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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A How concerned should I be?

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    • borken
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        It’s currently almost midnight. About a half hour ago I tried to give my rabbit a piece of his favorite treat (Oxbow Banana) and he refused it. I noticed his dinner bowl (given around 6PM) of romaine lettuce, kale, and parsley was about half eaten. He ate his lunch veggies just fine as well as his morning pellets and supplements. I tried to encourage him to eat some kale, hay, even put a tiny bit of pellets in front of him, and he wouldn’t eat anything. I haven’t noticed anything wrong with his poops and I felt his tummy and it was squishy. He wasn’t really moving from the bedroom, only hopped out when I started bugging him. Right now we are in Canada, away from his regular vet. I have Critical Care with me if he doesn’t eat by morning.

        I’m currently very nervous and I’m not sure I can sleep right now. I’m planning to wait for morning and maybe find a vet in the area? Am I overreacting?


      • LBJ10
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          How is he acting otherwise? Does he seem uncomfortable? If it’s gas, you could try giving him some simethicone and doing tummy rubs. It wouldn’t hurt anyway. And no, you’re not overreacting. It’s good to be cautious. But if he is still pooping, I wouldn’t be horribly worried. Keep an eye on him and try to relieve the potential gas, if he doesn’t show improvement then you’ll want to find a vet.


        • borken
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            He’s basically just laying around, but that’s fairly typical? He’s most active around 5-8AM I think. I’ve seen him stretch out and change positions and he’s moved away from me when he’s had enough of his belly being rubbed. I’m not sure when the last time he pooped was but it was definitely today around afternoon. I’ve cleaned up all his previous poops so I’ll know by morning if he’s still doing it.

            At this point, I’m fairly sure it’s gas and I’m going to cut back his kale.


          • borken
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              Sorry for the double post but I have an update.

              He still wasn’t eating by morning so I took him to the vet. His belly was still soft and the vet said she didn’t think an x-ray was necessary yet? She told me to give him critical care, simethicone, and that she’d have cisapride ready tomorrow. She also told me to try to give him pineapple juice or papaya but I would think he shouldn’t have sugar?

              Anyway, I gave him his first dose of critical care, but I can’t figure out how to get him to take the gas-x. This is my first time dealing with stasis 


            • Bam
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                If by gas x you mean simethicone, it MAY work if you serve it on a yummy piece of favorite veg like mint, cilantro, romaine, but chances are he won’t want to have anything to do with it, and then it’s syringe-feeding-time.

                This can be a bit tricky at first since most bunnies don’t cooperate. It’s best if you are 2 people, one that holds bunny in his/her lap, and one that administers the simethicone. Between the front teeth and the molars is a gap where the tip of a syringe can fit. Most likely the bunny will try to spit, but you can’t let him be the boss. My bunnies hate simethicone. I am not impressed. If I say it’s simethicone time, it’s simethicone time.

                Tummy rubs are also a great method to help a bunny that has gas. This is an instructive video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyC6CWbm5M
                Your bunny may not be as compliant as the bunny in the vid, but you can still do a massage if you hold your bunny in your lap. Gently lift the little butt up so gas can pass more easily.

                These things should be taken seriously, just as you are doing. Speedy-recovery-vibes!


              • Roberta
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                  Pick him up. Set him on your lap. Take a 1ml syringe filled with gas drops. Insert in mouth just behind the front teeth and depress the syringe.


                • LittlePuffyTail
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                    Pineapple juice won’t do anything. If he’s not eating soon, I would ask the vet to give IV fluids. Fluids can really help sometimes to get things moving.

                    (((Feel better bun))))


                  • borken
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                      I had to get the tablet form of simethicone; I couldn’t find droplets. We ended up crushing some up and syringing it to him. I’ve seen a couple poops come out and he’s drinking water voluntarily just fine. Still doesn’t want to eat anything. I’ve given him a bit more critical care, I’m just worried the force feeding is stressing him out. Tried some tummy rubs, but he doesn’t like it very much. Can’t tell if it is from pain or if he’s just being grumpy. His stomach is still squishy, nothing hard.


                    • Bam
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                        When my Yohio had dental issues I had to syringe-feed him for a month 3 times a day (the vet didn’t diagnose his teeth right away) and it stressed him out sth crazy, he even cried out when we tried to catch him, but the vet said to just keep it up because bunnies must never get empty stomachs.

                        Great that he’s drinking and that his tummy is still squishy.

                        Pinapple juice won’t do anything as LPT points out, fresh pineapple MAY have some slight, slight beneficial effect but I’d rather go for canned pumpkin, un-sweetened. It has great fiber and many bunnies find it yummy. It can be mixed with CC and water to entice him to eat on his own or to feed in a syringe.


                      • borken
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                          He hasn’t pooped any for some hours now. I’ve given him a bit more critical care, got him to let me massage his belly. It’s definitely gurgling a bit. I called up the vet and got her to give me some metacam, but she advised not to use it until tomorrow when he’ll hopefully have more food in him. He doesn’t seem to be in terrible pain, but I did see him gnawing his teeth a bit earlier. Otherwise, he sits up to clean himself and scratch and he’ll move away if I’m too insistent. Hopefully the cisapride will be ready tomorrow. I’m thinking I’ll ask for an x-ray just to be safe.

                          We were supposed to leave next Thursday and it’s an eight hour drive. I guess I’ll have to wait to see how he recovers, but I’m wondering if travel would be a bad idea?

                          Thanks everyone for the help! I’m just freaking out a lot and I’m so worried about him. I hardly slept last night and I don’t know if I’ll be able to tonight either


                        • manic_muncher
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                            the droplets of simethicone are usually found in the baby supply section, “Little Remedies” is the brand I currently have.


                          • Beka27
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                              Yes, I would go back and look for the BABY gas drops (Little remedies, Mylicon, or a store brand of simethicone).

                              In my experience, my girl sometimes has these 24 hour spells. She always snaps out of it just as I am getting super worried. Hopefully, he’ll be better very soon.


                            • borken
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                                Found the infant drops, gave him some of that. Gave him the metacam. Got some pedialyte, but he was uninterested. He’s not really eating the critical care either. Trying to force feed him but a lot is getting out of his mouth? Like he’s pushing it out but I didn’t think he could? Belly is still mostly soft. Think he’s just tensing up sometimes when I push on it. Got banana baby food too and tried putting a little into the critical care, but it didn’t change his mind. Hoping to hear from the vet soon and if I don’t, I’m just going to take him back.


                              • Sindri
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                                  How is your bunny today? With the gas drops sometimes you have to give more than one dose. I seen a video about that I cant remember what it was but the woman is a vet and she said she would give one dose wait an hour and give another and then wait another hour and give another dose. I only had to give 2 doses to my bunny the first time he had gas issues. I hope your bunny is doing better. Let us know.


                                • borken
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                                    He is pooping a little and nibbling at lettuce. Think the cisapride is what he really needed. Wish we could’ve gotten it yesterday!

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                                Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A How concerned should I be?