Critical care

[BACI]

What if anything do you guys add to the critical care to get them to eat it?? FYI pumpkin was refused already.... refused spit out and she hid her head under the towel. So, I am here to consult the experts?

:anyone

 

[Pipp]

My vet said to mix it with honey. Anything sweet. I think I tried banana, but I made the mistake of trying it plain, first, and Pipp hated it, and after that if she caught one whiff of it,no matter what I put in it, she recoiled.

Eventually I just mixed her regular pellets (soaked ina lot of water and apple juice I think) mixed with pumpkin and banana and she ate that.

Is it a stasis thing? She really needs hydration more than food, unless she's been without for awhile.

Hope she's okay...

sas

 

[pamnock]

I've had better luck using Nutri Cal. Far less of it has to be given, which puts the rabbit under less stress.

Pam

 

[BACI]

As far as I can tell it has been 24hrs but she was out of her cage all day yesturday so she did not drink water since then, my bad I was distracted and she comes and goes in her cage all day. Unfortunately, I was trying to get caught up on cleaning before our company today and I opened the door in the am as usual and did not notice until later in the afternoon that she had not gone back in her cage. Then I could not get her to eat or drink. I think she started feeling sick or pain during the day yesturday so she just stayed laying on the rug in my room instead of going back in her cage.

:bangheadI feel sooo bad. It turns out she has a bladder infection and a very gassy xray. So she is not eating or drinking. I forgot to ask the vet for pain meds but she gave her antibiotics and I can't find the sheet right now but another med that started with m for her bowel. I will call my vet in the am.

 

[Pipp]

Ooh, poor baby! And poor Baci!!

Gas and an infection?Did they mentiona SubQ kit? It's a bag of liquid, a tube and a needle that you put under her skinto keep herhydrated without having to force liquids.She needs to get a lot of liquids in herfor the infection and to keep her gut moving, although I don't know how thatworks with gas issues. You may want to ask about that in the morning.

Do you have access to Nutrical? It won't help with the hydration but she needs energy, and as Pam said, it's the best way to get a lot in her with the least amount of effort. It's made for cats and dogs, not rabbits, but it works, don't let the label scare you.

Unless it's bloat (unlikely), the Simethicone should really help the gas. I've seen that stuff work wonders.With mine, I was told they could havealmost a whole dropperful of Ovol every hour for three hours, andit's always gotten better beforethe third dose.

But I'm not sure why she'd have gas and if it's related to the bladder infection, I'm always suspicious when there's mulitple issues.

Will she drink carrot juice or apple juice? If you can get her eating veggies or a pellet slurry best to soak it well so there's as much water absorbed as possible.

Was the gut motility drug Metoclopramide?

Does she seem to be in pain? Grinding her teeth?

Keep us posted!

sas

 

[BACI]

Pipp saidid they mentiona SubQ kit?

Yes, they used one there. I will ask my vet tomorrow for one as well.

Unless it's bloat (unlikely), the Simethicone should really help the gas -

vet said it could turn into bloat overnight - that would be the reason she would die, because we could not reverse that. I am hoping we will get her to the vet in time in the am.

I'm not sure why she'd have gas and if it's related to the bladder infection

Vet thinks it is secondary to bladder infection -she stopped eating due to pain and inflamation. She did poop a few pellets around 8pm when we were leaving vet. I am not sure what they looked like because they kept her in back the whole time we were here. That is another reason we took her home, it just made me uneasy. They said it was because they only had one large room in back for all the animals but we went into a small room when they talked with us so I don't know. I just know she does not like alot of commotion so she would not have done well there.

yes that sounds like the drug

Does she seem to be in pain? Grinding her teeth?

She is just laying there which is an improvement from last night where she dug in her cage and scratched at the bars. Heat did not seem to comfort her either.

thanx for the advice, I will try more simethicone and maybe more food. Have a good night. Oh and I will ask the vet about the nutri-cal thanks

 

[Pipp]

Nutrical is usually from a pet supply place, not sure the vet would have it.

I'm guessing at this, but I'd think that whatever you're going to try and feed her, make sure it's something she's used to so you know itwon't make the gas any worse (another reason Nutrical may be the bestthing, I can't see it causing any more gas, althoughI'm not totally sure about that).

Great that she got the Sub Q and antibiotics, that's what she really needed.

Here's hoping it all works. ray:

sas

 

[pamnock]

Most certainly get her on pain meds ASAP. Most vets carry Nutri Cal -- I get mine from http://www.valleyvet.com/

Pam

 

[naturestee]

You can put some parsley, cilantro, banana, unsweetened applesauce, or a favorite flavor of Pedialyte in Critical Care. My rabbits hate Nutri-cal with a passion. Banana flavor! Yuck! But I do mix a little in when I make a pellet slurry for the vitamins and calories.

I've found Nutri-cal at Petsmart and other normal pet stores.

And keep up with the tummy massages. That's the only thing that seemed to help Sprite. I don't think the simethicone was getting to the gassy areas.:?

 

[BACI]

thank you I will check for it. I called the vet this am and she does not want to see her - it is her day off so they called her at home and she suggested strained veggies(baby food) and pineapple juice from fresh pineapples. I am not too keen on that idea since it will cause more gas. So I plan to stick with our plan and pick up the antibiotics. While I am out I will get what you suggested and we shall see. Thanks again.