Sarahbun
Mama Doe
Hello everyone,
My rabbit Rocky suffers from gut stasis from time to time. Since seeing an exotics specialist he's been prescribed Cisapride + Metacam to be taken when he has an episode. This has been working successfully and he's recovered quickly (eating on his own within 2 hours), that is until yesterday.
He'd stopped eating so I took him to the vet to check for blockages etc. to make sure it would be safe to give Cisapride.
The vet gave him metacam, cisapride and then unusually (unusual as the vets on the previous occasions have never done this) injected him with Vetergesic.
It's not a drug I'm familiar with and I wished I'd questioned the vet about as what happened next wasn't ideal. I brought Rocky home and rather than recovering he just sat really still with eyes like saucers. I offered him hay and he tried to eat it but part way through a chomp he fell asleep with his head falling into his hay. I managed to rouse him, but within minutes he was asleep again. He was completely spaced out. As he wasn't eating, hadn't produced droppings and seemed so sleepy I took him back to the vet (by this time it was out of hours). They hospitalised him overnight, syringe feeding and giving him fluids.
Luckily he's making a recovery, he's eaten on his own today and produced droppings. He's still in hospital to make sure he's hydrated and I hope to bring him home tomorrow.
Having googled Vetergesic I'm confused why the vet would give him such a strong painkiller, especially one with side effects listed as nausea, anorexia and disruption to peristalsis. I really think it didn't give the little fella any chance of eating on his own.
I wondered what your experiences have been of this drug with your rabbits and whether it has been helpful with GI stasis?
Thanks
Sarah
My rabbit Rocky suffers from gut stasis from time to time. Since seeing an exotics specialist he's been prescribed Cisapride + Metacam to be taken when he has an episode. This has been working successfully and he's recovered quickly (eating on his own within 2 hours), that is until yesterday.
He'd stopped eating so I took him to the vet to check for blockages etc. to make sure it would be safe to give Cisapride.
The vet gave him metacam, cisapride and then unusually (unusual as the vets on the previous occasions have never done this) injected him with Vetergesic.
It's not a drug I'm familiar with and I wished I'd questioned the vet about as what happened next wasn't ideal. I brought Rocky home and rather than recovering he just sat really still with eyes like saucers. I offered him hay and he tried to eat it but part way through a chomp he fell asleep with his head falling into his hay. I managed to rouse him, but within minutes he was asleep again. He was completely spaced out. As he wasn't eating, hadn't produced droppings and seemed so sleepy I took him back to the vet (by this time it was out of hours). They hospitalised him overnight, syringe feeding and giving him fluids.
Luckily he's making a recovery, he's eaten on his own today and produced droppings. He's still in hospital to make sure he's hydrated and I hope to bring him home tomorrow.
Having googled Vetergesic I'm confused why the vet would give him such a strong painkiller, especially one with side effects listed as nausea, anorexia and disruption to peristalsis. I really think it didn't give the little fella any chance of eating on his own.
I wondered what your experiences have been of this drug with your rabbits and whether it has been helpful with GI stasis?
Thanks
Sarah