e.cuniculi in rabbits

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

The Pikachu_Collector — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:00:55 GMT

Really plaesed that your bunny rabbit has gone home.

We see a high number of Gastric Stasis rabbits in practice and have set up our own protocol will a high success rate.

Hair balls in stomachs are somewhat of a big ? !! Gut stasis prevents them from being pass in faeces and there fore they can build up.

Gastric stasis can start from illness, dental disease and stress.

we use metacam, baytril - but not for every case, zantac, metoclopramide and strict IVFT and syringe feeding every 3 - 4 hours - day and night

Fingers crossed for you both and I do hope he now has a long happy life xx

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

les punton — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:27:19 GMT

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Kiwi_Em — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:07:00 GMT

so sorry about your bunny.

i saw a few cases when i was in the UK, and it wasnt nice. Good luck and hope you can get him thru.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Vicky RVN — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:41:51 GMT

Glad to hear your little man is doing well

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Jo Hinde — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:07:05 GMT

YAY Im so glad he has come through so far. He will need a re-xray to check that blockage has moved / dispersed. Offer him a water bowl as well as a bottle because rabbits with dental issues will often not use a bottle as much as normal. This then leads to gut issues.

Keep up the metacam - pain can and does kill rabbits so its better to have good pain relief on board (and chance problems later in life with kidneys).

I would give 1 grad of fibreplex per kg, 3 times a day until his eating is fully back to normal or (if he is on baytril) then for an extra 5 days after the baytril has stopped (as antibiotics strip the gut of all good and bad bacteria). Also offer plenty of fresh herbs like basil, corriander, parsley and mint as these are good for his fibre, digestion and urinary tract. Feed all fresh food soaking wet as this will get a little extra moisture into him. You can also sprinkle the recovery food onto the wet veg to get a little extra into him.

When mixing the recovery, I always add a teaspoon or 2 of pure apple / pear or banana baby food. This makes it much easier to syringe, the bunnies eat it better as it tastes nicer and it gives them a little extra energy. If Im not giving them fibreplex then I also mix in some 'bio lapis' or 'professional powder' in to the mix as well.

Lastly, I give 0.1ml per kg of infacol 3 times a day. This has an ingredient called simeticone in it that helps break up any gas that is stuck in the tummy. It is a childrens medicine that is sold in most supermarkets.

For the future, I recommend oxbow papaya plus tablets as a daily treat - these are a hairball preventative as they contain Bromain and Papain which are both digestive enzymes found in pinapple and papaya. These help to break up the mucus in the gut (which is perfectly natural) but it is this mucus that binds the fur together and creates hairballs.

Hope this helps a little and he continues to improve.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

A Little TLC — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:17:53 GMT

Awww, my bunny used to do things like that, she was more like a dog that a rabbit, loved her to bits, miss her loads :(

Glad he's back to his old self, lil squidgling!!

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:09:17 GMT

Me too - yaaay. He was laying stretched out in his cage when I got up this morning (he sleeps in a hutch at night time), he looked really relaxed.

We are really well bonded, he's the same with my boyfriend too. He will follow us round the house everywhere - even in to the bathroom. My favourite though is him shimmying up the armchair and perching on my shoulder. He'll sit there for an hour with his face against my neck. Awwwwwwwww.

Can you tell I'm really happy!?

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

A Little TLC — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:40:41 GMT

Yay!!! I'm so pleased!!! x

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Rachel Jayne — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:31:33 GMT

awww, that is soo sweet. He's obviously really closely bonded to you.

Harley (my bun who looks a bit like Cooper) used to be really cuddly like that when he was a housebunny,now he's outside with his wifebun I'm just the food lady!

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:05:39 GMT

Thanks

To be honest I did think this was going to be a sad ending as he was extremely ill. He was very ill as a baby too so thought his luck had run out

Buuuuut (*touch wood) - he's home and really happy. I'm even staying up late just for him. He's been eating on and off all night, drinking water, pooing (everywhere- but I'll let him off tonight, ha!), running around and then coming over to me to lick my hand and say hello every so often.

Gotta love him

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Rachel Jayne — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:56:01 GMT

Aww, I'm so pleased for you! Hope he's still doing well.

I've just scrolled throught this post as quickly as I could, almost too scared to get to the bottom incase it was a sad ending...

I understand completely where you're coming from,worrying & blaming yourself. I had the same thing happen to me back in may with my little one (charlie - I recently added pics to the pets corner) and it's so hard, but you must keep positive for them, they worry when you worry!!

Keep us posted!

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:02:49 GMT

He's coming home tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it - so very happy!!!!

He's been really perky today, has been passing faeces and urine & has been eating!!! He's been stomping his feet all day so he's back to himself (stomping in a strop not because he's scared - he always bangs his feet at the vets as if to say "I demand you take me home right now!") I still need to monitor him and take more bloods in 2 weeks but - hurrah!!! Can't believe it as he wasn't that great yesterday but if the vet is happy to discharge him then great.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

A Little TLC — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:07:54 GMT

How is bunny today? x

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Fiona Leathers — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:15:10 GMT

I have been told that rabbits chew fur when they don't have enough fibre in their diet or if they have dental pain to try to get rid of any spurs on their teeth. Not sure if there is any real science behind this but it would certainly make sense as hair / fur is very fibrous.

Good luck with your bunny and I hope everything goes well for him!

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Vicky RVN — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:26:22 GMT

Aww glad he was pleased to see you. It's good he's eating hay. I often find that's the first thing they go off and will only eat veggies so sounds promising

for him x

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:08:03 GMT

Oooh and I meant to say that he had a dental last night (again- he only had one a month ago). And they xray'd him too.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:07:22 GMT

Thanks guys.

Yeah he's still on fluids. They took him off over night but will be on them all day today. Going to see him was upsetting but I'm so glad I did as he was definitely really happy to see me - bless his little heart. When I got there he was just sat in his litter tray looking extremely depressed. As soon as I opened the kennel door and stroked him he perked up. He hopped out and came right over to see me. He looked a bit better than yesterday but I'm desperately trying to not get my hopes up as you can just never tell as like said above, rabbits try and hide how ill they are

I cleaned him out whilst I was there as the nurse on duty had a stupid amount of in-patients - so I popped him in his carry case and he stomped his foot (just like his normal self!). I put him back in his kennel and he kept trying to get out - he jumped on to my lap (kennel near floor and I was sat down), he sat on my lap for a cuddle. Good news is that he was eating hay as I left, he only had a bit but that's promising isn't it?

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

claire Speight — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:39:58 GMT

Hairballs in rabbits are not a primary cause of illness (except maybe in long-haired rabbits). The normal gut contents of a rabbit will always contain an amount of hair but when the contents dehydrate (normally due to GI stasis) then the hair dries out and appears to look like a 'fuzz' on x-ray.

The primary cause of illness is why the rabbits gut contents have become dehydrated. A thorough dental examination, including skull xrays to assess the tooth roots would be a wise idea, since dental disease is so widespread in rabbits and is a major, if not the major cause of illness in rabbits. Any unusual stress in the rabbits life, or any other cause of illness that would lessen the amount the rabbit eats and drinks would then begin the cycle of the gut contents dehydrating.

The primary cause needs to be diagnosed and treated (if possible) whilst supporting the rabbit with analgesia (metacam and/or buprenophine, although both have potential side effects - metacam with kidneys and buprenorphone with slowing down the gut motility further), gut motility drugs (metoclopramide and ranitidine - although if there is a true blockage then these shouldn't be used, IV or IP fluids (sc maybe poorly absorbed) and syringe feeding of high fibre foods, as well as offering high fibre foods. Rabbits can appear bright throughout as they will hide all signs of pain and weakness as they are a prey animal, so often they mask how poorly they are. Full recovery can therefore take a week - 10 days.

Claire

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

les punton — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:36:37 GMT

hows your bunny today?

I dont know much about hairballs in rabbits im afraid, will keep my fingers crossed for you though.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Maisy — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:07:54 GMT

Its good news that he is passing droppings, as it won't be the hairball that is the main problem here, rather the sluggish gut motility. Rabbits will always have some degree of fur in their stomach from grooming but should be passed out easily if the gut is functioning normally.

Is he still on fluids? I/V fluids would be best as more rapid hydration to the guts, but subcut could also be given if he would tolerate this. In addition although there is a blockage to some extent, a high fibre diet is still needed to get the GIT moving as it should so you could try syringe feeding him with this. Has he had a full dental check done as well? There can be an underlying reason why the gut motility slowed down in the first place and this should be found if possible. Some people recommend the use of enzyme supplements such as pineapple or papaya to try and encourage movement, but really there is some questioning over whether they actually do any benefit.

Pain relief is the main drug to be used as he will be uncomfortable and abdominal massage can help along with head pads to try and help with pain management.

Hope all goes well.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:03:00 GMT

I've just called - he's bright this morning. They aren't sure if he's eating though :(

He has passed faeces and urine though which is great news - he's even using a litter tray which is ace. So pleased he's pooing as he hadn't for over a day which suggested a big blockage. They are going to ultrasound him today to see how big the fur ball is, where it is and if it's moving.

Going to see him in a bit

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Vicky RVN — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:04:53 GMT

I second what Paula has said

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Vicky RVN — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:03:19 GMT

Hey,

Sorry i can't really be of any help re hairballs, don't know anything about it in bunnies. But i just wanted to say PLEASE don't blame yourself. It really is not your fault. I know it's natural to feel that you are at fault, i know for one i do when my animals are sick! The fact that we're nurses doesn't help i don't think, sometimes we know too much and feel we should have seen something, but in actual fact there was nothing to see! I know i should practice what i preach!

Hope your little bun is ok, i know he means a lot to you going by your previous posts xxx

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Saskia Quinn — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:02:05 GMT

Button,

Firstly, its not your fault - how can it be? You have done all you can for your wee rabbit. I think you need to start thinking of your own feelings for a change and phone the vets, tell them how worried you are and ask for answers. Find out exactly what they plan to do and when.

And, also - ask them what the prognosis is.

At the end of the day, you are their client, just like any other client of the practice and you should not be afraid of getting answers for fear of stressing the nurses.

I know its hard for you right now, but I think you will feel better if you do that.

Re: e.cuniculi in rabbits

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:55:34 GMT

Does anyone know about hair balls in rabbits? What are his chances? Or this just impossible to know? I am worried sick and feel awful. I brush him a lot but worried that I haven't been brushing him enough. Also - I was supposed to take him in on Tuesday for xrays, I took him in but the nurses at work were rushed off their feet and had too many procedures to do so I said I could take him home and do it another day as he seemed fine as he was bright and eating. One of the nurses said that she personally would wait for his blood results before xraying - so I took him home again.

I feel really awful - he got xray'd last night and it should of been on Tuesday morning. He might die now as it's been left for so long. I should of just taken him in and insisted that he be xray'd but I didn't. I was too worried about p!ssing off the nurse that was working that day as she seemed stressed.

I'm so upset with myself as I'm not sure if he's going to make it now and it's my fault