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Stasis for the third time in a month - UPDATE - he's home!!!

Holhol

Alpha Buck
So I've just taken Fergie back into the vets again. No gut sounds on the left, very quiet ones on the right and won't eat anything again. Teeth are fine, diet is fine.

What am I doing wrong???

The exotics vets aren't in til Monday but I really want some tests doing - does this seem sensible? 3/4 weekends with stasis is not normal is it?

I am so upset and so stressed :(
 
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So I've just taken Fergie back into the vets again. No gut sounds on the left, very quiet ones on the right and won't eat anything again. Teeth are fine, diet is fine.

What am I doing wrong???

The exotics vets aren't in til Monday but I really want some tests doing - does this seem sensible? 3/4 weekends with stasis is not normal is it?

I am so upset and so stressed :(

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. You are quite right - stasis that often shouldn't be happening.

However, stasis always has an underlying cause. Sometimes we find out what it is, and sometimes not. In your shoes I would also want some tests doing ..
 
This happened to my bun a few years ago and it was her teeth, sometimes it is so difficult to see properly inside a buns mouth. When she had her teeth burred finally the tooth had been cutting into her cheek, no wonder she wouldn't eat:cry:
 
So I've just taken Fergie back into the vets again. No gut sounds on the left, very quiet ones on the right and won't eat anything again. Teeth are fine, diet is fine.

What am I doing wrong???

The exotics vets aren't in til Monday but I really want some tests doing - does this seem sensible? 3/4 weekends with stasis is not normal is it?

I am so upset and so stressed :(

MightMax is right. There are many causes of stasis, and sometimes treating the symptoms helps for a while, but it comes back because the cause was not corrected.

If Fergie is a girl, has she been spayed? Is Fergie overweight? What does Fergie eat? Some buns get stasis from a low fiber diet. Does Fergie drink enough water? Are any poos she makes small and hard? Is her gut gassy? Could she be in pain for any reason?
 
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I don't think you are doing anything wrong. You are quite right - stasis that often shouldn't be happening.

However, stasis always has an underlying cause. Sometimes we find out what it is, and sometimes not. In your shoes I would also want some tests doing ..

I'm just so exhausted worrying about him all the time, I don't understand why this keeps happening but I don't know how much longer it can go on financially :(

I just really want some x Rays and bloods doing, then at least maybe we'll find something I can do to help. I don't know what to do if that comes back negative though and if it keeps happening - I can't pay £200 a week and I'm about to start my rotations. It's all so much stress but I'm not prepared to give up on him - he's my best friend :(
 
This happened to my bun a few years ago and it was her teeth, sometimes it is so difficult to see properly inside a buns mouth. When she had her teeth burred finally the tooth had been cutting into her cheek, no wonder she wouldn't eat:cry:

That was the reason for his first stasis a month ago :( he had a dental and all was well but then it's happened twice since. He's had his teeth checked again and they can't see anything wrong so I'm hoping it's not that this soon after his last dental - he's been eating lots of hay!
 
MightMax is right. There are many causes of stasis, and sometimes treating the symptoms helps for a while, but it comes back because the cause was not corrected.

If Fergie is a girl, has she been spayed? Is Fergie overweight? What does Fergie eat? Some buns get stasis from a low fiber diet. Does Fergie drink enough water? Are any poos she makes small and hard? Is her gut gassy? Could she be in pain for any reason?


At the moment I'm thinking there must be a cause - treatment 2x hasn't worked so thinking there's another thing going on :(

He's a neutered boy, who's perfect weight and has a diet of 1/4 egg cup pellets + unlimited hay + small bowl of greens and forage per day. He's been eating tonnes of hay and making giant golden poos. He had a dental 3-4 weeks ago for minor Spurs and his teeth have looked fine at the last 2 episodes of stasis so we don't think it's those. His temperature is normal. He's been drinking well :(

Everything is normal but he isn't right :(
 
Have you tried him on a no pellet at all diet ? I know I keep going on about this, but IMO some Rabbits just cannot process a pelleted feed. A Rabbit's GI tract is designed to digest an constant supply of high fibre low nutrient foods-rough grass, weeds,leaves etc. Not a pelleted feed. I may get shot down in flames here, but IMO no healthy adult Rabbit needs a pelleted feed at all. I know how much healthier my now 'pellet free' Rabbits have become. They may get the odd half a Fibafirst stick now and again, but that's it. They have a wide variety of hays and dried forages, fresh grass and edible weeds plus a small amount of fresh herbs. That's their lot !!

Also, what Veg do you feed. Problems I encountered when I fed Veg included :

Spring Greens, Kale, Cabbage, Brocolli- might cause gassy tummies
Any shop bought Veg can have been pre washed in a chlorinated water. Despite rinsing well before serving some Rabbits appeared to be adversely effected- gassy tummy/dysbiosis

Has the possibility of a bladder problem been addressed ? Bladder sludge being one possibility. This can initially present as 'unexplained' episodes of gut stasis (due to the pain bladder sludge can cause)

Rabbits who do not drink much and have a diet high in calcium (eg some pellets are alfalfa based-alfalfa is high in calcium, some Veg is high in calcium) can be prone to bladder problems.

A full diagnostic work up is probably a good idea, but I'd also have a chat with the Vet about the issues I have just mentioned. I know how stressful it is to have a Rabbit who has repeated episodes of gut stasis and we dont know why.

Sending lots of vibes for Ferg xx
 
Have you tried him on a no pellet at all diet ? I know I keep going on about this, but IMO some Rabbits just cannot process a pelleted feed. A Rabbit's GI tract is designed to digest an constant supply of high fibre low nutrient foods-rough grass, weeds,leaves etc. Not a pelleted feed. I may get shot down in flames here, but IMO no healthy adult Rabbit needs a pelleted feed at all. I know how much healthier my now 'pellet free' Rabbits have become. They may get the odd half a Fibafirst stick now and again, but that's it. They have a wide variety of hays and dried forages, fresh grass and edible weeds plus a small amount of fresh herbs. That's their lot !!

Also, what Veg do you feed. Problems I encountered when I fed Veg included :

Spring Greens, Kale, Cabbage, Brocolli- might cause gassy tummies
Any shop bought Veg can have been pre washed in a chlorinated water. Despite rinsing well before serving some Rabbits appeared to be adversely effected- gassy tummy/dysbiosis

Has the possibility of a bladder problem been addressed ? Bladder sludge being one possibility. This can initially present as 'unexplained' episodes of gut stasis (due to the pain bladder sludge can cause)

Rabbits who do not drink much and have a diet high in calcium (eg some pellets are alfalfa based-alfalfa is high in calcium, some Veg is high in calcium) can be prone to bladder problems.

A full diagnostic work up is probably a good idea, but I'd also have a chat with the Vet about the issues I have just mentioned. I know how stressful it is to have a Rabbit who has repeated episodes of gut stasis and we dont know why.

Sending lots of vibes for Ferg xx

I spoke to the vet about going pellet free and we decided until he was eating completely normally we wouldn't change diet, but the day after I stopped all meds we had stasis so haven't had time to try it yet. I've cut him down to 1/4 of an egg cup but I am slightly concerned he's lost a bit of weight for it - about 40g and he's not that into whatever forage I've given him enough to replace pellets entirely (he's a very slim bunny anyway)

At the moment he's been on mostly herbs with a small amount of cavolo Nero and spring greens, bit of watercress or romaine - been giving him a different variety per day but I spoke with a rabbit nurse and she thinks cutting out all veg bar herbs is a good idea.

He's on burgess excel pellets, wee has always been normal but might be worth looking at. He's been drinking plenty recently but that's increased since I cut his veg down.

I've just rang the vet and he's still not eating on his own, so he's staying in til tomorrow am when the exotics vets can look at him and decide what they want to do but I'm really keen for X-rays and bloods just to see if there's anything obvious. Going to speak to the vets about his diet but just very weird that it's been 2 years on exactly the same diet and now problems have started, makes me think there's something abnormal :(

Thank you for your advice xx
 
I agree on the pellets. They are definitely tough on some bunnies' systems, I think (limited experience there, but some anyway!)

Also consider EC.
 
I agree on the pellets. They are definitely tough on some bunnies' systems, I think (limited experience there, but some anyway!)

Also consider EC.

I had thought about EC but wasn't certain if it could cause GI problems - will mention it to the vets thanks :) x
 
Hi Holhol. Just sending vibes as I too am dealing with a bad stasis episode this weekend so hope ur bun improves and that u can get to the bottom of what's causing it.
 
Thanks for all the vibes everyone, going to ring the vets in a bit and see if he's started eating on his own yet and see how he is. Glad I took his cuddly toy with him for something to snuggle now xx
 
I spoke to the vet about going pellet free and we decided until he was eating completely normally we wouldn't change diet, but the day after I stopped all meds we had stasis so haven't had time to try it yet. I've cut him down to 1/4 of an egg cup but I am slightly concerned he's lost a bit of weight for it - about 40g and he's not that into whatever forage I've given him enough to replace pellets entirely (he's a very slim bunny anyway)

At the moment he's been on mostly herbs with a small amount of cavolo Nero and spring greens, bit of watercress or romaine - been giving him a different variety per day but I spoke with a rabbit nurse and she thinks cutting out all veg bar herbs is a good idea.

He's on burgess excel pellets, wee has always been normal but might be worth looking at. He's been drinking plenty recently but that's increased since I cut his veg down.

I've just rang the vet and he's still not eating on his own, so he's staying in til tomorrow am when the exotics vets can look at him and decide what they want to do but I'm really keen for X-rays and bloods just to see if there's anything obvious. Going to speak to the vets about his diet but just very weird that it's been 2 years on exactly the same diet and now problems have started, makes me think there's something abnormal :(

Thank you for your advice xx

You know the more I read about your case the more I think it's not due to diet ... Is there some reason your vet doesn't want to do X-rays and bloods? Is it to cut down the cost for you? He could have a conscious abdominal X-ray.

It seems you have his diet perfect. It may be there is something about him that for some reason can't cope with the food you've given him, but that must have been something that came on later in life?

How savvy is your vet? I really feel for you. This going on and on is draining beyond belief ..... :cry:
 
I had thought about EC but wasn't certain if it could cause GI problems - will mention it to the vets thanks :) x

It's not one of the obvious symptoms, but it can cause GI problems. This happened with my bunnies, and also some other members on here.
 
You know the more I read about your case the more I think it's not due to diet ... Is there some reason your vet doesn't want to do X-rays and bloods? Is it to cut down the cost for you? He could have a conscious abdominal X-ray.

It seems you have his diet perfect. It may be there is something about him that for some reason can't cope with the food you've given him, but that must have been something that came on later in life?

How savvy is your vet? I really feel for you. This going on and on is draining beyond belief ..... :cry:

They're REALLY rabbit savvy, they're really good and I completely trust them but I think we didn't do X-rays because the first time was due to a dental (my fault the hay changed and I didn't notice him not eating enough), the second time was quite minor - he was eating everything a few hours after meds so we assumed it was just a minor blip but this time he's not doing so well and I'm pretty certain it's related to him coming off pain relief as we stopped metacam about 16 hours before he started with it again.

His diet has been the same since he was 6 months old and he's 2 now so I do think it's weird that it's all come on suddenly :( I think there's something wrong. They're keeping him in tonight because the exotics vets aren't in til tomorrow then he's there for them to look at straight away. one of them is ringing me in the morning to discuss our options but I'm really pushing for diagnostics.

I'm not giving up on him, my mum is OK with funding it (student loans don't go far unfortunately) so we're trying everything we can :( I just need to speak to aiden (super rabbit man) and see what he thinks so hoping he rings me tomorrow

Spent most of my weekend crying for the last month, I just want him normal again :( xx
 
When I 1st got Fluffy she used to go to the vets at least once a month for around 6 months with episodes of stasis, a cause was never found she still to this day randomly stops eating once in a blue moon but I bring her around with a syringe feed which deals with her straight away (not that I'd recommend anyone just randomly syringe feeding their ill rabbit)

She seems to have pretty much grown out of whatever it was which is good
 
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