not eating

[tiabia0]

my rabbit is breathing hard, unable to go to the bathroom and won't eat or drink. i think she might be starting gi statis again. how much simethicone can i give her?

 

[Pipp]

How big is she? When did she last poop? Eat?

What kind of simethicone have you got on hand? What's the suspension? And is it liquid of tablets?

Hope she's okay!


sas :clover:

 

[tiabia0]

she's 5lbs. i haven't seen her poop for a few hours. it's liquid. i think i gave her 1cc last time. it's called little tummys.

 

[Pipp]

If it's baby stuff (sounds like it) I'd give her at least a full cc, probably more like 1.5 cc, once an hour for three hours.

Is she pressing her tummy to the floor and generally looking uncomfortable?

I'd also give her a gentle tummy massage, and/or some vibration therapy with the back end of a vibrating toothbrush, massage tool or even put her on top of a clothes dryer. She should feel better right after, but the gas I think tends to reform a few times before it dissipates for good.

And definitely keep her warm.

How old is she?


sas :clover:

 

[tiabia0]

I gave her 1cc. I'll give her another 1cc in an hour. She's 2 1/2. She lays on her side and moves around a lot like she's uncomfortable.

 

[Pipp]

That's good, probably just simple gas and not stasis. Were her poops a normal size when she last pooped?

I'd give her more than 1 cc if it's a 40 mg suspension. My 2.5 lb guys get between .75 and 1cc. I actually started giving them adult strength, the reason it doesn't always work is the doses are often too low. Simethicone is not absorbed by tissue, it just works on binding the gas and that's it. It can't hurt them. The only caution is a minor one re: mixing with some other type of meds, but rarely a concern in rabbits.

You may want to offer her some warm water in a syringe, but don't force her if she doesn't want it.

Gentle, non-stressful movement would be good too. (And if you're massaging her tummy, it really should be for quite a long time. I'll try for at least 30 minutes, sometimes an hour. Once they realize it helps, they appreciate it.


sas :clover:

 

[tiabia0]

She doesn't want any water. I tried giving her some in a syringe and she lets it drip out of her mouth. All the poops I can see are normal.

 

[tiabia0]

Now she's drinking a little water.

 

[Pipp]

Can you give her a gentle massage? And does she seem to feel better after you do so?

I really hate it when they're lethargic enough to let water dribble from their mouths. I'd try gas treatments for a couple or three hours, but also think about getting her to an ER vet if she shows no improvement. Although my mini-rex used to look just awful during his gas attacks, even to the extent of peeing on himself and shaking.

But I learned not to panic. I'd put him in the carrier ready to call a cab to rush him to the vet, I'd look inside and he'd be happily munching hay.

Is she cold? Any teeth grinding?

sas :clover:

 

[tiabia0]

No teeth grinding. Her temperature feels normal. Now she's munching small bits of hay. I think I'm gonna give her medicine for the next 2 hours and see how she is in the morning.

 

[Pipp]

tiabia0 wrote:

Now she's drinking a little water.

Ah good! I feel much better now. Gassy bunnies will most often want to drink a little.


sas :clover:

 

[tiabia0]

She's had gi statis twice i think so i always get paranoid. she was fine all day, just lazy so i didn't think anything of it til she started breathing hard earlier. i think she got stressed out too. she's licking herself now. i'm giving her more medicine in 20 minutes.

 

[pamnock]

Be sure not to use mineral oil (an old timer's remedy).

Mineral oil can be very dangerous to give to rabbits due to the possibility as aspiration into the lungs. The mineral oil coats the alveoli, preventing them from absorbing oxygen, resulting in suffocation. I had a rabbit die from aspirating mineral oil - it suffocated in my arms - a terrible way to die.

I recommend giving Nutri Cal for rabbits in stasis. Safe to administer, provides nutrients and contains vitamin E (therapeutic to the intestinal lining).

Pam

 

[luvthempigs]

Is there Nutri Cal made for rabbits or do you use the one made for cats?

I was reading this post and got to thinking it might be a good idea to have on hand.

 

[Maureen Las]

it's the one made for cats
you just give a rabbit a small amount

 

[pamnock]

luvthempigs wrote:

Is there Nutri Cal made for rabbits or do you use the one made for cats?

I was reading this post and got to thinking it might be a good idea to have on hand.

I use the version for cats/dogs. It's one of my "must haves" in the barn and I always use it for stasis.

Pam

 

[tiabia0]

This is what I used: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/little-tummys.html

She's doing okay now; eating, pooping, peeing, drinking, etc.

 

[luvthempigs]

Is the Nutri Cal similiar to a paste wormerthat you squeeze into their mouth from a tube?

 

[tonyshuman]

Nutrical is dispensed just like the paste wormer, but is just composed of vitamins, calories, and appetite stimulant.

Please keep us updated on your bun.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

luvthempigs wrote:

Is there Nutri Cal made for rabbits or do you use the one made for cats?

Yes, the one for Cats is the one to use for buns.

Best of luck, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Hugs!