My rabbit stomach feels hard. Help!!

[the fluffies]

I have something to add.. I just recall it today!

I noticed Shiro has his first bloat/stasis on 2nd October. 2-3 days before that, i sent him and the cats to deworm (advised my the vet since Shiro is skinny compared to my other bun) and the vet also treat them with Frontline. She sprayed it on her palms and rub it on Shiro's body. On the cats, she sprayed it directly. Before that, he never had any tummy problem.

I talked this matter to the vet who is going to perform the xray to Shiro, but he's not familiar with megacolon in rabbits.

Now we are not sure if he is not eating due to his tummy problem, or he has dental problem that cause him not eating (bcoz i found a green-bean sized lump under his chin).The size has no change. It could be the result of my roughage while force-feeding him, right?

The vet is close on Sunday. I'll try to get him xray in another few days.

Another problem, the vet is not well-verse in reading the rabbit xray. I'll get Hans' (RIP) vet to help me with this. It will take another few days.

As for time being, i'll do my best to keep him comfort. Please pray for him. Thanks. ray:ray:ray:

 

[Brandy456]

The juices may be upsetting his stomach, and adding to his discomfort. When you're constipated, the last thing you want is sweets. Also, the more sweetness, the more thirsty they get. All in all, the sweet from the fruit juice may upset his stomach.
I believe he'll eat when he's hungry, and drink also. Maybe if he already doesn't have one, put a bowl of water out for him.

 

[the fluffies]

This morning, i woke up and found big poops in his litterbox. No more small poops like yesterday. But he still not eating/drinking by himself. The hard tummy is reduced a bit. but i still have to feed him Critical care with mix blended Oxbow BBT since he still not eating by himself.

I've made an appointment to xray him on tomorrow morning.

 

[Pipp]

the fluffies wrote:

I have something to add.. I just recall it today!

I noticed Shiro has his first bloat/stasis on 2nd October. 2-3 days before that, i sent him and the cats to deworm (advised my the vet since Shiro is skinny compared to my other bun) and the vet also treat them with Frontline. She sprayed it on her palms and rub it on Shiro's body. On the cats, she sprayed it directly. Before that, he never had any tummy problem.

Ack!! Your vet used Frontline on a rabbit? I think the bottle/tube even has a warning NOT for use on rabbits, the stuff can be deadly.

THAT may be the source of the whole problem, and the physical stress has lowered his immune system allowing the abscess and other problems to take hold.

Its going to take a bit of research to figure out where to go from here, please stand by.

The x-rays are still needed.


sas :clover:

 

[Maureen Las]

The Frontline is very toxic to a rabbit but it sounds like your vets are not rabbit knowledgeable at all.

How is he now?

Did you get an x-ray?

 

[the fluffies]

Frontline in Malaysia has no warning for rabbits. They've been using on guinea pigs, rabbits etc

I just come back from x-ray. I'll upload the pic soon. Since they're not using any sedative, we cant get a very good output. They take a few shots of x-ray. These are the best i can get. But let me know what do u guys think about the x-ray ya..

Argh! I cant snap a good photo of the x-ray. Now i'm trying to use scanner machine..

 

[the fluffies]

Xray of Shiro laying on his side.

 

[the fluffies]

On the other side :

 

[the fluffies]

The vet said, if Shiro is having some molar problem, it can be detected by palpated his cheek. And the vet said he couldn't find anything wrong with the teeth when he palpated him.

 

[the fluffies]

here is the other x-ray photos i snapped with my digital camera, showing his stomach. Is there any of RO members expert in interpret the rabbit's x-ray? The vet who took the x-ray is not really well verse in reading the x-ray.

Top view :

Side View :

Again, the molar x-ray i snapped with my digital camera :

Another side :

The vet said, looks like impacted food/poops in his intestine. I don't dare to feed Critical Care. Afraid it will worsen his case. I'm feeding him with pineapple juice n water.

I dont know what else to do now..

 

[Brandy456]

There is definitely something in his stomach, wether it be gas, or food.
Did he have any access to some kind of fabric, that could be lodged not letting him pass anything?

 

[the fluffies]

I'm not sure... He is not molting at the moment. Other than newspaper and toilet paper, he has no access towards any fabric. Could it be the bathmat i put in his cage? I've remove that too...

The vet suggest Laxatone since he suspected 'hairball'. But i doubt that. Can rabbit produced hairball?

Soon as we get home (we left home at 9.00am, took 1hour journey to the vet and reached home at 1.00pm), he only ate pineapple slice, drank water, and he looked really tired as he sat still under our tv cabinet.

After a few hours, the passed stool. A lot of poops.

Now the stomach looks ok. No hard tummy. He in munching a few strands of orchard grass, broccoli, Manna Pro pellet and soaked BBT pellet.

But i doubt the problem will appears in the next few hours/days.

I talked to the rabbit savvy vet in KL (5 hours journey from our place) via phone after took the xray. She said it could be the Frontline. And since my cats are repeating their treatment every 2 weeks (we took a new stray cat, and it was seriously infected with fleas), it might affected Shiro too. She asked me to stop the cats' treatment. She said Frontline will we evaporate in the air/from the cats' fur.

I have 13 bunnies including Shiro. Shiro is a HL pure breed. And he is a megacolon bunny. The rest are Lionhead mixed-bred. But i have no problem with the other 12. Is it because of his megacolon too?

Before we took the x-ray this morning, i had a small arguement with the vet. He insisted to use Barium powder to see any blockage in Shiro, but i have to leave Shiro for minimum 6 hours to make the Barium takes effect. But i refused to leave him there. So we just proceed with the x-ray without Barium. Is there any side effect of Barium to bunnies? I couldn't find anything useful from the internet regarding Barium.

 

[Maureen Las]

It is good that you told the vet not to use barium; I have never heard of using barium on a rabbit .

Unfortunately there are a lot of problems going on now.
Even if the Frontline initiated many of these problems it appears that he has survived it ...but he also hasthe abscess that is going to need antibiotics.

I cannot read these x-rays , howeverI will send this thread to Randy and ask for help.

I believe that you are still going to need to get to another vet to get the appropriate antibiotics
Randy may not be able to respond butI will give it a shot ............

 

[the fluffies]

Thanks Angieluv.

The lump is still there.. I think it reduced a bit. I hope it is just a cyst due to my roughage while force-feeding him.

 

[the fluffies]

Shiro doesn't eat or drink much today. He is spending his time lying under our couch

I've force-feed him with Critical Care and Benebac (this is his first time!). And he took a few bites of papaya.

We have 13 bunnies. Shiro in the thinnest among all.

Last month when i sent them dewormed, Shiro was about 1.2kg. Recently when i sent him to x-ray, his weight is about 1.8kg. He has lost 300g in a month!

And since he is a megacolon bunny, just recovered from GI statis and blockage, is there any supplement, vitamin or diet to strengthen his gut?

I read that Nutri-cal can helps to keep the rabbit hydrated, provides calories/energy, and vitamin E for the intestinal lining. Any of u give this to your bunny?

:anyone: :sigh:

 

[the fluffies]

After 14 hours, Shiro is drinking and pooping just now. The poops are smaller in size (symptom of gas, right?) I gave him 1.5cm Benebac 4 hours ago. When should i repeat the Benebac??

I have gas medicine but it contains :
- Aluminium Hydroxide wet gel 800mg
- Magnesium Hydroxide 800mg
- Simethicone (activated polymethylsiloxane) 60mg

This is the highest dose of simethicone we can find in Malaysia. No matter what, i shouldn't give him that, right??

 

[Maureen Las]

You can repeat the benebac tomorrow if you gave it today .
can you get a hold of any gas medication with the only active ingredient being simethicone? Look at baby liquid gas medication or even at adult tablets but look for simethicone.

 

[the fluffies]

angieluv wrote:

You can repeat the benebac tomorrow if you gave it today .
can you get a hold of any gas medication with the only active ingredient being simethicone? Look at baby liquid gas medication or even at adult tablets but look for simethicone.

We have Zellox II :
- Aluminium Hydroxide wet gel 800mg
- Magnesium Hydroxide 800mg
- Simethicone (activated polymethylsiloxane) 60mg
in each 10ml.

This is the best simethicone we can find. No 100% simethicone. And this is the lowest AH & MH dose we can get.

 

[the fluffies]

I just dont understand why his tummy problem keep coming back :tears2:

 

[Maureen Las]

don't give it with the aluminum and magnesiun in it . have you looked at the backof all the gas meds in the pharmacies and stores there?