Bunny With Stasis and Eating Little

Question
QUESTION: Our rabbit Swizzle has been eating less and less for a couple of weeks. Firstly, she seemed to have gone off her pellets, then she got a bit better but now she won't eat pellets at all again. She will eat a bit of hay but she's not drinking, likes to lie in her litter tray that she doesn't normally do and her stomach is making gurgling sounds. She wasn't pooing for a while, but she has had some poos in the last day and this morning she had some soft ones - dark with substance to them.

We got her to a vet that prescribed some Fibreplex but this isn't making her eat pellets and I was worried she would waste away. So I went to see another vet who seems much more knowledgeable and said she had gone into stasis. She is a 4 kilo rabbit usually but she has lost 700 grams in weight, down to 3.3 kilos but she is still up and about when she can.

However, we don't know why this has happened so we've got her in today to have her teeth checked and to do some blood tests to see why she has gone off her food. This does involve putting her under anaesthetic unfortunately, but I felt we needed to do this while she was still reasonably fit and well. I just don't think waiting and seeing like the other vet seemed to want to do is the answer.

Do you think I'm doing the right thing here? I really don't want to lose her because she is a lovely natured rabbit and she's always clean and tidy.

ANSWER: Dear David

If the vet needs to anesthetize Swizzle to get a really good look at the molars (cheek teeth), then you are right that it's wise to do this while Swizzle is strong and well.  A spur filing can make all the difference in the world.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

Your description suggests that a molar problem might well be the source of this eating malaise, so I think it will be worth the risk to make his life whole again.  Under anesthesia, any spurs can be quickly filed smooth, and he'll be able to eat and live normally again.

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Dana,

She came through the anaesthetic OK and there didn't look to be anything wrong with her teeth but the vet gave them a file anyway. She said that sometimes it can be a sharp bit that can make all the difference. Her X-rays showed some grit type objects in her stomach and we're at a loss as to what she might have eaten. We're hoping these will pass through with some of the treatment she has. Her kidney levels were also slightly elevated but that might be because of her not eating and drinking properly.

She's back home now and we're using critical care syringe feeding because she's still not eating solid food (she had a little bit of mix though), although she is eating some greens, grass, kale and hay. She's on .45 mils of Zantac twice daily and we decided to give her a bit of Simeticone in the form of Infacol to ease her gas pains. She's had some bizarre and scary sounds going through her but these seem to have now eased slightly.

Other than a bit of moping when she has some gas pains she's up and about and looking like her normal self but I'm still concerned about her not eating her pellets. Her poops are still a bit small and she is producing some smelly soft ones, probably because of the greens she's been eating.

Is there anything more we could be doing, or is it just a case of patience?

David

Answer
Dear David,

If radio-opaque objects showed up in her stomach, is there a possibility that she chewed and swallowed copper wire?  This can not only cause problems because of physical discomfort, but heavy metal toxicity can be a real threat.

I would ask the vet about doing bloodwork to check for signs of heavy metal toxicity.  She may need to be put on some type of chelation therapy until the bits of wire have passed through her system.  Lots of fresh, wet greens may help, as well as lots of fresh grass hay.  Getting her to eat it will be the trick.  :(

I hope the bits are not heavy metal.

Dana