Help! Bunny is on medication but still isn't eating or drinking on his own.

[Liz S]

I took my rabbit to the vet yesterday after noticing that he had not eaten or drank anything, he had some sort of infection. They gave me antibiotics and also some stuff to get his gut moving, I can't remember the name of it. The vet also gave him his first dose of both the antibiotics and some fluids. How long does it usually take for the medicine to kick in and for him to start eating and drinking on his own? He's nibbled here and there but nothing major, I am currently syringing him food and water.

I am seeing some improvements in his energy level but I'm still worried since he doesn't really seem interested in anything.

 

[Imbrium]

Welcome to RO! Sorry you found us under such stressful circumstances, but I'm glad you're here none-the-less .

Is he getting some pain meds as well? Also, if you can get your hands on small animal probiotics (Benebac or Probios, etc.), those are extremely helpful to give when an animal is getting antibiotics (to prevent gastric upset from too much of the "good" bacteria in their digestive system from getting killed off). Just make sure to wait at least 2-3 hours between giving probiotics and antibiotics so they don't cancel each other out in the tummy.

It can take some time for appetite to return to normal after GI stasis sets in... mostly, it depends on what the underlying cause was and how long it takes to remedy that. Antibiotics can take a few days to really start making him feel better - once he feels better, his appetite should return to normal. They usually get back to eating hay first, then veggies and pellets are last (which is odd since pellets normally = crack, but that's the trend I always see).

In the meantime, make sure you're syringing him a good amount of food and water each day and make sure he's got something in his tummy at medication time. Here's a chart with general dosing info for critical care (if using Sherwood Forest recovery food, the info is on the bag). You might keep his area a little warmer than usual or offer a rabbit-safe heating pad, as sick rabbits often appreciate extra warmth.

Your bunny is stinking cute, by the way - I hope he starts feeling better very soon!

 

[Liz S]

Thank you so much! Our vet gave us Bene-bac...I didn't know I was supposed to give it to him separate from his medication so I'm going to be doing that from now on! We had to order Critical Care as we kind of live in the middle of nowhere but it's getting here today, thankfully. I have been feeding him mashed veggies in the meantime to try and get some fiber in that way. I noticed he was nibbling at his hay a little yesterday and is really interested in water. For some reason, he won't drink out of his bowl still though so I am still syringing him water but he sucks it down. Slowly but surely seeing some improvement, so we're just taking it day by day. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Imbrium]

Good news all around! Until your critical care arrives, another good option is to put some pellets in a small bowl (won't take much at all) and add water to a little ways above the pellets. Microwave until fluffy (I don't remember how long it takes but I wanna say 30-60 seconds max) and then stir/add water as needed to get it to a good consistency for syringing. You can add a little bit of unsweetened apple sauce or fruit or veggie flavored baby food (look for flavors with a lower sugar content as it can vary quite a bit!) to make it more appealing.

Also, <3 your vet... Very few actually suggest or prescribe probiotics and they can really make a difference in certain situations.