Gas questions..

[Orchid]

I saw a post today and went and did some reading:

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=28622&forum_id=10

How To Tell If Your Bun Is In Stasis
Because there are different possible causes, there are also different possible symptoms that will appear if your rabbit's GI system is slowing down or is in stasis. It is a good idea to keep track of your rabbit's normal eating and potty habits and gut soundsas changes could be from illness and/or the beginning of GI stasis. These symptoms include your rabbit pooping less, has smaller, harder, or irregularly shaped fecal poops, poops strung together with hair or other materials, mucous-covered poops, not pooping at all, or eating less or not at all. Another possible symptom is on again/off again diarrhea (bunny may also have irregularly shaped poops).

Your rabbit might also be lethargic (although some rabbits in stasis are still quite active and cheerful), sitting hunched up, pressing his belly to the floor, grinding his teeth (sign of pain), or straining in the litter box. He might be unusually interested in chewing and shredding wood, cardboard, or paper. The sounds in his belly might be unusually loud or silent instead of the normal gentle gurgling. If he is suffering from a large amount of gas, or a more dangerous condition called bloat, your rabbit's stomach might look visibly bloated.

The items I have put in bold caught my attention.
I know that I do not know Simon well enough yet to know what are his norms. He was brought home ill, now is on meds (still taking them), and we have to go through a "recovery" time. He has seemed to sleep more since we went on the meds. I have thought it to be the meds honestly. He has gotten a bit crazier about chewing, but not what I put out for him. On Sunday and yesterday I saw a poop, that seemed to be connected to another small poop by what struck me as a drying up worm (mucos?). I only saw them one time on each day. I have seen him lay out flat on the floor, but thought this was a flop. I have heard when he is sitting on my lap, loud gurgles from his tummy.

I can't say his tummy seems hard, I can touch it and move it around and he will sit still for his. He has been more cranky than the first week we had him. He has been eating his pellets, drinking and loves the alfalfa hay now. He doesn't seem to really touch any of the other hay. I had bought the botanical, orchard, oat, alfalfa and there is the timothy of course. I will see him munch down on the alfalfa but not really the others.

I read that giving the gas meds will not hurt if I am wrong, but than there is the how much and how often I give it. I figure most of the advice is based on an adult rabbit. Simon is only 2 months. 2 weeks ago he weighed in at 1lb 3/4 oz. 1 week ago he weighed in at 2lbs-ish.

I have been thinking and wondering should I give the gas drops? I just went and bought infants mylicon. (was all I could find) - simethicone 20mg.
I am going to tone down his pellets and hope that encourages more hay eating. ( I am concerned he is not eating enough hay.
I do have some pedelite, I have canned pumpkin, heating pad, nutracal.

So if I can give these things and help incase there is a problem, advice on which to give, how much and how often would be great.

I did call the vet. They feel because normal poos are present, watch and see if the mis shaped ones go away and if I am still concerned I can bring him in tomorrow. The poo does seem very dry. Are they supposed to?
He is drinking and is hydrated.

It is almost time for his meds...thought I would give everything at once as he does not like taking the benebac. The alban he likes.

 

[aurora369]

Rabbit poops are dry and you should be able to pick them up with no transfer to your hands. They should be dark on the outside, and almost a little shiny.

He is recovering from coccidia if I remember correctly. It could very well be causing him to have gas. Ive never had a rabbit with coccidia, so I dont know how it normally progresses.

I would say treat him for gas if you hear rumbling in his tummy. Normal rabbit digestion doesnt have noises.

As long as hes eating I wouldnt worry too much. Hes young so its okay for him to be eating alot of pellets.

--Dawn

 

[Orchid]

thanks

 

[Pipp]

aurora369 wrote:

I would say treat him for gas if you hear rumbling in his tummy. Normal rabbit digestion doesnt have noises.

Not sure of the gas effects of coccidia, but gut sounds are normal. When you don't hear anything, THEN you worry.It's always advised to get to know your bunny's normal sounds so changes can be detected.

If you think a bunny has gas, and you hear loud gurgles and rumblings, it probably means it's a possibilty, but not a sure bet. No gut sounds could spell a blockage or GI stasis.

I do believe Randy issues at least a mildcaution on Simethicone when other drugs are involved, so I wouldn't be too quick to give him any just yet. Tummy massages do just as well.



sas

 

[Orchid]

Pipp wrote:

aurora369 wrote:

I would say treat him for gas if you hear rumbling in his tummy. Normal rabbit digestion doesnt have noises.

Not sure of the gas effects of coccidia, but gut sounds are normal. When you don't hear anything, THEN you worry.It's always advised to get to know your bunny's normal sounds so changes can be detected.

If you think a bunny has gas, and you hear loud gurgles and rumblings, it probably means it's a possibilty, but not a sure bet. No gut sounds could spell a blockage or GI stasis.

I do believe Randy issues at least a mildcaution on Simethicone when other drugs are involved, so I wouldn't be too quick to give him any just yet. Tummy massages do just as well.



sas

Well poo....I actually just gave him some. Just 1cc along with his other meds. I read not with opiates?

The sounds I heard seemed rather loud. I normally don't hear anything when I am just sitting with him. I have put my head to his tummy before and heard the gurgling noises, but these seem rather loud. Like my head is 2 feet away from him and I hear it.

I broke out with the heating pad as well and thought maybe I can get him mellow enough to sit with me, relax and give a belly rub. I have to do a thing or two before I can sit down with him. Is there a good way or proper way to give a rub? Or a place to read on it?

 

[NZminilops]

I find that some tummy noises in my rabbits are normal digestive noises, and the wanting to shred or eat cardboard, they do that for fun anyway. Makes it so hard to tell sometimes doesn't it?

 

[Pipp]

Orchid wrote:

Well poo....I actually just gave him some. Just 1cc along with his other meds. I read not with opiates?

The sounds I heard seemed rather loud. I normally don't hear anything when I am just sitting with him. I have put my head to his tummy before and heard the gurgling noises, but these seem rather loud. Like my head is 2 feet away from him and I hear it.

I broke out with the heating pad as well and thought maybe I can get him mellow enough to sit with me, relax and give a belly rub. I have to do a thing or two before I can sit down with him. Is there a good way or proper way to give a rub? Or a place to read on it?

Ah, cool, no worrries, I think it was opiates, not sure what Simon is on. And if it's that loud, I'd go for it too. (I'm theboard's neighbourhood Simethicone pusher).

There's a massage section in the Library, I'll see if I can find it. Just a gentle all-over tummy rub will do, as will vibration therapy -- putting him on a dryer, rubbing his tummy with a vibrating toothbrush (or vibrator ), that sort of thing. Gas pockets can be anywhere inhis GI system.

I find that if my guys have gas, they like the tummy rubs. If they don't -- they don't.

And with gas,keeping him warm is also good. (You've got it down).

PS: Wouldn't worry too much about poops strung together, it a normalpost-upset thing around here.

Let us know how it goes!



sas :bunnydance:

 

[Orchid]

Well, I just tried having him sit on my lap and rub his tummy. He was biting at the towel covering the heating pad and got REALLY ticked when I tried to clean his nose. I got scared at first when I thought I saw red on him. Thought it was blood, but seeing as he was just chewing on an oranged color piece of wood, I think that was actually what I saw. Orange dye.
Simon HATES the dryer. Hates when it is on. I don't know it would go well trying to put him on that and believe it or not, I don't have any vibrating items in the house.
He jumped off my lap after nipping my lip, stretched out belly flat on the floor and laid there for maybe 5-10 minutes. He is up and walking around again now. Correction...lol running and binkying.
I have the heating pad on the floor incase he wants to come lay on it.

The vet said today 1/3 cup of pellets a day is good. Thinking I should cut back to a degree as I don't think he is eating very much hay. Up until now the bowl has stayed topped off every day. He doesn't seem to like the water bottles, so I have a crock out for him. I change it 3 times a day or when I see it is low or dirty.

 

[Orchid]

NZminilops wrote:

I find that some tummy noises in my rabbits are normal digestive noises, and the wanting to shred or eat cardboard, they do that for fun anyway. Makes it so hard to tell sometimes doesn't it?

Yeah lol....more so when Simon is our first bunny and I am so unsure of what is ok and what is not.

 

[Marietta]

As far as the massge technique is concerned, tummy rubs should be gentle, don't put too much pressure, as their organs are very delicate and could rupture much easier than in other species. You should use the whole of your palm and make circular moves from under his stomach (the stomach is below his front paws) and massaging towards his but. Then repeating the same move, i.e. from upwards to his rear end. Do the massage as long as you can and as long as Simon lets you. Lifting a bit his read end is even better, because gas moves from the lower to the higher part and exits the body. When my bun used to have gas and massaged his belly like this, he always used to let me, he evidently felt releaved. The result is that now that he's used to it, he always enjoys a good tummy massage, which I give him just for the pleasure of it without him having any problem.

Marietta

 

[MsBinky]

This might sound like the dumbest question on earth but I have to ask... Just cause I'm curious

Could it be that the meds cause the rumblings? Either that they cause a bit of an upset or that the rumblings is heard because of the body ridding itself of the err bacteria (coccidia is a bacteria right? Lol)

 

[Orchid]

MsBinky wrote:

This might sound like the dumbest question on earth but I have to ask... Just cause I'm curious

Could it be that the meds cause the rumblings? Either that they cause a bit of an upset or that the rumblings is heard because of the body ridding itself of the err bacteria (coccidia is a bacteria right? Lol)

I don't know but it is something to ask the vet directly I guess.

Today is supposed to be the last day of meds. Monday I was going to bring in a poop and talk to them about a bunch of stuff. I will add that to my list of questions.