Bloat in baby rabbit

Question
We rescued 2 5 week old baby rabbits on Tuesday. One is doing fine, she is 0.9kg. The smaller isn't doing so well. he is only 0.4kg and is very bloated. We took him to the vets today and the vet said its either worms or congenital problems so we were sent away with Worming treatment. I'm a bit worried now as baby bunny is stretching out fully and seems to be rolling from side to side on his tummy as if hes in pain? Should i give him any metacam or infacol for wind? Will he be ok?  

Answer
Dear Becky,

Have you been stimulating the babies to urinate?  As weird as it sounds, the babies this young might still need help urinating, and if they cannot do so on their own, the urine will collect in the bladder with potentially fatal results (when the bladder ruptures).

I would try this, at least:  With a fingertip moistened with warm water, tap the baby's prepuce gently and rapidly, as if it was a mother's tongue.  This can also stimulate defecation, so if it's not a bladder problem, it still might help.

Hold the baby in your left hand (I'm assuming you're right-handed, but if not, then just reverse these hands) with his head pointing towards your arm, and apply very gentle pressure to the bladder area, which is just above the prepuce area.  If the tapping is helping to stimulate urination, you will feel the abdominal muscles tense, and this will be followed by a great stream of pee.

If this is gas, then pediatric simethicone (Infacol) suspension will help relieve the gas, as will very gentle abdominal massage, preferably with a vibrating massager applied directly to the belly wall.  Metacam would be a good idea, too, though the amount given would be tiny (0.1-0.3mg/kg Q 24 hours).  He is likely in pain, and the massage will help.

If he is actually blocked, then the only remedy might be a very careful warm water enema delivered with a well-lubricated (use KY jelly or other "personal lubricant" product) IV catheter on a syringe.  I wouldn't use more than 1 cc at first, and see if that stimulates defecation.

I hope he will be okay.  I would do these treatments NOW, as this sounds like a real emergency.

Please let me know how he does, if you have time.

Sending many healing thoughts...

Dana