Gas in cecum will not go away…

[lex7284]

Hi everyone,

My first post on here so bare with me, it will be a long one, I am desperate for additional help! My rabbit Vino is about 6.5-7 years old. My fiance and I have had him since he was 4, acquired him from an acquaintance who could no longer care for him. Since the beginning of February he has had this issue with gas in his cecum. We noticed he had been chewing on his toys and grinding his teeth and I couldn’t remember the last time I actually saw him lay down. The vet felt gas in his cecum and the x-ray confirmed that. His bloodwork came back with elevated white cell count. The vet put him on two motility drugs cisapride and metoclopramide along with simethicone 3 times a day, baytril for whatever was causing the elevated white cells and metronidazole (I think, I can’t quite remember). Also was giving Benebac and Oxbow critical care. She classified this as GI Statis but he never stopped eating or pooping, perhaps had a little less interest in hay. He stayed overnight and then we brought him back a week later and a repeat x-ray still showed the same gas pattern in his cecum and we were told to continue with the motility drugs. We thought perhaps a urinary issue was causing the gas as he was peeing in random areas so he was put on SMZ-TMP, still after he was done no improvement with gas.

 I had been in contact with Dana Krempels at UMiami where I went to school several years ago and she tried to help me out as much as she could. She suggested enemas so we were able to do a few but when the vet found out she was not happy at all. I have read everything Dana has on her website and pretty much any literature out there on statis and other rabbit ailments. 

Brought him back to the vet in March with a repeat x-ray again showed gas in the cecum. No blockages have ever been revealed on the x-ray. We do have metacam on hand if he shows any signs of pain (he had been taking it on and off at the end of February and March). He has been such a good boy through all of this and is currently very active, begging for food, eating, drinking, peeing, pooping. The current problem we have right now is that is has been having liquid stool once to twice a day. I am guessing this is cecal dysbiosis and we are trying like mad to get rid of it.

I have not been in contact with the vet since the last visit in March where she pretty much was stumped as to what is going on with Vino and was going to consult with another vet. There were talks about doing a Barium swallow but they are saying he needs to be there for two days. I don’t want to put him through that unless needed plus we’ve already spent nearly $1000 but I would greatly sell everything I own for his care. 

The vet has looked as his teeth as much as he would let her several times and has had another vet look at them while he stayed overnight once and they say they don’t see any problems and would have to sedate him to get a better look. I really wonder if this is what the problem is, molar spurs (they seem like they are very hard to see especially if bunny isn’t cooperating). But I would think he wouldn’t want to eat if he had spurs? 

I should also mention that back in August 2014 during a well visit he was weighing in at 4.10 lbs. When he went to the vet in February he was weighing in at 3.11 lbs and the vet had no explanation for the weight loss other than us reducing his pellet intake. He did used to get into the cat food but we have been careful for nearly a year making sure he doesn’t eat it. I will admit we probably did feed him too many treat, carby foods but haven’t done that since February and even limited that beforehand. His diet now is unlimited hay (an assortment as we were trying to get him to eat more), Purina high fiber pellets, a little bit of veggies a day (mainly leafy greens) and the occasional small amount of fruit. I did buy him Floppers Hay Topper that I will sometimes sprinkle on his hay, also the fiber treats and Oxbow digestive and urinary supplements. Gave him Floppers Tummy Tea for the first time Tuesday and he liked that but not sure if it helped. Also have tried to massage his tummy but he doesn’t cooperate for very long.

At one point we even bought some Kid’s Culturelle powder (Lactobacillus) to help with good bacteria in his gut. I am expecting Biosponge paste in the mail tomorrow to see if that will help at all. Also bought Critter be Better (probiotic powder) from American Pet Diner as a recommendation from someone at House Rabbit Society and he had some Tuesday and Wednesday.

I am sorry this is so long and certainly appreciate any assistance!!! Can anyone help or think or anything I can try or do?! I don’t want to take him back to the vet unless it is completely necessary as he now associates his carrier with the vet and completely stresses out and shakes for hours. 

Thank you all! Vino says thanks too, his pic is below!

Alexa

[Sarita]

Oh my! Poor Vino.

I will say with molar spurs that some rabbits will definitely continue to eat with spurs…so don’t rule that out.

It does sound like you are getting info from some very experienced people.

[kirstyol]

Bramble had spurs and the only reason we knew was because he chipped a front tooth which the vet decided to fix while he was being neutered rather than try to do it when he was awake, taking advantage of the fact that he was asleep for the neuter they checked his back teeth and found he had spurs. Bramble was about six or seven months old then an I had no idea he had a problem with his teeth. The spurs are currently back but the vet wanted to wait a few more weeks before doing them again since they are not too bad yet and you honestly wouldn’t know there was anything wrong with Bramble right now. He has to go in three weeks to have them done again, but if I notice any change to his eating before then I will take him asap. So yes it is possible to have spurs and not know, but if they were really bad the vet should have been able to see them without him having to be anaesthetised, unless of course Vino is really uncooperative with them checking. Bramble actually seems to like getting his teeth checked, he is a very strange bun! I think he thinks he is getting a treat when the vet puts the thing in his mouth.

Has Vino had his bloods done since the antibiotics? A side effect of Metoclopramide in humans is diarrhea Also Metronidazole can upset human tummies although I don’t know about rabbits, its a pretty strong antibiotic though. Metoclopramide is used in humans as an anti-emetic (anti-sickness) but it can also be used to treat gastric stasis, however in humans it works by relaxing the GI tract muscles I am not sure if that’s something you would want to do with a rabbit. Maybe ranitidine (zantac) would be a better choice? but I am just suggesting that based on my knowledge of how drugs work in humans and what Bramble has been given in the past so best to check with the vet.

[LBJ10]

Has your vet made any suggestions regarding diet? Perhaps he is reacting to something he is eating, like the pellets.

[lex7284]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input. Vino has an appointment to go back to the vet tomorrow. I feel like he keeps eating but is wasting away.

kirstyol, I don’t think he has had his blood checked since the antibiotics but I know for sure the diarrhea wasn’t from them as he last had them awhile ago. No diarrhea now. Mushy poop, string of pearls cecals sometimes but it’s strung together by mucous not fur. Will definitely make sure he has repeat blood work.

LBJ10, as far as diet goes, obviously the vet encouraged lots of hay. At one point when he wasn’t eating the hay she said to give him unlimited pellets but I was kind of against that.

I am hoping that the cause of all of this is molar spurs (even though I would be upset they didn’t catch them the first two visits) or a urinary issue. He has also developed sore hocks poor thing! They aren’t that bad at all but are obviously hurting him because he’s not running around as much and using the backs of his feet. We put antibiotic ointment on them and baby socks with the toes cut off for some extra padding and to make sure they don’t get wet.

I just want him to get better, this has been going happening on and off since February and I am sure he is exhausted. I hate that he is going to get so stressed going to the vet tomorrow and we will probably have to leave him if we all decide upon a Barium test. We are seeing the vet that started the practice there tomorrow rather than who we’ve been seeing. He is supposed to be very good with rabbits so I really hope that is the case and it all gets resolved once and for all.

Any other input is always appreciated!

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