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.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
Gut stasis (if that's what it is) becomes critical within hours, not days. Your vet is the best person to diagnose what is wrong, and what the primary causes may be.
Having had very recent contact with baby rabbits which have since died, plus another from an unknown source, it's quite likely that there are residual issues from them. Hygiene (such as daily cleaning of litter trays) is very important when the cause of recent illness / death has not been confirmed. Sudden changes in diet also cause stress - so removing hay, then removing pellets and going to hay only in a matter of days is maybe not the wisest course of action under the current circumstances.
I hope that Lucky gets some appropriate help before his condition deteriorates.
I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about my bunnies after what happened. Lucky is still ok and eating and pooping normally. I would really like to see him do a binky or zoomie just so I know he is ok. I checked all his responses to things which seem ok.
I haven't seen any more dark urine. His urine is normal in color.
Things you can do to monitor your Rabbits health at home.
1 Get to know what normal poop output is for each Rabbit, ie size and quantity of poo. Any change in poo can be the first sign of a problem, even if the Rabbit is still eating.
2 Weigh each Rabbit once a week. Unexplained weight loss is another red flag. If the Rabbit loses some weight consistently over 3 weeks then a Vet check is needed, even if the Rabbit remains well within themselves.
3 Get to know what your Rabbit’s normal resting times and places are. A Rabbit who starts to hide away or changes their routine/behaviour is potentially a Rabbit with a health problem
4 Groom your Rabbits regularly and feel all over them for any lumps, especially along the jaw line and at the base of each ear. Incisor teeth can be checked but it’s not possible to check the molar teeth without appropriate equipment. Even then it isn’t possible to see 100% of a Rabbit’s oral cavity whilst the Rabbit is awake. Check the coat for any sign of mites. Check the toenails are not too long and check the hocks are not losing fur/bald/sore. Check inside the ear canals for any signs of a lot of wax build up or inflammation.
5 Bum checks should be done at least once a day, twice a day in Summer months
6 Have a good basic husbandry routine. All litter trays should be changed and disinfected daily
7 Ensure all Rabbits are up to date with their vaccinations
8 Feeding a diet that is based on 80%-90% hay. Fresh clean water should always be available.
Whilst Rabbits are now the third most popular pet they are the most likely to be cared for incorrectly. Not because people do not care but because they have not researched what good Rabbit care really is.
Rabbits are a prey species and therefore very skilled at hiding illness or injury. So it is often the case that if a Rabbit is looking sick they are actually very sick. Subtle warning signs being missed by inexperienced/ill informed care givers. Consulting a Vet promptly is always essential if the care giver has a gut feeling something is wrong. With Rabbits prompt Veterinary attention can mean that a problem can be addressed before it becomes serious. This will save a lot of heartache and a lot of money.
Coming to think of it... birds are almost the same, you don't know there ill until they show signs of illness and then they go down hill very quickly, its probably the same with a lot of small animals. I've learned quite a lot over the past year about both birds and rabbits although rabbits are not new to me. My old bunnies must have been made from very stern stuff because I used to be careless on what they ate "I wasn't as knowledgeable back then" before the internet became a common thing in homes. They would eat all sorts of stuff like toast, veg treats they didn't always have hay and not once did any of them get ill. They lived for a very long time. Maybe some rabbits have poor genes or not as strong genes or something.