Showing no symptoms - then stops eating

[HanBun]

Hi

This is a bit of a long post but puzzled as to what's going on with my bun. Free roam, approx 4 yrs old. Fully vax.

So the last week of September my rabbit came out for his leafy breakfast, ate it with no problems or fussiness. He normally wake up around 12/1pm for his lunch where he gets an egg cup size about of pellets. He didn't come out. So I offered him some by hand and he had no interest. Tried some parsley, kale and his favourite biscuit treat. Zero interest and kept moving his head away. I got him to the vets who gave him 2 injectons (painkiller and gut mobility) and sent me with some recovery food. By Tuesday morning he still hadn't ate, drank or pooped so they kept him in overnight, recovery fed him, gave him fluids and meds. They checked his blood and nothing indicated a blockage, checked urine and all was fine, and his teeth. They said they did look like they might be a bit of a burr but not enough where they thought it would be problem, but it order to proper check they would have to sedate him and they didn't want to at the time because of he fragile state.

By Wednesday he had perked right up so he was good to go home with Meticam, Cisapride and Emeprid. As the week went on his appetite came back, poops return back to normal (obvs mishappen and dark to begin with). Lovely golden colour and good size and frequent. He was constantly in his hay box and drank loads, building up from lost time I guess! I kept his salad and leaves simple. Then that Sunday he stopped again. At this point he was only just still on the Meticam. I called the vets and they said I could take him in, or I could continue to syringe feed critical care and get him in on Monday. So that's what I did. With added Infacol drops (0.5 every hour or so). By Sunday night he started nibbling at salad I left around and started using his litterbox and eating hay, and drinking.

I took him back to the vets Monday morning. By this point his appetite was back and was full of beans again. She gave me a repeat of the medicine, but said he really needs to go back once fully recovered and eating normally so they could recheck his teeth to be sure. I didn't end up using the medicine as he seemed to be back to normal.

My plan was that once I felt he was fully recovered I was going to get him back to the vets to look at sedating him to have a full teeth check. I have now switched to a one that's listed on the Rabbit Welfare website.

Fast forward two weeks, and Saturday just gone he stopped eating again. I immediately started critical care, Infacol drops, and Metacam as already instructed, and by Saturday night was eating and drinking. And so far so good. He's eating way more hay and drinking loads. Lots of energy and back to himself.

My puzzle is that at no point prior to the not eating has he shown any reduction in food or disinterest in eating. If anything I think he's eating more hay than before (although I still have a "hospital pen" set up with everything in and the door left open so maybe I'm just watching him more) His poops have all been a regular good size, colour and amount. I also don't necessarily think it's a pain issue during these instances of not eating, he lies sprawled out, legs stretched and even bunny flopping! I have never seen him hunched (loafed yes, but not hunched) during these episodes.

I have an appointment at the new vets this Friday to see if they can check his teeth, even to sedate if needs be now that he's back to eating and drinking as he should.

Any thoughts, or anything I should be asking the vet to check for? It just seems to come from no where

 

[InspectorMorse]

Is he a Lop ? Did the Vet check his ears ?

Does he ever get weepy eyes ?

Has he ever had issues with sludgy wee ?

Do the ‘not eating’ episodes tend to start at the same time of day on each occasion ?

Is he neutered ?

Sorry for all the questions !

 

[HanBun]

Yes he's a lionhead lop, neutered. He's had his ears checked at his 6 monthly check ups, last one was May, and they couldnt see anything.

Never had sludgy wee as far as I've been able to see in his litterbox.

The not eating has either been when he hasn't came out for his pellets for lunch on the first and second occasion. The last Saturday he didn't come out for breakfast.

 

[HanBun]

Sorry forgot to add. As for his eyes, both are clear. The outside corner of one eye does seem to get a bit more crusty sleep, but not an excessive or worryingly amount I don't think. No runny nose, or drooling/wet chin

 

[InspectorMorse]

Given his breed mix he is going to be more prone to dental problems and ear problems. For some Rabbits the tiniest spur or over-long tooth will cause them to stop eating. But as it appears that he recovers from each episode and eats well including lots of hay it seems less likely, but not impossible, that dental problems are the cause.

Is he usually in a moult when an episode occurs? Whilst ingestion of fur shouldn’t cause a gut motility problem it can if the GI tract motility is already a bit slow. So pain can occur as a felt of fur gets squeezed through the intestines. A bigger problem occurring if the felt of fur gets stuck.

In the hours prior to an episode is his poo output normal and has he been drinking as normal?

Does he ever leave cecotrophs/get a mucky bum?

Is he a healthy weight ? Any unexplained weight loss ?

When the Vet examined him did he/she comment on any findings such as a tender abdomen, a ‘doughy’ cecum or a lot of gas ?

Also, did the Vet check his heart sounds ? Does he have his usual amount of energy ? No episodes of lethargy or poor exercise tolerance ?

 

[HanBun]

This past month is the first time he's ever gone of food, and I've had him around 14 month

He's not currently in a moult, losing a small amount of hair when I'm brushing him. He tolerates the brushing quite well so we normally get a good session if every couple of days at the moment.

I change his litterbox every 2 days but check every time I refill it, which is in the morning, mid/late afternoon and again before bed. I haven't noticed any thing different, no linked ones. I'm not 100% on if he's passing normally up until the no eating, just because they've been morning episodes. Although I'm pretty confident he was in and using his litterbox in the mornings when he didn't come out for lunch. Can't say for sure when he missed the breakfast. I always seem to catch him eating his cycotropes as he likes to be out in the open when he eats them! Haven't regularly noticed any lying around or left in his litterbox. And the few times there's been stray ones he eats them if offered. But he hasn't left any whilst this has been going on.

The vets did say his heart was beating fast and strong but they put that down to the stress of being there. They also checked his bum area and it was clean. They felt his tummy and didn't really comment on if it felt unusual but when they listened to it they said there was some noises but very quiet, unnormally so. But that was was when he was actively not eating. I do occasionally hear his stomach at home. I work from home so I don't have any background noise on generally and can sometimes hear it from the sofa to where he's on the floor in front of me. And since this whole thing I feel like my ear is constantly on him making sure eveything sounds like it's moving.

He's 2.7kg at the moment. The vet did say that he was borderline at the top end of what he's supposed to be. And he seems to have remained pretty consistent around that weight. I don't think I over feed. He gets an egg cup of pellets at lunch and again at around 6/7pm, timothy hay all day. Salad for breakfast, and the I have some timothy hay pellets that we use for training and play treats. I don't really give him sugary things or fruits (mainly cos I just don't eat a lot of fruit myself). If anything it might be a half a segment of satsuma maybe once, twice every couple of weeks or so.

As for general overall energy, I'm not 100% of its normal behaviour. He's very active on a morning, I hear him running around and he leaps onto the bed to wake me up in the morning for breakfast. Then he'll nap from around 10am until its lunch time. Afternoons are mainly little snoozes and hay eating. Then he'll wake up more again around 6/7 for tea. He then does seem to play and explore but stop for rests and short naps all evening until I go to bed.

 

[uniquefat]

Sometimes, GI stasis can be triggered by stress or even subtle changes in their environment or diet, not just physical issues. With your rabbit, it could possibly be dental since it's been mentioned, but maybe there's also a behavioral or environmental component to it.

When you visit the new vet, definitely have them do a thorough dental check. But also discuss any environmental changes - even small ones like a new noise, change in routine, etc. Rabbits can be sensitive to those things. Lastly, maybe consider a probiotic paste, like Bene-Bac or Protexin. It can help support their gut during these episodes.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I think his diet might be an issue. For a start he sounds to be having too many pellets. He only needs to be fed them once a day.

Trying to mimic the diet of a wild Rabbit is the best way to go. Wild Rabbits don’t eat pellets …
and they don’t eat Satsumas !

I would reduce his pellet feed and cut out the Satsuma completely. For his breed type he won’t be underweight if he loses a couple of hundred grams, making him 2.5kg

Does he get any fresh Veg, fresh herbs, fresh wild forage ?

Not sure if you have already read the dietary advice given by the RWAF. Seems that their website is down atm, but try later. You will find lots of advice about all Rabbit care there

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/

Then there is a bit more reading material here

http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/

 

[HanBun]

I discussed the pellets with the vets and they said that it was an OK amount? I know they wouldn't have them in the wild and I do try to mimic that as much as possible (the half segment of satsuma foregoing). I was tempted to start to give him the timothy hay pellets in stead of the Burgess one he currently gets. But wasn't 100% if that was fine?

Yes he gets fresh veg, herbs and leaf as part of his breakfast salad. And then I buy dried forage mixes to add to to his hay occasionally or to put in enrichment toys for treats. For salad (on rotation ever approx 2/3 days and not everything listed all at once) he gets romaine, kale, pak choi, cavelo nero, red lettuce, watercress, rocket, dandelions, lambs lettuce. I know the kale's and pak choy are brassic veg so they are limited but still included in his overall diet, just not as often as others. Herbs he gets parsley, basil, coriander and mint (again as above, in rotation, not all of them all at once) and for veg he gets green peppers, red peppers (less frequent) and cucumber (2/3 thin slices).

I have researched diets and what to feed, and in what quantities and how often, so much, and to be honest there is so much conflicting information and so many different lists and varying ok amounts. I've just read the second link and see cucumber has sugars which I was unaware of, I'll maybe start to limit this.

I'll have a check on the rabbit welfare page when it's up and running.

 

[Shimmer]

Hay is the most important part of the diet. Pellets are an optional extra in small quantities. I use them just to to check that the rabbits are eating normally - leftover pellets means there's something wrong, especially when they only get a few. I certainly wouldn't be adding more pellets to what you currently feed. Concentrate on the hay, and spot clean the litter trays daily to check on output.

I find this useful as well - there are several pages of dietary information and hints & tips:
https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits

 

[bunny momma]

You say he eats breakfast and his not eating usually occurs at lunch. Is there anything he eats at breakfast that may be causing him to get gas or bloating? Is he eating too quickly?
Sending positive vibes you and your vet can find a cause and solution.

 

[HanBun]

He does wolf his breakfast down! Almost like he's never been fed. But he's definitely not starving cos I hear the stalky bits of hay hitting against the side of the litterbox before I get up. I guess the only potential bloating stuff he would get in the morning would be the kale or cavelo nero.

I think I need to review what he's getting, strip it all back to only a few things. Is it possible he is having too much of a variety? I'm just concerned that if I did that then he's not getting a big enough mix of stuff, or having stuff in more amounts of the recommended allowance.

 

[tonibun]

I agree that he seems to be getting too many pellets. Just one serving per day of no more than an eggcup full. Lettuces are not great for Rabbits and I never give mine peppers. Rabbits seem happy with a simple diet ie hay, pellets and a little veg. I like to give mine Spring Greens or dark green Cabbage. I hope your Bunny stops having these "off" times.

 

[HanBun]

Thank you for all the helpful replies. I think I'll start reducing the pellets to 1 egg cup a day and review the greenery he's getting. To be honest my bank account would like me much more for it

I'll see what the vets say on Friday and get them to do a thorough teeth check just to be sure. He's due his 6 monthly check as well so I'll get them to have a look at everything

 

[Omi]

I think that it's a good idea to reduce his pellets to one eggcupful per day. You could actually halve the amount and give in two separate feeds. I don't think his diet needs changing vary much, just tweaking a bit here and there

As you are aware, hay is the most important part of his diet. It's beneficial to both his digestion and his teeth. For statis-prone bunnies, it's sometimes useful to feed lots of tree leaves and sticks (Hawthorn, Ash, Hazel, Apple, Pear, Willow). Bramble leaves are also really excellent for digestion and can usually be found all year round, more so in woods in the winter months. I don't feed any fruit to my rabbits. They do get lots of fresh forage though, which is available for many months of the year.

Let us know how he gets on on Friday

 

[Ross_Scott]

Thank you for all the helpful replies. I think I'll start reducing the pellets to 1 egg cup a day and review the greenery he's getting. To be honest my bank account would like me much more for it

I'll see what the vets say on Friday and get them to do a thorough teeth check just to be sure. He's due his 6 monthly check as well so I'll get them to have a look at everything

Hi. My rabbit is almost like for like how you’ve described. Currently the 3rs day of not eating. Vets don’t know.

Did you ever get to the bottom of it ? Was it dental? Any help would be much appreciated

 

[HanBun]

Hi. My rabbit is almost like for like how you’ve described. Currently the 3rs day of not eating. Vets don’t know.

Did you ever get to the bottom of it ? Was it dental? Any help would be much appreciated

Hi

It was a dental issue. The more rabbit savvy vet I switched to did a full exam and he had spurs at the back of both sides. They got him back him a few days later and filed them down and everything has been fine since. The original vets I was with didn't think they were a problem, although by their own admission they said they didn't get many rabbits in. So make sure they do a proper check.

Hopefully this is what it is for yours

 

[Ross_Scott]

Hi

It was a dental issue. The more rabbit savvy vet I switched to did a full exam and he had spurs at the back of both sides. They got him back him a few days later and filed them down and everything has been fine since. The original vets I was with didn't think they were a problem, although by their own admission they said they didn't get many rabbits in. So make sure they do a proper check.

Hopefully this is what it is for yours

 

[bunny momma]

I am glad you took him to a rabbit savvy vet who gave him a proper exam and addressed his dental issue.
He is lucky to have you.