Rabbit with impacted bowel

[Lucianne]

Hello everyone,

I posted on here a week or so ago after buying a young rabbit (about 9weeks old) in a pet shop, and becoming worried that she was very thin,and was drinking a LOT of water.

Last Friday she stopped eating and defaecating, and wasn't her usualbouncy self. I felt her tummy, and she had a hard mass between the ribcage and hind legs, on her right side. I was worried that my youngdaughter had squeezed her too hard and ruptured something, and sorushed her to the vet. The vet said she had an impacted bowel whichcould rupture, and kept her in overnight to give her iv fluids. Theygave her the drugs temagesic, metaclop, metacam and lactulose, to gether bowels moving again. The next day the mass had gone, and she waseating and defaecating again - although the pellets seemed slightlydessicated.

She was a bit subdued for a couple of days, but is now lively andhappy. However this evening (in the evenings I bring her out of herhutch and have her on the sofa with me), she hasn't pooed at all, and Ican feel a similarly positioned hard mass, but this time on her LEFTside. She's eating ok, and leaping about, but the mass is definitelythere. It's definitely nothing to do with my daughter, as I only lether stroke her for a couple of minutes a time, very closely supervised.

Is her bowel impacted again?? Why does this keep happening? I feed herhay, timothy hay, and good quality pellets (burgess supra excel), asmany as she wants. She also has small quantities of carrots, and thismorning she had a little bit ofpear.

WHat can I do to stop this happening, and how can I disperse the massand get her to pass it? She's a lionhead, and although she's not hugelyfluffy, I thought the excess hair being ingested may be a problem. ButI read on the internet that the hair is not the problem, it's the lackof bowel motility.

I'm really concerned about this, and can't keep taking her to the vetsevery few days. Also, we are going away this weekend, and I'm worriedthe stress of the journey and new surroundings will make her worse. Shedoesn't seem distressed or anything - she spends most of her timestretched out on her side with her legs out, which I took to be a signof relaxation, but could it be discomfort?

Please help; I don't know what to do!

Thanks,

Lucy

 

Give her tons of hay, andmaybe some oatmeal , pumpkin or something equal andmaybe some equicalent of nutri cal . that should help getthings moving.

are you giving her any greens , like lettuce, parsley andsuch. also if you can find plain , unfrosted , no sugar ,no salt,Shredded wheats ,being she is small breed I would give her 2 or3 a day to help push stuff through better .

 

[jordiwes]

Check out these threads, they may help:

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=9972&forum_id=1

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=2532&forum_id=1

 

[Lucianne]

Thanks, I'll try that.

She's eaten some oats this evening, and halfacarrot,and produced a few poos (nothing like her usual volumethough). She's very lively and affectionate, and seems really happy,but the lump is still there.

 

[pamnock]

I would most certainly get her to a vet, sincethe problem may be a chronic health issue. She does need tohave a check up to rule out a serious health problem.



Pam

 

[lucylocket]

hi there la

one thing ive got to tell you is the burgess food only give a small handful in the morning and on a nighttime

we had lucy our rabbit on that and the vet said you have to monitor it or you will end up with an obise rabbit

i would definately get some nutrical but here in the uk its called

science recovery its exellent

you can make it like a sloppy mixture and your bunny will love it

pm me if you have any more problems

love varna xxxx

 

[lucylocket]

bump for luci anne

 

[Lucianne]

Thanks Varna, that's really useful about thescience recovery - I'll get some asap. I'm not worried about feedinghertoo many pelletsat the moment, as she was veryskinny when I got her.

The lump seems to have gone today, but now I think there might be alump on the OTHER side again. I can't really have her out of the hutchproperly until my daughter is in bed, to see whether she's defaecatingok, and happy in herself.

 

[Lucianne]

Thanks for your reply Jordiwes, the threads were interesting to read. Didn't think that stasis had a viral cause.

 

[Lucianne]

Gypsy, she is only about 10 weeks old. Do youthink it's ok to give her greens etc? I bought some today, and will trysome small amounts of them, and some parsley and tarragon.

 

[AmberNBuns]

I have heard that a small amount of freshpineapple will provide enzymes to move along ingested hair.Anyone else know if this is true? I know that most buns loveit...

Parsley is great! Also kale, spinach and broccoli...

Keep up the water too! (Try vanilla, if she likes it she maydrink more)

 

Lucianne wrote:

Gypsy, she is only about 10 weeks old. Do you think it's okto give her greens etc? I bought some today, and will try some smallamounts of them, and some parsley and tarragon.

A litte bit of greens wont hurt but intorducethem a little bit at a time and preferably saokedin cool water for a half hour so the draw up as much water as theycan, I would start with a small sprig ofParsley, I have 2 week old babies that nibble on greens themom gets , BUT they are used to it , whereas yourbaby isnt , just try a small piece of parsley firstand see how she handles it .

I didnt realize she was so young , Parsley is the better ofthe 2 to try first though, I would hold off on the Tarragon for a fewmore weeks.

 

[lucylocket]

sorry i didnt realise she's a baby bunny

varna xxxx