rabbit-gi slowdown-wool block

Question
hi, i had as episode in march-my bunny had a gi stasis-we got her healthy with critical care,water,fluids, timothy hay and all oxbow products, on thurs she got very sick again-it started with gas then became cold,no poop.became dehydrated...he put her on fluids-200cc, shot of reglan... now we give her Reglan and lactolose 3 times a day.. and he recommended pineapple juice..do u think this will further upset her already upset tummy? she seems alot better and has seen the vet 3 times all together.. he wants to dissolve the hair and hydrate her to get her gut moving properly..currently she is eating her greens hay like crazy drinking water and peeing and pooping-its just not formed perfectly pellets-still some hair and shaped strange..is this ok?

Answer
Dear Colleen,

Pineapple enzymes will not dissolve keratin protein, the main component of hair.  This is a common misconception.  Papaya enzymes won't do it, either.  These do no more than loosen the mucus holding a wool/food mass together, and may help break it up. But hydration (subQ fluids and lactulose are great for this) is the key.

Chronic ileus is very rarely due to ingestion of fur.  More often, there is a cryptic health problem causing constant GI slowdown, and molar problems are probably the #1 culprit:

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

Once she's over the GI problems, please have an experienced rabbit vet check her molars for spurs:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and do a complete wellness exam to find out what is *triggering* these episodes of ileus. I'm glad she's already feeling better!

I hope this helps.

Dana