Rabbit(s) Ingested Plastic

Question
QUESTION: Dear Dr. Krempels:
We thought we had the house bunny-proofed well enough, but we didn't think of the remote control. When we came home tonight, the remote had several of its small soft-plastic buttons chewed off. There are signs of bunny-teeth-sized shavings on the buttons, which indicates that the plastic was chunked into smaller parts (though, of course, we don't know how small). Added together, the amount of the bitten plastic would probably fit in a teaspoon or so. The bunnies had supper and lots of hay and water tonight; nothing seemed out of the ordinary in their behavior.

How serious do you think this is? Have you heard of similar cases? In your experience, do rabbits manage to pass small soft bits of plastic? If the plastic were to be a danger, how long would it take for it to manifest? Is there anything we can do? Would you recommend using mineral oil preventatively?  

Many thanks for any help you can give us.

ANSWER: Dear Agnes,

Bunnies just looove those delicious buttons on the remote control.  No one knows why, but they are just irresistible.

I would not worry about any health problems from this:  lots of rabbits do it with no ill effects.  Your poor remote, however, might need some medical attention.

Rabbits generally chew solid/hard plastic into very small bits before swallowing, and these usually pass uneventfully with the food.  I've never heard of plastic from remote buttons causing a dangerous health problem.  But be sure they get lots of hay and fresh, wet greens for a few days to make sure everything does come out and no harm done.

(And then, of course, keep that remote where they can't reach it!)

Hope this helps.

Dana

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

QUESTION: Dear Dr. Krempels:
I have a follow-up question, if you don't mind. The evening of eating the plastic, the little girl pulled a rubber carpet liner from underneath a rug and nibbled on it a bit (1 square cm)--fortunately we caught her shortly.

She has been eating fine but her poops for the last 3 days have been half the normal size.

How concerned do you think we should be about this? We have a motility drug and pain killer at home from a previous GI stasis hospitalization (meloxicam and metoclopramide). Should we give her some of that? Or of the Little Tummies?

Or is it something that we can just leave to playing out itself. Like I said, it's been 3 days now of the smaller poops, but the girl is still relatively active (though maybe slightly withdrawn, but eating, this morning).

This is all strange to me. We had a rabbits for 5 years without any problems prior to this and we have been educated by HRS. This one particular bunny is new to our home.

Many thanks for any help you can give us.

Agnes  

Answer
Dear Agnes,

If she's still not quite herself by today, it wouldn't hurt to get her to the vet for an exam to be sure her intestines are all in order from this Need for Plastic she seems to have.  (I hope she didn't eat anything else you didn't see!)

Soem carpet liners have very tough, synthetic fibers embedded in them, and I'd be more worried about that than the plastic. Still, one cm doesn't seem big enough to cause a serious problem.

Please ask the vet about giving her a few days' worth of lactulose, which is an osmotic laxative (a sugar) that will really hydrate the heck out of her intestinal contents, making them easier to pass. That should help push through any remaining naughty things.

Tummy massage may also help, especially if she has gas. And if she has gas, the pediatric simethicone will not only help with that, but also may lubricate things inside to help them come out the other end with minimal discomfort.

Hope this helps!

Dana