Not eating sort of...

[Wabbitdad12]

My blue flemmie buck Thumper hasn't been eating his food or pooing like he normally does. Looking at his litter box he hasn't been using it to pee in either.

I cleaned out his water bottle and it works, I put a bowl of water in his cage and it looks like he is drinking out of there. He'll eat lettuce and treats, he hops and acts normal, when he gets out of his cage he goes to the other corners of the room and sprays.

He doesn't feel boney or like he has lost weight, so I am a bit confused. Any ideas?

Thanks

Dave

 

[tonyshuman]

Well, it could of course be the beginnings of stasis, since he's not eating as much or eliminating as much. You wouldn't be able to feel a loss of weight from stasis. However, usually avoiding a single type of food is a sign of tooth problems. The first things avoided are usually hay and some veggies though, not pellets.

Since the fecal output is less and the food intake is less, I'd treat it as developing stasis. Gas meds, tummy rubs, lots of water (sub-q if you can, oral syringe pedialyte otherwise), Bene-Bac, and canned pumpkin. Maybe some fresh pineapple juice too. He may not be peeing normally because his tummy hurts, so a dose of Metacam (if he's hydrated enough and you have it) may not hurt either.

Are the other guys on the same pellet brand? Is it a new bag? Is he eating his hay? How long has he gone without poos?

Good luck.

 

[dquesnel]

:yeahthat:

I would begin standard early stasis protocol. Also, any of my guys will avoid hay first, pellets next and water, then veggies in event of dental issues.

I would push the veggies right now. The spraying issue is a bit odd, that could mean a variety of things. Did that happen the same time as his decreased appetite? They may or may not be related.

 

[wabbitmom12]

Update on Thumper. He is drinking out of a bowl, not his water bottle, he is eating some hay, eating some baby food apple/banana mx, craisins, veggies, banana chips. He is his normal self, stubborn, trouble causing other wise. Can't check his teeth without getting bit, so we are taking him to the vet.

 

[dquesnel]

My Sass went off his water bottle when his teeth started bugging him. He switched to the bowl, which he NEVER used before that. It wasn't until he stopped drinking from anything that I figured something was wrong. It could certainly be his teeth bugging him. Would you say his appetite is reduced, or pretty much normal?

Sometimes the vets cannot see the teeth (molars) very well unless they put the rabbit under. They may have to do that with Thumper. I have had vets say before that teeth are not a problem, only for the rabbit to have a gigantic spear of a molar poking out and lacerating the tongue. In my case they didn't find the spurs until they could fully inspect the mouth. I'm glad you are taking him to the vet, they will have some answers for you I am sure.

 

[wabbitmom12]

dquesnel wrote:

Would you say his appetite is reduced, or pretty much normal?

It's hard to really say, since he hasn't eaten much the past couple of days. He acts starving when we give him the baby food with a syringe, and he mowed right through a couple of romaine lettuce leaves. Then, when I gave him a couple more, he didn't act very interested.Maybe his chompers started to hurt after chewing them up? The more Ithink aboutit, I really have to believe that it's his teeth.

Poor boy! Sore teeth are miserable!:cry1: