Megacolon..?

[Graciee]

Anyone had a bunny with this?

Looking for advice, suggestions, stories - anything really x

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[MightyMax]

Anyone had a bunny with this?

Looking for advice, suggestions, stories - anything really x

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

Is everything OK Grace?

I've looked after a megacolon bunny .. Some info here:

http://www.vgr1.com/megacolon/

Also ...

http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/wp-conten...-Megacolon.pdf

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_dise...ga/mega_en.htm

http://rabbit.org/disorders-of-the-cecum/

http://www.vgr1.com/megacolon/


Differential diagnosis:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_dise...fferential.htm


Sorry about the lot of reading, but I hope something helps you? xx

[Graciee]

Is everything OK Grace?

I've looked after a megacolon bunny .. Some info here:

http://www.vgr1.com/megacolon/

Also ...

http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/wp-conten...-Megacolon.pdf

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_dise...ga/mega_en.htm

http://rabbit.org/disorders-of-the-cecum/

http://www.vgr1.com/megacolon/


Differential diagnosis:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_dise...fferential.htm


Sorry about the lot of reading, but I hope something helps you? xx

Thanks that's super helpful, i've had a look online but i'll give all those a read later

Pretty sure Atticus has it, spent a while talking to William about it earlier at Fleurs checkup today, he was talking about Frances Harcourt Brown and the work she's doing on it. And had a look at some books she's written on digestive issues. Something he said earlier kinda spooked me about deteriorating, steroids, and wild bunnies dying from it.. I don't know really just want Atticus to be good, and wondered if bunnies live with it just fine sometimes? Next Friday Atticus and Clementine are due their RHD2 vaccines so he's gunna have a good look at him then.

Was there anything specific you did to help the bunny you looked after? Was the Bunny okay? Just looking for tips really xx

[MightyMax]

Thanks that's super helpful, i've had a look online but i'll give all those a read later

Pretty sure Atticus has it, spent a while talking to William about it earlier at Fleurs checkup today, he was talking about Frances Harcourt Brown and the work she's doing on it. And had a look at some books she's written on digestive issues. Something he said earlier kinda spooked me about deteriorating, steroids, and wild bunnies dying from it.. I don't know really just want Atticus to be good, and wondered if bunnies live with it just fine sometimes? Next Friday Atticus and Clementine are due their RHD2 vaccines so he's gunna have a good look at him then.

Was there anything specific you did to help the bunny you looked after? Was the Bunny okay? Just looking for tips really xx

Yes my bunny was fine and I found a way to manage it.

Thumps on here has also a lot of experience - she may see this thread or you could try a PM to her: thumps_

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...gacolon-advice

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...s-dysautonomia
(a very long thread - about 203 pages. Good luck with that Grace, but it's very useful )

[Jack's-Jane]

Thanks that's super helpful, i've had a look online but i'll give all those a read later

Pretty sure Atticus has it, spent a while talking to William about it earlier at Fleurs checkup today, he was talking about Frances Harcourt Brown and the work she's doing on it. And had a look at some books she's written on digestive issues. Something he said earlier kinda spooked me about deteriorating, steroids, and wild bunnies dying from it.. I don't know really just want Atticus to be good, and wondered if bunnies live with it just fine sometimes? Next Friday Atticus and Clementine are due their RHD2 vaccines so he's gunna have a good look at him then.

Was there anything specific you did to help the bunny you looked after? Was the Bunny okay? Just looking for tips really xx

After you read the article I PM'd you last week I am glad you have now managed to speak with William about it all. As you are now probably aware it is not always possible to obtain a definitive diagnosis of Megacolon, 'diagnosis' is often based on excluding other possibilities by various diagnostics and by the clinical symptoms which present. More often than not it is a case of treating the effected Rabbit symptomatically. Treatment can include various prokinetics (Metoclopramide, Ranitidine, Cisipride), pain relief, dietary modification, fluid therapy. Each case really needs a bespoke treatment regime as the condition can vary considerably in it's exact presentation/severity.

A couple of things that I have found to be helpful in all cases of suspected Megacolon I have encountered are a 100% pellet free diet and daily use of a Prebiotic (to assist the absorption of dietray nutrients). That is not to say that it is suitable in all cases and it is something that needs to be discussed with the Vet treating the specific Rabbit.

[Graciee]

After you read the article I PM'd you last week I am glad you have now managed to speak with William about it all. As you are now probably aware it is not always possible to obtain a definitive diagnosis of Megacolon, 'diagnosis' is often based on excluding other possibilities by various diagnostics and by the clinical symptoms which present. More often than not it is a case of treating the effected Rabbit symptomatically. Treatment can include various prokinetics (Metoclopramide, Ranitidine, Cisipride), pain relief, dietary modification, fluid therapy. Each case really needs a bespoke treatment regime as the condition can vary considerably in it's exact presentation/severity.

A couple of things that I have found to be helpful in all cases of suspected Megacolon I have encountered are a 100% pellet free diet and daily use of a Prebiotic (to assist the absorption of dietray nutrients). That is not to say that it is suitable in all cases and it is something that needs to be discussed with the Vet treating the specific Rabbit.

Yes I really wanted to thank you but it said I couldn't pm you back. But what you sent really helped

He's just been eating hay for the last few days nothing else which made me feel awful but vet said it's fine, also I got a prebiotic yesterday for him. I was talking about IBD and IBS in humans and probiotics and balancing bacterias with vet and he suggested some prebiotics to try so I got those. Issue is he has all the symptoms but I realise there's also like 3 other digestive issues that overlap with megacolon, none of which are curable currently. Just trying anything to improve the output in his litter tray currently xx

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[Jack's-Jane]

Yes I really wanted to thank you but it said I couldn't pm you back. But what you sent really helped

He's just been eating hay for the last few days nothing else which made me feel awful but vet said it's fine, also I got a prebiotic yesterday for him. I was talking about IBD and IBS in humans and probiotics and balancing bacterias with vet and he suggested some prebiotics to try so I got those. Issue is he has all the symptoms but I realise there's also like 3 other digestive issues that overlap with megacolon, none of which are curable currently. Just trying anything to improve the output in his litter tray currently xx

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If it's any consolation it took us (me and my Vet) over a year to get one of my Rabbit's 'Megacolon like' symptoms under control. It was really stressful and it seemed as though there were no answers, but eventually we found a treatment regime, (mostly dietary modification) that keeps him stable.

Do you ever notice that Atticus has very pronounced peristaltic movements as seen here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdAjaB0_xuo

[MightyMax]

Yes I really wanted to thank you but it said I couldn't pm you back. But what you sent really helped

He's just been eating hay for the last few days nothing else which made me feel awful but vet said it's fine, also I got a prebiotic yesterday for him. I was talking about IBD and IBS in humans and probiotics and balancing bacterias with vet and he suggested some prebiotics to try so I got those. Issue is he has all the symptoms but I realise there's also like 3 other digestive issues that overlap with megacolon, none of which are curable currently. Just trying anything to improve the output in his litter tray currently xx

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Yes, as you've discovered, it's really difficult to get a definitive diagnosis of megacolon. It's often suspected when other causes have been ruled out due to the symptoms.

If you're with William then I would say you'll get the very best treatment for Atticus


Regarding probiotics and prebiotics - the specialists can't agree whether they actually do any good. Frances Harcourt Brown (retired specialist vet) says:


Pre-biotics and probiotics were mentioned. It has been shown that they may increase the rate at which commercial rabbits can be grown, there is no evidence to support any medical benefit to rabbits or if they can help rebalance gut flora in poorly rabbits.


But as they will do no harm, then it may be worth thinking about trying them.

What brand does William recommend - if he does at all?

[Graciee]

Yes, as you've discovered, it's really difficult to get a definitive diagnosis of megacolon. It's often suspected when other causes have been ruled out due to the symptoms.

If you're with William then I would say you'll get the very best treatment for Atticus


Regarding probiotics and prebiotics - the specialists can't agree whether they actually do any good. Frances Harcourt Brown (retired specialist vet) says:


Pre-biotics and probiotics were mentioned. It has been shown that they may increase the rate at which commercial rabbits can be grown, there is no evidence to support any medical benefit to rabbits or if they can help rebalance gut flora in poorly rabbits.


But as they will do no harm, then it may be worth thinking about trying them.

What brand does William recommend - if he does at all?

Yes I think the problem is issues with the gut aren't understood at all for any species. I realise sometimes with this it's due to a physical fault, so a probiotic or prebiotic wouldn't help.

This is what William gave me, said it was really good. He mentioned something about the person who makes it... But I can't remember what he said - bit fried been a tough few days hopefully it'll come back to me haha xx

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[Jack's-Jane]

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Great stuff!! An Exotics Specialist recommended it to me and it proved to make a monumental difference