My 10 month old Nethie Dwarf bunny girl Lauren suddenly lost her appetite a week ago. We took her to the vets where they x-rayed her eliminating impaction, gut stasis (there was a bubble in her abdomen at first but that disappeared on the 2nd x-ray) and her teeth have been filed down so no spurs.
She is receiving orally painkillers (Metacam) and gut-stimulants (Emeprid and Ranitidine). We have syringe fed her on and off based around the couple of days she nibbled a few cavolo nero leaves by herself or stuffs her nose into the pellets bowl. Today we've added Fibreplex to her treatment and have decided to step up the syringe feeding as although she ate a reasonable amount yesterday, today she has hardly touched a thing. One vet said not to over syringe feed so the bunny gets hungry but I believe that is bad practice.
Lauren doesn't like hay so I try to get her to eat grass which is hit and miss. Her fecal poops are tiny whereas her cecal poops are normal (but not reingested) so I reckon this scenario relates to lack of fibre. But how to get more fibre into her???
When this all started out she was in obvious pain and didn't like her abdomen touched but since then has allowed tummy rubs and seems pain-free (or zonked out with all the meds). She is behaving almost normally however - quite perky and inquisitive.
I hate to admit that I'm no stranger to rabbits going off their food from time to time but I've managed to bring them round in a day or two. Lauren has never had this problem until now (except she wouldn't eat for a week after she was spayed).
Lauren lives with a 6 year old neutered Dwarf Lop bunny boy Rowan and they get along fine. Nothing has changed in the environment or diet. I am at my wits end! Has anybody else in this forum experienced this sort of thing or have any suggestions? Would be much appreciated as I'm so scared for my poorly bunny.
Krys
She is receiving orally painkillers (Metacam) and gut-stimulants (Emeprid and Ranitidine). We have syringe fed her on and off based around the couple of days she nibbled a few cavolo nero leaves by herself or stuffs her nose into the pellets bowl. Today we've added Fibreplex to her treatment and have decided to step up the syringe feeding as although she ate a reasonable amount yesterday, today she has hardly touched a thing. One vet said not to over syringe feed so the bunny gets hungry but I believe that is bad practice.
Lauren doesn't like hay so I try to get her to eat grass which is hit and miss. Her fecal poops are tiny whereas her cecal poops are normal (but not reingested) so I reckon this scenario relates to lack of fibre. But how to get more fibre into her???
When this all started out she was in obvious pain and didn't like her abdomen touched but since then has allowed tummy rubs and seems pain-free (or zonked out with all the meds). She is behaving almost normally however - quite perky and inquisitive.
I hate to admit that I'm no stranger to rabbits going off their food from time to time but I've managed to bring them round in a day or two. Lauren has never had this problem until now (except she wouldn't eat for a week after she was spayed).
Lauren lives with a 6 year old neutered Dwarf Lop bunny boy Rowan and they get along fine. Nothing has changed in the environment or diet. I am at my wits end! Has anybody else in this forum experienced this sort of thing or have any suggestions? Would be much appreciated as I'm so scared for my poorly bunny.
Krys