Popcorn update: One bunny refusing food

[whiskylollipop]

It's been nearly 24 hours since the popcorn-eating, and just when I thought we were in the clear... I woke up this morning to feed the bunnies and Rosebun took a couple bites of the pellets and left! ROSEBUN, who would normally shred through a thousand boxes to get at a single pellet.

He's sitting in the back of the table now, where we can't reach him, and isn't keen on being touched. He doesn't LOOK stasis-y. He's grooming himself, dbf-ing and stretching. He just won't eat and won't come out.

Is this related to the popcorn-eating? Is he just now developing an upset tummy? Or a blockage????

I've never had any stasis issues with either of my boys before, and I'm antsy as hell. Of course this could not have come at a worse time for us, I just paid a years' worth of school fees and money's tight. Oh Rosey...:cry1:

 

[whiskylollipop]

Ok, if hand-fed he'll accept on average one pellet every 30 seconds. That's weird, right? He still won't let me touch him. I won't be able to examine him properly until hubs gets back from work and catches the little *******. Merlin's having a ball of a time stealing Rosey's pellets out of my fingers.

 

[GK44]

I'm sorry I can't help (just became a first timer the other night and still learning) but I do hope that Rosebun starts to feel better soon.

 

[zombiesue]

I don't think he sounds that sick.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Thanks GK44!

I know, he doesn't look sick either, but he's definitely not himself today. Even when he takes a pellet it's very reluctantly. It's like my sweet kissy food-crazy bun has been replaced by a very tired and depressed one

He's on the other side of the room now, under a chair. At least I know he's not too sick to move.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Yay! I found one thing he'll eat, these dark bits of hay that's normally mixed up in the meadow hay - I'm not sure what plant it is but both my bunnies always go nuts for it.

I went through the hay stash and picked out a pile of it for him. Unfortunately he only ate about half of it then lost interest.

What I'm really worried about is that he hasn't drunk any water, or pooped or peed once. Rosey's just kinda hanging out behind the table most of the time. This is his little no-mummys-allowed corner:

 

[whiskylollipop]

Well, I've got him isolated in a cage with hay, water and some pellets. He's barely touching anything. Just slowly hopped around, leaving weird tiny black poos here and there. Those poos do not look good at all. No peeing yet. It's been 5 hours and no fluids entering or exiting

 

[JBun]

Well, with you seeing poop, there isn't a blockage yet, but can be if he doesn't keep eating and drinking. You can try any leafy greens that he is used to, and keep encouraging hay, but pellets should be restricted a bit at this point, and no sugary starchy treats. You want him eating lots of fiber and fluids. you could also try some simethicone(baby gas drops)1-2cc every hour for 3 hours, but an hour after the second dose if you aren't seeing an improvement, you should get him to the vet. I don't know what time it is there, but you want to plan this so that your vet office isn't closed if you decide you need to take him in.

It would be good to probably get a fecal test done as the sugars could have caused an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, and get metacam for pain, possibly a gut motility med, and syringe feeding mix. Probably will need the vet to give fluids too, if he hasn't been drinking. You may need other meds like antibiotics, depending on if the fecal shows anything.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Thanks Jenny. Rosebun just had a drink! Relieved about that. But he's not interested in the hay at all, and hardly nibbling at the pellets. I thought I'd just leave a small portion in there to tempt him, so at least SOMETHING goes down. In fact I think he only eats a piece begrudgingly when I go to check on him and give him a very serious stare.

We've made an appointment at our usual vet tomorrow, I'll be sure to ask about fecal tests. I have the address of an emergency animal clinic that operates 24/7 if things take a turn for the worse. For now we're still holding out hope that it's just a minor tummy upset and our poor bunbun will pull through on his own.

 

[JBun]

Just make sure he continues to get fluids, even if you have to syringe them, and at least a small amount of food, as you don't want his gut slowing down too much and risking a blockage. Going 12 hours without food and water is considered an emergency, so just something to keep in mind.

Do you feed any leafy greens? Sometimes they will eat those when they won't eat pellets or hay.

 

[Tauntz]

Come on, Rosebun! You need to eat that hay &/or some herbs & drink lots of water to get that poppycorn out of your system & feeling better! It will make you mom feel better too!

 

[whiskylollipop]

Got some good news to report! Just made a trip down to the supermarket to get some fresh cilantro and parsley. Merlin was over the moon (he ate his share so fast he choked, and coughed and sneezed at the same time- it was very funny), but at first Rosey wouldn't take any. I was discouraged but left a bunch of cuttings in the water bowl for him.

A few minutes later, I walked by the cage and saw Rosebun sitting by the bowl, lazily munching on his veggies! Oh what a good boy. Thanks for all the support and solid advice. I really hope this helps his gut get moving, and also brings some fluids into his system. It doesn't look like he's feeling up to finishing it all, but I'm happy he ate some.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Well Rosebun's still sick. We've gotten a bit of food down, but looks like nothing's improved yet. He's taken to sitting in odd, scrunched positions, and when he let me near him, I could feel a long solid lump on his right side. Impacted cecum maybe? Not knowing how to help is so frustrating

On the bright side, he just did a normal-looking poop...please let that be the start of an upswing.

 

[Watermelons]

Are you giving the gas drops?
Try spiking a bowl of water with a bit of apple juice for taste, should entice him to drink more if it tastes good. Yes I see you have a bottle, but please offer him a bowl in the cage as well.
Keep offering foods, lots of hay, the herbs... most bunnies take herbs over anything else. Cilantro is great for tummys.
I know a lot of bunnys will eat if you annoy them with food. I got my guys to try new stuff by rolling the stem between my fingers so the end kind of thwacked them in the nose... they took their revenge out on it by eating it.

Do you have any metacam on hand?

 

[whiskylollipop]

I did put a bowl of water in earlier. Rosebun doesn't like apples though...I put his cilantro and parsley in the bowl hoping he'd slurp up some water as he ate them. I'm still feeding him wet herbs every half hour, and he's eating them so that's one good thing.

But I'm a bad bun mum and haven't got any metacam or simethicone on hand! :banghead

I sent hubby to get some simethicone on the way back with dinner, but he said the pharmacy was closed, guess they close at 3pm on Wednesdays! Ugh! He reckons Rosey's fine and he's probably just having an off day. I agreed with him then, seeing as Rosey was eating his veggies and wasn't showing any signs of pain (hunching, tooth grinding), but now after doing heaps of googling, I'm convinced Rosebun DOES have gas. I'm going straight to the pharmacy first thing tomorrow and I only hope he lasts the night! I'm so sorry Rosey :cry:

 

[Imbrium]

Honestly, if he's not 100% back to normal when you wake up, I'd skip the simethicone and just bring him in to the vet - it's a safer way to go. The vet should give you metacam and metoclopramide (a motility drug) and do whatever testing is needed to determine the cause of the pre-stasis symptoms.

By the way, if you're looking for good things to stock in a first aid kit in case this ever happens again, I recommend tracking down some bunny-appropriate probiotics . They can really help with digestive issues if they're related to a bacterial imbalance (and are also an excellent idea if you ever have to give antibiotics, as they counter the potential side-effects).

I hope all goes well today and he can recover quickly! ray:

 

[Tauntz]

Still keeping Rosebun in prayer to get well quick. I know the worry & feeling of frustration when you either can't get to the vet or don't know what to do to help them or don't have something you really need for them at the time you need it. Thanks for the updates. So glad we have such wonderfully knowledgeable & helpful members to give good advice to help until our bunnies can get to the vet.

 

[whiskylollipop]

We're back from the vet! You wouldn't believe how our vet solved the problem. He pooh-poohed meds, saying he'd only resort to them if the bunny was in too much pain to move. Instead he kind of jostled Rosebun around, making him hop and picking him up flipping him over and letting him struggle to escape for a bit - and suddenly - my little bunny did a HUGE FART!

We'd given Rosey a dose of simethicone before our appointment, so he said to do another dose after the hour was up and keep an eye on him, but now that he's farted most of the gas out of his system he'll be fine soon. He took the poos we brought in for a fecal test, but said chances were this was a one off incident due to the large volume of caramel sugar he'd eaten. We're going to put him on a hay-only diet for the next 24hrs.

 

[Apebull]

That sound about right. We had horses when we were young and when they had tummy troubles my mom would MAKE them walk and run until they started farting and pooping again.

I'm glad hes feeling better.

 

[Tauntz]

lol Sorry, couldn't help but laugh at your vet visit & his bunny treatment! Glad Rosebun is better! One good fart deserves another! lol Rosebun, please stay away from that tempting carmel popcorn & all popcorn, its not worth the tummy gas to you & the worry for your mom. Thanks for the update! Hay time!!!!!