Reoccurring stasis

C

ColPer

Young Bun
Hello!

I know this has probably been discussed, but reading through the previous discussions I still can’t see similar situations!

I have had my mini lop for 3 years and previously had a rescue for 11 years who was never sick nor sorry!

Mini lop on the other hand.. ever year between feb-may he gets stasis during moulting .. I give him unlimited fresh hay, fresh water, bowls of fresh ready grass and then his weighed pellets and veg
I also groom him although he sheds like nothing I have ever seen!!

Is there any suggestions how to prevent stasis?? During moulting he seems to decrease on hay intake.. so should I reduce his pellets and veg during this period to increase forage intake??? Is there a better grooming shedding tool??

Any suggestions welcome 🤗
 
Ingesting a lot of fur usually only becomes a problem if the Rabbit already has poor gut motility. So during normal times what is his poo output like ?

With regards to his pellets, exactly how much do you feed him each day ?

Does he actually eat a lot of hay ? People often say their Rabbit has lots of hay. But that doesn’t mean that the Rabbit actually eats it.

Does he have a good water intake ?

How is he housed, does he have 24/7 access to lots of room to make sure that he gets plenty of exercise. Fluids and exercise are both important for good gut motility.

As you probably know, mini lops are prone to dental problems. Dental problems lead to gut motility problems as the Rabbit cannot eat enough hay to insure good gut health. I would advise regular dental checks by a Rabbit savvy Vet.

Finally, is he neutered and does he have a companion ?
 
InspectorMorse said:
Ingesting a lot of fur usually only becomes a problem if the Rabbit already has poor gut motility. So during normal times what is his poo output like ?

With regards to his pellets, exactly how much do you feed him each day ?

Does he actually eat a lot of hay ? People often say their Rabbit has lots of hay. But that doesn’t mean that the Rabbit actually eats it.

Does he have a good water intake ?

How is he housed, does he have 24/7 access to lots of room to make sure that he gets plenty of exercise. Fluids and exercise are both important for good gut motility.

As you probably know, mini lops are prone to dental problems. Dental problems lead to gut motility problems as the Rabbit cannot eat enough hay to insure good gut health. I would advise regular dental checks by a Rabbit savvy Vet.

Finally, is he neutered and does he have a companion ?
Click to expand...
I think his poo output is average? I have to empty the litter tray twice daily? Although they are always on the dark side not golden

He has the weighed amount for his weight so an egg cup twice daily

He goes through fazes with the hay, sometimes he’s always in his pen eating it and other times he’s not interested, I try and vary the brands to encourage him as he blows hot and cold

Water he drinks a fair amount and he has a pen for when we are at work where he has space to hop around and then we let him have the living room when we are home.

He’s on his own at the moment but we are looking at getting a companion as he is destructive and we were thinking he could be lonely?

He’s had his teeth checked multiple times by an exotic vet but we don’t have a local “rabbit savvy” vet.

He also is neutered.

thanks for replying x
 
ColPer said:
I think his poo output is average? I have to empty the litter tray twice daily? Although they are always on the dark side not golden

He has the weighed amount for his weight so an egg cup twice daily

He goes through fazes with the hay, sometimes he’s always in his pen eating it and other times he’s not interested, I try and vary the brands to encourage him as he blows hot and cold

Water he drinks a fair amount and he has a pen for when we are at work where he has space to hop around and then we let him have the living room when we are home.

He’s on his own at the moment but we are looking at getting a companion as he is destructive and we were thinking he could be lonely?

He’s had his teeth checked multiple times by an exotic vet but we don’t have a local “rabbit savvy” vet.

He also is neutered.

thanks for replying x
Click to expand...

A companion would definitely improve his QOL , so great to hear that is what you hope to do 😀 Rabbits are social animals and they do need a companion if their own kind. They tend to be more active and less prone to being destructive if they have a companion.

I think with regards to his diet and gut motility, you would be best to focus on ways to maximise a constant good intake of hay. That might mean cutting back on his pellet rations. Readigrass is high in protein/calories, so a bowlful of that a day as well as two portions of pellets is probably too much for a mini lop. Do you know his exact weight?

This is a useful guide to assessing if a Rabbit is a healthy weight.


The things that contribute to good gut motility are a diet that consists of at least 85% hay, the opportunity to have exercise 24/7 and a good water intake. Ingesting a lot of fur can be a challenge during a moult, (good that you groom him regularly 👍😀 ) but if the Rabbit has a healthy gut then frequent episodes of stasis should not occur. Unfortunately there will be the individual Rabbit who, for reasons unknown and in spite of our best efforts to prevent it, seem to be very prone to gut stasis. I know first hand how stressful this can be to try to manage as one of my Rabbits has this issue too.
 
InspectorMorse said:
A companion would definitely improve his QOL , so great to hear that is what you hope to do 😀 Rabbits are social animals and they do need a companion if their own kind. They tend to be more active and less prone to being destructive if they have a companion.

I think with regards to his diet and gut motility, you would be best to focus on ways to maximise a constant good intake of hay. That might mean cutting back on his pellet rations. Readigrass is high in protein/calories, so a bowlful of that a day as well as two portions of pellets is probably too much for a mini lop. Do you know his exact weight?

This is a useful guide to assessing if a Rabbit is a healthy weight.


The things that contribute to good gut motility are a diet that consists of at least 85% hay, the opportunity to have exercise 24/7 and a good water intake. Ingesting a lot of fur can be a challenge during a moult, (good that you groom him regularly 👍😀 ) but if the Rabbit has a healthy gut then frequent episodes of stasis should not occur. Unfortunately there will be the individual Rabbit who, for reasons unknown and in spite of our best efforts to prevent it, seem to be very prone to gut stasis. I know first hand how stressful this can be to try to manage as one of my Rabbits has this issue too.
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the above,

He weighs 2.5kg and his weight is pretty consistent.

He’s currently in the vets with stasis and as you can imagine I am besides myself with worry.

I wondered whether his guts are weaker than others? He is a rescue and we aren’t sure if his history between 0-6months?

Do you recommend any specific brands of hay?
 
ColPer said:
Thank you for all the above,

He weighs 2.5kg and his weight is pretty consistent.

He’s currently in the vets with stasis and as you can imagine I am besides myself with worry.

I wondered whether his guts are weaker than others? He is a rescue and we aren’t sure if his history between 0-6months?

Do you recommend any specific brands of hay?
Click to expand...

The favourite topic of us Rabbit slaves….What hay !

Honestly, it really is a case of trial and error. Some Rabbits like the stalky hay, others prefer the soft types.Over the years I’ve spent a fortune on ‘posh’ hays of all varieties from numerous retail outlets. More often than not my Rabbits have favoured the big bales of meadow hay I buy from an Equine Feed Supplier/Farm Shop. A huge 25kg bale costs about £5.00. I have also bought from some online retailers. Here are a few I recommend.

littlehayco.com

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Timothyhay.co.uk - Supplying the UK with Quailty Timothy hay

Fresh, quality Timothy hays. Grown in Central Scotland, our hay is loved by sheep, rabbits, horses. Striving to be the best fodder in the UK.
www.timothyhay.co.uk

haybox.club

Hay Box - Premium Quality Hay Direct from Farm | Perfect for Rabbits

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Hay & Natural Forage For Rabbits in Fife, Scotland | Hop To Forage

Hop To Forage shop for premium top quality hay & natural forage for rabbits and other small animals. Natural Foods for a Healthy Herbivore.
www.hoptoforage.co.uk www.hoptoforage.co.uk

One other thing you mentioned is that his poo output seems to be good but that it’s dark coloured. The idea that the only ‘good poo’ is golden boulders is a myth. The colour of the poo is a result of the type of grasses in the hay. As long as there are lots of good sized round fecal poo and no uneaten cecotrophs or messy bottoms then that’s fine.

Poo images !

 
Thank you! You have given us a lot to think about!!
Hopefully he will be home very soon and I can start really plugging hay and get on a better path! X
 
IM posted great advice, so I can only add lots of positive vibes that your bunny makes a full recovery. It can be so stressful to have a stasis prone bunny. You already are cleaning the litter tray twice a day, so that is a good way to watch for fewer, smaller, firmer, or misshapen feces so you can get him prompt care.
I hand feed a few pellets to gain trust and to check that my bunny wants to eat, because in my home refusing a pellet is one of the first signs the bunny is not well.
Sending you hugs.
 
Thank you! .. he’s home, we collected him this morning the vets said he was eating his hay like a good bun and being sassy!

Been home a few hours and picking at the hay and herbs I have dotted around the room! Definitely improved! He has also passed a few droppings although small! Xx
 
Hopefully he will continue to improve over the next few days. I hope that you have been prescribed ongoing medication to give him until his input and output is 100% back to normal x
 
Just a little update, he’s home and doing well *touch wood*
We have reduced his pellets and just giving him various hays, grasses and herbs. I definitely think he is eating more hay now, which is good.. but I also have a deep set fear that he’s not getting enough and will get stasis again!

I have had rabbits since I was a child and I feel the more I know the more I worry!!
 
If you buy a set of digital baby scales you can weigh him a couple of times a week to make sure his weight is stable. You are obviously very vigilant about his output, which is just as important as input. Great to hear that he is eating more hay. If he goes out to graze on fresh grass the new growth spring grass should not be a problem as long as he doesn’t gorge on it. If he seldom has access to grazing fresh grass then I’d be very careful about how much spring grass he eats in one go. Spring grass is very rich and too much can cause bloat. Especially if the rabbit is not an all year round grass eater.

I hope that he will not have too many episodes of gut slow down now. People who think Rabbits are easy Pets to care for couldn’t be more wrong ! Rabbits cause me far more stress and cost me a lot more money than any of my dogs ever have. But I can’t imagine life without at least 2 Bunnies in it ❤️
 
InspectorMorse said:
If you buy a set of digital baby scales you can weigh him a couple of times a week to make sure his weight is stable. You are obviously very vigilant about his output, which is just as important as input. Great to hear that he is eating more hay. If he goes out to graze on fresh grass the new growth spring grass should not be a problem as long as he doesn’t gorge on it. If he seldom has access to grazing fresh grass then I’d be very careful about how much spring grass he eats in one go. Spring grass is very rich and too much can cause bloat. Especially if the rabbit is not an all year round grass eater.

I hope that he will not have too many episodes of gut slow down now. People who think Rabbits are easy Pets to care for couldn’t be more wrong ! Rabbits cause me far more stress and cost me a lot more money than any of my dogs ever have. But I can’t imagine life without at least 2 Bunnies in it ❤️
Click to expand...
Thank you!
I’ll order some scales now!

I swear he is more difficult to manage than my horse!! Haha but you’re right I couldn’t live without him!
 
I am glad he is doing well. You are doing a wonderful job and as IM says, being vigilant - monitoring food/hay input, poo and pee output, water consumption, and weight, will insure early intervention should his health change. Making sure he gets regular exercise, eats sufficient hay, and does not have any sudden changes in diet will minimize future stasis episodes.
Sending positive vibes he remains stasis free.
 
Thank you! I feel like I have struck gold finding this forum!

Just one more question.. everytime he has got stasis.. he has been absolutely fine up until the point he says he’s totally not fine ., there’s no gradual at deterioration.. to the point the last time he ate has breakfast snacks, hay and grass like normal and then within hours he was belly pressing and refusing everything (which we then shot straight to the vets)

But is that normal.. like 0-100?
 
I had one Rabbit who was exactly the same. It was as if he had an acute bout of colic where his intestines just went into a very painful spasm. He would tummy press and throw himself about. Rather like a horse with colic will want to get down and roll. There was no reduction of poo output prior to an attack. It would literally come on as if a switch had been pressed. He could recover just as quickly too. Sometimes within a few hours, sometimes a few days. But he’d go from me thinking he was dying to him being up and about munching hay as if nothing had happened.

My Rabbit Savvy Vet and an Exotics Specialist Vet advised that initially only strong opioid analgesia and fluids be given, not prokinetics. Prokinetics can sometimes actually cause a degree of griping pain as they kick start peristalsis and stomach emptying. Once the acute severe pain and potential systemic shock it can cause is under control then gut prokinetics can be given as long as an obstruction has been ruled out.For my Rabbit it was just cisapride, not metoclopramide.
 
Was hoping to have had it all under control.. but I just come back from my honeymoon and more poor boy has had stasis again 😞

He was with my mum, and luckily I have trained her perfectly and she shot straight to the vets and caught it early.

I went straight away and collected him yesterday and brought him home, and he seems ***touch wood!!!! To be eating and pooping but he’s a bit quiet

It seems every single time he moults! That’s the only recurrence


My question.. can I give him anything to help with the moult?? As he must be ingesting hair??

And brush recommendations?? I have tried a comb, a soft brush and a mitt .. with zero luck
I also purchased a furminator, which is good but hes too boney and thin haired and can’t stand it!!!

Thanks in advance .. feeling very defeated ☹️
 
Just increase the frequency of grooming when he's in moult. Mine live outside and it helps if there is a gentle breeze to take away the loose fur as I groom them.
 
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