GI Stasis??? Help please!

[Caitlin2205]

Hello,

I have around a year old mini lop rabbit called Teddy. Today at around 3pm (so 13 hours ago), I noticed him laying in his litter box with his head rested on the side of it which he never does. I kept an eye on him and around 8pm (5 hours later) noticed he hadnt pooped, drunk at all or eaten any hay. I gave him some of his veggies which he has everyday around 8:30pm, he ate a few but he always eats every scrap!

I am aware of GI stasis as I have researched it before I got Teddy (my first ever bun). His belly seemed very bloated and so I massaged it every now and again. He kept seeming better but then becoming lethargic again. He would sit in his cage laying down or hunched over and would rub his belly along the floor, but would often come out of his cage to lay in my room.

Around 9pm I managed to get hold of some simethicone which I gave him around 0.7ml of. Later on around 12am I gave him some more and covered it in fruits and his favourite treats so he would bite the syringe and I could squeeze it in. I did this again at 1:30am. Soon after that then he did some tiny poops of weird shapes, and I continued to massage his belly. Everytime I massage it it seems to help him poop. Around 3am he was eating hay from his bag. He hasn’t drunk any water from his bowl but his veggies he had at 8:30am were pretty wet, and luckily he had a tiny sip of water around 3am, but nothing compared to what he normally drinks lots of water a day.

It’s 4am now (havent slept all night as I want to keep an eye on him until the morning) and he’s currently sleeping, but he did a few more poops, one normal(ish) sized, and the others quite irregular. I am just happy that he is actually pooping now.

So my question is , since he wasn’t pooping or eating all day, should I be treating what he is doing now as a recovery? I feel like the massages and simethicone helped a lot and I was planning to ring the vets at 9am and take him, to avoid the huge costs of going to the 24 hour vet. But now he is playing, sleeping, eating (not entirely sure about drinking yet but will keep an eye).

Should I continue with the simethicone and massages and keep probing him to eat his hay? The vet in Brighton (I live in the UK) is extremely expensive, even when it’s not an emergency 24hour callout, so it would also be good to know if there is anything I could do myself for the treatment?

Thank you

P.s- I will also ensure to keep everyone updated on the situation!

 

[Blue eyes]

Once he starts eating again, that is usually a great sign as it means he isn't in pain. The simethicone relieves gas pain and that is often enough to get them eating again. Once eating, it isn't necessary to continue the simethicone.

In the future (and as a side note) try putting the syringe between the side of his cheek and his teeth. Don't put it directly in his mouth or on his tongue as that risks causing him to choke or aspirate. It is also possible that he would chew the tip off the syringe (which I've seen happen). Wouldn't want him to swallow that. When the drops are placed in the cheek area, it prevents those issues yet still leaves them no choice but to swallow it.

 

[JBun]

I usually stop the simethicone if they start eating normally again. Then just continue to monitor everything closely. As long as they continue to eat normally and behave normally again, I don't worry about getting into the vet anymore and just chalk it up to an upset stomach. I would probably continue with gentle belly massages until the poop is looking more normal, and only continue with the simethicone if there are still signs of some stomach upset.

 

[Caitlin2205]

Thanks everyone, I took him to the vets and was given cisapride and critical care, I have found a way of getting him to take the syringe feeding (taking him downstairs on the kitchen table where he doesn’t know the environment so he is better behaved). He was given an injection for the pain and is eating more hay - hopefully getting better!