Blockage Question

Will a rabbit willingly eat food if they have a blockage?

Hammy has had stasis on and off since the 1st heatwave a few weeks ago. It brought on a 2nd moult very suddenly. He is under the weather again today. He was eating fine this morning and then off his food again by the afternoon. I gave him critical care earlier and kept him in for a bit, when I put him out in the run he suddenly had an appetite and had a bit of grass, some broccoli etc. Now off his food again so I brought him back in. I think he has done 1 dropping but not 100% sure if it was his.

Basically I'm just wondering if a rabbit would continue to eat willingly if they had an obstruction? Thank you.

Probably not, because a rabbit won't eat if in pain and blockages are painful. I'd monitor his output. Sending him lots of vibes.

Omi said:

Probably not, because a rabbit won't eat if in pain and blockages are painful. I'd monitor his output. Sending him lots of vibes.

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We gave him Metacam around lunchtime, as our vet said we could/should give it to him daily. He has been up and down most days since the heatwave and we're just kind of trying to maintain it The vet said they had a lot of bunnies coming in with stasis due to a second moult. He does have a history of stasis but it is usually only twice a year, never this frequent. A couple of days ago when he was like this, I fed him critical care and when he eventually pooped, it was quite felted together with fur. I've been brushing him daily but it obviously isn't enough. He had one poop in his litter tray at lunchtime, which was a fresh litter tray, but I'm not 100% convinced it wasn't an imposter as it looked too 'normal' to be a stasis poop. He was eating just fine this morning, running around, but seems to go downhill in the afternoon.

Edited to add that he has just done a poop, so not a blockage. A small hard one so going to give more critical care and syringe water too.

It sounds as though his digestive system needs a bit more support. Also, maybe adjust his diet a bit. Do you feed him Bramble leaves and tree leaves?

Omi said:

It sounds as though his digestive system needs a bit more support. Also, maybe adjust his diet a bit. Do you feed him Bramble leaves and tree leaves?

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He has Bramble leaves most days. Also Herb Robert, Plantain and Bindweed. I think we will have to investigate further if this continues. His stasis episodes always seem to coincide with weather changes. Even barometric pressure, which funnily enough, can also give me headaches if the change is very sudden. He hates being indoors, so making him a house rabbit wouldn't help sadly.

ETA: Any tree branch/leaf recommendations would be most appreciated. I do have an old pear tree in my garden, it's a bit gnarly but they have had branches from that in the past. Maybe I could forage some other bits in the countryside.

Beapig said:

He has Bramble leaves most days. Also Herb Robert, Plantain and Bindweed. I think we will have to investigate further if this continues. His stasis episodes always seem to coincide with weather changes. Even barometric pressure, which funnily enough, can also give me headaches if the change is very sudden. He hates being indoors, so making him a house rabbit wouldn't help sadly.

ETA: Any tree branch/leaf recommendations would be most appreciated. I do have an old pear tree in my garden, it's a bit gnarly but they have had branches from that in the past. Maybe I could forage some other bits in the countryside.

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My bunnies really like Ash, particularly around now

Syringing water and critical care add important fluids to the digestive system. I add sub Q fluids as needed too.
Sending vibes for your boy.
He may not exercise enough when it is hot, and exercise helps gut movement.

My go-to leaves / branches are willow, blackcurrant, raspberry (& similar currant bushes), apple, pear, hazel, lilac, buddlia. All currently available and it's a good time to pick & dry for winter forage. Leaves will start to yellow and fall in the next month or so. Currant bushes tend to drop their leaves shortly after the fruit has been harvested, so I've been pruning & drying branches this week.

Cecal impaction can present in the way you describe

‘’ Caecal impaction occurs in some cases of gastrointestinal hypomotility. Dehydration may play a part in the aetiopathogenesis of the condition. Caecal impaction can also be caused by ingestion of substances, such as clay cat litter, that are moved into the caecum but cannot be degraded by the microflora. Bulk laxatives that absorb water, such as methylcellulose or psyllium, can have a similar effect. An impacted caecum is also a feature of mucoid enteropathy. Caecal impaction is often mistaken for dental disease because the rabbit may pick at food, eat a little and then drop it uneaten. The onset is insidious. Affected rabbits adopt a hunched stance. The impacted caecum can be palpated in the ventral abdomen. It is visible on abdominal radiographs.’’

Full text

https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=11147&id=3846185&print=1

Additional info

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

Shimmer said:

My go-to leaves / branches are willow, blackcurrant, raspberry (& similar currant bushes), apple, pear, hazel, lilac, buddlia. All currently available and it's a good time to pick & dry for winter forage. Leaves will start to yellow and fall in the next month or so. Currant bushes tend to drop their leaves shortly after the fruit has been harvested, so I've been pruning & drying branches this week.

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Additions to Shimmer's list that I feed are Hawthorn, Rose, Field Maple, Alder and Ash (as J&B advised).

How's Hamilton now?

I know this isn't really relevant atm but some Bindweed is poisonous and I always forget which one it is. Omi will probably be able to tell us.

tonibun said:

I know this isn't really relevant atm but some Bindweed is poisonous and I always forget which one it is. Omi will probably be able to tell us.

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Hedge Bindweed is the one to feed. It's the one with larger leaves and (funnily enough) usually found twirling itself around hedge plants. Field Bindweed has smaller leaves and is usually found trailing on the ground. It's not actually poisonous, as in one bite and you're in trouble, but it is best avoided as it does contain mild toxins.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I admittedly did not know that some bindweed can be toxic. I googled it and I'm not 100% sure if the stuff in my garden is hedge or field - some of the leaves are smaller and some are quite big. It grows up the fence and around the berry bushes.

Ham had to go to the out of hours last night and is currently still there on an IV. He is finally eating independently and passing faecal matter (not fully formed). The vet is also doing blood tests to try and work out if there is any organ failure going on.

A CT scan was suggested but it would cost £1k and I cannot afford it Have spent a small fortune on his vet visits in the past 3 weeks and he is not insured. My emergency fund is running out and I have other animals to consider too. He is meant to be coming home tonight, I hope that he will be much improved but if there is something nasty underlying, the kinder thing may be to PTS. I want him to have a good quality of life and he has gone downhill so dramatically and suddenly in the past month. I feel so guilty even considering PTS but I cannot afford to take him to the out of hours vets twice a week, every week. He has had a pretty wonderful life with us and I'm trying to hold onto that, whatever the outcome is.

I'm so, so sorry to hear about Hamilton being at the vets because he had another stasis episode, and that you might be faced with such a heartbreaking decision. From your other thread, it does sound like he hasn't been doing well lately, and that must be so hard. I so hope that he can come home tonight and will be feeling much better. Sending your boy so, so many vibes.

Sending lots of vibes for Hamilton. I hope he improves soon and the blood tests are within normal ranges.

Hoping little Hamilton is improving. Thinking of you too

Thank you guys for your vibes, they mean a lot to me.

I was feeling very hopeless about Hammy, but he pulled through well at the hospital and is now home with us. Apparently he got so comfortable in his kennel there that he did a big flop and rearranged the bedding! We've been given pain relief and two different gut stimulants to give orally at home. I've provided him with a wide range of foods and he's been picking at what he wants (mostly brambles and dandelion). I've put him back with Lily and Maple because he's the sort of bunny that is reluctant to poop if he isn't on his home turf. He's passed a few poops and they've all been different shapes and a bit funky looking, but they are coming!

When I first put him back in their run, he ran off and was spraying wee everywhere like he was a hosepipe :shock: It kind of looked like when a male cat sprays. Is this a stasis thingy or was he just holding in a lot of wee?!

The vet said not to give critical care unless he stops eating by himself. The problem is that I can't watch him all night as he will be in the shed. As I say I could bring him in, but he hates being indoors and stresses out. Aside from checking him a few times in the night, is there anything else I can/should do?

Beapig said:

Thank you guys for your vibes, they mean a lot to me.

I was feeling very hopeless about Hammy, but he pulled through well at the hospital and is now home with us. Apparently he got so comfortable in his kennel there that he did a big flop and rearranged the bedding! We've been given pain relief and two different gut stimulants to give orally at home. I've provided him with a wide range of foods and he's been picking at what he wants (mostly brambles and dandelion). I've put him back with Lily and Maple because he's the sort of bunny that is reluctant to poop if he isn't on his home turf. He's passed a few poops and they've all been different shapes and a bit funky looking, but they are coming!

When I first put him back in their run, he ran off and was spraying wee everywhere like he was a hosepipe :shock: It kind of looked like when a male cat sprays. Is this a stasis thingy or was he just holding in a lot of wee?!

The vet said not to give critical care unless he stops eating by himself. The problem is that I can't watch him all night as he will be in the shed. As I say I could bring him in, but he hates being indoors and stresses out. Aside from checking him a few times in the night, is there anything else I can/should do?

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The wee-spraying is probably territorial marking.

I have a camera in the shed and have sometimes watched my two on replay for the whole night. They only have hay and often a few sticks to nibble overnight. They definitely don't eat as much overnight as during the day.

Does Hamilton usually eat a lot of hay and so would he nibble on this overnight normally? I would leave him where he would normally be with Lily and Maple. Do they normally eat pellets? I use pellets to check if they are eating, so when you check on him during the night I would offer him one. I agree with the vet not to give him critical care and so would make sure he's definitely not eating before doing so.

I think as long as he is eating something by himself, I would give the meds time to work and give him time to recover fully. He's also pooping, which is a good sign, although they are not completely normal yet.

I’m so glad he is home safe. With one of my bunnies I had in the past, a moult would sometimes cause a gut slowdown, as would eating cardboard so I removed all cardboard from them. Does he tend to eat plenty of hay?

Omi said:

The wee-spraying is probably territorial marking.

I have a camera in the shed and have sometimes watched my two on replay for the whole night. They only have hay and often a few sticks to nibble overnight. They definitely don't eat as much overnight as during the day.

Does Hamilton usually eat a lot of hay and so would he nibble on this overnight normally? I would leave him where he would normally be with Lily and Maple. Do they normally eat pellets? I use pellets to check if they are eating, so when you check on him during the night I would offer him one. I agree with the vet not to give him critical care and so would make sure he's definitely not eating before doing so.

I think as long as he is eating something by himself, I would give the meds time to work and give him time to recover fully. He's also pooping, which is a good sign, although they are not completely normal yet.

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Ahh, that makes sense! I had to jump out of the way because it was going everywhere, he almost got me :lol:

A camera in the shed is a really good idea, I'll have to look into that. Was it very expensive?

I always make sure that they have a constant supply of hay, and tonight I've really gone overboard. 3 types of hay in the shed plus fresh sage, mint and thyme mixed in to tempt him. A big pile of grass and bramble leaves scattered about in the concrete run as well. They do normally eat pellets, but he doesn't seem that fussed at the moment. He's mainly been picking on the brambles and the long stands of grass.

He's done a funny mixture of poop - some tiny and hard with mucus on, some larger ones which are softer and look a lot more normal. His digestion is clearly all over the shop, but hopefully will improve with continued medication.

The stay at the hospital cost a small fortune, but their specialist team clearly gave him amazing care. I was truly surprised that he came back looking so full of beans and bright-eyed.

Thank you as always for your advice and support Omi!