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  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

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GI stasis advice please

H

Helen1981

Young Bun
Our 4 year old rabbit Sweep became unwell 10 days ago with Gut Stasis. He wasn’t improving with the initial meds that we were giving him twice a day, and so they kept him in at the vets for a full day, and then added another pain killer (gabapentin) to his regime. He has been having these for a few days now, and is practically back to eating everything again, except the nuggets. My biggest concern and reason for posting this, is because, he isn’t back to himself at all yet. He is usually a very excitable little bunny, full of energy and running around everywhere. Despite improving with his eating, his energy levels are nowhere near what they were. Could this be down to all of the meds he is on?? Or will he never get back to being himself again? It’s awful to see him so tired. How long can this awful condition last?
I just wondered if anyone else has gone through this same issue?
Thank you!
 
Has the Vet established a primary cause for the gut stasis ? GS is usually a symptom of another underlying problem rather than being an illness in its own right. So the primary cause needs to be identified and treated too. Possible causes can be relating to dental problems, pain from any other condition such as ear problems, bladder problems, arthritis. Renal problems and heart problems can also result in recurring episodes of gut stasis/ failure to fully recover from an episode of gut stasis.

What is his poo output like now ?

Gabepentin is a heavy duty drug and it can cause some Rabbits to be very ‘flat’ and lethargic.

Has the Vet carried out any diagnostics? How confident are you that the Vet is ‘Rabbit Savvy’

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Recommended Rabbit-Friendly Vets

Find recommended rabbit-friendly vets near you. Explore our directory for expert care and support for your furry friend. Ensure the best healthcare for your rabbit
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I would contact the Vet to let them know that you are not happy with how your Rabbit is presenting at the moment. Whilst recovery from a bad episode of GS can take several days if you have a gut feeling that something is still wrong don’t ignore it.
 
Thank you for your reply. We have an excellent vet who is actually a rabbit specialist, and she can’t find a cause of why this has happened. He has had an X-ray which didn’t show any issues, and his blood sugar wasn’t high, so she wasn’t concerned that there was a serious issue causing it.
His poo output now is much better and more like normal again. The only real issue I have now, is that he just isn’t himself and remains so quiet.
He has a follow up appointment on Tuesday, and if he is still very quiet by then, I hope she will suggest something else. I think you are right, there has to be something else going on? Although the vet is confident she cannot find anything.

Thank you so much for your response.
 
I would not wait until Tuesday to express your concern to the vets. Call them to ask about adjusting or changing medication and having any additional tests.
How is his hydration?

Sending positive vibes. I have seen my own bunnies fully recover from GI Stasis. I learned not to stop some meds too soon after they begin to improve.
 
Helen1981 said:
Thank you for your reply. We have an excellent vet who is actually a rabbit specialist, and she can’t find a cause of why this has happened. He has had an X-ray which didn’t show any issues, and his blood sugar wasn’t high, so she wasn’t concerned that there was a serious issue causing it.
His poo output now is much better and more like normal again. The only real issue I have now, is that he just isn’t himself and remains so quiet.
He has a follow up appointment on Tuesday, and if he is still very quiet by then, I hope she will suggest something else. I think you are right, there has to be something else going on? Although the vet is confident she cannot find anything.

Thank you so much for your response.
Click to expand...
As bunny momma has said,I would contact the Vet today, not wait til Tuesday. It could be the Gabapentin that’s causing his change in demeanour, if he is still on the drug. If he is, don’t just stop giving it to him until you have spoken with the Vet. It is sometimes necessary to gradually reduce the dose, not just stop it.
 
bunny momma said:
I would not wait until Tuesday to express your concern to the vets. Call them to ask about adjusting or changing medication and having any additional tests.
How is his hydration?

Sending positive vibes. I have seen my own bunnies fully recover from GI Stasis. I learned not to stop some meds too soon after they begin to improve.
Click to expand...
He is doing well with everything else. It’s just how quiet he is that concerns me. Thank you so much, I will do that.
Have you had it take a long while for your bunnies to get back to normal afterwards?
 
Hi there

I'm sorry to read that Sweep has been unwell. I agree with PP that it's worth speaking to the vet about tapering off the gabapentin as I suspect that is the cause of his lethargy. Some drugs do have a marked sedative effect for some bunnies. One of mine becomes catatonic with buprenorphine. I think the fact he's eating ok now would suggest that his pain is being kept under control.

Incidentally, the bunny I mentioned was unwell for two weeks with gut stasis and went on to make a full recovery. It can be a slog nursing bunnies through a prolonged stasis episode but I would take encouragement from the fact he is almost back to normal.
 
I would also check with your vet about not stopping the basic gut meds and pain relief too soon. It can take a week or so to fully get over an episode of stasis, especially if you don't know what caused it. Stopping too soon can lead to a relapse, which can be harder to deal with.

I'm glad that he is improving. Keep on eating and pooing, Sweep.
 
Scrappy's Little Helper said:
Hi there

I'm sorry to read that Sweep has been unwell. I agree with PP that it's worth speaking to the vet about tapering off the gabapentin as I suspect that is the cause of his lethargy. Some drugs do have a marked sedative effect for some bunnies. One of mine becomes catatonic with buprenorphine. I think the fact he's eating ok now would suggest that his pain is being kept under control.

Incidentally, the bunny I mentioned was unwell for two weeks with gut stasis and went on to make a full recovery. It can be a slog nursing bunnies through a prolonged stasis episode but I would take encouragement from the fact he is almost back to normal.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. I spoke to the vet tonight, who has lowered the gabapentin so will now see how he goes! Fingers crossed. Thank you for the advice.
 
Helen1981 said:
Thank you so much. I spoke to the vet tonight, who has lowered the gabapentin so will now see how he goes! Fingers crossed. Thank you for the advice.
Click to expand...
Also good to hear that your little one made a full recovery after two weeks. I’m so hoping for the same!
 
Helen1981 said:
He is doing well with everything else. It’s just how quiet he is that concerns me. Thank you so much, I will do that.
Have you had it take a long while for your bunnies to get back to normal afterwards?
Click to expand...
It depends on the cause. With some bunnies they bounce back within hours or days. Others take a couple weeks to fully recover, sometimes with ups and downs during recovery. Like IM and Shimmer posted, some meds are best to taper off with lower doses or less frequency as you monitor input and output.
 
bunny momma said:
It depends on the cause. With some bunnies they bounce back within hours or days. Others take a couple weeks to fully recover, sometimes with ups and downs during recovery. Like IM and Shimmer posted, some meds are best to taper off with lower doses or less frequency as you monitor input and output.
Click to expand...
Definitely, it just seems to be taking a long time for him, but hoping he will get there soon. Thank you all for the advice.
I know that this has massively worried me for the future, and whether this will happen again.
 
Helen1981 said:
Definitely, it just seems to be taking a long time for him, but hoping he will get there soon. Thank you all for the advice.
I know that this has massively worried me for the future, and whether this will happen again.
Click to expand...
Now that you have been through gi stasis you are in a better position to identify the subtle early signs and get your bunny treatment quickly. Your vet can tell you what to watch for.
Bunnies hide pain, yet there are clues your vet can tell you about. Good luck with his recheck.
 
Helen1981 said:
Definitely, it just seems to be taking a long time for him, but hoping he will get there soon. Thank you all for the advice.
I know that this has massively worried me for the future, and whether this will happen again.
Click to expand...
I find having information helps. If you can learn about how the Rabbit GI tract works and why it can sometimes go wrong you are more likely to be able to pick up on a potential problem in the early stages. Rabbits hide illness well, they are a prey species so have evolved to do so as they don’t want to appear vulnerable to predators. Once a Rabbit has obvious signs of illness, such as not eating, the problem is already quite advanced. The following links would be useful to read.





www.veterinary-practice.com

Working together on gut stasis

Gut stasis is one of the most serious conditions a rabbit could have, and it deserves to be taken seriously by both the owner and veterinary staff. Because there are many possible causes (many of them external to the gut itself), it must be highlighted that it is a symptom and not a final...
www.veterinary-practice.com www.veterinary-practice.com
 
bunny momma said:
Now that you have been through gi stasis you are in a better position to identify the subtle early signs and get your bunny treatment quickly. Your vet can tell you what to watch for.
Bunnies hide pain, yet there are clues your vet can tell you about. Good luck with his recheck.
Click to expand...
That’s very true, but is there anything we can do to prevent it from happening again in the future? Thank you.
 
Helen1981 said:
That’s very true, but is there anything we can do to prevent it from happening again in the future? Thank you.
Click to expand...
Generically:
Lots of high fibre food - so mainly hay / grass. Cut out any manufactured treats. Forage is good.
Keep a close eye on poo output as an indicator of input and act as soon as you notice a change.
Weigh weekly to monitor food intake and general health.
Knowing what's usual for your rabbit and picking up those subtle signs that something isn't right can be a lifesaver.
 
Shimmer said:
Generically:
Lots of high fibre food - so mainly hay / grass. Cut out any manufactured treats. Forage is good.
Keep a close eye on poo output as an indicator of input and act as soon as you notice a change.
Weigh weekly to monitor food intake and general health.
Knowing what's usual for your rabbit and picking up those subtle signs that something isn't right can be a lifesaver.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your help and advice.
 
The links IM posted right after my post have a lot of great information. They are also up to date, unlike some information on the internet.
 
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