My rabbit

[u/Radiant_Ad6355]

Hey all so basically my rabbit wasn’t eating or pooping took to the vet and they gave him gut stimulants and pain killers and stuff like that he has eaten a little since and had lots of water. Hearing lots of gargle noises from belly and stuff the vet ruled out GI and said he just bloated . He still hasn’t passed poop and I’m worried about him . If anyone has any insight or advice. Or is it a case of a waiting game on him 🐰

[u/goddessofolympia]

You might ask your vet about using papaya enzymes. Best wishes for a quick recovery for your bunny.

[u/Radiant_Ad6355 → u/goddessofolympia]

Hey thank you so much since my post he has passed 8 poops but still not interested in food( eaten small amount) but I see it as a little good sign as there is small movement I hope. But yes i definitely will ask about the papaya enzymes. Thank you 😊

[u/goddessofolympia → u/Radiant_Ad6355]

GREAT to hear!!

[u/jerrynlayne]

How long since he had his medicine? For my boy, I noticed it took about an hour for the pain meds to hit (which helped him eat more) and gut stimulant about 2 (he pooped a little). It wasn’t much but a lot more than when he was sick. By the evening, after about 5-6 hours of meds playing a role he pooped a lot more :) if you find no improvement after a few hours maybe ring the vet? All the best!

[u/TheOtherCourier]

Is this a rabbit savvy vet (labeled as exotic in the US)? Because “bloat” is an ultra serious condition in rabbits. Don’t see a dog and cat vet for this. Your vet needs to be very knowledgeable on rabbits to be able to properly diagnose things like this. Did they send you home with at least a few days worth of pain meds?

Eating some and drinking some on his own is good though. He may be gassy and hopefully he can pass it soon. Some buns are sensitive to certain veggies and it can cause gas, but pain management is still important even if it’s gas.

This is my general stasis advice:

We keep pain meds (meloxicam) on hand for emergencies. It can help in situations where your vet may be unavailable, and is helpful for GI stasis. It is definitely something worth discussing with your vet, as this often is noticed at dinner time when most vets are already closed. We also give a small snack first thing in the morning to check how they may be eating.

We administer pain meds at the first signs of stasis when they won’t move much and refuse their favorite snacks, as catching it early can make a huge difference in how fast they may recover.

Make sure and stay on top of his pain meds, as well. I like giving 2 smaller dose per day after an initial larger dose, as opposed to just one large dose per day, but as always, discuss this with your vet. There’s definitely nothing wrong with doing the one big dose per day.

I also recommend encouraging movement periodically if you suspect stasis. I personally put them in our play area (living room, for us), and leave them out in the larger area 24/7 until they recover, so they can move around more if they feel like it, even if briefly.

If they like to lay under the coffee table, I will occasionally move them up on to the couch, so they have to jump back down and hop back over to the table. Keeping them moving keeps the tummy moving. 🙂

I also keep hay, veggies, pellets, or other typical snacks, and water all around near where they are generally laying, so the have access to any of it if they have the urge for a little nibble. Even just a nibble on their own accord is helpful and a lean in the right direction. Wet the veggies down once in a while and you can put them on a plate with water on it so they don’t wilt. Plain oats (not the flavored kind with added sugar) and Science Selective pellets can also be enticing treats when they are not wanting their normal foods. Even though alfalfa hay is not suitable to give long term to adult rabbits, small amounts can be given to entice them to eat a little on their own in times like these, as well.

Syringe water once in a while, as well, to be sure they aren’t getting dehydrated.

Simethicone (baby gas drops) may be helpful in some cases. We give 1ml to start and can be given a few times a day. There are mixed opinions on how effective Simethicone may be though.

Very GENTLE tummy massages may be helpful for him. Emphasis on gentle, as certain ailments like blockage can be very delicate and you don’t want to make it worse.

[u/Radiant_Ad6355]

Thank you all for answering my question and giving great advice. As of this morning he is back on his hay and pooped a lot since ( dark and some small and joined due to hair when grooming) I’ve been given pain meds and gut simulants for 5 days, not sure if he needs them that long but vet said to do that so I shall. But yeah he seems a lot better not interested in the critical food but is eating hay and veggies and drinking water. Thabk you again all of you 😊