GI Stasis and Gas

[Kitty88]

IMMEDIATE INFORMATION:


Location: New York

Description: Black Satin, 7.6 pounds

Age: Approximately 2 years and 4 months

Sex: Bilateral Cryptorchid(!) Male

Concise Summary of the Rabbit's Condition: Staying in sphynx position, at times reluctant to move, others active and interested in exploring. Took him to Dr. Stanzione this morning, was given two gut motility drugs to administer tonight and Kashi recieved sub-q fuids. He perked up considerably after the fluids kicked in,
and has drank about two ounces of water, eaten four chicory leaves and two escarole leaves, and eaten about a tablespoon of pellets. My main c

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / CHECK LIST: (Please fill in relevant info).

Fecal and Urinary Output

- are the bunny's poops and pees normal? No. Has not pooped (or peed, to the best of my knowledge, thought it would be easier to not notice that in a hay filled litterbox.
- when did they last use their litterbox? last night.
- any unusual behavior? straining to pee? unusual litter habits?He is still spending time in his box eating hay asper usual, but hasn't actually passed anything.
- what litter and/or bedding do you use? Newspaper lining the box, an inch or two of natural Carefresh, and handfuls of Sweet Meadow timothy hay

Medical History

- spayed/neutered?
- has s/he been to the vet or been sick before?
- is s/he on any medications?

Diet

- what specifically does your bunny eat?
- when and what did s/he eat last?
- any changes in the way s/he eats? (ie: not eating a particular food, odd chewing motions, etc)


Other

- movement - any unusual movements? Is s/he hopping normally? Yes, when the mood seems to take him.He spends up to half an hour just laying in his box pressed up to a heated bag of rice, then comes out and explores.
- is the rabbit molting? He's been shedding in different spots steadily since May now.
- any weight loss? No
- any sign of drooling? wet face? No
- runny eyes? No
- wet nose? coughing? sneezing? I heard a couple of sneezes, but it could have just been dusty.
- is s/he breathing normally? Yes

Additional

- any plants, chocolate or other substances within reach? He MAY have gotten his teeth on a dog biscuit somehow,and theres a chance he might have eaten a couple of gold fish flakes that my brother spilled.
- has the rabbit been outdoors? No
- any other pets? if so, have they been ill? A beagle, limited contact, and he's healthy.




He just spent about five or six minutes hopping around the room, jumped up onto the bed to inspect the computer and my face, then hopped back over to his blanket and is now laying flat on his belly with his toes pressed against the ground, with his heels sticking up a bit. His belly seems to be bothering him in fits and bursts. His belly still feels distended, but he's been much more active and ate another chicory leaf.It seems like his belly is still bothering him, though.

Also, how the heck am I supposed to get him to let me put the sryngein his mouth?! he actually boxes everytime he notices it coming near him. :/ I tried to give him simethicone and he was having nothing to do with it.

 

[aurora369]

My method of giving rabbits a syringe:

Put the rabbit on the floor with a blanket/towel underneath. Kneel behind the rabbit with his bum between your knees. Bend your body over the rabbit and use one hand to hold the syringe and the other to gently lift the head up. He'll probably try to tuck his chin down when you try to put the syringe in his mouth.

With this method, he cannot back up because of your body and he can't go forward because of your hands. You also have two hands free to get the medicine in his mouth.

-Dawn

 

[Kitty88]

Thanks, I'll definitely try that. Kashi WILL bite if he doesn't like what's happening though, so I'm slightly afraid he might try to take a chunk out of my thigh.

 

[aurora369]

Put some thick jeans on and also cover your thighs with a blanket before putting him in position if you are worried he might bite. Also make sure to have long sleeves on!

-Dawn

 

[Kitty88]

He will NOT let me even get the syringe near his face before panicking. At this point, its stressing him out so much I don't even want to give them to him. On top of that, he pooped while I was trying to give him the medicine! Isn't the whole poin of gut motility meds to get him pooping?

 

[MAXX55]

Do you have a second person to help? For almost a month I had to give meds to my bun twice a day and found it verrrry difficult. If not for my wife helping out I don't know wheremy bun would be today. If you have a second person here's the best way.....Make sure you have the meds in the syringe already to go.You need to get one hand under her chest (right below her front paws) and then with the second hand hold her bottom and gently bring the bun against your chest. Do this at floor level near her pen. Hold firmly but remember buns are VERY fragile. Try to do all in one motion and stay on the floor while doing this. It seems difficult at first but once I saw how my vet did it Inailed it the first time.

My wife would then have the syringe in one hand and with the other hand gently open the buns mouth and insert the syringe. We insert more in the corner and slowly release the fluid in the mouth. I let her take small amounts at a time. You can her them gulping and swallowing. I was worried that she wouldn't take but she had no choice but to swallow. When finished bring the bun away from your chest at floor level and he/she should run back into their pen. Mine always ran back in her pen.She was mad at me for a while but I offer them a treat. They may kick and squirm like mine did but once I had her against my chest she sort of froze up. Remember to do all this at floor level so if the bun struggles and you need to let go she won't fall far. While doing the procedure talk to the bun in a sweet way. NEVER YELL. You don't want them to be more upset then they are.

Good Luck.

 

[kirbyultra]

It can be rather challenging if you've never had to administer meds, or if you'e never had to do it with a reluctant bunny. The squeeze between the thighs method works with Kirby, but doesn't work with Toby (dwarf, too small). I've never had to hold Kirby like a baby to do it, but it works with Toby, doesn't work with other buns. One of my buns gobbles medication like it's the most delish thing in the world

Kitty, email me if Kashi hasn't improved overnight... maybe we can arrange something. How far into the Bronx do you live?

 

[Kitty88]

Yeah, Kashi continues to avoid his medication like its a plague. He won't even take simethicone. Its driving me crazy, I wish he'd let me get SOMETHING helpful in his belly. My grandmother, who spent the first 26 years of her life on a farm in Sicily, is surprisingly persuasive with small animals, so I'm going to see if she can't help me.
Its almolt funny, because yesterday I couldn't decide if I wanted him to take the full course of gut motility drugs, and now I'd be happy if I could just get a single cc in him. :/ I also want to take his temperature again, so he'll be super happy with me sticking a thermometer up his butt and then forcefeeding him neon pink sticky stuff.

In regards to the medicne: he now begins bucking his head merely at the SCENT of the Propulsid. It almost smells like cookie dough..unfortunately it's really strong and I can't really disguise it. I did think about maybe mixing his meds in with a little apple cider. Ugh.

He did poop a teeny little mound last night though. If his temperature is back up to at least 101 I will feel a whole lot better about this. He IS eating, even if it is a little reluctant. Should I break out the Trader Joe's pumpkin anyway?

 

[Kitty88]

I mixed in his meds with a tablespoon of Apple Banana Critical Care, and he still won't touch it. I'm losing my mind!

 

[Amy27]

Could you mix the meds with some banana? My buns take meds well that way. My one bun, I take to the bathtub to give meds. The strange environment makes her calm down enough that I can give them.

Now, I always get the pill form of meds and stick them in a crasin. Both of my buns get meds daily and they think it is a treat. It works so well and makes life so less stressful.

I hope you can get the meds in him.

 

[tonyshuman]

Sometimes a bunny will not take anything via syringe--that is because they are so stopped up that the idea of putting anything else in there is abhorent to them. You may need to assess if this means he needs to see an emergency vet. Baby gas meds are usually quite sweet so most bunnies will at least take them if they're in a state you can help.

 

[Kitty88]

Well, I finally tried mixing the medicine in with apple-banana Critical Care, and he ate it all on his own. Lesson learned, from now on I know how to get him to take anything I need to give to him!

He has now gotten one dose of each motility drug, and a cc and a half of simethicone, but his tummy still seems to be bothering him. He just spent a good ten minutes lying next to me and Matt watching tv, which was a nice surprise. I think he's feeling a little mushy.

 

[mattimeo]

Try going in sideways with the syringe, behind the front teeth, and pointing back (not too far). They seem to use a chomping reflex (as well as bucking the head) to dodge things coming into their mouths.