Simethicone for GI Stasis

[AmandaCat]

My bun ate his whole dinner (small amount of pellets) as normal about 1.5-2 hours ago. Just now when I looked at him again, he was pressing his stomach into the floor. I offered him two kinds of treats, which he sniffed but wouldn’t eat. I noticed a couple poos connected with hair in his litter box, too.

I just gave him about 0.3 mL of baby gas relief drops and gave him a bit of a tummy massage.

He’s had the simethicone in him for about ten minutes. How quickly does it work? Should I still be concerned? We had a minor brush with GI stasis about a year ago, so I’m always paranoid when he starts acting odd.

 

[AmandaCat]

The goofball just flopped, so he must not be that uncomfortable? He can’t seem to sit still; he keeps getting up to groom. Thoughts?

 

[Hermelin]

Have he gone to the loo and managed to poop?

If not it can be good to try refresh the hay and see if he will eat it. Then massage his stomach and make him move. The hair in the droppings mean that he need to eat more hay in his diet and you need to brush him. Getting too much hair in the stomach can become dangerous and make the stomach slowdown or block the intestines. Eating a lot of hay will decrease the risk of fur building up but most important will be helping him by brushing.

 

[Preitler]

Simethicone is no wonder cure, it just helps to pass gas. If there is a blockage due to too much ingested hair it doesn't do much about that. It's not wrong though, to prevent a gas build up due to slow gut motion.

My girl had a blockage a few weeks ago, there didn't seem much wrong apart from not eating - looked rather relaxed (bloat causes pain -> hunched up loaf position more likely), but refused treats. Massaged her belly for 10-15min and syringed her water (she drank that willingly) every 2 hours through the night, to the vet in the morning, got some injection, 1ml of parafin oil to loosen up the blockage (gave her that again some hours later), and some stuff to stimulate appetite.
Continued massaging, combined with brushing lose fur out, giving water every 2 hours, and in the afternoon I started force feeding critical care, after two rounds of that she started eating on her own.

Belly massages and making her move is always good with tummy problems, giving water and Simethicone imho can't hurt, if it doesn't clear up within a few hours I'm off to the vet at the first opportunity.
I always offer everything she's used to, also some tummy safe greens like leaves of roses or apple trees or narrowleaf plantain. I always keep a stash of special hay, dried apple and ash leaves, stingy nettles, goutweed, butterbur, dandelion, yarrow and clover for such occasions or as treat.

I would brush out all lose fur, so that he diesn't ingest more, give water with a syringe, massage every hour and make him hop, if he doesn't eat anything on his own within a few hours from when you noticed I would see the vet.

 

[AmandaCat]

Thank you all for the great information! I was wondering about the effectiveness of simethicone for hair-related blockages. Thankfully when I got up in the middle of the night to check on him, he started munching on the greens I left out for him. This morning there were poos in his litter box and he ate, and he’s currently got a case of the zoomies now that I let him out. I think we dodged a bullet!

 

[user 25471]

With one of my last buns, once he stopped pooping and looked pretty sick after my daughter had given him a corn cob not knowing he would eat the whole thing (and that he COULDN'T have it.) I gave him acidophilus probiotic . Within 1/2 hour he was pooping again. Not sure if it was just a coincidence, but I keep it on hand all the time now.

 

[Blue eyes]

I just gave him about 0.3 mL of baby gas relief drops and gave him a bit of a tummy massage.
He’s had the simethicone in him for about ten minutes. How quickly does it work?

Thankfully when I got up in the middle of the night to check on him, he started munching on the greens I left out for him.

Glad he's feeling better! How long it takes depends on the severity of the gas. My current rabbit is more sensitive than my past rabbits and can get these bouts occasionally. The dosage for the simethicone is 1-2cc per hour for 3 hours, then 1cc every 3-8 hours as needed. It is safe, so it's hard to overdo it. Often though, with my rabbit, one dose may be enough. If I don't see improvement after an hour, then he can get a 2nd dose. He'll get a 3rd after another hour if needed.

 

[AmandaCat]

The dosage for the simethicone is 1-2cc per hour for 3 hours, then 1cc every 3-8 hours as needed. It is safe, so it's hard to overdo it. Often though, with my rabbit, one dose may be enough. If I don't see improvement after an hour, then he can get a 2nd dose. He'll get a 3rd after another hour if needed.

Good to know it’s so safe! The lowest dosage I’ve heard was 0.3, so since I wasn’t sure how easily rabbits handle it I was playing it safe. Now I know for next time

 

[AmandaCat]

Just putting this out there for anyone who has a similar problem: at the pet store yesterday I stumbled upon these Oxbow Papaya Support tabs. They contain both papaya and pineapple, which are both supposed to be great for breaking down hair in a rabbit’s tummy. Louie loves them, and I plan on giving him them whenever he’s shedding a lot.

 

[Diane R]

Just putting this out there for anyone who has a similar problem: at the pet store yesterday I stumbled upon these Oxbow Papaya Support tabs. They contain both papaya and pineapple, which are both supposed to be great for breaking down hair in a rabbit’s tummy. Louie loves them, and I plan on giving him them whenever he’s shedding a lot.

They don't work. The only things you can do to help with shedding are pushing lots of hay, make sure they are hydrated and brushing twice a day.

 

[user 25471]

Good to know it’s so safe! The lowest dosage I’ve heard was 0.3, so since I wasn’t sure how easily rabbits handle it I was playing it safe. Now I know for next time

Are you familiar with using the Acidophillus?

Good to know it’s so safe! The lowest dosage I’ve heard was 0.3, so since I wasn’t sure how easily rabbits handle it I was playing it safe. Now I know for next time

Good to know it’s so safe! The lowest dosage I’ve heard was 0.3, so since I wasn’t sure how easily rabbits handle it I was playing it safe. Now I know for next time

Any idea of the dosage of acidophilus ? I am thinking I gave my bun about 1/2 tsp powder (measured dry) He was 3+ lbs.

 

[Preitler]

Any idea of the dosage of acidophilus ? I am thinking I gave my bun about 1/2 tsp powder (measured dry) He was 3+ lbs.

Without knowing what powder, concentrations etc. I couldn't tell - same for Simethicone, when I bought that bottle I could chose between brands with low concentration and others with 10 times that, I quote the 20mg of Simethicone per feeding.

Acidophilus, since it's bacteria I don't think it's that critical, but I guess somewhere in here dosage is mentioned.
https://www.researchgate.net/public...nd_fecal_consistency_index_of_weaning_rabbits

 

[user 25471]

thanks ! I’m going to bookmark it.