# Rabbit absolutely REFUSES to be syringe fed Critical Care?



## Indiana0124 (Apr 11, 2021)

Bjorn will NOT take Critical Care, and he really needs it because he's barely eating (just eating lettuce and occasionally pellets, not touching hay). He just spits it out. We've tried everything: using a smaller syringe, mixing apple juice, holding him, using honey on the tip. Everything. I'm at my wit's end. If anyone has any advice, that would be awesome.


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## Indiana0124 (Apr 11, 2021)

By the way, he's on Reglan, Meloxicam, and antibiotics. We adopted him two weeks ago.


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## Catlyn (Apr 11, 2021)

What's wrong with him as he's having antibiotics and painkillers? Did he come from surgery? Have you talked to the vet about him lacking appetite? How long hasn't he been eating a lot? If it is more than 8 hours, he should be taken to a vet as soon as possible.
Critical care should only be fed if the vet says to, in the first place. As long as he is eating at least something, there would be no need to force him crit care. Poke some strands of hay through the lettuce, see if he likes it then, try hiding lettuce in his hay as well, or maybe give him a new portion of hay.
Did you observe him having a gassy, round, stiff belly? If so, did you give him (1-2ml/3hr/3hr/8hr gaps) simethicone-based medicine (infant gas drops being the most common) and gave him a belly massage?


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## Indiana0124 (Apr 11, 2021)

They're really not sure what's wrong with him, but he's been to the vet three times since we've adopted. They diagnosed mild GI stasis, which is why he is on Reglan and Meloxicam. I'm not really sure why they want him on antibiotics. They observed some redness on his tongue. Every time I've been to the vet, I've told them about his lack of appetite (and they call every few days). He didn't eat the first day we adopted him, so we brought him to an emergency vet, and he started eating. Then stopped again about 5 days ago. He eats lettuce and pellets (hours after I put them out). It's mostly just the hay.

Yes, he was prescribed the Critical Care. Thank you for the advice with the lettuce; I'll try that. I should also note that I've tried different types of hays.

He was diagnosed with mild GI stasis, but I didn't really observe the symptoms; however, I've never seen it in a rabbit before.


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## Catlyn (Apr 11, 2021)

What sort of vet are you going to? Here's a list on rabbit-savvy vets, there should be few around your area too, randomly giving antibiotics to gi-stasis feels weird to me, but i've never had direct experience with it, have been lucky thus far to only get gassy bouts every now and then.
@JBun Is the one most knowledgeable about rabbit health and wellness around this forum, she would be able to give you additional pointers.





Rabbit Vets Near Me – House Rabbit Society







rabbit.org


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## Indiana0124 (Apr 11, 2021)

Thank you! Yeah, I have a list too, and they all know my name now because I've been trying to get an appointment for Bjorn. x) This vet is pretty good, I've been using them for around 8 years for a few of my animals, and they take me in short-notice, which is a big deal for me. They're definitely rabbit-savvy. I might call the other top one on my list and see what they think, but they have a waiting list of about two weeks. I might see if I can get an emergency appointment tomorrow. Thank you for the reference and info!


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## Blue eyes (Apr 11, 2021)

If CC (or any medicine, for that matter) is inserted _into the cheek area,_ the rabbit cannot spit it out but will swallow it. If the food is placed _in_ his mouth, he can spit it out. The key is to get small amounts into the cheek area (between the side teeth and the cheek). 
The following video may help demonstrate this:


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## Shmibunny (Apr 12, 2021)

It would be very important to find out why he has a GI stasis, but also right now, he really needs enough liquids and food to keep his tummy and body going.

I have had to give a lot of Critical Care to bunnies over the years, once in the case of a tooth root abscess while the bunny was healing post-op for several weeks. And the bunny did not want it and I was desperate, so I know how you feel. But somehow I figured it out in time. Still hard though! Something that really helped me was reading that *it's not usually the food itself the bunny hates, it's the stress of the situation how it's been given*. So while it's called "force feeding", it really, really helps to be as gentle as possible and not do it by force. Patience and trying different methods until something kind of works.

First of all, do you have a big feeding syringe with a long tip? Mix a teaspoon of critical care in a mug or cardboard cup with about 3 teaspoons of water and *spoon it into the syringe through the bigger end*. Then assemble (and push the air out the top). It's good to make the mixture a little runny rather than too thick because the bunny needs the water too and it's a lot more easier for him to eat and swallow. But if it's too watery, it won't give him a lot of nutrition.

Every bunny is different, but what has worked for my bunnies really well in giving medicine and food is by setting the bunny on top of a towel or blanket in my big office chair (it has arm rests so feels a bit like a big nest), or you could try an armchair. Sofa offers too many escapes. Then I sit in front of the bunny on a little stool or on the floor and I have great view and access to their little mouth and see what I am doing! My bunnies don't try to leap off the chair and I do not need to restrain them much during the process. My bunnies actually love the taste of critical care, taking it even voluntarily as a treat, but only when they are well. When ill, they do not want it.

So, I would usually have the bunny facing me, and then kind of corral their head gently with one hand and try to insert the food with the other. Only give about 0,5-1,ml at a time, and start with a tiny amount. With the long tip of the syringe, go in through the gap behind the front teeth and don't aim straight at the throat and also not straight to the the other side, but diagonally towards the opposite cheek. Be gentle and stroke the bunny and give them time to chew and swallow between mouthfuls. The bunny may resist, most do. Some bunnies throw their head up or turn around and some may tuck their chin down to their chest. Calm them and find the tooth gap and try to gently get some food in. You can ask another person to hold the bunny a little, but I find often this just makes the situation feel more stressful for the bunny and manage better on my own. Wrapping the bunny in a towel might help too, but I've not tried it. One of my bunnies takes the food best when I sit him with his left side snug against the back of the chair, and the feeling of this "wall" kind of holds him in place, and then I aim through the gap as usual. There comes a point in feeding when the bunny just wants no more food, and I will not fight beyond that point, but you do need to get something in every 3-4 hours if they aren't eating.

As for extra fluids, a lot of bunnies won't take plain water from a syringe and water is really hard to give if they don't want it (always be careful not to get it into the lungs), but if you mix it with a little unsugared baby food apple mash for flavour, I find buns will often lick it from a syringe. Sugar is not good, but this contains such a small amount and fluids are really important so the bowel contents or the bun won't "dry out."

Write down how much food and liquids your bunny is getting and at what times, and also keep an eye on his poop production and hopefully things will improve. Best wishes for your bunny.


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## Jill D (Apr 17, 2021)

One of My rabbits is on a daily painkiller for arthritis. It is fairly sweet but getting syringeinto his mouth every day wasn't fun for him so I found mashing it into some banana which he loves or melon /apricot or whatever was a much easier way to administer it.


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