GI Stasis

[lagomorphs]

Hello. I am new to this forum and a new rabbit caretaker. I have related experience from having prior guinea pigs experience (for many years), but with the similarities Ialso find manydifferences.

My sweet bunny girl had begun to have difficulty 'pooping' her usual amount and healthy size,so we saw an experienced exotic vet on Monday regarding this. At the visit she got a sub-q, and I left with Propulsid, Metacam and critical care.The aim has been to force feed her, of which I have been doing, so as to get her gut moving. The problem is that she has nowgone from eating less on her own to completely stopping and from pooping a little bit to completely stopping, with the exception of a tiny bit of fecal matter I was able to get from her last night due to getting her to run around. (I was doing this throughout the day with no results.)

Its been 24 hours andI now have acall in to the vet, but at this point I am terrified to continue force feeding her because nothing solid is coming out the other end. (She has beenurinating).

Is it normalto the process of bringing a rabbit back from GI stasis? How long can they go eating and not pooping?

She had xrays where it was determined that she had some gas. No obstruction seen.

Prior to this her fecal matter had been tested and she was positive fora parasite which we were treating with Panacure 2 weeks prior to this.Can't recall the type of 'worm' but was told it was not serious. Could this be causing the block now?

Thanks.

 

[naturestee]

So the vet saw gas- did he tell you to treat it with gas meds? I didn't see any on the list. I'd start dosing her with simethicone (baby gas meds). The dosage is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rx/drugcalc.html

It's very safe and should not interact with the other drugs.

Is she drinking? Hydration is very important and I highly recommend syringing at least some fluids into her. What amounts was your vet having you syringe? My vet told me to give only 30 cc of fluids and 15 of pellet mush to my 2 lb girl when she was in stasis. He said they only need a small amount of food in their guts to work on, any more is needless stress.

It is possible for tapeworms to cause a blockage. Could you maybe call the vet and ask what type of worm she had?

The exercise is good for her. You can also do gentle tummy massages.

Just a thought- one of my dwarf hotot girls gets stasis from Metacam. Maybe stop giving that just in case, since your bun has gotten worse since starting the meds.

If she doesn't improve soon with baby gas meds and hydration, I'd take her back to the vet.

ray:

 

[lagomorphs]

Thank you Naturetee, all your advice is very muchappreciated.

Yes, I was giving her infant gas med.

And Yes, I agree, from my experience with gp's that metacam sometimes does not react well with their systems.

Unfortunately, I lost my little bundle of joy today, as I was headed back to the vet to hospitalize her following our first visit.

Needless to say, I am in a lot of pain right now as well as shock as this happened so quickly.

The worms were 'pin worms' of which I know little about. She had a dosage 2 weeks ago of panacur and was due for a second one this past Monday. The vet said it was ok to do despite what I thought were early signs of GI stasis, so I gave it to her.

I was however told to feed her what would be her normal intack of food. She weighed 3 pounds one ounce. I did not understand why I should keep feeding her when she was not releasing it on the other end. This went on for one day. So I really appreciate hearing, even if too late your advice on less food due to the stress.

So today at the vet she was given another sub Q, (a large dosage via butterfly syringe) and another xray was taken confirming that all food was still in her stomach, gas wasin her large intestines and nothing in the lower ones.

She got a pain injection, Buf...( I need to check spelling)

By the time we got home, she was more lathargic then not.

As I headed back to the vet she passed in the car.

I was with her non stop since Monday doing what I everh Icould to nurse her. I can't believe this happened nor so quickly.

 

[HoneyPot]

I'm so sorry about your bunny girl. They leave us so soon... it sounds like you did everything you could for her. I was hoping for good news when you posted.

My thought are with you. Take care.

___________
Nadia

 

[lagomorphs]

Thank you so much.

My Buni (Bunicella Isabella Diva Bunny) looked a little like your bunny picture up.

We were only together a short time. I rescued her from a farm/SPCA in November and she was less then a year old.

I fell in love with her the moment I layed eyes on her. She was neveran easy bunny to handle (plus I am used to smaller furry's) but I adored her with all my heart.

I have her brother (I don;t think they are related) from this rescue too. They did not live together yet, as neither were fixed yet. I am so terrified as to how he will handle it when he finds out his older sister (that he adored watching) is no longer here.

Please tell me, is there a chance when rabbits get GI stasis?

In the past, I pulled a number of gp's back from this problem, but I guess it was early enough.

I guess the issue is what caused it?

Blood test were run today, so I will find out tomorrow if something was not right there.

 

[HoneyPot]

I love her name. You should do a memorial in the Rainbow Bridge forum, I would love to see pictures of her. We never got a chance to know your girl.

Some bunnies pull through stasis, and some don't. I guess each case is different. Just off the top of my head I can think of at least2 forum members I have known that has lost a bun due to stasis. There really is only so much to do, and it sounds like you were doing it all. You're right though -sometimes there ismore going on than just stasis.

You sound like a great bunny parent. Although it's a sad time, I'm looking forward to you beinga part of our little rabbit community.

Keep us updated on what the blood tests show.

________
Nadia

 

[TinysMom]

I just want to say that I'm really sorry for your loss. I lost a rabbit a few months ago and it still hurts.

Don't forget to post about her in our Rainbow Bridge area


Peg

 

[naturestee]

I'm so sorry you lost her. It sounds like you were doing everything possible.

Rabbits do have a chance with GI stasis, but like Honeypot said there have been a few members here who have lost their rabbits to it despite treatment. It sounds like your girl went downhill awfully fast, so I'm wondering if there was something else going on inside of her. From people who've had necropsies done, I've heard of rabbits who died of heart attacks during stasis, cancer of the intestines causing a blockage, and even a tiny seed that blocked an intestinal valve causing a fatal blockage. They are unusual cases, but they do happen.

I hope you stick around. I'd love to get to know you and your other furry babies.

:hug2:

 

[lagomorphs]

Thank you everyone for your kindness.

Also thank you for sharing insight into situations with bunnies that did not make it.

I will post the info I receive on her blood tests.

I spoketo the vet about anecropy and may conisder doing this. (I hesitate because it is important to me tobury her and I amnot sure if I can handle dealing with the result).

She was always super sensitive about being handled, but I mostly atttributed this to her not being spayed yet and possibly from her living conditionsprior tobeingrescued.

 

[Georgie]

I'm so sorry about your little girlbut know that she's in bunnie heaven romping with all the other bunnies and binkying her little heart out! And that the fields where she plays are made of treats so she can eat all the treats she can!!

Are you having a necropsy done? That could tell you for sure what was wrong with her. I've found it helpful that whenever an animal's mate passes, you show the animal and let them grieve over the mate. When he/she ignores the mate little a bit, he's grieved.

So sorry about Buni...I know it's hard when you lose a furry friend

 

[lagomorphs]

I spoke to the vet and all blood tests werenormal.

Tomorrow the vet has agreed to take a look at the stomach/intestines. I still can't believe how sudden& quickly she went downhill.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Oh, I'm so sorry. You did what you could do. Maybe the intestinal xray will show something to at least help to give you closure. I also lost one last September to heart failure. I know how you are feeling.:hug2:

 

[lagomorphs]

I am very sorry to hear of your recent loss and thank you for your considerate words.

 

[Pipp]

lagomorphs wrote:

Tomorrow the vet has agreed to take a look at the stomach/intestines.

Thank you so much for doing this. It's so sad, but it will really help so many other bunnies down the road.

The treatment seemed right, and most bunnies do recover. I'm so sorry your little girl did not. :sad:

I also sincerely hope this doesn't make you reluctant to try being a bunny slave again. They really need more people like you to watch out for them. :hug2:



sas :cry4:

 

[lagomorphs]

Thank you. I am not sure how much we may learn,as there will be no tissue analysis, but at least it will be a step to find out if something in the stomach area was causing this result.

And I am still a bunny slave. I have my little male dwarf bunny named Poe who in fact looks like the black bunny picture posted here! I hadadoptedhim and Buni together from a rabbit rescue I was involved in.

Poe livesin a separate pen, because neither rabbit had been fixed yet (he is @ 8 months old). They were not bonded likecage matesbut of course he had a big crush on his older sister and i loved to watch her from his cage.

I fear hisbecoming lonely for the sounds and interactions of another rabbit. In addition,ironically I will be loosing another animal soon, a lovely little guinea pig girl I helped rescue andhave been fostering.She is supposed togo to her new 'forever'home in less then 2 weeks (with a very experienced and caring gp person). I had been trying to prepare myself for her leaving, as she will be very missed,but I felt it right that shelive in a home with other gp's,as they are very social animals. I never anticipated this.

So, yes I have begun to thinkabout getting another rabbit,sooner rather then later so that Poe can havecompany, but its way too soon for me to do this righ tnow.

I am wondering however, how well males can get along or if I should consider another female.

But of course, what I really want ismy Buni girl.