Lets talk GI STASIS ...

[Mudgy]

I wish that we could stop using the term "stasis" cos it's about as meaningful as "tummy ache" in people. I know it means long medical words, but we know exactly what we are talking about when we use them.

I would describe Thumper's probs:-
a)"dysbiosis" - wrong bacteria in caecum - causing slow down of the colon. ( Cause- Diet - couldn't get him to eat hay, & resorted to wildie food of apple tree bark/ hawthorn leaves/blackthorn leaves to get in fiber in addition to grass & stopped all starch/fruit/sugars.) He's now had his grass stopped.
b) mechanical block of the large bowel - colon [obstruction] by poops strung together with fur & getting tangled up in a ball. [these pass normally if the gut is working properly. he's managed a 9 bead necklace no probs!]

The symptoms of the 2 probs are quite different.

The underlying cause of both is molar spikes which make it painful to eat or drink although he's no sores,& also prevent the side to side grinding motion of chewing.

There are other things which will tip the balance for him e.g. heat/dehydration/pain/ fear (cat or fox scratching round the door) & GP vets but not GWR vet! (possibly smells) are a few.

What do you feel a special posting for the diagnosis & cause of these gut probs & trying to persuade a vet school to do further research? It's just so awful for our buns & us to struggle with it. I feel we may be missing something, cos lots of buns seem to have gut probs at the same time. "Cottontails Rescue" at Westbury Wilts had an "epidemic " of "stasis" which started with a new arrival - suspicious of an infection problem.

You described two reasons for a bout of "stasis", but PAIN, and the inability to move contents from one end of the pipework, to its exit, for whatever reason, still remains the underlying constant.
My argument, is purely that immediate, adequate, pain relief and non oral fluid therapy should be given to any rabbit who's gut has slowed, or ceased, until the cause can be determined, and appropriate treatment given.

 

[thumps_]

I agree with you totally & unreservedly, about pain relief. It seems to me that just being in pain from elsewhere can stop a rabbit's gut working, & if the gut is even slightly distended from gas/fluid, it is agony, & can only get us into a vicious circle of further gut slow down unless the pain is relieved.

Getting rid of any gas/ & attention to hydration are equally important.

I'm lucky because Thumps won't use litter, so I've a good idea of how much he's wee- ing which is a fair index of hydration. He rarely folds his ears, has thin fur there so I'm pretty used to how "full" the veins are there, as a further index of hydration.

I tried to steer clear of treatment because it can get a little complicated [about when to syringe feed/ when not to. Drugs which get the top end of the gut moving/ bottom end moving etc.] when we consider "stasis" as a whole.

I apologise for and withdraw the analogy to human "tummy ache" it was a poor comparison. Rabbits with gut problems are in agony.

We've had a

 

[Phoebesmummy9]

Ive nursed a few of my rabbits through GI stasis.

a) Phoebe has suffered with bouts of GI stasis since being a baby, and the vet couldnt find any underlying cause for this to be happening. Too much greenery and new veggies tend to set him off. so personally,ive found a stable diet, and maxium bunny space has undoublty helped the situation in phoebes case,and luckily weve not had another case of it yet. Normally Phoebe is back on his feet and perkier within a few hours after injections.

b) Holli suffered a bout of GI stasis, due to a rockwiler snarling and snapping at her, I knew because Holli hadnt ever come across a dog before in her life (my old dog went to rainbow bridge before Holli was born) so I kept an eye on her, and spotted signs of GI stasis,within a few hours of the incident.With the knowledge Holli had been in a stressful situation, paired with the knowledge of general symptoms of GI stasis, i managed to get her to the vet quick sticks, and she recovered within 2 days and was back to hopping and nibbling food within a few hours of her injections

c) Piper, her first and only bout of GI stasis, cost my poor princess her life. Very rapid onset, the main thing being the way she was lying. She was rushed to the vets on the sunday morning. Both saturday,sunday nights Piper was nursed, but seemed to make no progress like Phoebe or Holli had. The monday she died, she had actually started hopping about more and seemed more willing to take recovery food and water off me, by the time I got in from work, she was so poorly she was rushed to the vets, and started struggling to breathe in the waiting room, she ended up dying in my arms, despite vets whisking her away also immeaditley to try and get her breathing again.

In all cases, my bunnys have been given Science Recovery food, a shot of gut stimulant and painkiller. I keep them warm with a heat pad if i can and wrap them up in a nice fleecey blanky till theyve atleast had injections to help them,and I now know the importance of trying to get them to hop around, as it encourages the gut.
All my expierences of GI stasis have been very different indeed. The main symptoms im always on the look out for is "the hunch" (very strange, bum in the air and there tummy pressed to the floor) not wanting to eat/drink and not wanting to move about, and generally looking a bit down (As silly as that sounds :lol

 

[Amy104]

Can't be bad.
But if it concerns you.....I firmly believe that if you sit rabbits down, and give them the birds and bees talk, and stress that incest is only practised in the Appalachians, the vast majority of unplanned litters will be avoided.

:lol::lol::lol:

 

[thumps_]

For those interested in "stasis" we are hovering on the brink on the Thread -"I nearly lost him - he SCREAMED".

It is a good example of a bunny with a predisposition to "stasis", suddenly confronted by several "stress factors" simultaneously.

He had his dental about 2 weeks ago. We were managing temperature control despite temps of 26 in the shade, but use of compressed air machinery immediately outside terrified him witless & perforated an ear drum. PAIN relief - (ear & stomach cramps from gas) - GAS dispersal - HYDRATION control (high temps - rapid breathing/ rapid breathing from painful gas) - URINE SLUDGE control (need plenty of wee to dissolve calcium in - passing sludge could also be painful). Reducing fear by stroking him.