anasthetic - Isoflurane (I think) is one of the common ones.

At the end of the Day your his mum and you have to go by your own gut feel.

Hope you both get on o.k - Vianne - lovely to know that you have the smashing KerriC on hand for some support and TLC - ain't that just what friends are for eh :wink:

AWW thanks Lany - you are lovely!! Do you think its worth suggesting that Lilly goes to the vets to keep Jasper company if they dont recommend releasing him home, or do you think its too much stress on Lilly?

jasper

I was actually thinking that! I mean they are completley in love! but i dont know whether the vets would have her too! if hes got a drip in also i wouldnt want anything to affect that i.e. it could be pulled out/chewed etc! they still havent rang u know! And when i ring its just the answermachine!

Will keep u posted!

Re: jasper

Vianne said:

I was actually thinking that! I mean they are completley in love! but i dont know whether the vets would have her too! if hes got a drip in also i wouldnt want anything to affect that i.e. it could be pulled out/chewed etc! they still havent rang u know! And when i ring its just the answermachine!

Will keep u posted!

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Love the pic of Jasper Vianne!! he's like a fluffy little Ewok. Text me or post on here to let me know how he is and if it's ok for you to leave Lilly there. xxx

Kerri C said:

AWW thanks Lany - you are lovely!! Do you think its worth suggesting that Lilly goes to the vets to keep Jasper company if they dont recommend releasing him home, or do you think its too much stress on Lilly?

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Hiya Kerri - you could suggest this to the Vets but different Vets obviously have different thoughts on this and they may feel that this might be difficult if the bunny is on drips etc and needs to be kept quiet. You could try taking something in with Lillies scent on as an alternative - a cuddley toy or similar - just a thought.

Have you heard any update from the Vets re how the little bunster is :?:

How is Jasper? You must be so worried, but it sounds like the vets are doing everything possible! *fingers and paws crossed for him*

Every thing crossed. Just read this (((xxx)))

Thanks everyone, I'll text Vianne as soon as my phone has charged up and ask her how he's getting on. xxx

Jasper is home!

Hey everyone,

Jasper is finally home! He's just sat in the garden with Lilly now, he's still a bit of a runny bum and is a bit quiet but apparently that should gradually clear up in a few day's and he will get perkier.

He needs to keep eating and drinking on his own. At home he gets science selective pellets, spring grees, apple, carrot etc, hay and they have lots of access to grass. He needs lot's of fibre. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what else I could give him? I'm gonna pop to the supermarket in a minute and try some pineapple juice just to try and tempt him!

Thankyou everyone for all of your kind support and concern.

Vianne xx

Re: Jasper is home!

Vianne said:

Hey everyone,

Jasper is finally home! He's just sat in the garden with Lilly now, he's still a bit of a runny bum and is a bit quiet but apparently that should gradually clear up in a few day's and he will get perkier.

He needs to keep eating and drinking on his own. At home he gets science selective pellets, spring grees, apple, carrot etc, hay and they have lots of access to grass. He needs lot's of fibre. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what else I could give him? I'm gonna pop to the supermarket in a minute and try some pineapple juice just to try and tempt him!

Thankyou everyone for all of your kind support and concern.

Vianne xx

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Hi Vianne, I was so happy when I got your text, bet Lilly is so happy he's home. Poor little girl pulling her fur out, she really loves Jasper doesnt she?!!

jasper

Thanks for your help and support kerri!

Do you have any ideas of what I could feed him?? Do you think i should keep giving him the recovery science in a syringe? its got all the vits and minerals he needs and they were still syringe feeding him this morning i think. although they did say he was eating and drinking on his own!

Confused!

Vianne xx

When mine have had stasis, as well as the gut stimulant drugs and as I'm rubbish with the syringe, I've made the recovery into balls and they've loved them. Glad the little fluff ball is perking up. :wink:

Awwwww glad to hear your bundle of trouble is home.

Hopefully it will now just be a matter of recovery time before your bunny pal is back to norm and causing trouble again.

Try and go easy on the SS Pellets, Veggies are great but might be best to keep to what your bunny knows rather than introduce too many new things until his tummy is back to normal.

To increase the Fibre intake your bunny needs to be munching as much good fresh hay/grass as possible as this will get the gut moving back to its optimum.

My bunny Buffy is having a winter type mash at the moment as she has some statis/possible teeth probs and she loves it.
I use 2/3 desert spoons of SS mashed to a thickish gravy with some hot water, then add some cooked mashed carrot and swede. You can also add things like a little recovery into it as well if it helps.

Great News - I bet your really happy to have him home :wink:

jasper

well lilly and jasper are in the house. So far since he came home at 11:20 today hes eaten a tiny bit of spring greens (his fave cabbage) and drank some water. Ive tried everything, carrot, apple, parsley

They only sent him home cos they thought that he would recover better in his own environment etc.

Obviously hasn't worked! He really worrying me now because he's not interested in any food whatsoever and hes all droopy and weird. He cant even lift his head, it seems too hard for him to eat or anything.

I rang the vet and he's going back tomorow morning. He looks so pathetic and poorly sat there with his little blanket on, and when he sits up. just wanna cuddle him. Also when i picked him up to put him in his hutch his tummy made like a gurly noise. about 3 times now hes made this grinding noise with his teeth, and its not the one he makes when hes enjoying a scratch behind the ears!

So so worried, I think ill go try n make some of those ball things with the recovery science was it?! I think lilly knows that something is wrong because shes usually hyperactive and today shes just layed there staring at him.

Will update you tomorrow

Vxx

This is gonna be an all nighter.

This little fellow needs to eat now as that is why he is so floppy If you have any Supreme Science in the house then put some in a blender and make a fine powder of it - make up as you would a bowl of recovery and feed him it. Get as much of this into him as you can. Also syringe him water regularly.
If he will take some soaked pellets from you then that would not be as stressful for him. Use a bowl and pop some pellets in - soak in water for a wee while and then drain off excess water - let him pick at it. Still try him with the SS balls.
If he stays floppy then you must get him to a vet asap as he will be dehydrating
I do hope this little fellow gets better soon - come on little man, you can do it. xxxx