May have a bunny with GI stasis

[CrimsonCatFish]

Hello,
Okay I'm getting worried for my rabbit so I though I'd sign up here and ask for help.

I came to clean out my bunnies today, and I noticed my rabbit Merry didn't come to greet me, eat food (two major worries since my rabbits can eat for England), looked lethargic, flopped a lot and stringy dropping plus a gurgling stomach.

So, I did my research quiet quickly and found that the symptoms he has are very similar to GI Stasis.

I want to go to a vet but they are closed on Sundays (tomorrow) so I don't know what to do. Should I give him tummy rubs and things suggested on here? And one of my main questions (and fears) how long do they have until they pop their clogs?

If it helps, he is a large-ish dutch cross, about 2-3 years and male.

 

[CrimsonCatFish]

Mini Update:-

I went to go fix my hutch up, as one of the doors had swung open.

Merry is acting more lively, and he ate what I gave him (a small treat and a smidge of broccoli). Is this normal?

However there are small and dark/black dropping in the litter tray. Another sign of GI Stasis.

Oh FYI, he's an outside bunny.

 

[gmas rabbit]

If he is eating at least a little that is good. Give him lots of greens, usually GI Statis will turn around if you can get the bunny eating and hydrated. Give him tummy massage, pumpkin - syringe this if nothing else, try and get some fluid into him, baby colic drops for gas. There is a large write up in the library section on GI Statis. Benjamin just went through this and the local vet fooled around for 3 days with bad advice. We ended up taking him to another exoctic pet vet that gave him sub-q fluid, mobility drugs, B12, critical care _- if you have some get this syringed down him every 4 hrs. Took only 12-24 hours to turn him around. There are lots of people on this forum with GI STatus knowledge - you check the threads under ifirmatory and see. My thread was Benjamin got stung by a bee. Dandelions are good, so is parsley.

 

[Pipp]

If he's pooping it's not actually stasis, it could be a gut slowdown but more likely gas. Gas can cause the slowdown and the slowdown can cause the gas, can go either way.

Treatment is still the same but a gas attack on its own will resolve itself in 12 hours or so with the gas meds (usually every hour for three hours, then none for 6 to 8 hours, then hourly again) and tummy rubs, you don't need to be force-feeding or hydrating too much.

The massage and mild exercise is great for both. Looooong massages. I use a vibrating toothbrush.

A straight gas attack usually happens more suddenly, the rabbit acts uncomfortable, pressing his/her tummy to the ground, usually refuses all food but will drink water.

Gas can just be 'something they ate', and they pop out of it really fast, they can go from looking like they're dying to perfectly normal in minutes.

Slowdown/stasis tends to be more gradual with the poops stopping or getting smaller, the rabbit gets progressively quieter, may eat and drink a bit at first but eventually stops. It's likely the case if the rabbit is acting ill for more than 12 hours.

You can have a combination of the two.

Other issues can cause gas/stasis from dental problems to abscesses to internal problems, so always watch carefully for causes.


sas :clover:

 

[Sweetie]

Thank you Sas for posting about the gas meds. Sweetie is going through gas bouts like every couple days or so, and I give her gas meds and she feels better.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[CrimsonCatFish]

From what you explained Sas, I think it may be gas.

Thank you for the infomation, the both of you. I'll keep a really close eye on him and try and find some meds. I'll pop down to the corner shop.
Thank you.