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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 DIET & CARE Treatment for GI Stasis

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    • Fiver
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        We just had our first bout with GI Stasis.  We caught it early and our Rabbit is fine now.  However, we got some differing opinions on treatment.  For instance there was some descrepency about giving the rabbit something to eat right away.  There were recommendations for giving our rabbit a dose of Critcal Care supplement after giving him Reglan.  (I hope I am spelling this right.)  This was to be followed by massaging his tummy.  There are a fair number of sites on the Internet that back this up.  Others we know recommended not giving the rabbit anything to eat until he starts passing what is already in his stomach.  Some recommended using Metacam (again, I hope I am spelling this correctly) for pain, others did not.  I noticed one site on the Internet that stated that some Vets do not recommend giving Reglan at all.  Any thoughts?


      • osprey
        Participant
        2065 posts Send Private Message

          Stasis is really scary.  I am glad to hear that your bunny came through it OK.

          The standard protocol for treating stasis is usually pain medication like metacam, something to help with gut motility like reglan, subcutaneous fluids to ensure hydration, and assit feeding of Critical Care.  Unless the vet can see a blockage in the intestines on an xray, assist feeding is done right away to help prevent fatty liver disease and anorexia, both of which can kill a rabbit in a short time.  I have treated two bunnies with stasis, and in both cases the vet wanted me to assist feed right away.
          Here is a good article about stasis (ileus) written by Dana Kremples , who is an expert in the treatment of illnesses in companion rabbits.

          http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html


        • BinkyBunny
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            The reason you will find so many answers/solutions to gi stasis is because gi stasis is has many causes.  Many people see that thier bunny is not eating or pooping and then search the net for gi stasis and so they will get some general answers, with many variations because  Gi stasis is not an illness on it’s own.  There are many underlying causes that have to be taken into consideration.  

            For example if gi stasis is caused by gas or teeth issues, then pain meds may be administered.    If there is just a “slow-down” but not a full blockage then a vet may say it’s okay to force-feed critical care and give a bunny massage, but if there is severe gas or bloat, then a massage may not be recommended.   If the gut has completely shut down and/or there is blockage then force-feeding may not be recommended as it would just be shoving more food into a stopped stomach.   So there really is not one answer for Gi stasis – except for one:  Seek vet care asap.   That way a vet can help get the needed fluids (intr) in while they find an underlying cause and treat appropriately

            Below is a great article about gi stasis which may help clear up some of the confusion.

            http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

             


          • BinkyBunny
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              OYE! I was having so much trouble posting and then my husband fixed the issue, and then I posted, but Osprey beat me to it!  Thanks Osprey!  Great info!

              Well, now you have the article twice!


            • Sarita
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                Ditto that.

                I’ve dealt with this in many rabbits and their are many underlying causes that’s why you must get the rabbit to a vet who has experience and not make any assumptions.

                Also recently a friend whose rabbit stopped eating ended up having cancer so it’s always best to have a vet check your rabbit out when they stop eating for more than 24 hours.

                My experience has been gas, blockage, dental and unknown.

                I currently have a rabbit that has not eaten in 14 days and we are uncertain why – we’ve done x-rays, blood tests, etc…apparently yesterday he started eating a little and pooping a little. We’ve been doing gut motility drugs, fluids, hand feeding for the past 2 weeks. We still aren’t sure if there is a mass in his stomach that is starting to break up.

                As BinkyBunny mentioned it’s not an illness on it’s own.


              • reds2212
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                  We’ve been down this road many times with Roo due to post op spay problems (I’m not going to go into that again) and we did everything that has been mentioned but I wanted to add simethicone for gas to the list which is something I picked up here. I’ve used Lil’ Tummies which is baby gas treatment that you can get at Target in the baby med section.


                • LittlePuffyTail
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                    I’m glad your bunny pulled out of his statis okay!!! Ugh, statis! That terrible, terrible word. I’ve dealt with statis many, many times with my mini-rex. Usually the culprit is gas. If I hear his tummy gurgling very loudly, which is usually the case, I give him a dose of simethicone to help relieve the gas and pain associated with it. I also will force feed him a mixture of pellets, water and baby carrot food with an eyedropper. If it lasts more than a couple of hours I end up taking him to the vet. Tummy massages are helpful too as is letting him out to walk around a bit as exercise can often help keep the gi tract moving.

                    It’s a mystery why my little guy gets this so often. Although lately it hasn’t been as bad as in the past (knocking on wood). I feed all my rabbits as per veterinary reccommendations so it really is a mystery.

                    If your bunny is prone to statis, it’s a good idea to keep a “statis emergency” kit handy. I have a basket filled with all the supplies I need so they are handy in a statis emergency. I keep simethicone, several different sized eye droppers, mixing containers for food, a blanket for “bunny burritos” and an emergency statis to do list with vet numbers in a basket in my rabbit room. It helps alleviate stress having all the stuff ready and handy.


                  • BinkyBunny
                    Moderator
                    8776 posts Send Private Message

                      Oh, Sarita – I’m sorry to hear about your bunny. 14 days…eesh! That’s rough. I know what you must be going through to keep him hydrated and nourished.

                      Was he on any meds? I know some meds, like Ponazural (used for e.cuniculi) can cause a loss of appetite with longer term use. With the xrays, could they not determine a mass?

                      And sometimes…rabbits are just plain mysteries aren’t they?

                      Sending healing vibes!


                    • Namy
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                        We just had our first experience with GI stasis. We just adopted our bunny about two months ago and I think once it was all said and done it was more stressful for us than for the bunny… we’re pretty sure it was a hair blockage do to excess grooming (she had just gotten spayed 10 days prior). We took her to the vet as she wasn’t eating much and her pellets were tiny and not very frequent. She was also acting strangely, less friendly and active. She got an x-ray which confirmed the blockage and was put on subcutaneous fluids for a few hours. Luckily for us the vet released her after only about 2 hours (we had been told she’d be there all day) because she was doing so well and was starting to eat on her own again. After five days with the reglan and metacam as well as plenty of pineapple juice, she’s doing really well and eating lots again.

                        I really hope this was just a result of the surgery and not a chronic issue, because the vet bill was steep! But it was all worth it to see her better and no longer in pain.


                      • Sarita
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                        18851 posts Send Private Message

                          Hi Namy, welcome.

                          We ask that members do not reply to old posts – this post is from 2008 – I am glad your rabbit is better though.

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                      Forum DIET & CARE Treatment for GI Stasis