no poop

Question
hi, i know this is an issue that needs to be addressed by a vet and i am working with an exotics vet, but i thought that i might look for another opinion as well...my 3 year old Dutch rabbit, Harley, appeared to be sick on friday, he wasnt really moving [he is usually quite active], just kind of 'huddling'...i noticed that he hadnt used the litterbox since i had changed it the day before...i couldnt get him to eat, i did get him to drink a little bit, but then he quit that, too...the next day there was no change so i brought him to the vet that i mentioned earlier...his temp, weight, etc. were all normal...the vet gave me an antibiotic (bactrim?), some banamine, and some reglan, as well as some syringe-feeding mix...that afternoon he passed a very small amt. of "beans", but that was the only time and it has been almost 4 days now...we syringe fed him some mix, but he wouldnt take much...last night i finally got him to eat some 'leafy greens' and he has been eating those since last night, and i got some pedialyte into him as per the vet's suggestion, but he won't eat anything other than his piles of lettuce and he still isnt really drinking much...he has much more energy, though, so he must be getting some nutrition in...i am taking him back to the vet this afternoon for further assistance, but i thought i might ask if you had any ideas/suggestions to contribute...

i almost forgot, monday night i think it was, Harley was cleaning his under areas a lot, and this little chunk [sorry, thats the only way i can describe it] fell onto the floor of the cage...turns out it was 1 little 'bean' in a little pile of sticky, gummy white stuff with some pine shavings [his litter box has pine shavings, he has always been on it since he was a baby] stuck to it, i guess it came out of his butt...

im sorry for this bizarre question, im at my wit's end here!! i just want my healthy little bunny back...=(

p.s. he is a house rabbit, he lives in my bedroom in a dog kennel cage about 3 feet long...has a litter box with pine shavings in it, eats timothy hay and Small World rabbit pellets, and runs around in a little pen in the middle of my floor for exercise...

Answer
Dear Jen,

Your question is not bizarre, and your bunny's condition is--unfortunately--not all that uncommon.  It is technically known as ileus, and you can read more about it and how to treat it here:

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

If you think your vet might be interested in an article on this condition that appeared in Exotic DVM Magazine, please print the following for him:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.pdf

The white "gunk" you saw might have been mucus, and the fact that it was white indicates that he is still not eating enough to pass normal feces.  The article above gives further procedures you can use to get his intestines moving normally again.  Of primary importance are:

1.  Banamine for pain
2.  Reglan and/or cisapride for intestinal motility
3.  Pediatric simethicone for gas pain
4.  Gentle abdominal massage (this is perhaps the *most* important thing, and the article explains the right way to do this, so please be *sure* to read the article completely!)
5.  Force feeding (Critical Care from Oxbow Hay Company is best:  www.oxbowhay.com)

The problem here is that ileus is not in itself a primary disease condition.  It is a reaction to pain/stress/illness.  It could be that a simple bout of gas caused this, but if it becomes chronic, you need to check his diet:

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

and also make sure his molars are not causing painful problems:

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

Diet too low in crude fiber and dental problems are probably the two most common causes if ileus in rabbits.

I hope this helps get you started.  Please write back if you have any other questions.  Hope your boy starts to feel better soon!

Dana