Gas? GI Stasis? I've never seen this before

[kirst3buns]

I'm worried about Penny. I don't think she is eating like she normally does and she seems a bit more lethargic. She did eat a few pieces of lettuce. Of course it is Saturday evening and no emergency vets even close by. Can/Should I give her Simethicone?Or should I just keep pushing stuff she will eat like lettuce and hope I'm wrong. I found some of her poops kind of all strung together with hair on her floor and she usually doesn't miss the litter box. Does this mean she has a blockage?

It probably doesn't help that we have company for the next two nights and things aren't normal around here but I still think she is acting weird. I may be overreacting but I don't want to take any chances. I can't get her into a vet until Monday if there is a problem.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

WATER! Give her as much as she'll drink. Put some apple juice or cranberry juice or carrot juice in it if it will help her drink more!

The string of poos is a bracelet for you! It happens when they injest a lot of shedding hair. If she's pooping and stuff that is good but don't let it get worse cause it sounds like she's in the early stages.

When Bo did that, and actually quit pooing. I gave him wet greens and pushed the water. I also gave him a small dose of simethicone and held him on a warm (out of the dryer) blanket and gently stroked his sides.

Keep us posted! I hope she does ok.

 

[TinysMom]

Some rabbits will drink more water if it has vanilla in it too..

Peg

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bo actually drinks more if I keep fresh water coming! I change his bowl twice a day now, but when he was sick I changed it like every 2 hours. It was great to see him drinking more when it was fresh.

He also loves to drink from the dog's bowl. :?

 

[kirst3buns]

Maybe I'll try a couple of different things with the water to get her to drink more. She gets fresh water twice daily in a bowl since she's never really liked the bottles. I will also try giving her another piece of wet lettuce. She was munching on a timothy hay cube a bit ago so I guess that's good too. I'll hold off a bit on trying simethicone I guess.

 

[kirst3buns]

Yeah! She liked the water with the cranberry juice in it and she ate lettuce. I'm keeping my eye on her but she actually came over to me just now so I'm feeling a little less worried (she was crouched in the corner of her cage earlier and wanted nothing to do with me). Thanks all!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

AWW GOOD! It does sound like gas and tummy issues from molt. Try the warm towel - tummy rub if she'll let you. Even if she'll lay on a warm towel it might help.

I'm glad she liked the juice in her water. That doesn't hurt really anytime cause they can use plenty of water all the time.

Keep us posted! She and I share a name! I'm Pennie tho.

 

[maherwoman]

You can try giving her some pumpkin, too...it's GREAT fiber and has a nice amount of moisture to it. Even better...most buns LOVE it!

The fiber and water content in it will help a lot to push that hair through her system.

Keep us update, ok?

Hugs to you both,

Rosie*

 

[Marietta]

The "string of pearls" like poops is the first stage of GI stasis. This is always a sign of concern. It's made of clumps of mushed food strung together with ingested hair and happens mainly during heavy shedding periods. However, at this early stage, it's easier to combat ileus, time is always of essence with GI tract problems. As all the other members have pointed out, the key here is hydration. Provide a lot of water (flavoured by a favourite fruit would, indeed, help), keep her eating (this is essential too, as the intestines have to be kept moving) and, along with pumpkin,which contains a lot of fibre (NOT the sweet canned one),increase hay consumption by decreasing the pellets. Hay produces more fluffy and hydrated poops and helps passing them easier, as it creates more contractions to the intestines.

Keep monitoring her, as GI tract issues are usually very fast developing. An alert, eating, pooping and peeing as usual rabbit can take a dramatic downturn within a couple of hours.

Let us know how she goes.

Marietta

 

[Marietta]

Also, keep her moving, when running, a rabbits intestines work better and faster, as in humans. Gentle tummy rubs in cyclical movements, starting from below the stomach and ending to her but, also help.

Marietta

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Rosie, Thank you for reminding of the pumpkin! (100% pumpkin in can)

 

[SAS]

:yeahthat: what Marietta sez...

(And of course great info as always from the Mods).

sas :bunnydance:

 

[kirst3buns]

Penny seems to be doing fine. By 2 a.m. she had left a large pile of normal looking poos in her litter box and was acting much better. This morning I'm still pushing the water and hay. She drank a lot of water (with a bit of cranberry juice in it) and is eating hay just fine. Hopefully, this has passed .

 

[Bo B Bunny]

AWESOME!

I'd keep giving her hay and water like that for another day. Maybe a bit of pellets today but she really needs the fibre and moisture. The pumpkin wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Haley]

Glad to hear Penny is doing ok! I missed this somehow last night.

Everyone gave you great advice- I always push the hay, water and encourage exercise at the first indication of GI troubles. Also, if you dont have any on hand it would be good to pick up some children's pedialyte and a syringe in case this happens again. That wors wonders to replenish fluids for a sick bunny.

 

[Marietta]

That's great news!!!

Keep on the specific diet and lots of water for 1-2 days more. Penny is clearly on the way to recovery.

In view of this incident, you should keep in mind that GI stasis, in whatever stage, occurs mainly during heavy shedding, however, ingested hair by itself is not the cause of ileus. Underlying health problems or a diet high in protein is. So, when this is completely over, try to find out the reason, in order to avoid a repetition in the future. If it's the diet, then the solution is easy and instant: you switch her to a diet high in fibre (=hay and roughage in general) and low in proteins (=pellets with 15% or less of protein content, if possible and fibre of over 22% or the closest thereat you can find in your country) and, of course, no junk food and commercial treats, seeds, nuts, corn, etc.

Have a lovely New Year's Eve!

Marietta

 

[kirst3buns]

Penny did have another clump of stringy poos yesterday but wasn't acting poorly. I am still pushing the water with just a few drops of cranberry juice in it and the hay. This morning she is out and acting very normal - I've seen a round of binkies already !

As far as her diet goes, she's on Oxbow timothy pellets and she doesn't get much of those anyway. Sheis my biggest hay eater and the hayis a timothy, grass mix that I get from a local horse farm. She doesn't even appear to be sheddingmuch but her roommate, Basil, is going through quite a molt right now. Even so, I'm actually wondering if it had more to do with her Christmas present. She got a large grass matt from busybunny and ate about a quarter of it. It was held together with twine and I'm wondering if she ate some twine too or the grass just didn't agree with her? I've taken that away too.

Does increased stress ever cause this? We have had loads of company this holiday season and while the rabbitsaren't in my main living area, they can certainly hear all the commotion and get more visitors and have had less free roaming time this last week. The last of the company leaves today.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

All of the things you mentioned can cause these things - but they all lean towards stasis as well - so treating for that is the best.

Twine probably gave her a tummy ache and fewer poos

Stress - less eating, less moving around, and just plain upset system

Molting - blockages or at least difficult places with the hair clumps.



Sounds like Penny is doing much better now. I'd go ahead and keep encouraging the water and stuff. Those things cannot hurt at all.

 

[Marietta]

Bo B Bunny said it all!

All the reasons mentioned could be thereason (also, a medical condition, even teeth problems). However, now that your guests are leaving, this is a good opportunity to ascertain if noise-related stress contributed to this. Also, since Basil is shedding and bonded pairs lick each other, she could've ingested Basil's fur. Certainly, eating the mat could be a valid cause also.

Being a big hay fan is great for her intestines and it's good to hear.

Have a lovely New Year's Eve!

Marietta