Digestive supplements

[nat1234]

Hi all!
I've heard the oxbow digestive support isn't all that great for bunnies so i am in search for a new daily preventative supplement. My senior bun is prone to stasis and it makes me feel more at ease. What do you think of these ones?

https://www.chewy.com/equa-holistics-healthygut-probiotics/dp/226411or
https://www.ohiohollandlops.com/store/p621/Sherwood_Digestive_Support_Tablets.html

 

[Auggie+Snowball+Belle]

For snowball, we give her benebac for rabbits and it comes in powder and paste form. I can’t say about the other ones, I’m sure more people can comment on those, but the benebac made her more active although that’s all I noticed before she passed the biggest kidney stone.

 

[Nuage]

I recommend the Sherwood Digestive Support Tablets!

 

[pragya2115]

My rabbit got loose stool in day time but he is fine when dusk and dawn. Since last 2 days he is having loose stool in day time which usually he is sleeping in day time so he look quite weak now. We took him to vet today and vet gave him injection. Why my rabbit got loose stool on and off? He doesn't eat hay at all even we tried. He eats cauliflower leave, carrot and cucumber.

 

[JBun]

My rabbit got loose stool in day time but he is fine when dusk and dawn. Since last 2 days he is having loose stool in day time which usually he is sleeping in day time so he look quite weak now. We took him to vet today and vet gave him injection. Why my rabbit got loose stool on and off? He doesn't eat hay at all even we tried. He eats cauliflower leave, carrot and cucumber.

What injection was your rabbit given? Is your rabbit producing normal round fecal balls too? Does your rabbit only eat vegetables and no hay or rabbit pellet food? Did the vet check your rabbits teeth to make sure dental problems aren't why your rabbit won't eat hay? What kind of hay have you tried to feed? Is the hay moldy or musty smelling at all?

 

[nat1234]

I recommend the Sherwood Digestive Support Tablets!

is there anything i should be skeptical on ingredient wise?

 

[nat1234]

For snowball, we give her benebac for rabbits and it comes in powder and paste form. I can’t say about the other ones, I’m sure more people can comment on those, but the benebac made her more active although that’s all I noticed before she passed the biggest kidney stone.

safe to give even as a preventative? could you drop a link?

 

[JBun]

The absolute best thing to increase gastic motility and balance the gut microflora, is a rabbit eating the coarser stalks of hay. The indigestible fiber from the coarse stalks is what helps promote good gut movement. It's always about balance though. You want a balance of coarse hay for good gut motility, and leafy stems for protein and nutrients for health and weight maintenance.

Also limiting sugary and carb/starch rich foods as these have the opposite effect of slowing the digestive tract and promoting bad bacterial growth when fed in excess.

 

[nat1234]

The absolute best thing to increase gastic motility and balance the gut microflora, is a rabbit eating the coarser stalks of hay. The indigestible fiber from the coarse stalks is what helps promote good gut movement. It's always about balance though. You want a balance of coarse hay for good gut motility, and leafy stems for protein and nutrients for health and weight maintenance.

Also limiting sugary and carb/starch rich foods as these have the opposite effect of slowing the digestive tract and promoting bad bacterial growth when fed in excess.

hoping not to get attacked for this as i have posted on the topic before
my senior cannot eat hay strands, he has dental issues making it physically impossible. Two vets recommended waiting on surgery until absolutely necessary (molars at risk of puncturing the cheek, struggle to eat other foods, etc). i do provide 100% hay pellets (yes they are 100% hay) to him at all times as he can eat that so he gets the nutritional benefits.

 

[JBun]

I completely understand. I have a senior that doesn't eat hay anymore either. What about other foods, any high sugar/carb foods or a lot of pellets in his diet?

 

[nat1234]

I completely understand. I have a senior that doesn't eat hay anymore either. What about other foods, any high sugar/carb foods or a lot of pellets in his diet?

he gets pellets, i'm not comfortable doing the whole pellet free thing bc 1. every time he's gotten stasis it's been a reaction to a vegetable 2. he can't eat hay and hay variety is essential 3. i'm class of '21 which means my future living situation is up in the air rn with starting college and i am concerned if i would find a qualified vet, and even then i would prefer to build trust

he gets the oxbow garden select, joint and digestive support from oxbow (for now), leafy greens (spring mix is constant, varied with other veggies ik he can handle), and i will admit he does get fruit every few days, should i cut that out?

 

[pragya2115]

What injection was your rabbit given? Is your rabbit producing normal round fecal balls too? Does your rabbit only eat vegetables and no hay or rabbit pellet food? Did the vet check your rabbits teeth to make sure dental problems aren't why your rabbit won't eat hay? What kind of hay have you tried to feed? Is the hay moldy or musty smelling at all?

Injection was anibiotic. He produced poop balls in morning but then again creamy stool in day time. But since yesterday he only produced creamy stool and ate very few green leaves. He eats veggies and pellet only. Vet here in India have not much experience with rabbits because less no. of people pet rabbit here. I tried to feed him timothy hay but he didn't eat it.

 

[poopandpee]

woahhh what's this about Oxbow digestive not being good? please let me know, coz I've been giving my boy digestives and the girl joint supports

 

[nat1234]

woahhh what's this about Oxbow digestive not being good? please let me know, coz I've been giving my boy digestives and the girl joint supports

I was told they're difficult to digest
they contain molasses and flour

 

[JBun]

Injection was anibiotic. He produced poop balls in morning but then again creamy stool in day time. But since yesterday he only produced creamy stool and ate very few green leaves. He eats veggies and pellet only. Vet here in India have not much experience with rabbits because less no. of people pet rabbit here. I tried to feed him timothy hay but he didn't eat it.

If your rabbit has diarrhea(no poop balls), that is an immediate emergency and you need to get him to the vet right now. It means he has something called enterotoxemia and needs to be put on cholestyramine(activated charcoal or kaolin may help if this drug is not available) to bind the toxins produced by the clostridium bacteria, and the antibiotic metronidazole. If the diarrhea is yellow and not brown, it's the e.coli bacteria and needs treatment with the antibiotic enrofloxacin.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/squirts.pdf(treatment for diarrhea in rabbits)
Medirabbit (bacterial enteritis in rabbits)

 

[Mehidk]

Hi all!
I've heard the oxbow digestive support isn't all that great for bunnies so i am in search for a new daily preventative supplement. My senior bun is prone to stasis and it makes me feel more at ease. What do you think of these ones?

https://www.chewy.com/equa-holistics-healthygut-probiotics/dp/226411or
https://www.ohiohollandlops.com/store/p621/Sherwood_Digestive_Support_Tablets.html

I use the Sherwood tablets and they are great! I also use the Urinary support ones as well. My rabbit loves these tablets. Half a tablet twice a day.

 

[JBun]

he gets pellets, i'm not comfortable doing the whole pellet free thing bc 1. every time he's gotten stasis it's been a reaction to a vegetable 2. he can't eat hay and hay variety is essential 3. i'm class of '21 which means my future living situation is up in the air rn with starting college and i am concerned if i would find a qualified vet, and even then i would prefer to build trust

he gets the oxbow garden select, joint and digestive support from oxbow (for now), leafy greens (spring mix is constant, varied with other veggies ik he can handle), and i will admit he does get fruit every few days, should i cut that out?

You feed plain hay pellets and rabbit food pellets(the ones with vitamins mixed in), right? For the food pellets, how much do you feed each day and how much does your bun weigh? Do you free feed the hay pellets?

 

[nat1234]

You feed plain hay pellets and rabbit food pellets(the ones with vitamins mixed in), right? For the food pellets, how much do you feed each day and how much does your bun weigh? Do you free feed the hay pellets?

yup for the food pellets he gets 3 tbsp a day and is around 3.5 Ibs , a little more than my younger bun to keep weight on

 

[JBun]

If you could reduce to 2 tbsp and he could still maintain a good weight, I would try that and continue free feeding the hay pellets. I would also cut out any sugary/starchy foods and just feed his other usual veggies for treats. I would try all that and see if it made a difference. And closely monitor his weight to make sure weight loss doesn't occur. Old buns are just hard, you can't always find the perfect solution. Sometimes it's just do the best you can to manage all the problems they start having, to keep things as stable as possible.

 

[Auggie+Snowball+Belle]

safe to give even as a preventative? could you drop a link?

Here’s a link: PetAg Bene-Bac Plus FOS & Probiotics Gel Supplement (Free Shipping) | Chewy that’s for the gel which I use, here’s a link for the powder: PetAg Bene-Bac Plus Pet Powder, 16-oz - Chewy.com . I’m pretty sure it’s also on amazon and probably at other stores but we get it at chewy. Not sure if it could be used for a preventative, our vet recommended it for her since she was having tiny poops and a small appetite.