Recurring stasis - advice/experience wanted

[EBM]

Posting as I am at work and feeling extremely stressed and anxious, and hoping for some sound advice and experience of others.
Our very loved 5yr rabbit started getting bouts of gut stasis last year. Over the winter these became every month (almost to the day) usually with some care and meds we could get him eating again within a few hours. Last week he had a worse episode and had to be hospitalized for the day and then again this morning he was starting to get unwell again.
So far we've tried daily paracetamol in case its being caused by pain (been on this since end of Jan)
He has had full examination from multiple vets of everything you can check conscious
Today he has had body and skull xrays taken (they couldn't see anything obvious but are forwarding them to exotic vet for second opinion) and comprehensive bloods done, results to come.
If these don't show anything next step is probably referral and CT scans.

Each time he gets ill his symptoms come on very quickly, for example this morning he was in the litter tray eating hay and moving normally and then 15mins later he was belly pushing and looking uncomfortable. The first symptoms I always notice is belly pushing/not eating. He seems to behave pretty normally before this, i.e no small/decreased poo output prior. Each time he's had a blood glucose test, which has either been normal or higher end of normal so not indicating a blockage. He's never passed anything that looks abnormal (blockage like) when he's started pooing again. He always gets a very bloated tummy.
I'm desperate to find out the cause, his diet is very simple now, lots of hay, some grass, dried forage and a very small amount of grain free pellets.

I'm starting to get so worried about him, today he started showing symptoms just before I left for work so I took him to the vets to be admitted as I couldn't just leave him alone for 8 hours in the hope he'd be ok when I got home. I'm sure most bun parents feel this way at some point but I'm really struggling now and wish I could either quit work to be their full time mum (impossible) or just never have bunnies again in the future even though they mean the world to me.

 

[SarahP]

When I had two bunnies, I had huge issues with recurring stasis. They seemed to be passing it between them, as if it were contagious. Despite not having obvious symptoms of E Cuniculi, the exotics vet I took them to went down that road, and the treatment really helped. They still had issues, but I think the damage done was permanent by that point.

I was given meds to use at home to try to prevent emergency vet visits, but the other things that I found helped were no pellets whatsoever in the diet (just a variety of hays and dried forage), and also daily peppermint tea.

I'll be honest, the experience put me off getting more bunnies ever again. I've never known such stress as those times. So I can definitely see where you've coming from!

 

[Omi]

I think I would start experimenting with changing his diet slightly, if nothing shows up on all the diagnostics and/or the exotic vet can offer no explanation. I would make just one change for a month to monitor any effects, before trying something else. Things like cutting out all pellets, giving fresh forage instead of dried, offering bunny-safe twigs and tree leaves and/or Bramble leaves. But I would certainly wait until the results of the tests are known.

What meds is he given with each episode?

I think also that, if the daily Paracetamol hasn't changed anything, I would stop it. Whilst I would not want a bunny to be in pain, if it was, I would want to find out the cause of the pain if possible.

 

[EBM]

I think I would start experimenting with changing his diet slightly, if nothing shows up on all the diagnostics and/or the exotic vet can offer no explanation. I would make just one change for a month to monitor any effects, before trying something else. Things like cutting out all pellets, giving fresh forage instead of dried, offering bunny-safe twigs and tree leaves and/or Bramble leaves. But I would certainly wait until the results of the tests are known.

What meds is he given with each episode?

I think also that, if the daily Paracetamol hasn't changed anything, I would stop it. Whilst I would not want a bunny to be in pain, if it was, I would want to find out the cause of the pain if possible.

He does also get a little fresh forage and apple twigs as part of his diet. He was previously getting a messy bottom, which i'm happy to say is now under control on his current diet so I don't want to change it too much.
We are stopping paracetamol now after these most recent episodes (will probably use Metacam to maintain him for now). When he has a stasis episode he gets metacam, emiprid (if gut sounds are reduced) (he also had cisapride last time he was admitted) and I was also giving him infacol but my vet isn't so sure how helpful this is.
My partner has just collected him, since I'm at work, they said they didn't have great success with syringe feeding him, but he's apparently had a big drink once he got home. We'll have to try syringe feed again when I get home. Apparently the vet has a whole action plan of what she wants to do next and is going to phone me tomorrow to go through it (it was a different vet that discharged him this evening).
One thing they did mention was that they thought he wasn't keen on having the left side of his face touched. This surprised me a bit as he loves having his whole head/ears/cheeks rubbed at home and has never shown signs of pain. Apart from he does sometimes scratch the ear on that side. If it's ear pain related it would be deep as there's no signs from the outside of anything (soreness/lumps etc)

 

[EBM]

When I had two bunnies, I had huge issues with recurring stasis. They seemed to be passing it between them, as if it were contagious. Despite not having obvious symptoms of E Cuniculi, the exotics vet I took them to went down that road, and the treatment really helped. They still had issues, but I think the damage done was permanent by that point.

I was given meds to use at home to try to prevent emergency vet visits, but the other things that I found helped were no pellets whatsoever in the diet (just a variety of hays and dried forage), and also daily peppermint tea.

I'll be honest, the experience put me off getting more bunnies ever again. I've never known such stress as those times. So I can definitely see where you've coming from!

So sorry you went through such a stressful time. One of my old bunnies loved peppermint tea, i tried making it for Paddy the other day but sadly he wasn't interested. He loves fresh mint though

 

[SarahP]

So sorry you went through such a stressful time. One of my old bunnies loved peppermint tea, i tried making it for Paddy the other day but sadly he wasn't interested. He loves fresh mint though

My bunnies really didn't like the peppermint tea. I used to syringe it - just 1 ml at a time, twice a day as a preventative, and more if they were having an episode.

 

[InspectorMorse]

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/small-animal/documents/Rabbits_reducing_gut_stasis_2021.pdf

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/article-ROWinter10p7.pdf

 

[tonibun]

I understand you are trying your best for him but perhaps he might be lonely if he spends a lot of time alone. His diet seems very healthy and he is still quite young. I assume the Vet checked his teeth as far as they are able when awake?

 

[EBM]

I understand you are trying your best for him but perhaps he might be lonely if he spends a lot of time alone. His diet seems very healthy and he is still quite young. I assume the Vet checked his teeth as far as they are able when awake?

Hi, he isn't on his own he has a bonded companion. My partner works half the week from home so there's quite often someone home to check on them, just sometimes we both have to be out all day.
Yes he's had his teeth checked a few times conscious and has had X rays of his skull too

 

[Tiggertime]

Posting as I am at work and feeling extremely stressed and anxious, and hoping for some sound advice and experience of others.
Our very loved 5yr rabbit started getting bouts of gut stasis last year. Over the winter these became every month (almost to the day) usually with some care and meds we could get him eating again within a few hours. Last week he had a worse episode and had to be hospitalized for the day and then again this morning he was starting to get unwell again.
So far we've tried daily paracetamol in case its being caused by pain (been on this since end of Jan)
He has had full examination from multiple vets of everything you can check conscious
Today he has had body and skull xrays taken (they couldn't see anything obvious but are forwarding them to exotic vet for second opinion) and comprehensive bloods done, results to come.
If these don't show anything next step is probably referral and CT scans.

Each time he gets ill his symptoms come on very quickly, for example this morning he was in the litter tray eating hay and moving normally and then 15mins later he was belly pushing and looking uncomfortable. The first symptoms I always notice is belly pushing/not eating. He seems to behave pretty normally before this, i.e no small/decreased poo output prior. Each time he's had a blood glucose test, which has either been normal or higher end of normal so not indicating a blockage. He's never passed anything that looks abnormal (blockage like) when he's started pooing again. He always gets a very bloated tummy.
I'm desperate to find out the cause, his diet is very simple now, lots of hay, some grass, dried forage and a very small amount of grain free pellets.

I'm starting to get so worried about him, today he started showing symptoms just before I left for work so I took him to the vets to be admitted as I couldn't just leave him alone for 8 hours in the hope he'd be ok when I got home. I'm sure most bun parents feel this way at some point but I'm really struggling now and wish I could either quit work to be their full time mum (impossible) or just never have bunnies again in the future even though they mean the world to me.

We experienced this with Tigger. We finally narrowed it down to him struggling to urinate.

His episodes can come on very suddenly, and could be over just as quickly... depending on if he was able to pass what needed to be passed. Some episodes before diagnosis could lasted hours.

We've had a hell of a time with it to be honest, with every test and scan at least twice, two bladder flushes (one just recently), lots of meds, and he's been a brave little soldier throughout. He's had our rabbit savvy vet and the specialists up at the **** stumped. All we can narrow it down to is too much calcium in his urine, even though we've adapted his diet. I think we're almost resolved to managing things as best we can with pain relief. He was due to come off gabapentin today, but just last night he suffered another episode, so his dosage is being ramped back up.


We use folded up squared of kitchen roll in the areas of his litter cages (pee pads we call 'em) where he tends to wee, so we can monitor if and when he goes.

 

[Tiggertime]

He does also get a little fresh forage and apple twigs as part of his diet. He was previously getting a messy bottom, which i'm happy to say is now under control on his current diet so I don't want to change it too much.

What's in the fresh forage?

We had to cut out parsley and kale (which he loved, especially parsley) due to the high calcium content. And one of the worst things we were probably giving him was dried plantain which he used to go mad for.

 

[EBM]

What's in the fresh forage?

We had to cut out parsley and kale (which he loved, especially parsley) due to the high calcium content. And one of the worst things we were probably giving him was dried plantain which he used to go mad for.

Oh no, I thought plantain was really beneficial for digestion? The only fresh forage they currently really get is grass, dandelions and apple twigs as there's not much else around in the garden yet!

 

[Tiggertime]

Oh no, I thought plantain was really beneficial for digestion? The only fresh forage they currently really get is grass, dandelions and apple twigs as there's not much else around in the garden yet!

That's what we thought too, but it's high in calcium and he was probably eating too much of it.

To be honest though, whilst I felt bad stopping it at the time, his hay eating has improved a lot.

Dried dandelion is high in calcium too, though the water content and diuretic effect of fresh dandelion leaves should outweigh the cons, if the problem is related to urinary issues. Reading your post regarding symptoms, it's very similar to what Tigger went through. We had a three week period where he would have a painful episode on a Thursday and a Sunday.

Try and keep a close eye on his weeing and look out for any straining. Tigger was hospitalised for a day for monitoring and showed no symptoms to the vets to narrow it down. Then the next day he had an episode at home which we filmed and sent the vet. As soon as she saw the way he was shuffling about and raising his back end she knew.

During an episode, we sometimes find it's best to get him moving about, as this should agitate the bladder and loosen up any sludge etc that's settled uncomfortably.

 

[Omi]

He does also get a little fresh forage and apple twigs as part of his diet. He was previously getting a messy bottom, which i'm happy to say is now under control on his current diet so I don't want to change it too much.
We are stopping paracetamol now after these most recent episodes (will probably use Metacam to maintain him for now). When he has a stasis episode he gets metacam, emiprid (if gut sounds are reduced) (he also had cisapride last time he was admitted) and I was also giving him infacol but my vet isn't so sure how helpful this is.
My partner has just collected him, since I'm at work, they said they didn't have great success with syringe feeding him, but he's apparently had a big drink once he got home. We'll have to try syringe feed again when I get home. Apparently the vet has a whole action plan of what she wants to do next and is going to phone me tomorrow to go through it (it was a different vet that discharged him this evening).
One thing they did mention was that they thought he wasn't keen on having the left side of his face touched. This surprised me a bit as he loves having his whole head/ears/cheeks rubbed at home and has never shown signs of pain. Apart from he does sometimes scratch the ear on that side. If it's ear pain related it would be deep as there's no signs from the outside of anything (soreness/lumps etc)

How is your bunny today?

What has the vet suggested as a plan?

 

[EBM]

How is your bunny today?

What has the vet suggested as a plan?

He's starting to look a little brighter thank you, he is eating on his own ( and pooing) so he doesn't need to be syringe fed now. Vet is now hopefully calling this afternoon so hopefully we'll have a plan in place soon.

 

[bunny momma]

Sending lots of positive vibes he continues to improve. I hope you and your vet can determine the cause of his stasis and reduce or eliminate future episodes.

 

[EBM]

How is your bunny today?

What has the vet suggested as a plan?

Talked to the vet, nothing to be concerned about in the bloodwork, a couple of readings were slightly borderline but that could be due to the fact he was a bit poorly when the test was done. They couldn't see anything obvious on the xrays, but she did say the nurse noticed he wasn't keen on having the left side of his face/ear base touched when he was fine with the right. This is a bit intriguing as we have noticed him sometimes getting irritated and scratching that ear but there's no sign of infection, but he also loves having his face/cheeks/ears massaged at home and has never shown any discomfort when we do this.
Vet has sent the xrays to exotic vet for second opinion so we'll see what they say, it might be that he needs to be referred there for CT scan as if he has an inner ear infection that may be the only way to tell for sure.
Meanwhile he's brighter today and we're going to continue twice daily metacam for the foreseeable and I'll continue emeprid for a little longer

 

[EBM]

Sending lots of positive vibes he continues to improve. I hope you and your vet can determine the cause of his stasis and reduce or eliminate future episodes.

Thank you, it's so so worrying