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Help / Advice for Willow Please?

Willow is a single male house bun who we have unsuccessfully tried to bond twice since January this year. He is an agouti, neutered boy, vaccinated for myxi and VHD and was last vet checked very thoroughly by our rabbit savvy vet on the 3rd October and at that point was declared a very fit and healthy little bun.

Willow is currently about half way through a 28 day dose of panacur under our vet's advice as a EC precaution (as are our other 8 house buns). Willow is very skittish and I am sure this is what has led to his current problem which is he is hardly eating and is passing only small dark poos.

I rang the emergency vet (not our usual vet unfortunately) and he OK'd us to use the metocloprimide and ranitidine (zantac) as well as the metacam we have here all emergency supplies as we live a hour and a half drive from the vet. The vet said he didn't think we needed to take Willow to see him (Sunday evening!!)

Willow has still been passing small dark poos, about 8 or 10 at a time and has had one wee. He is not drinking though I have managed to syringe 2 x 5mls of warm water and he has picked at a little hay and ate about 4 SS pellets. We have tried him with a cut up pear, dandelion leaves, dried apple leaves, rainbow carrots, two types of pellets, three types of hay and grass. I have added a water bowl and he has a bottle.

He looks bright in himself and I have had him running around trying to keep him active and hopefully encourage his gut to behave!

Any ideas anyone?
 
Sounds like he needs stronger pain relief just in this acute phase of ileus. I suspect if you achieve this his eating will pick up and the issue will resolve itself. You are doing everything right. These episodes can take several days to resolve so the fact there is 'some' output is far better than none at all. I think more fluids would be extremely helpful as well to kick start that gut. I think you need to weigh up further stress with a long car trip in his current state and skittish personality for another check over to make absolutely certain that there is nothing that is being missed and causing the pain - and at the same time get some fluids popped under the skin and maybe a higher dose of NSAID or even vetergesic (but of course this can make bun far drowsier and unresponsive and he may not need this level of pain relief at this stage) weighed up with just carrying on as you are. Panacur can upset the tum a little with some buns i'm afraid. If you can get Willow to eat some wet greens/grass/herbs and some fibrous leaves (apple, pear, blackberry) etc... then ply him with as much as you can. If it were me i'd probably keep going (provided he was bright, active and still producing some output) as you are for today and review the situation tonight/tomorrow.

Perhaps you could phone the vet and request a top dose of metacam and see if that helps. Syringe some more fluids if he won't eat wet vegetation. Some fibreplex if you have some will be helpful. Hope Willow is back on form soon :)
 
Thanks for the reply Prettylupin :wave:

Willow is much the same but has had a small amount of water from his bottle and a couple of strands of hay. He also ate just over half of his yellow rainbow carrot and picked at a muesli treat and ate about 5 ss pellets during the night as well as very small amounts of hay.

I have called the vet but he is operating so I have asked for a return call asap. In the meantime I have given Willow another dose of metocropimide and metacam. I'll give him another dose of Ranitindine in about an hour as I gave him his last dose of this 11 hours ago.

He is still bright and acting 'normal' for Willow otherwise. He is washing himself, jumping around (on the bed with me at the moment) and is alert. I have offered him fresh food, green leaves and hay - now 4 varieties. I have just cleaned his toilet out and there are a lot of poos but all small and dark. He has wee'd too so I think that must show that to have output, he must be eating / drinking to have input! I'm sure that if anyone else saw him they would think that he's fine but it is the reluctance to eat, only eating small amounts and the small dark poos that are bothering me.

That's a good idea to ask the vet for a maximum dose of metacam. I will also discuss with him the pros and cons of taking Willow to see him as it does mean near enough a three hour round trip on top of any time spent in the surgery. I could use a local vet but in my experience these have found to be lacking!

All positive vibes welcome please, Willow really is a lovely boy who deserves happiness after a horrible start in life.
 
Sounds like you're doing everything right. I hope his appetite returns to normal soon. Sending lots of vibes for Willow xx
 
Thanks Helen

He hasn't eaten anything at all since around 8am this morning and not passed any poos since about 10am

I am syringe feeding him Recovery Plus and tempting him with all sorts. He did do a big wee on my bed (which is very out of character) but there's been nothing else all day.

I've tried loads of different herbs, leaves, plantin, apple twigs, pear, banana, a selection of hay, two lots of pellets, carrot tops, celery leaves but nothing. He's hasn't been drinking either.

I've made the recovery food quite runny as hopefully this will help to hydrate him.

He is alert and active and is fighting againgst the syringe.

Just don't know what else to do.

Any advice much appreciated!
 
Thanks Helen

He hasn't eaten anything at all since around 8am this morning and not passed any poos since about 10am

I am syringe feeding him Recovery Plus and tempting him with all sorts. He did do a big wee on my bed (which is very out of character) but there's been nothing else all day.

I've tried loads of different herbs, leaves, plantin, apple twigs, pear, banana, a selection of hay, two lots of pellets, carrot tops, celery leaves but nothing. He's hasn't been drinking either.

I've made the recovery food quite runny as hopefully this will help to hydrate him.

He is alert and active and is fighting againgst the syringe.

Just don't know what else to do.

Any advice much appreciated!

He needs to see the vet as an emergency now i'm afraid. Tonight. He needs a thorough exam, pain relief and fluids, he may need admitting, be prepared for that. Sending him tons of vibes x
 
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