UK members - Cisapride availability

[RWAF]

In case you weren’t aware, vets can once againget cisapride liquid suspension (a medication very useful in treating gut stasis) directly from the drug company Dechra as a “Special” under Veterinary Medicine Directorate regulations. It comes in 250ml bottles.

They will need to send a prescription for a named patient, so they may not be able to hold it in stock for emergencies, but obtain it as needed. As it comes direct from Dechra and is not available via wholesalers, they will have to make special arrangements for payment for it, but they can phone the company to arrange it easily.

If your vets would like further details they should contact Dechra directly, or can join RWAF and contact our vet adviser, Richard Saunders.

 

[ra7751]

GI motility drugs are inappropiate for use in rabbits and are not the proper response to stasis. The only vets I know that use these are usually either very old and out of touch or really don't know that much about rabbits. Motility drugs should be avoided.

 

[Sweetie]

To add to what Randy said, also lots of hay and water, even freshly squeezed pineapple juice can help get the gut moving again when the rabbit has GI stasis.

Sweetie had a mild case of GI stasis and the vet said lots of hay, water, gas meds(because she was experiencing gas at the time), and pineapple juice squeezed from a fresh pineapple, will get her through the stasis. It did!

 

[RWAF]

Thank you for your comments. I fully agree, a proper diet is essential and the best way to get the gut moving is with hydration. However, when that has failed, then gut motility drugs become the only answer.

To clarify, this advice was given by Richard Saunders, the RWAF veterinary expert advisor and one of the best qualified rabbit specialist vets in Europe.

http://www.highcroftvetreferrals.co.uk/exotic-species-team You'll see from his photo that he is not 'old' nor 'out of touch', and he is most certainly very experienced with rabbit medicine. He is co-author of the book 'Rabbit Internal Medicine'