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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Telling Bloat from Stasis – whatever took my girl, maybe this will save somebun else

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    • BunnymomKS
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        I lost my beautiful Frosty girl on 3/4/14. I was trying to treat her as I am usually able to nurse a bunny out of stasis or bloat, and when I couldn’t, I took her to a vet. But she passed shortly after we got back home. 

        This has made me aware that sometimes there are some really complicated cases and so I’m doing searches on the issue of bloat, and how to tell it from stasis that can be dealt with usually more easily.

        https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/111762/Default.aspx

        This is a thread from 2010, and below is the direct link to one article it references which I had found right before reading the thread here.

        http://www.bunnylu.org/bloat.php

        Let’s pool our resources and experiences – please share your personal experiences as well as informational resources. If any bunny is helped, maybe Frosty won’t have died in vain.

        Let’s declare war on bunny GI tract problems!


      • Sarita
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          So sorry you lost your beautiful Frosty!

          Did the vet confirm she died of Bloat?


        • BunnymomKS
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            My regular vet wasn’t in, this was a quick emergency visit – I’m connecting the dots of what went on when I first thought it was a stasis or a treatable bloat (i.e. that simethicone would help). It was much worse, but confusing symptom wise and sometimes she’d act better or at least seem to – probably hiding symptoms.

            I’m learning even more things have been discovered about bloat since the time I lost my first house rabbit to it in 1994, things I’ve learned between then and now.  Like the stomach pressing on the heart, the stomach tissue dying, and so on. Organs starting to fail – that’s pretty universal in all creatures including humans and I know that much about death – but when you can’t pinpoint how close the patient is to death it’s harder. You hope against hope that you’re still only dealing with the original problem – and that that problem can be cured before complications set in. Unfortunately this was apparently not the case with Frosty.


          • Sarita
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              I think that if you did a necropsy that could have helped otherwise you might just be speculating on what it might have been. Although in the past I have had necropsy’s done as well and they were not always conclusive but they can help determine many times what the cause was not rather than what it was.


            • BlueMoods
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                I agree with Sarita. We can guess at what may have gone wrong or, may not have gone wrong but, unless we do or have the vet do a necropsy, we are just guessing. Yes, some of us have a medical background so, make very good educated guesses but, they are still guesses.

                Both Stasis and bloat are caused by something, be that something the rabbit ate, parasites, twisting of the gut, blockage due to fur being ingested, something. A necropsy may reveal the cause or may not, but it would reveal any damage or problem with other organs and, would tell you what definitely was not wrong.

                I know that is very hard to do or have done to a beloved pet but, if preventing such in the future is your goal and, you cannot see an obvious external cause (rabbit ate non food items for example.) then it is helpful to do or have a necropsy done.


              • BunnymomKS
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                  I know what you all are saying. It’s not a matter of squeamishness – I actually observed the necropsy of my first house rabbit many years ago. But frankly, and I hope no one will take this the wrong way or judge me – I am financially strained and the first necropsy was gratis because the vet wanted to know as well. These days I have to forego and keep the money for the buns who are alive, to be able to afford quality food and care.

                  Also I was just so blown away, because in the circumstances, I got her home thinking “Okay, we’re going to make some headway now on this thing” and then she wasn’t home 15 minutes before she died.  There was sort of a “perfect storm” of surreality surrounding the entire experience starting with a winter storm the weekend before she died and much stress, and the fact that I hadn’t dealt with a stasis with this bunny ever, so it was so different . . . I’m torn between sorting things out in my mind and trying not to think about it all because it’s so freaking painful.

                  So she was buried – not where I live, either, because I don’t own my own place – but at the bunny rescue – and I’m just trying to deal the best I can. If not getting a necropsy done was a mistake then so be it. I am just trying to deal one day at a time with the loss at this point and it has been hard.


                • Sarita
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                    I totally understand why you didn’t do a necropsy….it’s just that many times it is helpful (if that is what you chose to do and can put a closure to speculation – usually).

                    I used to do a necropsy as well but like you, I just decided (unless the vet chooses to do this and I am not out the expense – I also chose not too).

                    I’m sorry you lost your Frosty and it does hurt but hopefully as the days go by you will feel less sad.


                  • BunnyLady1989
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                      I’m so sorry to here about your girl I know how painful it is. I have never had to deal with stasis or bloat though, and I really don’t know too much about it but after reading this I’m alittle more aware of it, so thank you for that at least.


                    • BunnymomKS
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                        All I know is, bloat seems to be more complicated. However, to add to the confusion, bloat and stasis can occur together, and it’s a chicken or the egg question which occurs first, etc. I suggest to everybody, read and learn as much as you can before you ever need to know. I’ve had years of experience with bunnies but this case was a stumper. Also, each bunny is different – if you have a bunny who’s had a problem before and you’ve gotten them out of it, that makes the second time around a little more straightforward. This was Frosty’s first time, and sadly, her last, with this.


                      • Hollypop
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                          I am distraught, lost my bun this morning. Unsure whether bloat or stasis, as it all happened so quick. She has had constipation & gas before but it usually went within a couple of hours.


                        • BunnyLady1989
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                            Hollylouisa I’m so sorry for your loss


                          • rayray
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                              My condolences to both BunnymomKS and hollylouisa. Most of us know 1st hand the pain of losing a pet.
                              My vet budget is tight as well so I understand not having the necropsy done. Even knowing doesn’t help bring them back.


                            • BunnymomKS
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                                hollylouisa, my deepest condolences on your loss.  If only they could talk and tell us “Mommy, my tummy hurts” or whatever is wrong

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                            Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Telling Bloat from Stasis – whatever took my girl, maybe this will save somebun else