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GI stasis or something else? URGENT!

laaurie

New Kit
So my 5 year old mini rex was just spayed yesterday. Got home, seemed fine - drank a lot and ate a bit, then started to look more in pain, wouldn't eat and was lying down a lot.

Took her back to the vet this morning. Vet
thought she was going into stasis and gave injected painkiller, antibiotic and fluids. If she hadn't eaten by this evening i was to force feed.

Got home, the painkiller made her drowsy but she ate some baby food and hay. Her temp was slightly low so she was on a heat pad all day but she just continued downhill - wouldn't drink, shaking and panting and became even more limp. I thought she was going to die so took her back to the vet this evening. Vet said there was movement in her bowels but gave more painkillers and some critical care to force feed her.

Now home, she's lying limp, is obviously in discomfort, can barely move and just looks generally awful. I tried feeding her the critical care but she won't swallow it and just let's it sit in her mouth. Her stomach is distended but fairly soft with some larger lumps in there. She basically hasn't pooped since surgery so i'm getting really worried.

This is nothing like stasis she's had in the past.. maybe it's because she's just had surgery and is drugged up? Unless it's something more serious like bloat? Although the bloating doesn't even feel as bad as it has in the past - it's just how she's acting that's got me so worried! I'm genuinely scared she's about to die any minute, so i'd really appreciate any advice or experiences from other people. Thanks!
 
I'm sorry your little one is so ill. I'm not good on health & only one experience of spaying so hoping someone knowledgeable will be along shortly. Do you know what painkiller she was given - metacam is usually well tolerated but some buns get very drowsy on others (they do need stronger than metacam sometimes)

Vibes for your bunny.
 
Because it's so difficult for us to assess your bunny online I recommend taking her to the vets and having her admitted as an emergency where nurses will be able to give her critical care and nursing until she's more stable.
Considering its been 24hrs and there has been no faeces, I would want her admitted for around the clock care and monitoring.

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
The vet this evening offered to hospitalise her to give her fluids but said it wasn't critical as she wasn't dehydrated. It seemed to me that there's not much they can do so I opted to take her home and we've arranged to go back in the morning
 
It sounds to me as though her painkiller is making her drowsy and therefore she will not take the critical care. Do you know what painkiller she was given?
 
It sounds to me as though her painkiller is making her drowsy and therefore she will not take the critical care. Do you know what painkiller she was given?

I think it was metacam.. They were both injections. Yeah she tried to walk just there but was stumbling too much so maybe that's the main reason. It's just this behaviour paired with the no pooping that's really concerning me.
 
I think it was metacam.. They were both injections. Yeah she tried to walk just there but was stumbling too much so maybe that's the main reason. It's just this behaviour paired with the no pooping that's really concerning me.

Sorry thought she was admitted, have you tried encouraging eating with herbs or forage etc, I'd leave some critical care in a bowl near her, I used to do that with !you bun when she came home for on dentals along with bits of herbs etc is she still not taking critical care by syringe?
 
It sounds to me as though her painkiller is making her drowsy and therefore she will not take the critical care. Do you know what painkiller she was given?

Actually, it wasn't metacam, sorry i got confused. I can't remember what it was :/
 
Sorry thought she was admitted, have you tried encouraging eating with herbs or forage etc, I'd leave some critical care in a bowl near her, I used to do that with !you bun when she came home for on dentals along with bits of herbs etc is she still not taking critical care by syringe?

Thank you!

I've been trying to feed her just about every possible thing all day, she's just not taking anything :( I think some of the critical care is going down but it's hard to tell
 
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I'm sorry your little one is so ill. I'm not good on health & only one experience of spaying so hoping someone knowledgeable will be along shortly. Do you know what painkiller she was given - metacam is usually well tolerated but some buns get very drowsy on others (they do need stronger than metacam sometimes)

Vibes for your bunny.

Thank you! I can't remember what it was unfortunately, all i know is it was injected and the vet did mention she would be a bit flat.. but she seemed to still be flat even after the first painkiller was supposed to have worn off
 
It's not uncommon for does to be suffering a bit after spaying, for 24 hours after surgery. It is quite a major operation.

For tonight I would make sure she is warm. Hopefully by the morning she will be feeling much better and will tolerate being given the Critical Care. Your vets will be able to give her gut medication tomorrow if they feel she needs it, to get her digestive system working again.

Sending her lots of vibes.
 
So my 5 year old mini rex was just spayed yesterday. Got home, seemed fine - drank a lot and ate a bit, then started to look more in pain, wouldn't eat and was lying down a lot.

Took her back to the vet this morning. Vet
thought she was going into stasis and gave injected painkiller, antibiotic and fluids. If she hadn't eaten by this evening i was to force feed.

Got home, the painkiller made her drowsy but she ate some baby food and hay. Her temp was slightly low so she was on a heat pad all day but she just continued downhill - wouldn't drink, shaking and panting and became even more limp. I thought she was going to die so took her back to the vet this evening. Vet said there was movement in her bowels but gave more painkillers and some critical care to force feed her.

Now home, she's lying limp, is obviously in discomfort, can barely move and just looks generally awful. I tried feeding her the critical care but she won't swallow it and just let's it sit in her mouth. Her stomach is distended but fairly soft with some larger lumps in there. She basically hasn't pooped since surgery so i'm getting really worried.

This is nothing like stasis she's had in the past.. maybe it's because she's just had surgery and is drugged up? Unless it's something more serious like bloat? Although the bloating doesn't even feel as bad as it has in the past - it's just how she's acting that's got me so worried! I'm genuinely scared she's about to die any minute, so i'd really appreciate any advice or experiences from other people. Thanks!


Hi Laaurie and welcome to RU :wave:

After spaying it can take a while for a rabbit to get eating again. I had one of my little ones spayed not long ago and she didn't eat properly for about three days - scared me to death!

If the vet has assessed her, and she's topped up with fluids, and you are keeping her warm and syringe feeding, I am hopeful she will feel much better by the morning.

I have to say I am a great fan of Infacol, along with some others here:

http://www.infacol.co.uk

If you can get ahold of some, give one mil every hour for three doses. It helps to move collected gas along the digestive tract and thus makes the rabbit not feel full, and want to eat again.

Some reading, in case you've not seen it:

http://anyflip.com/dvpt/hzvv/basic

http://www.bunnylu.org/bloat.php

http://rabbit.org/gastrointestinal-stasis-the-silent-killer-2/

Not to scare you but so you are informed

She could well be feeling a bit down and flat because the vet gave an opiae painkiller such as buprenorphine or similar (e.g. Vetergesic). They can make a rabbit feel sleepy for absolutely ages. But it does wear off and they feel better quickly :)


Take care - and loads of luck!!
 
Just wanted to let everyone know, she died just after midnight. Don't know why, she just started fitting and died just before we were about to rush her back to the vet. I am in pieces.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know, she died just after midnight. Don't know why, she just started fitting and died just before we were about to rush her back to the vet. I am in pieces.

I am so very sorry :cry: I am never online in the evenings so I only have only just read the PM alerting me to this thread. I realise there is nothing I can say now that will be of any help at all, put please know that many of us on here will completely understand how devastated you are feeling :cry:

RIP little Bunny :cry:
 
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