Winnie is not eating, pain meds?

[Crashley]

Winnies spay went well!! So thankful. Shes home now, and im trying to get her to eat anything and she wont. She wont eat her pellets or hay or banana or any of her salad. I need help. She just got home, im sitting here with her. How long should i wait to syringe feed her? They gave me pain meds i can only give her if she eats something.

[Crashley]

Ive got all her favorite foods and hays in her cage. I put a tshirt in the dryer and its just partially on top of her, ive also got a warm water bottle on her cage. The vets said she was the best little bun, they couldnt believe how sweet she was. Im just worried. They told me i shouldnt give her pain meds until she has eaten. She wont eat anything right now and she grinding her teeth cause shes in pain. On the up side the vet gave me about 5 days worth of pain meds. And i have today, tomorrow and thursday off to keep an eye on her.

[Bam]

It’s normal that she doesn’t want to eat right away, but it’s not ideal. Don’t wait more than 4-6 hours before you feed her. You don’t have to stuff her with food, but get sth in her so the tummy has sth to work with. Don’t let her go to sleep and sleep through the night without having eaten anything.

edit after having read your second post:

If she’s grinding her teeth with pain I’d try to feed her asap so she can have her pain meds. Bunnies metabolize pain meds quicker than many other animals, and it seems she’s not getting sufficient pain relief as it is. If you feel unsure, call your vet and ask.

After giving pain meds, keeping her warm is even more important, pain meds lower body temp as a side effect.  

[Crashley]

Thanks so much bam! Shes not grinding her teeth like crazy. Its like one grind every min or so, maybe..not even. Shes just laying down with her eyes half closed. The vet said after she had her surgery, she did nibble on just a little hay. Since then though that was at like 1130 this morning, she hasnt eaten.

[Crashley]

I definitely dont want to pick her up after this spay. Is there a much more non stressful way to syringe feed?

[Bam]

I don’t know of any less stressful way. If you could make her lick it from the tip of the syringe perhaps? I do understand that you don’t want to pick her up, but I do think you need to do it so she gets some food in her. You should try and get another person to help you hold her in his/her lap, lightly burritoed. Stress is bad for a bunny but fasting is worse.

If it’s just been a couple of hours after the procedure you can wait a little longer to feed her. (I can’t see what time you’re on from here, we’re pretty much all in different time-zones.)

[Crashley]

Im in ohio, its 6 pm here, her surgery was over at 11:30 am and she got home about 5pm. Shes been home for about an hour, if she is not eating by 7pm i am going to syringe feed her. Thanks for your quick reply!

[Bam]

I think 7 will be a good time to try and feed her. You don’t have to give her a lot – hopefully the new energy and nutrients will perk her up and trigger an appetite. Sometimes a little bit of sth sweet in the pellet mash/CC can be good because glucose goes directly out into the blood and help perk the bunny up.

Sending her so many good healing vibes!!!

[Crashley]

Thank so much! Ill keep you posted on how she heals. The advice is so incredibly helpful!

[Crashley]

There was a little bit of diarrhea in her cage, shoulder i worry? Is it causes shes in pain? I syringed fed her mashed up pellets and a little bit of banana. And then gave her her pain meds

[Gina.Jenny]

Healing vibes (((Winnie))) hope she starts eating soon. I would check there is no diarrhoea near the spay site, as the last thing she needs is an infection there.

[Crashley]

Thankyou Gina.jenny! At about 3 am this morning she ate a piece of lettuce. She pooped, like mushy stuck together poops but it was not diarrhea. I syringed fed her at about 6 this morning. She ate 2 pieces of cilantro for me today and has been nibbling small pieces of hay. ) but she has not pooped yet. She does keep hoping in her litter box but i see no poop.

[Gina.Jenny]

small mouthfuls are a start, fingers crossed for poops soon

[Crashley]

If she doesnt poop , what should i do? Give her baby simithicone?

[Gina.Jenny]

If she hasn’t pooped by morning, a trip to the vets would be wise, or at least call them to see if she needs to go.

Simethicone is unlikely to do any harm, but food is what she really needs, and warmth, as if she isn’t eating much, her body temp will drop.

[Bam]

Yes, if she hasn’t pooped by morning, call your vet. They can give motility drugs and sub-Q fluids (hydration is very important for the poop-function). Simethicone is good for gas, but as GJ says, it’s food she needs. That the poop looks weird, stuck together, mushy or small or oval in shape is because she hasn’t been eating + she’s been under, so that’s ok – any poop (except of course loose watery/mucousy stools) is fine. But there must be poop.

Glad to hear she’s hopping into her litter box, moving around is good for the intestinal movement.

[Crashley]

She ate some more lettuce and cilantro, so i have seen some poops they are like cecals though. But every few hours i will see a few of them in her cage.

[Crashley]

She just ate a couple pellets! Ive never been so excited, shes getting bored and restless chwwing her cage bars

[Crashley]

Ya’ll have been so much help! I really appreciate it and Winnie does too :p

[Bam]

Eating pellets! Yay! And poop, more yay!

That she’s getting frustrated is a good sign, of course, means she’s perked up considerably – even if it’s not fun for her. You could soon let her have some very supervised playtime on a very flat surface (no jumping and all that). Just so she doesn’t get so frustrated that she starts chewing on her wound.

[Gina.Jenny]

I agree, sounds like she is ready for a small amount of freedom, and movement also gets the gut moving, which is a big bonus.

[Crashley]

Winnie is now eating her pellets and pooping in her litterbox again Normal poops too! And thanks bam i was about to ask cause she is getting real ancy. So happy for a good healing process. I was so surprised she has been using her litter box i thought should would have tons accidents. Ill let her put for some floor time today. Thanks everyone!

[Gina.Jenny]

Great news

[Bam]

Love this type of news 

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