BethM
Well-Known Member
My Nick has been fighting a mild GI Stasis.
He stopped eating Thursday night, wasn't better by Friday afternoon (I gave him some gas drops, usually that helps out), so he went to the vet. An x-ray showed a full stomach and a little bit of gas. He got sub-q fluids and a shot of Banamine, and I was sent home with Reglan, to be given twice a day, 1ml each time. I was also supposed to syringe fluids, Pedialyte, Ensure, water, etc.
Over the weekend, he did ok. He would take the Reglan, and the gas drops, which I continued, as well. He would barely tolerate anything else, and eventually wouldn't take any of the oral fluids. (I also tried babyfood squash, canned pumpkin, and pellet mush. All were a no-go, though he persists trying to nibble the linoleum.) By mid-day Monday, he just fought with me, tried to nip, and scratched at the towel he was burrito-d up in. So, off to the vet again Monday afternoon. (He had eaten a some parsley, and a few mouthfuls of hay, but not much more. Very few poops, the ones he had were tiny and tear-drop shaped.)
Nick is a feisty guy, very curious and must know everything that is going on, but doesn't like being touched at all. He runs away from me quite vigorously and is a master of escape. Being caught is an ordeal, involving much thumping, and he is pretty unhappy afterwards.
Another x-ray showed there was still something in his stomach, but no gas at all. He had also perked up noticably, so no Banamine this time. The vet tech gave him more fluids, and showed me how to do it at home. (The other option was to bring him in to get the fluids every day, I don't know how he would have handled that sort of treatment.)
The first time I tried the fluids, I poked myself with the needle trying to get the cap off, and again (different finger) changing the needle, and gave up.
The next night, I managed to get the fluids into him. I'm not usually squeamish, but I was *so* nervous I got light headed and nauseous. I stopped at about 40ml (the vet said 50-100) because I didn't want to pass out or throw up during the treatment.
He played for 30 or 45 minutes and seemed to be doing well.
He's more subdued today, but there's a lot of weather, my other bunnies are a little off, as well. Although he will eat some greens in the morning, it's not as much as usual, and I still haven't seen him drink water or eat a lot of hay. I'm getting a few poops, and some of them seem to have a core that's a solid mass of hair with just a thin layer of fecal matter around them.
I had another go at giving the fluids. This time I had my fiance help me, to turn on/off the drip. He was supposed to stop at "about 50." After he turned it off and I had the needle out, I looked at the markings on the bag and we'd only diven about 25 ml. I didn't want to stick Nick with the needle a second time, and decided some is better than none. Still not quite as active tonight, he played for a few minutes then settled down.
Anyway, I'm still pretty nervous about giving the fluids myself. I can feel the needle going in between the skin I'm holding, but have trouble holding the skin once the fluid starts building up. I try to keep the needle in the same position the whole time. He doesn't flinch at all when the needle goes in or during the procedure.
Is there any way I can hurt Mr. Nick? I just petted him, and it feels like the fluid has been absorbed.
I love him so much, and am terrified to hurt him. I spent most of my evenings afterwards laying by his pen watching him, I am so nervous.
But I feel like I should be able to learn to do this at home, so I don't have to traumatize him with daily vet trips until he's better.
Oh, and I'm supposed to give the Reglan until 2 days after Nick's appetite returns to normal, so he's still taking that. His companion has been a little distant, but she will try to steal food from him when he does decide to eat, and will still snuggle with him a little.
Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated, thanks, and sorry this is so long.
He stopped eating Thursday night, wasn't better by Friday afternoon (I gave him some gas drops, usually that helps out), so he went to the vet. An x-ray showed a full stomach and a little bit of gas. He got sub-q fluids and a shot of Banamine, and I was sent home with Reglan, to be given twice a day, 1ml each time. I was also supposed to syringe fluids, Pedialyte, Ensure, water, etc.
Over the weekend, he did ok. He would take the Reglan, and the gas drops, which I continued, as well. He would barely tolerate anything else, and eventually wouldn't take any of the oral fluids. (I also tried babyfood squash, canned pumpkin, and pellet mush. All were a no-go, though he persists trying to nibble the linoleum.) By mid-day Monday, he just fought with me, tried to nip, and scratched at the towel he was burrito-d up in. So, off to the vet again Monday afternoon. (He had eaten a some parsley, and a few mouthfuls of hay, but not much more. Very few poops, the ones he had were tiny and tear-drop shaped.)
Nick is a feisty guy, very curious and must know everything that is going on, but doesn't like being touched at all. He runs away from me quite vigorously and is a master of escape. Being caught is an ordeal, involving much thumping, and he is pretty unhappy afterwards.
Another x-ray showed there was still something in his stomach, but no gas at all. He had also perked up noticably, so no Banamine this time. The vet tech gave him more fluids, and showed me how to do it at home. (The other option was to bring him in to get the fluids every day, I don't know how he would have handled that sort of treatment.)
The first time I tried the fluids, I poked myself with the needle trying to get the cap off, and again (different finger) changing the needle, and gave up.
The next night, I managed to get the fluids into him. I'm not usually squeamish, but I was *so* nervous I got light headed and nauseous. I stopped at about 40ml (the vet said 50-100) because I didn't want to pass out or throw up during the treatment.
He played for 30 or 45 minutes and seemed to be doing well.
He's more subdued today, but there's a lot of weather, my other bunnies are a little off, as well. Although he will eat some greens in the morning, it's not as much as usual, and I still haven't seen him drink water or eat a lot of hay. I'm getting a few poops, and some of them seem to have a core that's a solid mass of hair with just a thin layer of fecal matter around them.
I had another go at giving the fluids. This time I had my fiance help me, to turn on/off the drip. He was supposed to stop at "about 50." After he turned it off and I had the needle out, I looked at the markings on the bag and we'd only diven about 25 ml. I didn't want to stick Nick with the needle a second time, and decided some is better than none. Still not quite as active tonight, he played for a few minutes then settled down.
Anyway, I'm still pretty nervous about giving the fluids myself. I can feel the needle going in between the skin I'm holding, but have trouble holding the skin once the fluid starts building up. I try to keep the needle in the same position the whole time. He doesn't flinch at all when the needle goes in or during the procedure.
Is there any way I can hurt Mr. Nick? I just petted him, and it feels like the fluid has been absorbed.
I love him so much, and am terrified to hurt him. I spent most of my evenings afterwards laying by his pen watching him, I am so nervous.
But I feel like I should be able to learn to do this at home, so I don't have to traumatize him with daily vet trips until he's better.
Oh, and I'm supposed to give the Reglan until 2 days after Nick's appetite returns to normal, so he's still taking that. His companion has been a little distant, but she will try to steal food from him when he does decide to eat, and will still snuggle with him a little.
Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated, thanks, and sorry this is so long.
