Original thread title - Dysautonomia/no caecal motility/caecum working again p63/passed away 15/11/11 p194
Recent events leading to an ultrasound of Thumper's tummy are on
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=223824
Thumper has had very long standing dental/stasis issues perhaps as early as 16/17 weeks old. Regular dentals & a very high fiber/low nutrient diet (like a wild rabbit diet) gave us good control of his bowels, until this winter.
I have been unable to regain control of his gut with dietary measures and short courses of zantac.
He had an ultrasound of his tummy today. The caecum wasn't contracting & just lying flaccid partly caved in on itself. The lining was inflammed. He'd a bit of sludge in his bladder but managed to pee it out on his own steam.
We do not know whether the nerves to the caecum have stopped working or whether the muscles have stopped working. It's immaterial apart from advancing our knowledge about bunny illness, because we can't do much about either!!
We're starting with a month's course of zantac + the NSAID metacam to reduce the inflammation.
As well as that, we have to get through a dental every month. Spinning it out to every month tips him to the verge of stasis. His fluid intake is very low because of his teeth.
There is interesting current research trying to find a link between amines which affect blood vessels & which are produced by a malfunctioning caecum in rabbits, & dental disease. It's the same concept as laminitis in horses hooves, but affecting the dental pulp vessels instead.
We need all the support we can get for this last fight.
Recent events leading to an ultrasound of Thumper's tummy are on
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=223824
Thumper has had very long standing dental/stasis issues perhaps as early as 16/17 weeks old. Regular dentals & a very high fiber/low nutrient diet (like a wild rabbit diet) gave us good control of his bowels, until this winter.
I have been unable to regain control of his gut with dietary measures and short courses of zantac.
He had an ultrasound of his tummy today. The caecum wasn't contracting & just lying flaccid partly caved in on itself. The lining was inflammed. He'd a bit of sludge in his bladder but managed to pee it out on his own steam.
We do not know whether the nerves to the caecum have stopped working or whether the muscles have stopped working. It's immaterial apart from advancing our knowledge about bunny illness, because we can't do much about either!!
We're starting with a month's course of zantac + the NSAID metacam to reduce the inflammation.
As well as that, we have to get through a dental every month. Spinning it out to every month tips him to the verge of stasis. His fluid intake is very low because of his teeth.
There is interesting current research trying to find a link between amines which affect blood vessels & which are produced by a malfunctioning caecum in rabbits, & dental disease. It's the same concept as laminitis in horses hooves, but affecting the dental pulp vessels instead.
We need all the support we can get for this last fight.
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