yay for simethicone

[Gina.Jenny]

Pippi came in from the garden, refusing to eat his pellets, which he normally scoffs down, and instead huddled up in a corner in the hay. Not even a slice of carrot could tempt him, so I carried him through to the kitchen, gave simethicone, followed by a tummy massage, and an hour later he started moving around. I grabbed the pellets and held one out and he took it straight away. so I gave him and Jenny an oversize portion, which they polished of together, and he then ate half a small carrot,,and was more than happy to get a second portion of pellets. These are the Science Selective, so are 25% fibre, and should get his tum moving.

He had a sticky poop yesterday, I’m assuming its because he is moulting, but so glad I keep simethicone in, as otherwise it would have been a late night trip to the vets. Its only the second time Pips has scared me this way, but thankfully it was a short lived scare.

[Bam]

Thank goodness! I have had the same experience with simethicone several times, it’s the first thing I do when my buns refuse a treat. And in the majority of cases, it’s worked like magic. It could of course be chance, it could be the light massage or getting the bunny to move around that does the trick – but since it’s ok to give simethicone on suspicion I do that, it feels better to be able to do something.

If the bunny doesn’t come around in a few of hours, like Yohio last week, a call to the vet’s is of course the next step.

[Gina.Jenny]

Just given him a big pile of dried grass, in the hope he’ll tuck into that, like he usually does. I normally keep the dried grass for days they don’t get outside, so right now, its something of a treat, just because they haven’t been getting it. His tum was quite solid feeling before the massage. No change in diet, so the moult is the most likely reason? Poor Pippi had to cope with the dreaded grooming brush as well as taking the simethicone and the tummy massage. A lot less hair came of than yesterday, so really hope that the worst is over.

[Bam]

Sometimes you just don’t know what it is, and as long as it’s isolated episodes, that’s fine. Moulting is likely to be the culprit, many bunnies react with tummy trouble and/or moodiness/grumpiness to a heavy moult – but if it keeps happening, you’ll need to investigate further. (As if you don’t understand that all by yourself  ) In Yohio’s case it was probably his teeth, he’s had 2 burrs done before this one. With Bam, there’s only ever been isolated episodes, and I am extremely grateful for that. Meticulous brushing + wet greens is what I do, hydration is very important if a bun has ingested a bit too much hair. 

[Gina.Jenny]

Pippi seems fine this morning. He happily had a third portion of the Science Select just before I went to bed, so he must have felt fine, and all that fibre will be good for his gut, esp if he didn’t feel up to much hay through the night. He also happily ate some more before going out in the garden, though this did confuse both girls, as I normally leave them hungry when they go out, so they have tummies ready for lots of grass. Podge didn’t mind, and tucked in, like Pippi. I dont think its his teeth as he couldn’t crunch up the SS if they were the problem, plus when he went for his jabs in Dec, the vet said his teeth were perfect, and he normally eats plenty of hay and grass.

Stayed outside to check he was eating grass. This is one draw back to them being out all day, its over 12 hours if they don’t eat anything out there. I’ll pop out throughout the day and offer dandelions. What our bunnies do to us!

[Gina.Jenny]

Pippi left a hair n poop chain in the garden, so I’m guessing the problem was moult related – loads of hair came off yesterday when I groomed him. I’ve seen him eating in the garden throughout today, and he tucked into some Science Select when he came in, so I think it’s a case of continuing to keep an eye on him. He probably feels more comfy with that hair out of his tum. I’ll give him another groom later if its cool enough – I don’t want to stress him in this heat, but nor do I want more hair upsetting his poor tum. Jenny’s poops have more hair in than I like, but they are normal, healthy poops, and she grooms Pippi as well as herself, and she has been moulting too. I’ve cut and bought in two bunny size piles of fresh grass, as fresh grass is probably more tempting than hay at the end of a hot day, and its just as good for fibre.

Pippi has had a good run around, including up and down the stairs, and jumped up on the chair no bother, so he seems fine. I wonder if he is finding the leather nice and cool to lie on? He has a few reddish brown highlighted areas coming through in his new coat, you can see one patch between his eye and his nose.

[Bam]

I’d chalk it down to molting then. They really can molt, these little darlings!’

What a beautiful boy he is! 

[Gina.Jenny]

Posted By bam on 5/22/2016 2:45 PM

What a beautiful boy he is! 

He is, isn’t he  he’s been running around and has done quite a few binkies tonight, which means he must feel fine now. Gave him a quick groom, just to remove the loosest hairs for now.

Everybun and pig has just had one large daisy leaf each, except Gina, who won’t touch them, and they are all tucking into the grass I cut and bought in, which should be ideal for little bun n piggy tums. 

And here is a nice mirror image, taken just after Pippi’s quick groom, showing it didn’t stress him nearly as much tonight 

[Author]

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