• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Help needed - vets are stumped!

MichelleBee

Alpha Buck
Hi

I just wondered if anyone had had a similar experience?

One of my rabbits, Phyllis, stopped eating at some point on Wednesday after 8am (she had her breakfast then and my partner saw her eating). We were at work all day and so only discovered she was unwell at around 5.30pm on Weds evening, when she wouldn't eat her tea.
We took her to the vets straight away, who gave her Metacam and a gut stimulant. They told us to take her home and syringe feed her, which we did (although she was reluctant to take it and did spit some back out). She started to eat a little, but not much. Throughout she was fairly bright and moved around (we have three other rabbits who have had stasis, so I feel that I can tell the difference between moving around because they're uncomfortable and just general rabbity moving around!).

We took her back at 8am on Thursday morning and the vet admitted her. They have been giving her fluids, a gut stimulant and metacam, as well as syringe feeding her. The vet can feel stools building up in her stomach, but she still isn't pooing! She is passing urine.

The vet rang a rabbit specialist (perhaps Frances Harcourt-Brown?) this morning, who said to continue with the treatement they were giving her. They are getting 15mls of recovery food per hour down her, but still nothing.

Any suggestions? Does she just need more time? Or is it something else? The vet has checked the usual stuff -teeth, mass in the abdomen, scratches, bites etc but can't find anything. She is still bright and moving around.

Please help - we really don't want to lose her (and neither does her husbun Muchu).
 
She is 4 years old.

She is on emeprid and metacam.

She hasn't had an X-ray or her blood glucose checked.

I am going tonight to sit with her. What questions do I need to be asking please?

Thanks for your help so far.
 
Is she on IV fluids or are they giving sub-cut?

I would want an x-ray to try to rule out a blockage - ask for a conscious x-ray in the first instance.

I think the blood glucose can also help to identify if it may be a blockage but someone else may be able to confirm this.
Does she need zantac to protect her tum as well as the other meds?

Are they getting her to move about gently (so she does not get stressed) whilst she is in there? This can help to get things moving.

Is she getting tummy rubs and on a snuggle safe to keep her warm?

Are there any signs of any gas? Would they administer infacol or gripe water if it was present?

I would also take some foods in to try to tempt her to eat on her own.

I hope she starts to improve soon, sending lots of vibes.
 
The blood glucose would give a very good indication if she has a blockage; I would definitely get them to do that. It might help reduce her stress if you take her husbun to stay with her. I hope she starts improving soon x
 
Iv fluids.
They are letting her have the run of the floor as she is the only in patient. They say she is moving about and is ok in that respect. They are keeping her warm, but I am going to sit with her in a bit so I will know more.
 
Iv fluids.
They are letting her have the run of the floor as she is the only in patient. They say she is moving about and is ok in that respect. They are keeping her warm, but I am going to sit with her in a bit so I will know more.

Hi

I too have had experience with gut stasis bunnies. Its good to hear she is having the run of the floor. My bunny who had gut stasis didn't have that option and only started weeing in the vets then we took her home as our vet knew we weren't far away from the vets and as she was a very easily stressed bunny the vet thought she might respond quicker at home. Which she did. We never discovered why she went into gut stasis and she has done it a few times but I think it, it is because she is grooming her gummy bunny partner ...... he is angora so she ingests lots of fur. [luckily she hasn't been bad in a long time now]

As for your bunny the fact she is weeing is good. Dandilions helped ours when she wouldn't poo. I think its lovely you are getting to go and sit with her. That should give her reassurance ... sending lots of pooing vibes x:love::love::love:
 
Iv fluids.
They are letting her have the run of the floor as she is the only in patient. They say she is moving about and is ok in that respect. They are keeping her warm, but I am going to sit with her in a bit so I will know more.

If it is GI stasis then she is having the appropriate meds as far as I understand. Maybe just ask about the zantac to be included as well.

IV fluids are important in both stasis and blockages but I would want to try and rule out any possible blockage by the blood glucose and/or x-ray.

Take some herbs in to try to tempt her on her own. I find that thyme or carrot tops are popular if they are poorly or if you can get hold of any blackberry leaves.
 
I've been to see her. The vet was really good and talked me through everything. She has been having Zantac, vetegesic and emeprid.

They did her blood glucose this morning and it was 4.5 . This evening it was 5.5 , both of which are well below the 20-25 mark (which indicates a blockage).

I took in her favourite herbs, but no luck with eating. She is however, quite bright in herself and has chewed through three drip lines :lol:

She is hydrated and is weeing well. Poos are building up, but just not coming out.

I've told her that she needs to just poo!

I'm really hoping that things get moving this evening. The vets are only open til lunch tomorrow, so we have some decisions to make...
 
She is however, quite bright in herself and has chewed through three drip lines

That sounds promising.

My buns tend to like the drip lines too :roll:

Do they have an out of hours if you were to bring her home tomorrow (but continue with her meds at home)? Sometimes they will start to poop when they get home in a familiar environment if you get them to move around gently but it is nice to know that there is back up should you need it.

Sending lots of eating and pooping vibes.

ETA - did your vets check teeth to rule out any dental issues that may have caused this (molars and not just incisors)
 
Yes the emergency vets use the same building as the vets.

The vet thinks that she might start to get things moving in a familiar environment with her husband nearby. Just hoping she starts eating at some point...

Bunny babe thanks for your advice.
 
Thanks for the vibes. I've brought Phyllis home for the weekend to see if that does any good.

She is still bright and quite feisty, but she has only passed one faece overnight. She really needs to start pooing soon! She has just had five sprigs of basil and is moving about quite a bit. I've tried tummy massages as well, so fingers crossed.
 
Thanks for the vibes. I've brought Phyllis home for the weekend to see if that does any good.

She is still bright and quite feisty, but she has only passed one faece overnight. She really needs to start pooing soon! She has just had five sprigs of basil and is moving about quite a bit. I've tried tummy massages as well, so fingers crossed.

At least it is something. Now she is home, she may start to poop a bit more and the fact that she has eaten some basil of her own accord it also a good sign. Just keep up with the tummy massages and her moving around and fingers crossed you will get some poop soon.

More vibes...........
 
I had a similar problem recently. Although thankfully it didnt last long. Tempting with fav foods is best. So basil and museli got leahs gut going along with the meds. She produced a string of poo necklace and megacolon type poos and then all went good. Sending pooping vibes.

Sent from my HUAWEI G510-0100 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the vibes. Still no poos...

Not sure how much longer we can go on like this - although she is still moving about and doesn't look especially bothered by it all. She hasn't had anything to eat since 1pm - I'm still trying to tempt her, but she isn't having it. She is having recovery food and tummy massages every hour.

I fear that I really am running out of options :cry::cry:

Please poo Phyllis

If anyone has any more suggestions, I'd be really grateful
 
Back
Top