UPDATE: We have poop!

[Beapig]

Hi everyone,

Hamilton is a bit bloated this morning and doesn't want his breakfast. He is still passing poops but looks very uncomfortable. It wouldn't surprise me if he has ingested some of Jellybean's hair. I've been trying to brush her daily but for some reason she has an incredibly thick coat this year (which is why she had to go to the emergency vets with stasis not long ago - her first time ever having stasis since we got her).

I know Hamilton well - he is what I would call a 'mild stasis prone' bunny. There are several times a year where he will have a bit of a bloat in the morning, but after several hours will be fine and will start running around/eating his food etc. He is the same as usual, so I'm not super panicked. We will do as we normally do and wait until lunch time to see if he's back to normal - if not I will take him to the vet.

I'm just wondering what the advice is when it comes to home-administering pain medication? We have lots of Loxicom left from Jellybean's stasis episode. They weigh exactly the same so it would be the same dosage if I gave some to Hamilton. I'm just not sure what the 'rules' are when it comes to giving pain medication to an animal yourself? He is obviously uncomfortable so I'm wondering if it might help him to feel better and eat a little to get his digestion going again.

Sorry if this is a really naive question!

 

[InspectorMorse]

I would give the Vet a call for advice. Meloxicam is a POM and only a qualified person can tell you that it is OK to give a dose to your Rabbit. In most situations like the one You-are dealing with I think the Vet would say ‘OK’. The meds that should never be given without the Rabbit first being fully examined by a Vet are prokinetics eg Metoclopramide or Cisapride .

Hope that Hamilton feels better soon.

 

[Shimmer]

Loxicom is a prescription only medication, so should be administered only under the supervision / advice of a vet.
Can you ring them and ask for advice? Tell them that you have some Loxicom at home, if they think it is appropriate to use for Hamilton.
I hope he feels better soon.

 

[Beapig]

Thank you so much for the advice Jane and Shimmer, that's good to know. Is it the same rules for Metacam? Because I also have some of that, but it might be out of date as I haven't used it in a long time. Like I said, this happens to him semi-frequently, and 90% of the time it passes in a few hours by itself, with no intervention from me. Of course I always take him to the vet if needed.

 

[Shimmer]

Metacam is also a POM. If it is in it's original (manufacturer's) container, it can be used for 6 months after opening. Timing is shorter if it has been dispensed into a different container.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Metacam, Meloxicam, Loxicom, Meloxaid, Meloxidyl are all different brand names for the same drug, Meloxicam . So all are POMs

 

[AnjaSanja]

I have Loxicom all the time at home-I have one chronic "junkie". But yeah call a vet, ask. Just make sure it is up to date or at the most some months post date (dark, dry place).

 

[Beapig]

Thanks so much for the help everyone. Unfortunately he did not pick up, so he went to the vet this afternoon. He had two injections - gut meds and painkillers. When we got home he ate a few dandelion leaves, but has since been sitting in the same spot, not eating. We've syringe fed him critical care a few times (which our vet said was fine) but nothing since. I'm worried about the poor chap

 

[joey&boo]

I'm so sorry to hear little Ham is still poorly. I really hope he picks up tonight & is seeming less bloated by now. Poor boy

 

[Omi]

I'm sorry that Hamilton is still not well. Hopefully the meds will help and he'll soon start eating again. Sending him lots of vibes.

 

[bunny momma]

Thanks so much for the help everyone. Unfortunately he did not pick up, so he went to the vet this afternoon. He had two injections - gut meds and painkillers. When we got home he ate a few dandelion leaves, but has since been sitting in the same spot, not eating. We've syringe fed him critical care a few times (which our vet said was fine) but nothing since. I'm worried about the poor chap

Did vet prescribe pain meds to administer at home? What gut meds did vet give and were you prescribed any for home use? Has vet administered any fluids? Fluids hydrate gut contents even if the bunny's skin is not showing dehydration.
Syringe feeds will also help with both motility and hydration, so glad you have that under control.

Sending vibes for Hamilton.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thanks so much for the help everyone. Unfortunately he did not pick up, so he went to the vet this afternoon. He had two injections - gut meds and painkillers. When we got home he ate a few dandelion leaves, but has since been sitting in the same spot, not eating. We've syringe fed him critical care a few times (which our vet said was fine) but nothing since. I'm worried about the poor chap

Has he had any poo output ? Did the Vet check his temperature and blood glucose ?

 

[Beapig]

Has he had any poo output ? Did the Vet check his temperature and blood glucose ?

He did have output when he got home, but since we brought him inside for overnight observation, around 8.00pm, there are no signs of output. We were thinking to take him to the emergency vet at around 11.00pm, but after doing some stomach massages he suddenly got an appetite and ate lots of greens. Then we went to bed, and I heard him eating throughout the night, which reassured me. He ate greens and also some hay.

Now I'm very concerned though, because I have woken up now at 6.00am to check on him, and despite a large pile of greens being gone, there are no poops. Unless he has eaten them all, I'm going to assume this is a blockage situation. He was choosing to eat though - would a rabbit do that if they were blocked?

Other than taking him back to the vets immediately, can anyone advise please?

 

[mikek]

I'm so sorry Hamilton is unwell and hope he improves soon xxx

 

[Beapig]

Just updating to say I have just given him another massage, and he has passed one poop. It was hiding underneath him. Which hopefully means he isn't totally blocked. It was just hard but I could crush it in my fingers. A light brown rather than black colour.

 

[Omi]

I'm sorry that he's still poorly. How is he in himself? Is he moving around? Do you know whether the vet did a blood glucose test?

 

[Beapig]

I'm sorry that he's still poorly. How is he in himself? Is he moving around? Do you know whether the vet did a blood glucose test?

He's just been sat in his litter tray, not doing much since this morning. He looked to be in more pain yesterday evening - he couldn't get comfortable and was shifting around a lot. Then we gave him belly massages (we watched a Youtube video on how to do it) and suddenly he had an appetite again. Overnight he ate a whole plate of greens. He has taken a wee, but there is only evidence of one poop. I imagine there should be more than that, given he ate probably around 8 leafy items, and also a bit of hay.

I'm assuming that passing even one poop means it isn't a blockage? But I don't know. The vet didn't take a blood glucose test. He didn't seem too worried about him. He didn't check his teeth either. Which in hindsight, I wonder if I should have prompted him to do. He is my usual vet though and seems pretty rabbit savvy, so I trusted that he did everything he felt necessary yesterday.

 

[Omi]

He should have some meds for you to continue at home too, as bunny momma suggested, for pain and gut. Has he had dental issues before?

 

[InspectorMorse]

He may be holding on to his poo if he is in a strange environment. Try him back where he normally lives

 

[Beapig]

He should have some meds for you to continue at home too, as bunny momma suggested, for pain and gut. Has he had dental issues before?

I wasn't given any medication to bring home with me He had two injections at the vet - I believe one was gut motility and the other was pain relief. I used to always be given oral medication for Plumpkin (although that was after a dental, not stasis) but I agree that it seems not right that I wasn't given anything to give him at home.

He's never had any dental issues before. But I've noticed this past day that he's grooming his face a lot - don't know if that is a common thing with stasis or if it could indicate some discomfort in the mouth? My initial assumption was that he has ingested too much fur, because Jellybean had stasis only two weeks ago, and that was from felted fur in her pellets.

That was Jelly's first stasis - I don't know if this is too much of an assumption, but we had a very cold winter this year, and her coat was visibly thicker than normal. So I wonder if that's why her moult is more aggressive than usual, and potentially why they have both ended up with stasis, despite me brushing her daily