# GI Stasis Treatment?



## kelilindsey (Dec 3, 2012)

My nearly two year old mini lop Boots has had stasis earlier this year, so my vet prescribed metoclopramide to get his gut moving (.5 ml/cc every 8 hours for a week) and instructed I only offer strictly his normal hay- no treats, greens, or pellets. He got over it fine because he kept eating his hay and drinking water.

I went back four days ago because I believe he had it again. Dr. Barrett said it wasn't as bad as last time and gave me the same instructions as before, so I wasn't very worried. However, I'm really nervous now. He only eats maybe three strands of hay a day and poops very few tiny, dark, dry, hard pellets. The last time I saw him drink anything was yesterday morning. I'm extremely worried now. He still begs for pellets and treats, so I know he WANTS to eat- he's just being picky. I picked up some fresh timothy and mixed it with orchard grass today to entice him, but he turned his nose up at it.

I called Dr. Barrett this morning and asked him about it, and he told me I needed to start force feeding him a liquid mixture of his pellets and water. I only got maybe a half a cc/ml in him an hour ago. I'm really worried that if he doesn't start getting his much needed fiber, he will starve himself to death via stasis! Please, I want to know what I should do. Should I continue the syringe feeding? If so, how much and how often for a 3.3lb rabbit? Should I offer him greens just to make sure he gets water and nourishment? If I do, will he begin to eat normally or will I just be making things worse? Any help is greatly appreciated, but I'm definitely in need of some advice from someone with long-term bunny experience who knows how to nurse through GI stasis. Thank you!!


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## Watermelons (Dec 3, 2012)

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11931&forum_id=10


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## Ape337 (Dec 3, 2012)

If you are able to get some oxbow critical care to syringe feed it's a great nutrient boost, and will keep energy into him. It's also high in fiber. My bunny Freckles has had a roller coaster ride of digestive issues and critical care is what sustains him. I get apple banana flavor and he just eats it from a bowl, no syringe needed. He hates anise flavor though.

If your bun has gas issues it's good to have baby gas drops on hand too. I can't remember the dosage but hopefully someone will stop by and give it. Hope your bun feels better soon!


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## JBun (Dec 3, 2012)

Sometimes stasis issues can be caused by tooth problems. Have his back teeth ever been checked for sharp points? I'm just wondering cause usually when they won't eat their hay, they also won't eat pellets, but when they have sharp points on their teeth, a lot of times they will stop eating hay because it hurts to eat.

As for the stasis problems, didn't your vet give you any powdered critical care food mix? That's a common thing to be given when you have a rabbit with stasis problems. It's easier to feed to them then the mashed up pellets, but you can do the pellets. You could probably get some from your vet if you asked. Are you giving him any other meds like metacam, simethicone? Is he still acting like he's in pain from gas or the blockage, or is the issue now just making sure he's eating? I don't know why your vet wouldn't want you giving him greens with the stasis issues. I've found leafy greens to be one of the best things for my rabbit when he had stasis problems. Leafy greens were one of the first things my rabbit would eat when he wasn't feeling well, plus they give added moisture in their digestive system, which is something the rabbit really needs. If it were my rabbit and I was over the crisis stage of no pooping and no eating, but he just isn't eating or drinking enough, I would be feeding as many leafy greens as he would eat, and syringe feeding critical care food( or mashed pellets in your case). If your rabbit puts up a fuss about eating it, you just have to be insistant. I would get a firm hold on him, some people will do a bunny burrito, and slowly squirt little amounts into the side of his mouth, giving him a chance to chew and swallow each little amount. If he's not drinking enough then you have to syringe water too, but do it slowly and carefully so he doesn't aspirate the water. I would just mix extra water into my rabbits food mix instead. I found it easier then syringing water to him. I have a 3 lb rabbit and I was syringe feeding him 12-15cc of food mix with extra water added to it or 6-9cc without extra water in it, every 3-4 hours. As he started eating more on his own, I started syringe feeding less. If he was drinking on his own then I just didn't add extra water to the food mix. I would recommend the critical care though, if you don't have it and can get some.

Your rabbit needs food and water though, or he will most likely develop stasis again. If he doesn't start eating on his own in the next couple days, you may want to think about getting his teeth checked if it's not something that you have already done.


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## Bunnylova4eva (Dec 3, 2012)

Several things you could try:

1. Make a pellet/water slurry (gorund up and mixed)
2. Oxbow Critical Care also is really really helpful for stasis
3. Syringe lots of water in by mouth.
4. Sub-Q fluids. Give Sub-q's and if you can't yourself, call the vet first thing tomorrow and have them do it for you. It has made a HUGE difference with my bunnies who have had stasis.
5. Greens wet with water. This gets extra water if you rince them first but also the veggies really help. I put shredded carrot on top to entice them all the more. I gave unlimited to get things moving and after a cup or so of greens my bunny (temporarily at least) started pooping (though she did go back into stasis again a time or two after)
6. Exercise. Do anything you can to encourage the bunny to hop around. The more moving around the better for the tummy
7. Simethicone. (i.e. baby gas-x drops). Some people find this to really help though other debate how much it does. I've found it to seem to help mine so it's definitely worth a shot.


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## MarilynBUNNroe (Dec 3, 2012)

I have dwarf bunnies who are prone to stasis. In the beginning they would get it every 2 or 3 months. One didn't go to the bathroom for 9 days!! She would nibble on greens. But, that was about it. I gave her subq fluids twice a day, childrens gasx by syringe, and tried to syringe feed critical care mixed with applesauce.

I quickly realized it was the pellets. My bunnies problem wasn't mobility. It was dehydration. I stopped the pellets and not one of my bunnies has had stasis since. That was over 5 years ago. Many bunny owners do not feed their bunz pellets. I'm not saying it's for everyone. But, it was the answer for my bunz.

My vet wanted me to bring my bunny who didn't poop for 9 days in. He felt that the only thing to do was put her down. I was devastated. My friend is a rabbit savvy vet tech and as a last resort, we gave her a baby glycerin enema. Can you believe it worked!! She was pooping within 2 hours. 

Please keep us updated on your sweet bunny.


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## Bunnylova4eva (Dec 3, 2012)

MarilynBUNNroe wrote:


> I have dwarf bunnies who are prone to stasis. In the beginning they would get it every 2 or 3 months. One didn't go to the bathroom for 9 days!! She would nibble on greens. But, that was about it. I gave her subq fluids twice a day, childrens gasx by syringe,Â  and tried to syringe feed critical care mixed with applesauce.
> 
> I quickly realized it was the pellets. My bunnies problem wasn't mobility. It was dehydration. I stopped the pellets and not one of my bunnies has had stasis since. That was over 5 years ago. Many bunny owners do not feed their bunz pellets. I'm not saying it's for everyone. But, it was the answer for my bunz.
> 
> ...



Good thought; that brings me to something-if your bunny doens't already have a water dish vs. a water bottle, I'd put one in there. Many bunnies like it so much more (from my experience) and drink much more out of it.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 4, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice!

I had my vet check his teeth really thoroughly a couple of weeks ago. He said the front teeth were the right length and well-aligned, and the back teeth didn't have any spurs on them. I had him check because he wasn't eating as much hay as usual (he normally goes crazy when I put fresh stuff down morning and night). He said he had a slight ear infection and gave me drops to put in his ear, also saying that the discomfort could have discouraged him from eating much. He'd lost some weight since the last time I brought him in, so I had increased his pellets from 1/8 to 1/4 cup. I think that might have been why his gut slowed down. Also, on Thanksgiving, my family fed him a couple cups of dandelion greens. It all seemed to slow down from there. Can dandelions bloat my bunny and make him not want to eat, or am I just too paranoid?

I have simethicone on hand. I've been giving him some to make sure he's not gassy.

My vet didn't offer me any Critical Care either times I've been there for stasis. When I called him earlier today to explain his refusal to eat hay, he mentioned it but said pellets and water were just as good (I seriously doubt that, though- will be looking for some tomorrow). Every couple of hours, I have my sister hold him steady in a bunny burrito while I let him swallow as much as he will allow of the mashed mixture (which is only about 2ml). I also try to give him extra water.

Also, to get more liquids in him, my vet suggested a small bowl of fresh pineapple juice. My bun laps at this once in a long while (about twice a day). I juiced an apple to try to encourage him to drink something, and he gulped up the whole thing pretty quickly. I want him to take the sugar in moderation, though (don't want any long-term problems after this).

My vet said not to give him any greens to encourage consumption of hay, but I've given him a few leaves soaked in water... and Boots eats them up with no problem! I honestly don't know why he's rejecting the hay. When I open the hall closet that contains his food, he still runs up and begs for the pellets- but I don't give him any because I don't want to worsen any impaction.

He has a water bottle he loves, or used to. He's not using it at all anymore since the stasis, but I've caught him drinking some from the bowls I have out.

He's nibbled at the fresh timothy hay I have in various places, but not a lot.


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## JBun (Dec 4, 2012)

The critical care is something you have to get from a vet or order online. Pretty much no stores carry it.

Ok, this is where me and a lot of other people differ when it comes to digestive problems. Others, when their rabbit is having a problem and not eating will give pineapple or other sugary things, for enzymes or to encourage eating. I personally don't like to give anything sugary, if at all possible. The reason why is because of what I've read about GI stasis, and also my experience with it with my own rabbits. I used to feed my rabbits a little bit of fruit for a treat, until one of my rabbits died from stasis. I know the fruit helped bring it on, and I didn't understand what stasis was to know to recognize the early symptoms. Then I got a new rabbit that developed it from the stress of being in a new place. He got better, but kept having problems until I took him off pellets completely. He wasnn't used to hay and wouldn't really eat it, so I ended up finding a plain hay pellet that I could feed him, that he would eat. I figured it was the sugars and grains in his regular pellets that kept giving him problems. So I'm very leary of adding any sugars to a rabbits diet when it is experiencing digestive problems.

If you are just giving him mashed pellets and he's willing to eat the dry ones, I would just let him eat the dry pellets on his own. Probably don't let him have too much, but no sense in you trying to squirt it into his mouth when he's willing to eat it himself. 

I can't think of why he wouldn't eat his hay if he doesn't have tooth problems. You didn't recently change hay or by a new bag of it, or anything like that? You could try getting a new bag of hay or a different kind, see if that works. If he won't eat hay, I would think it would be much better for him to be at least getting leafy greens than nothing at all. I don't know about the dandelion leaves. I've heard of turnip greens causing digestive upset with some buns, but I guess it's possible the dandelion might not agree with your buns stomach. 

But definitely try a different hay and see if that helps.

Here's a good article on GI stasis if you're interested.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html


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## kelilindsey (Dec 4, 2012)

I think my feed store carries some Critical Care, but if they don't I'll pick it up from my vet.

What you said about the pellets makes sense. I just want to make sure he's getting enough water.

I'll go out and buy some fresh, leafy greens in the morning. I'll update tomorrow!


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## Bunnylova4eva (Dec 4, 2012)

Another quenstion/idea:

What type(s) of hay do you have? One thing our vet does is he always recomends people buy several different types (Timothy, Orchard Grass, Botanical, Oat hay etc. as this tends to interest the bunny more and sometimes really helps tempt them.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 5, 2012)

All right. So Boots is still showing little interest in his hay, which I have timothy and orchard grass. I bought some Critical Care in apple and banana flavor and have been feeding it to him today. He still has tiny poops, but he made just over 20 today.

I also went to a feed store and brought home some alfa alfa to see if he'd be tempted by that. He ate a couple of pieces this morning, nothing more. I'm really worried that he'll never get back on hay.


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## JBun (Dec 5, 2012)

I have a couple thoughts. First is that with him being hungry but won't eat his hay, there's got to be something more going on here. He used to eat his hay before all of this, right? I know you said that the vet checked his teeth, but what about an xray? With the ear infection present already, maybe there's something else going on in there too, like an abcess or something like that, that causes him pain when he tries to eat hay. If he still won't drink much, my other thought is maybe a UTI. Has he had any pee accidents or other urine issues?

If he'll eat pellets, but you don't want him eating too many and getting sick again, you can try and do what I had to do for my bun after he got sick and I had to take him off pellets. My bun was new and wasn't used to eating hay at all at his previous home, but I had to take him off pellets because they kept making him sick, but he absolutely wouldn't eat hay. So I found a pelleted feed for horses that was made from just plain timothy hay and alfalfa hay, and it didn't have supplements or vitamins added to it. It's worked really well for my bun. You could see if your feed store has something like that. They may even have a bag of it that is just timothy hay pellets. Just make sure it is made from only hay with nothing else added to it. The pellets are a bit bigger then normal rabbit food, but my rabbit doesn't have any problems eating it.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 5, 2012)

He didn't take any x-rays, and I'm not sure if it could be a UTI. I'll see about scheduling an appointment for that today.

I'll go back to my feed store to have a look for those pellets.

I noticed he's still pooping, but it's small and some are stung with fur. I've got him drinking lots of water, but I have to spike it with fresh apple juice. I'm still feeding the Critical Care. He really likes the flavor now. I wrap him up in a towel, and squeeze out little by little while he laps it up.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 5, 2012)

All right. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Barrett for tomorrow at 2:00 PST. I'll have him look for any more "hairballs" for sure. However, Boots isn't eating hay, and I haven't seen any signs of fresh urination in much too long (but he's drinking plenty). What should I ask him to check for or do?

Edit: I also brought up to the vet that he had been sneezing lately, but he didn't really seem concerned about that.


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## GreenApple (Dec 6, 2012)

your bun needs pain medication. 
I had the same problem and my vet said that pain is what stops bunnies from eating. Ask your vet for some pain medication and force feed until your bun starts eating on its own and you see a change in the pellets. I was also told to give my bun some laxatives to help her eat but again, ask your vet. The pain medicine is a must!


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## JBun (Dec 6, 2012)

Well, ask about him having possible problems urinating, about his poops not being normal, about how he will eat pellets and veggies (right?) but won't touch his hay that he used to eat just fine before this. Ask about his teeth and if there could be an abcess causing the eating problems, possible xray, ask about the ear infection and if that is causing the eating problems. If your bun still has the ear infection, you should probably have oral antibiotics, maybe pain meds(metacam), and probiotics.

Sorry if this is too late. I just noticed the time and didn't see your post before now.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 7, 2012)

I had tried to see another rabbit doctor in the area, but he wasn't in when the receptionist told me to come the first time and the second appointment he cancelled. So I just went back to Dr. Barrett yesterday at 2pm PST. He rechecked his mouth and said the teeth were perfect, and there was no chance of an oral abscess. He felt his stomach and said it didn't feel perfect yet, but it was definitely over 50% gone. He told me to keep doing what I was doing and to offer him a wider selection of fresh hays for another week. He wants me to come back in if he's not back to normal by the end of the week.

I asked him about pain medication, but he said the dosage of metochlopramide was too small to give him any cramps. I asked about x-rays, and he said since he seems to be getting better to just keep going and we can always do all the tests next week if he's still not eating hay.

He also told me to stop putting apple juice in his water because of high sugar content, but he's also the one who suggested I offer him straight pineapple juice. I think I'm going to offer him water with a significantly smaller amount of juice in a smaller dish several times during the day since he seems to be storing a large amount of urine when I offer him a normal bowl. Dr. Barrett said he wasn't running a fever, so a UTI was unlikely. In fact, I suspected it was because his littler boxes were filled with hay (due to my multiple attempts to entice him with new piles). So I cleaned everything out, and he hasn't had any accidents since. He's also pooping a LOT (they're even bigger and more uniform in shape and size), so I'm super happy about that. After I cleaned it out, he hopped into the litter box and dropped about 11 poops! I checked again and hour later, and there were 23 in there. There were also 8+ in his cage litter box (I keep the cage open to allow free roaming).

I went to my feed store, and they'd just run out of timothy pellets and will be getting more tonight. I'm going to go back and grab some of that along with some more fresh alfa alfa.

He does seem to be laying stretched out and flat, though. Is there a generic pain medication I can find at the pharmacy that would be safe for him? Also, I feed him Critical Care every two hours (2-3 tsp) with some water to chase it (1/2 tsp). Am I giving him too much? I don't want him to have a tummy ache.


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## wee willie (Dec 8, 2012)

My rabbit developed gas statis yesterday and I took him to the vet immediately. I am wondering if it is the pellets. I have been giving him Pfau pellets and he eats them up. The vet said his poop was full of bacteria. I read on one of the forums that Pfau had a problem with their pellets a few years ago and a lot of rabbits died. I have removed all Pfau pellets. Anyone else have problems with Pfau?


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## JBun (Dec 8, 2012)

I had hoped you would be able to get a second opinion from a different vet as I'm not entirely sure of some of the things this vet is saying, but oh well, you tried. The pain meds has nothing to do with cramps from the other med, but would be for stomach pain from gas from having stasis problems, which is why they stop eating. But as long as your bun keeps eating then you should be ok without them, but they are pretty nice to have on hand, in case this kind of thing happens again. But metacam is really the best pain med for rabbits, and you have to get that from the vet.

The xray would have been nice to be able to see if maybe there might be a problem with any of the teeth roots growing up into the nasal cavity or some other area it's not supposed to be growing. If you are still having problems and have to take your rabbit back in, if it were me, I would definitely be going to a different vet. 

The vet is right about the apple juice though, but recommending pineapple juice doesn't make sense either. Continually giving sugar isn't good, but him not drinking also isn't good. You could try to just add extra water to his critical care food. And if he's not eating really on his own, then you do need to keep feeding the critical care. 

The timothy pellets would be if he still won't eat hay on his own. If you do get that bag of timothy pellets, just make sure it's made from plain hay with no added vitamins in it.

I'm really glad his poops are getting to be more normal and more frequent. That's a good sign.


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## JBun (Dec 8, 2012)

wee willie said:


> My rabbit developed gas statis yesterday and I took him to the vet immediately. I am wondering if it is the pellets. I have been giving him Pfau pellets and he eats them up. The vet said his poop was full of bacteria. I read on one of the forums that Pfau had a problem with their pellets a few years ago and a lot of rabbits died. I have removed all Pfau pellets. Anyone else have problems with Pfau?


 
Wee Willie - it's possible there is something wrong with those particular pellets, but it can also be that he is just developing a problem to pellets in general. Rabbits can get stasis from too many carbs and sugars in the diet. If you don't feed him any treats, then it could be the carbs and sugars in the pellets. You may have to take him off pellets for a while til your bun is all better. Just remember if you change pellets, to gradually introduce the new ones over a couple weeks to give his digestion time to get used to the new food. I wouldn't do this til your bun is feeling completely better though. Just feed lots of hay for now, and veggies if he's used to them, but avoid all carbs, sugars, starches(like carrots), and grains.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 8, 2012)

He's definitely feeling better- very active and hungry. I no longer have to hold him to keep him still for the Critical Care, and his pooping is out of control (lol). Yet, he still ignores the hay. He's not very excited about greens, either, but he eats them anyway (slowly). I'm going to try to see the other vet again and hopefully see if there's something more to his sudden pickiness.

I'm worried about his sneezing. He sneezes not quite often but enough to be noticeable. I wonder if he has something stuck in his nose. I definitely want an x-ray if he's not back to normal within the next five days.


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## JBun (Dec 8, 2012)

I've heard of some rabbits having sneezing problems and the vet found a big piece of hay stuck up the nose. Definitely a possibility. Could also be an allergy. Has it gotten worse since you switched to a new kind of litter?

If he does have something painful in his mouth area that is causing him to not want to chew, then he's probably really glad to have the critical care since he can basically swallow it without having to chew much. I still think that vet may be wrong about what's going on with your bun. I just can't see your rabbit being so hungry and wanting to eat, but still won't eat hay when he always did before, and reluctantly eats veggies. It may not have to do with his teeth, but I still think there is something more behind him not wanting to chew things. Especially if after another week, if he still isn't back to eating like normal, there definitely has to be something more going on. I'm glad you're going to try to get into the other vet. You may want to ask this new vet for some metacam to just have on hand in case your bun starts feeling sick again. And his pooping sounds like it's back to normal, so I doubt digestive issues are the problem anymore. It's pretty funny actually, that having a rabbit pooping normally is such a relief. I know it was for me when my bun had been sick.


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## Imbrium (Dec 8, 2012)

about the critical care... I would get the apple-banana flavor - it seems fairly common for them to loathe the anise flavor (mine hate it, too)

pedialyte can also be offered (or syringed) to help with potential dehydration issues - it's a bit healthier than juice


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## kelilindsey (Dec 9, 2012)

I haven't switched his litter at all. I've always used the Carefresh Natural. I do hope it's a simple issue like a stuck piece of hay. :/ I definitely want to see the other bun doctor since the one I'm used to isn't really giving me any answers as to the initial cause of this whole mess. There must be something. He loves hay. I don't like that the vet never even suggested having him x-rayed until I asked about it.

I tried offering him some of the pure timothy hay pellets today, and he doesn't want them. He's still wanting his usual pellets, though he's gotten more reluctant. I'm getting increasingly agitated with the feed stores, though. It seems they don't know what I'm asking for. I tell them I want fresh hays for my rabbit, and they keep directing me to their supply of packaged hays. I'll probably end up having to buy a bale. lol

Luckily, my vet gave me the apple and banana flavor of Critical Care. If they didn't, I was going to ask for it anyway because I'd heard that some bunnies do not like the anise flavor. Boots is now eating it freely. I still have to syringe him some water, but he has no signs of dehydration. I'm just trying to prevent it from happening just in case.  I wonder if he'd drink Pedialyte willingly. Has anyone else had a bun who would do this?


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## tmaddox9 (Dec 9, 2012)

Working with a rescue I get to care for the sick bunnies. Our vet has never told us to cut out pellets or greens when we have a rabbit with stasis, which is often. We do cut out sugary treats but offer greens frequently and continue to feed pellets. Your bun needs a motility med and a pain med like banamine...especially a pain med. I would feed him greens and pellets....make sure it's high quality Timothy based pellets and no gas causing veggies like broccoli....that will stress him less than force feeding and stress equals increased likelihood of stasis. Keep the greens really wet. Continue to keep hay available also. Sometimes I flavor the water with weak peppermint tea or pineapple juice. I don't give it to them full strength, too much sugar. If your bun has frequent bouts of stasis and its not a dental issue, consider checking liver enzymes. We recently had a bun with frequent repeated bouts of stasis. Each time we would treat with simethicone, mineral oil, stomach massage and a warmer for his belly. Turns out it was liver pain not stomach pain that would keep him from eating and bring on the stasis. Having said all this, if he won't eat greens, pellets or hay then you need to syringe feed him critical care and he may need sub Q fluids. Our vet usually prescribes reglan and benebec also. Benebec restores the proper gut flora. If he has formed a blockage, hydration is of the utmost importance so get fluids in him. Try mixing some canned pumpkin with the critical care...make sure it is 100% pumpkin and not pie filling. This will make the bunny more likely to want to eat from the syringe. Most don't like just plain critical care or ground pellets. The idea is to keep the gut moving...rabbits that don't eat for even a few days can develop liver lipidosis or fatty liver disease. Milk thistle is a good support for the liver during stasis. I use the non alcoholic milk thistle extract, just a couple of drops.


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## Imbrium (Dec 9, 2012)

kelilindsey said:


> I'm getting increasingly agitated with the feed stores, though. It seems they don't know what I'm asking for. I tell them I want fresh hays for my rabbit, and they keep directing me to their supply of packaged hays. I'll probably end up having to buy a bale. lol



packaged hays and entire bales are the only two options I've ever seen at feed stores. a bale's a really cheap way to go and will keep for a long time (that's how a LOT of people on this site buy their hay). you can store it in plastic storage tubs, big (unscented) garbage bags or bale bags (I got mine from this site - http://www.tackwholesale.com/bale-bags-c-11.html ... the cheapest shipping option is crazy-fast (mine shipped within a couple hours of placing the order and arrived in 2-3 days). I went with two half-bale bags so that they'd be easier for me to haul into the house and so that I could stack them to take up less space (the feed store cut the bale and split it into the two bags for me free of charge)).

just ask what they sell by the bale - don't ask for hay for your rabbit 'cause they're going to take you to the tiny little bags, lol. I usually get asked what I'm buying a single bale for and they always seem surprised when I say it's for a pair of bunnies - I guess most people don't realize just how much hay they eat.

if you don't have room for an entire bale, you could always ask them to cut it in half and only give you half (you'd still pay for the entire bale but at $10 or so for an 80 lb bale, you still come out way ahead compared to pre-packaged stuff even if you only take half).


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## JBun (Dec 9, 2012)

Oh sorry, I guess the switched litter must have been another thread. 

Boots doesn't have any signs of stasis anymore right? He's not hunched up in pain, and his poops are frequent and looking pretty normal now? So it's just that he doesn't want to eat anything anymore that requires chewing, but he'll eat his critical care food just fine? Yeah, it just has to be something with his mouth head area, that hurts him to chew too much. Especially if he isn't wanting his regular pellets either now. Well, at least you've got the critical care and he likes it. 

You may want to hold off on the pedialyte and just use it if you think he is dehydrated and needs the electrolytes. It'll just add extra sugars into his diet that you might not want for now.

If the poor guy doesn't have hay stuck up his nose, it could be some other thing in his environment that could be causing the problem. I've heard of certain litters or certain types of hay causing allergies and sneezing with some rabbits.

I was thinking that if there is a sensitive tooth causing all this, I know when I have a tooth bothering me, that cold water seems to make it hurt. Maybe that is why he is reluctant to drink on his own. You could try some lukewarm water in his dish and see if he'll drink that on his own.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 10, 2012)

All right. I tried to get an appointment with the other vet, but he's out until Thursday (what a flake!). So I called Dr. Barrett, and he asked me to come in immediately. Boots has gained an ounce of weight (yay), and he confirmed there's no longer an impaction in his stomach. He said he felt a bit gassy, but not much.

He took a look in his nose, and he said he thinks it's probably allergies but gave me an antibiotic and some ProBac just in case of an infection. He told me to give him .8ml/cc once a day of the antibiotic and a pea-size squirt of BeneBac. He said antibiotics could upset his stomach, though, and I'm trying to get him to eat more. :I Any advice??

He told me to mist his hay to get the dust to stick to it instead of kicking it up.

Edit: By the way, the antibiotic is Baytril (Enrofloxacin).


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## JBun (Dec 10, 2012)

If it's allergies, the antibiotic won't do anything? I only will do antibiotics if absolutely necessary because it can cause problems with the digestive system, then you would be dealing with the poop and eating problems all over again. I personally would have just waited til thur. to see the other vet since your bun is eating and pooping ok, or I would try to just find a different vet all together. It just doesn't sound to me like this vet really knows what he's doing with rabbits. Did he even do an xray of your rabbits head this time, to look for potential tooth problems? I'm less concerned with a little bit of sneezing, and more concerned with a rabbit that doesn't want to eat anything anymore, besides the soft mushed up food that your feeding him. If an abcess or infected tooth were to be the reason your rabbit doesn't want to eat, then an xray would be the best way, and maybe only way, to detect this. If this other vet seems like a better rabbit vet, I would hold off on the antibiotics and make an appointment for thur. and see this other vet. As long as your bun is eating and pooping ok (and gaining weight), there's no reason you can't wait a few days. Or look for another vet entirely. It's been about 10 days, since your rabbit stopped eating and having problems, right? Long enough. If it was only a stasis problem, he would be fine by now, and eating on his own again.

You'll want to be careful about getting hay wet. If left that way if can mildew and make your bun sick. You could try just shaking it before giving it to your bun, to try and get some of the dust out of it, or switch to a less dusty hay. But he's not even eating his hay right now, is he? Plus if he really is allergic to the hay, then damping down the dust isn't going to matter all that much.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 10, 2012)

He's supposed to be really recommended and experienced with rabbits, but he's not very pushy with x-rays and blood tests. That does make me a bit uncomfortable because I heard Boots chattering his teeth in the car. An overgrown root or abscess can go undetected by the eye alone, and it can cause sneezing and refusal to eat, right?

I really do want an x-ray, but I'm in between jobs now and I doubt my parents will want to pay. I think I'm going to borrow the money from my boyfriend and get it done on Thursday at the other vet. Boots has never had a bad reaction to his timothy hay before, and is always a pig when it comes to feeding time. I think I will hold off on the antibiotics because the sound of them makes me nervous. I'll update later.


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## JBun (Dec 10, 2012)

Yeah, it could be the cause of the runny nose. And it would be like with people - the only way a dentist can see tooth problems with people, is with xrays. Molar spurs isn't the only tooth problem a rabbit can have, and the other problems need an xray to be detected. I will mention though, that if there is some sort of infection in the mouth that is causing your bun to not want to eat, then an antibiotic will probably be prescribed for it, along with whatever else they try to do to fix it. 

I want to make sure I have this right. Boots will eat the critical care food. Is he eating it on his own or do you have to syringe feed it to him? Is he eating any pellets, hay, or veggies? Is he drinking on his own?


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## kelilindsey (Dec 11, 2012)

He seems to sneeze every time he lays down or tries to get comfortable. :I hmmm

He won't eat the Critical Care unless I offer it to him by syringe. I don't think he likes getting his face dirty.  I haven't seen him drink any water on his own unless I offer some with a bit of juice in it. He's still refusing hay, but he's munching his pellets on and off. He's eaten quite a bit of the timothy hay meal pellets I got from the feed store the other day. I can sometimes get him to eat a dandelion leaf, but he eats it very slowly and it keeps falling from his mouth.


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## JBun (Dec 11, 2012)

Your bun is a bit of a mystery :? I'm trying to figure out what all these different behaviors indicate. Maybe it isn't his teeth. Clearly something is making him feel uncomfortable, or he would be eating on his own, but maybe it's not his teeth but something else. I guess his belly could still be bothering him even though he's pooping ok. Does he sit like he's feeling uncomfortable, like he might be having gas pain, does it look like he's straining to pee, any other abnormal behavior besides not wanting to eat or drink normally? 

That's really good about the timothy pellets. Maybe you could start cutting back on the critical care if it seems like he's eating more of those.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 11, 2012)

He's really confusing me, as well. I've scheduled an appointment on Thursday to see the other vet for an x-ray. He's sneezing quite often, and his nose is wet. The moisture is clear and thin, though.

He keeps laying flat out, but I'm not sure if it's from gas discomfort or him trying to get a better breath of air. I want to start with the Baytril and Benebac, but only if I know it's an infection because I don't want him to have more tummy issues. I need more simethicone. I'm still using the metachlopramide to keep his gut moving while he's not eating hay on his own. Do you think it will be safe to use with the Baytril? If I were to give him some tonight, is it okay to give him the Baytril and the Benebac at the same time? I'm not sure if giving him both simultaneously will kill the healthy bacteria in the Benebac.


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## JBun (Dec 12, 2012)

if you decide to start the baytril then make sure to keep giving it until your supposed to stop it or til you see the vet, unless it's making him sick or causing problems. You don't want to give the probiotics at the same time. You should give 1-2 hours after giving the baytril.

I was reading about one of the signs of pain being the rabbit dropping food out of their mouth, so it sounds like your bun is probably still experiencing pain from something. Did the vet ever give you metacam for the pain? If not, you may want to make sure this new vet gives you some. 

I really hope this new vet is able to figure out what is still distressing your bun. You may want to make a list of all the questions you have, for this new vet, just so you don't forget anything.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 12, 2012)

No, he never offered any pain medication. I'll write down all of my concerns for the vet and update after the appointment. Thank you!

Edit: I also got some more baby gas drops and are giving them to him now to see if he perks up a bit.


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## Imbrium (Dec 12, 2012)

ray:


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## kelilindsey (Dec 13, 2012)

Shoot. I've nearly run out of Critical Care (I'll run out in the morning), and the vet I'm seeing tomorrow doesn't carry it. I asked, and the receptionist said they only carry Science Diet (I believe that's for cats and dogs). I wonder if this vet is knowledgeable about rabbits as he claims if he does not carry Critical Care.


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## JBun (Dec 13, 2012)

Is your bun not eating enough of the timothy pellets, that you could stop the critical care? Couldn't you ask your other vet office if you could stop by to pick some up, if you're still needing it? Is this new vet on any of the 'good rabbit vet' lists, on this forum or HRS?


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## kelilindsey (Dec 13, 2012)

Yes, he's on http://harvesthomesanctuary.org/vet-list

It's just that the new vet is thirty minutes one way from me, and the one I've been going to is forty minutes from me in the opposite direction. lol I'm going to pick up some more from him, anyway.

He picks through the pellets, and he's eating about a half cup of them a day on his own. I also grind them up and add them to the Critical Care for extra fiber.

I can't help but wonder if he's allergic to my new laundry detergent. He sneezes every time he lays down, and all of his blankets and towels have been washed recently in our new Gain detergent and fabric softener. It is highly scented. If the x-rays come back with nothing to show today, I'm going to be washing everything in Dreft. He awoke me last night with a sneezing fit while he was laying with me on my bed (30+ sneezes in a row!).

I'll try anything to get my sweet bun to feel better. :bunny19


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## JBun (Dec 13, 2012)

1/2 cup of the hay pellets is pretty good. Do you think if you cut the amount of critical care he's getting, that he would eat more of the timothy pellets, or does he still seem to be reluctant to want to chew anything?

He could very easily be sensitive to your detergent. Instead of switching to dreft, maybe get a fragrence and dye free detergent, cause I think even dreft still has these things in it. Wouldn't that be great if that resolved his sneezing problems


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## kelilindsey (Dec 14, 2012)

Yes, that would be wonderful! ray:

I had the x-rays taken earlier today, and the vet found nothing wrong. He thinks it's allergies.

So I'm putting off the antibiotic, and I washed everything in my room in Tide Clear & Free. The sneezing hasn't been as persistent. I've heard a few soft sneezes, so I hope this was the answer. He dug around in his timothy hay but didn't eat any of it. I haven't given him Critical Care because my vet only had a sample of the anise flavor left, and he turned his nose up at it. However, he's eaten some hay pellets on and off and some wet dandelion greens.

He seems to have lots of energy; he's running around my legs and exploring the room. He's been ripping fur from his feet, but I assume it's from the stress of so many car rides and vet trips lately.


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## JBun (Dec 14, 2012)

Wow, I'm pretty surprised the vet didn't find anything! I wonder what Boots deal is with his hay right now :? Well, I guess as long as he's eating his hay pellets that's good. Good thing your feed store had some  

That sounds like good progress on the sneezing. Maybe if the allergies clear up he'll start eating hay again. Who knows with rabbits? They can sometimes get so fussy about things  I hope the feet thing doesn't become a problem.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 15, 2012)

Yeah, I hope he gets better soon. He's turning his nose up at all food right now, and he seems really uncomfortable.


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## JBun (Dec 15, 2012)

You could try some simethicone-1cc, in case he has some gas. Are you still feeding him critical care? What about veggies? Maybe one of those is causing the stomach upset. You could try cutting out the critical care, normal pellets, and the veggies and just feed him the hay pellets for a few days and see if it gets him feeling better, and eating and drinking better. Worth a try. Maybe one of those three things isn't settling well in his stomach.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 17, 2012)

I've been giving him the simethicone, and it seems to be working well.

He ran out of Critical Care, but I'm giving him ground-up pellets and water. He eats it out of the bowl. He's been eating his dandelion greens and carrot tops, and I even caught him drinking regular water from his bowl. He seems to be feeling better. I've actually been administering the ear drops I'd gotten a while ago for his minor ear infection, as I suspected it might still be bugging him. He eats some pellets out of a bowl but still no hay.

At least he's excited about food again. His poops are large and numerous once more (yay)! He's also very active, but I'm guessing it's from frustration (he's not yet neutered and has been friendly with his teddy bear all day). I'm slowly directing him to a sugar-free, hay-based diet once again. He seems to be cooperating for the most part. He's still sneezing a bit, but I'm hopeful and optimistic.


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## Imbrium (Dec 17, 2012)

yay, normal poops!


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## JBun (Dec 17, 2012)

That's sounding really good, especially him drinking. I'm really glad the hay pellets have worked out. It sure saved me when my bun was sick and wouldn't eat hay.

If you've started the ear drops and they are an antibiotic ear drop, you'll want to finish the whole course of them, that's usually a week or more, to make sure all bacteria is killed off so the bacteria doesn't have the chance to become resistant. Did the new vet happen to mention anything about the ear infection?


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## kelilindsey (Dec 18, 2012)

I cleaned the litter box out last night, and it was full by morning! He's also back to devouring greens in his usual wood chipper fashion. ;P

I'm glad they're working, too, though I'm afraid if he doesn't eat hay he'll need some other way to wear his teeth down.

It never came up. I didn't mention that he'd had an ear infection previously. I just guessed he still had it because he kept scratching. When I was originally given the drops, I was told to give it twice a day for five days. I believe they're called Tresaderm. Perhaps I didn't get enough drops down inside the ear the first time around. I'm using a syringe now, and that delivers the drops quickly without Boots noticing I have something in his ear.


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## JBun (Dec 18, 2012)

Nothing better than a full litter box 

I think once he's feeling completely better that he'll start eating his hay again. You could try chew toys, like willow or apple branches, but if he won't chew hay I don't know if he would chew those either. Maybe this whole ear infection thing is the culprit and once it clears up, he'll start eating hay again. If you have enough drops, you may want to give it to him for several more days, just to make sure it clears up this time round. You could ask your new vet whether you also need to be giving oral antibiotics as well. I always thought they did both for an ear infection, but I could be wrong. I try to avoid giving oral antibiotics just because it might upset the GI balance, but you definitely want this ear infection to clear up and not go on any longer, even if it involves having to give the oral meds.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 19, 2012)

Boots is still refusing hay but devouring pellets, veggies, and ground hay pellets with water. His sneezing is happening more often, though. I want to start the Baytril, but I'm afraid he'll stop eating if I do. Why do antibiotics upset their tummies? Is it gas? Can I counteract the effects with simethicone?

His eyes and nose are moist, but no discharge is showing.

On the plus side, I can't see his spine anymore as when he was in GI stasis. He's quite a hungry bunny. Just now, he tipped over his bowl full of timothy hay pellets and is chowing down.


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## JBun (Dec 20, 2012)

It's good to hear that he's putting weight back on. And it sounds like he's eating plenty. I still don't get the hay thing with him :?

Having the eyes moist along with the nose, makes me think either allergies or teeth(again). I don't even know if they would get weepy eyes with a bacterial infection. So if it's allergies or teeth, then the baytril isn't going to make any difference. The reason antibiotics can possibly upset their digestion, is because rabbits need to have a balance of good bacteria in their digestive system, and antibiotics can kill off the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria that they are targeting. So with the good bacteria getting killed off, it causes an imbalance, then food isn't digested properly which can result in GI problems. I would call your vet up and ask about the runny nose and weepy eyes. Maybe they will suggest giving the antibiotic. You may also want to mention about still trying to clear up the ear infection, when you call.


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## Imbrium (Dec 20, 2012)

if you do end up putting him on the antibiotics, you should give a probiotic with them to help prevent tummy upset. sometimes vets carry probiotics; if they don't, sometimes pet stores or feed stores do. (you want to wait a bit, a couple hours maybe?, between giving the probiotics and giving an antibiotic dose)


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## kelilindsey (Dec 20, 2012)

Oh, all right. I have that BeneBac that was given to me along with the Baytril.

My bun's hesitance to hay is really quite confusing, though. If it is just allergies, though, I don't want to introduce the Baytril. How would I help alleviate his allergies? I've already vacuumed, dusted, washed all the curtains and bedclothes in hypoallergenic detergent, and put an air purifier in the room. I haven't introduced anything new other than the Gain detergent that I will not be using again. Will it take some time for the fragrance to finally wear off, even though I've washed everything in Tide Free & Gentle?


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## Imbrium (Dec 20, 2012)

yeah, the benebac's the right stuff - it gets the good bacteria back in balance so the antibiotics shouldn't upset his system.

I forget if it's been asked/mentioned... have you tried other types of hay? sometimes they just don't want to eat a certain kind (or cut).

I dunno about the allergies, never had a bunny with them.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 21, 2012)

I've tried giving him other types of hay. Usually, I give him Kaytee Timothy Hay, and he used to eat it like crazy. Suddenly, he just stopped. I offered Oxbow Orchard Grass as well as fresh alfa alfa from my local feed store. He hasn't eaten any hay for weeks. I've been giving him pellets made completely from timothy hay meal from the feed store. He eats those a few times a day. I also grind them up and mix them with water.

Tonight, he made something that looked like broken up cecals, but he didn't eat them. :/


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## tolstoibunny (Dec 21, 2012)

My bunny stopped eating hay when he was sneezing. He even looked as if he had difficult time swollowing specific food. He got different antibiotics and eventually started to eat normally after the sneezing got more occasional. He didn't have anything wrong with his teeth. His vet suggested that the eating difficulties might be from sore throat (never heard rabbit could have this) or phlegm that comes from sneezing. He never had any discharge from nose, though. 

I think Tolstoi got some help from nebulizing treatment (just with saline solution) and saline nasal drops. He also had some medicine that was supposed to make the phlegm looser but I'm not sure it did any good. Have you tried boosting your bunny's immune system by giving him Echinacea tincture?


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## kelilindsey (Dec 21, 2012)

No, I've never heard of using that on a rabbit.

Do you think a vaporizer with some saline could help his sneezing?


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## JBun (Dec 23, 2012)

I think they were suggesting that maybe he needed an antibiotic. Maybe his reluctance to eat hay has to do with a sore throat. You could ask your vet about it. Though I don't like to give antibiotics unnecessarily, sometimes it is necessary to clear up an infection. Maybe Boots has some sort of infection and that's the cause of his strange avoidance of hay now. Just make sure to give probiotics 2 hours after antibiotics, if you do decide to do it. That will help with his gut not getting so messed up.


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## tolstoibunny (Dec 23, 2012)

As far as I know allergies are very rare in rabbits so I would definitely ask vet about a possible infection. My vet said it's fairly common that sneezing rabbits become picky eaters, though I had never heard this before. But she's one of the best rabbit vets I know. 

Echinacea can be given low dose for a week or so but I don't know if it can be used together with an antibiotic. I don't know what kind of vaporizer you have, but I used baby nebulizer that has a small mask. If your bunny doesn't fear the vaporizer (nebulizers are noisy) too much you could give it a go. The vapor shouldn't be too hot. Old style would be putting bunny in a carrier box and a pan with hot water outside the box and cover both with a towl. This should help if the sneezing is caused by some irritant or if there's phlegm in the bunny's nose.


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## kelilindsey (Dec 23, 2012)

He's been on Baytril and Benebac for three days now. We'll see how everything turns out. : )

10pm: .8ml Baytril
12am: pea size drop BeneBac


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## kelilindsey (Jan 2, 2013)

All right. It's been a while. The Baytril has made no noticeable difference in him whatsoever. He's still huffing/sneezing when he lays down, and his eyes and nose are still ever so slightly wet.

It's the eating I'm not very happy about. He's lost a lot of weight. I can tell because I can feel and see his spine and hipbones. I have to encourage him to eat what he does eat, and I have to force the rest (but he mostly lets it run out of his mouth). I don't understand what's wrong with him, and no one can seem to give me an answer. I have some more Critical Care coming in the mail for him. I'm hoping it will arrive in two days max. I've also placed an order for some fresh oat hay. I'm definitely not holding my breath, though. Unless some miracle happens, he won't even touch it.

It's hard just to get him to nibble on greens, and he's uninterested in pellets completely. I'm so frustrated.


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## JBun (Jan 2, 2013)

Can you go back to the vet? I think they need to thoroughly look at him, xrays and all, to try and figure out what is going on. There is something obviously wrong, more than simple GI stasis. There is something causing him to not want to eat. I'm so sorry he hasn't gotten better.


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## Imbrium (Jan 2, 2013)

baytril is a good broad-spectrum antibiotic, but if he's been on it this long and you're not seeing any improvement, that generally means it's time to have cultures done and switch to a targeted antibiotic.

I recently ordered some Sierra Valley hay - an 80% orchard/20% alfalfa mix that my girls (aka the pickiest hay-eaters EVER) are going absolutely nuts over. I'd all but given up on getting them to eat grass hay in any decent volume before I got this stuff. it's *incredibly* fresh and, while alfalfa isn't normally supposed to be fed to adult rabbits, it can be given in moderation for rabbits who need to gain weight. if you'd be comfortable with PMing me your address, I'd be happy to send you a small box of it to try out .


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## kelilindsey (Jan 2, 2013)

It's been much too long for him to be like this. I'm just hoping the Critical Care comes quickly. I'll be scheduling another vet appointment soon. I want him to go over the xrays he took earlier (he didn't show them to me before), take another look at his nose and ears, listen to his lungs, and do a cultures test.

I tried giving him fresh alfa alfa hay from my local feed store when he first started snubbing his timothy. He dug in it but ate very little.


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## tolstoibunny (Jan 2, 2013)

Have you read http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/rabbit_dental.pdf ? It's just one possibility but overgrown teeth roots can cause sneezing, runny eyes and pain so that bunny stops eating. It may not always be easy to see if the roots are overgrown.


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## JBun (Jan 2, 2013)

You may want to try giving him metacam. I'm assuming he's experiencing pain from something, so maybe metacam each day will help to control the pain and get him eating again. If you don't have any, talk to your vet about getting some for him. Another possibility is that the baytril is causing an upset stomach and him going off his food. You may want to ask your vet about taking him off the baytril to see if his appetite improves.


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## kelilindsey (Jan 3, 2013)

I had x-rays taken, and the vet said his teeth look normal. I'm going to have them fax the x-rays to a different rabbit vet, though, because when I asked him about the possibility of overgrown roots, he said that was impossible because rabbits' teeth don't grow upward. lol That made me less confident in him.

He's been off of Baytril for a long time. I only put him on it for a week, and the Benebac for ten days. During the appointment, I'm going to demand that he finds what is wrong with him. I'm tired of being shrugged off and shooed away as if nothing is wrong with my bunny. :I


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## JBun (Jan 3, 2013)

You know what, I wouldn't go back to that vet either. Here are two articles that talk about overgrown tooth roots.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=472
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

I'm not saying this is what is wrong with your rabbit, but clearly this vet must not know rabbits very well. Have you tried looking through the RO list of vets. You may be able to find a better one there. Don't let them tell you it's just GI stasis either. This has gone on for so long and there is clearly something deeper going on with your rabbit.

Lol, maybe that should be a question you ask the different vets, when you call to book an appointment over the phone, if they believe a rabbit can have overgrown tooth roots. If they say no, then tell them you will find a different vet, thank you!


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## kelilindsey (Jan 3, 2013)

Yeah. I'm pretty irritated about the underqualified vets in my area. The one who told me that said he was the expert on rabbits in this area, AND a rabbit breeder recommended me to him. Ha!

Well, if there wasn't a dental problem before, I fear there is now. He hasn't eaten hay in over a month, and I think his teeth might be getting too long. They appear slightly longer to me, and he's trying really hard to eat his dandelion greens, but they just keep falling out of his mouth! I'm scared that that's why he won't eat his pellets anymore, too. He's also dropping little, sticky cecals and not eating them.


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## JBun (Jan 3, 2013)

I really hope you can find a good vet really soon! He's gone far too long not eating well. A rabbit dropping food out of their mouth can be an indication of a tooth problem. I wonder if all along it really has been his teeth. I hope you are able to get him in before the weekend. Poor little guy! I feel so bad for him. He's been such a trooper though.


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## Imbrium (Jan 3, 2013)

ray:


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## HEM (Jan 3, 2013)

Our thoughts are with you and your bun
Hopefully, you find a quality vet that can give you some real answers and real help
We are hoping that your bun gets well SOON!!!


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## kelilindsey (Jan 8, 2013)

I looked for another experienced rabbit vet, but found none. I took him to his regular today, and found he'd actually gained 3 ounces since the last time I took him in. The vet said he appeared as healthy as could be. I had him thoroughly examine Boots's teeth, but he said there were no barbs or sharp points. He also said that he saw some long hay fibers he was still grinding with his molars. If that's true, then Boots might be eating some of the new oat hay while I'm not looking. I also had him check his ears to make sure that the minor ear infection he had was gone, and it was. He said that as long as he keeps gaining weight and pooping, I shouldn't be too worried. He said that he should start accepting hay if I keep switching it up and encouraging him.

I don't know how happy I am with this assessment, as I expected to find something wrong with him.

I noticed lots of dandruff on top of his head today. I hope it's not mites. They're very hard to get rid of. Perhaps my humidifier allowed a population growth?

Boots ate some of his hay pellet mush I prepared for him earlier. I hope his poops become bigger, as in the last few days they've grown smaller in both size and count. He's laying with me on my bed now, and seems content. I'll update soon on his condition.


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## sarah222296 (Jan 8, 2013)

If your bunny isnt eating you can mash up his pellets into a powder and mix them with some canned pumpkin and organic banana baby food with a little bit of electrolyte powder(you can find it in the baby isle at any pharmacy). Try and put it on a plate and see if your bunn eats it if not syringe feed it, my bunn is 3 lbs and i just went through stasis with her i gave her 2mls every 3-4 hrs except at night obviously. A big bowl of water is important too. Also if you dont have simethicone(baby gas drops) go get some, you can give 0.3mls first hour and than 0.1ml the next 3 than stop, the gas drops should help with pain from gas bubbles and make it easier for her to eat and drink. If your bunny is prone to stasis gas drops once a day 3 times a week are a good idea it wont stop the stasis from happening but it will keep the bunn eating most of the time.


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## JBun (Jan 8, 2013)

You may be able to find a better vet that is a little bit further away from where you are. I don't see how your rabbit can be considered healthy when he won't eat regular food and you have to prepare a pellet mush for him, and he doesn't have normal poops. The vet can't tell if your rabbit has a tooth root problem by a visual inspection. He would only be able to see that in an xray. Maybe you could find a vet that specializes in rabbit dental problems. 

Will Boots eat his pellets on his own or do you have to keep encouraging him to eat? What if you don't make his hay pellet mush? Will he just not eat?

I'm not sure of the dandruff. It may indicate mites. You could just keep an eye on it. It may somehow be linked to the other problems he's having.


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## kelilindsey (Jan 11, 2013)

I had x-rays taken, and he said everything looked in order but also stated that it was impossible for the roots to grow into the sinuses (to which I scoffed). I am giving him simethicone for gas and frequent tummy rubs.

He seems to be feeling a bit better, as he's starting to seek out food without my encouragement. He eats his leftover mush in between feedings, and he's eaten TONS of washed greens over the past two days. I can see a difference in his weight now, in terms of gaining. This morning I even caught him nibbling at the tasty oat hay I ordered from BinkyBunny. I'm now encouraging hay whenever I can.

I've noticed him doing the "bunny flop" a lot lately. It's adorable. I hope that indicates he's feeling comfortable.

I'll let everyone know how he's doing soon!


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## tonyshuman (Jan 11, 2013)

It can take a while to recover from stasis, so the course you're describing could just be a slower recovery from stasis. If the x-rays looked ok, that's a good sign. I would try to give probiotics as well.


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## kelilindsey (Mar 24, 2013)

Hey, everybody. I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update. I've been busy with so much stuff. My fiance moved back in with me, I'm gathering as much cash as I can....

Anyway, I took Boots to a specialist two hours away, and she gave him a thorough check up. She confirmed that the problem was his molars. They've been forced deeper into the jaw, and he has a lot of swelling in the bone. It could abscess very soon. Sadly, they weren't willing to make any payment plans with me, and the entire bill estimate was $3,361. I'm working nights at a gas station, and currently looking for a day job to pay for it. I signed up for Care Credit but was only approved for a $500 credit line, and the vet wants it in full at the time of the procedure.

He needs the tooth/teeth removed ASAP, and a major filing. He'll get an antibiotic bead in the gum to release concentrated medicine for two years. He'll need another culture test done to identify the types of bacteria in the area. He'll be kept overnight on IV and pain medication, then we'll take him home with some pain medication. Before all this can happen, he has to have Xrays taken (again) to see with tooth/teeth are causing it.

If anyone is interested in helping us out, I've started a fundraiser to help get Boots treatment faster. Here's the link:

http://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/w342/savebootsthebunny#

Thank you all very much for your love and support!


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## JBun (Mar 24, 2013)

I had been wondering what happened with Boots.

Wow!!! I can't believe it. We were talking about it being his teeth all that time, and there you go, find a good vet, and sure enough it's his teeth. I can't believe that it took a specialist to figure this out, and that ALL those rabbit vets missed it. You should email them and tell them that they were wrong about it not being his teeth. I just knew that he couldn't be having those eating problems for so long, without there being an underlying cause. Well, I'm really glad that you finally were able to find a vet that figured it out, but that sucks that it is going to cost so much. Is there maybe another dental specialist within a few hours drive, that you could get a second opinion from? It might be worth it if you could even just save a few hundred off that amount.


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## sarah222296 (Mar 25, 2013)

If you got approved for care credit try calling them and asking if they can increase your limit, most card companies will do it as long as your credit is good. i doubt you'll get 3grand but at best they could increase it to 1000$. You could also try discover card, they have a card thats interest free for a year. Every dollar helps if your bent on having the dental done. Honestly 9 out of 10 vets don't know what there doing when it comes to more than an eye infection in rabbits.


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## kelilindsey (Apr 2, 2013)

I wish I had found this specialist vet sooner. I had the money for it a month ago, and I feel so guilty for not getting this done. I shouldn't have trusted the veterinarian in Turlock. Boots had stopped eating for a week, and he couldn't seem to swallow his syringe feedings. He went into stasis pretty quickly, and I picked up some metaclopromide to get his gut moving again. I could hear stomach rumbles four days into using it, but he hadn't pooped in a couple of days. I figured he must have some hard poop stuck somewhere after his stomach.

I called the vet I went to a week ago and begged for them to do the procedure and set up a payment plan because Boots was obviously weak from his inability to eat. He acted hungry and thirsty, and begged for food but would only sniff his pellet mush and spit out his Critical Care and Pedialyte. He tried jumping on the bed twice and couldn't make it anymore. It took a long time to hear back from the doctor, so I called CareCredit to request an increase. Apparently, they're not open on Saturdays, so I could not get an increase. When I finally got a call from the receptionist at Bay Area Bird Hospital, she said there was no way they could do it without payment in full. She gave me the number to an emergency vet two hours away from me that may or may not have had a rabbit savvy vet. I gave Boots a few small enemas over the next 16 hours to try to hydrate the GI tract and possible impaction, but nothing came out. He started slumping on top of his plastic igloo, which worried me. It was a hard decision because he seemed to have some strength left, but I didn't want him to die in agony of starvation. I left at 5AM Easter morning and had him put to sleep at a local emergency vet.

I feel so guilty because I know I could have saved him a month ago, or possibly even then if I could get him to swallow something and start pooping. I don't know if I made the right decision, and I'll never get over this. He should have had another 6 to 8 years with us; it's not fair. I feel like I gave up on him.


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## JBun (Apr 3, 2013)

I'm so sorry about Boots. I'm so shocked to hear that he didn't make it. He was such a trooper and hung in there so long. If he wasn't swallowing or pooping, I don't know that there is anything else you could have done. But this didn't happen for your lack of trying. You'd been trying for months to get him the help he needed, but the problem was these vets that don't know what they are doing when it comes to rabbits. You took really good care of him, you tried to get him the help that he needed, that's all you can really do. You loved and cared about him, and I'm sure he knew that.


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