# My rabbit and ileus



## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

Took my rabbit to the vets today as he stopped pooping and eating.
The vet thinks he has ileus and gave him bowel stimulant via injection plus painkillers.
Has anyone had a rabbit go through this and can give me any tips on what i can try and tempt him with food wise? 
I'm very worried, he is very dear to me and i want to do my best to get him better.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

If he's not interested in his normal food try offering a bit of baby food, a fruit or veg one making sure theres no milk or meat in it. Ella's kitchen is a good brand to use as they litterally just use what it says on the front of the pouch, the carrot, apple and parsnip one goes down well with mine. 

Don't let him sit and mope, get him moving around to get his bowels moving. If he just sits moping he'll take longer to get better but if you get him to move and will get everything moving. 

Make sure he has access to hay all the time to eat.

Has your vet given you any recovery food for him?


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

Kammie said:


> If he's not interested in his normal food try offering a bit of baby food, a fruit or veg one making sure theres no milk or meat in it. Ella's kitchen is a good brand to use as they litterally just use what it says on the front of the pouch, the carrot, apple and parsnip one goes down well with mine.
> 
> Don't let him sit and mope, get him moving around to get his bowels moving. If he just sits moping he'll take longer to get better but if you get him to move and will get everything moving.
> 
> ...


Yes i was given some but he aint interested, i have tried putting some in his mouth but he runs off, i tried some on saucer but still he wont. I'll keep trying.

Thanks for the tip on the baby food. I'll get some of that you mention right away.

I keep trying to get him moving around and then he goes back to moping. I'll keep giving him a nudge to get moving.

So far the things i have offered he has refused, even dandelion leaves and grass.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

When having to syringe feed mine when they don't want it I've found one way that stops them escaping and secures them to free your hands to syringe the food. Kneel on the floor sitting on your feet and have bunny between your legs, if you keep your feet crossed he can't back away and you can use your legs to hold him still enough, you look like your almost sitting on him but your not if that makes sense. You can then fill the syringe and lean forward over him to hold him securely and put the syringe in his mouth aiming to the side so you don't squirt the food to the back of his mouth but to the side. 

I hope that makes some sense I'm not very good at explaining it. You can also try him with wheetabix or porridge but make it with water not milk.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

you really need to force the food down i'm afraid. Pineapple juice is great for fur blockages at this time of year I would imagine like my buns hes molting into a winter coat as has ingested a little too much fur. You can mix a little juice into his recovery food too for some of the feeds. Did the vets inject him with any fluids for dehydration? 

Did your vets feel his tummy and listen to it?


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

emzybabe said:


> you really need to force the food down i'm afraid. Pineapple juice is great for fur blockages at this time of year I would imagine like my buns hes molting into a winter coat as has ingested a little too much fur. You can mix a little juice into his recovery food too for some of the feeds. Did the vets inject him with any fluids for dehydration?
> 
> Did your vets feel his tummy and listen to it?


I put him in a blanket so he couldn't move and force fed food into his mouth with a syringe but most of it he seemed to spit out.
He's had a few dandelions tonight but wont touch anything else.
He hasn't had a bowel motion all day.

Yes they felt and listened and said there was little bowel movement. So she injected him with stuff to get his bowels going, painkillers, antibiotic and one other thing.

I have to go back first thing in the morning to say how he has gone on and then go from there.


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

He had his back molars seen too btw 6 weeks ago and had some dental.
I just been observing him eat and he is tilting his head back when trying t eat, he also doing weird things with his mouth.
Could it actually be his teeth again??


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Sounds like it. One of mine has dentals done regularly, she's lucky if she goes longer than a month without needing a dental. Rabbit teeth grow very fast, it could now be the case that he will need regular dentals for the rest of his life as my girl does. 

Did your vet tell you which teeth were the problem when he had the dental?

What was his diet like before his bowels stopped? What sort of food does he have, how much hay and how much veg?


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

They were his back molars.
He was eating his pellets normally (he has burgess excel) but i have been having trouble getting him to eat hay. Even after making him little toys he just nibbles bit. The vet recommended today that i buy some timothy hay?
He will normally have a couple of carrots a day along with his pellets and i was giving him cabbage once every two days. Celery now and then.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I would cut back how many carrots he has, they're full of sugar and can make bunnies fat. I split one carrot between all mine (5) once a week. 

Timothy hay may encourage him to eat more hay, its tastier than the normal meadow hay. Excel do their own with other bits in, I think one has dandilion and marigold for example. If he doesn't like hay go outside and pull up lots of grass for him, remember hay is dried grass.

How many pellets are you giving him? Pelleted food should be a tiny part of his diet, with hay and veg making up the biggest proportion (hay should make up at least 80% of his diet). Once he's completely better I would be ruthless with him to get him eating hay, cut back on veg and pellets so you only give a tiny amount and give him loads of hay. It will make him eat more of the hay. Once he's better get him weighed to give an idea of how he's doing, being ruthless with his food can make them lose a bit of weight at first by the refusal to eat the hay so it is important to monitor weight whilst you do it. If he completely refuses hay and loses more weight than the vet is happy with then increase the veg slightly. Speak to your vet bout this he'll give you an idea of what to aim for with your individual rabbit, I'm just giving a general idea.


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

I will get some timothy hay this week, i need to find where they sell it as they don't in my local pet shop.
He has one handful of pellets. He normally eats them all and i don't give him any more but he did have plenty of veg to tuck through so i will have to take your advice and not give him as much any more to encourage him to eat hay. In fact i will start him back on just pellets and hay, ruthless is exactly what i need to be to get him back eating hay how he should be.

I just got back from the vets and she listened to his belly and that is all working now so from the signs she said it more than likely is his teeth again so she has had him and they are doing another dental today.

I suppose i have to be cruel to be kind now and cut back on the veg etc to get him eating that hay!


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Good to hear he's feeling a bit better. Now that he's needed to have a couple of dentals it may be the case he'll need them regularly even if he does eat plenty of hay. Keep a close eye on him for the next few months to get a good idea of his behaviour and you should start to learn signs of when he needs a dental. I hope he won't need anymore dentals after this one and its just a case of getting him to eat lots of hay.

Look out for: wet chin caused by dribbling, chewing as if eating but no food in mouth, pawing at mouth, runny eyes, quieter than usual or off food. 

have you thought about getting him neutered (if you haen't already) and a girlfriend? Having a friend to watch might help get him eating hay by watching and learning. But also rabbits love company and thrive with it.


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

I just got him back from the vets and he is a little stressed but it went well. He had spores on both sides and a slight abrasion to the left side of his tongue, no wonder he wasn't eating 
I have some antibiotics and painkillers to administer at home and check up on monday.

Yes i may look into getting him a play mate. Very good point that watching another may get him eating hay plus stops him being lonely. I would have to get him neutered first though.

Thank you for the advice on what signs to look out for in future, you have been a great help to me and i highly appreciate it


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Happy to help. One of my rabbts has dentals every month, the first sign she gives when she's due a dental is dribbling and pawing at her mouth. 

Now I think we need to see some pictures of your little man!


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Glad he is now on the mend 

I would be more ruthless than that tbh  mine have their pellets in the morning and then at night they have their treat mix or veg but every 3rd day (like tonight) they dont have anything but readigrass and 2 types of hay. I found mine wouldn't eat much of their hay with other options so thats what I came up with and they eat the hay everyday now :thumbup:

Hay is going to be so important for his teeth I would proberly give him an eggcup/shot glass of pellets in the morning with loads of hay (try putting some hay in a bowl and put the pellets in with it!) Then I would personally give him veg one night, just hay the next and so-on (or vise versa if he has his pellets at night normally!) 
It might sound harsh but its what he needs for those teeth 

Here is a voucher you can print off to get £2 off any excel product. Use as many as you want (1 per item) and they dont go out of date til Xmas 
http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/excelfeedingplan/pdfs/voucher-1.pdf
They do timothy hay with dandelions that he might like(my buns do, guineas dont)

*Heidi*


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

both my bunnies teeth arnt perfect but they have never needed dental work because I am so mean. They get fresh hay at least twice a day if not 3 times which they dive straight into, I buy bales of very coarse hay at £6 it last me a few months if I'm lucky. Then they get a shot glass of pellets and herbs/veg in the evening.

here are some good hay links 
Understanding Hay | Herbal Hay
The Hay Experts - Natural Rabbit Supplies & Timothy Hay - my guys loved the oat hay which is very coarse like straw in texture

I'm surprised your vets did offer to neuter him the first time they did his dental, If hes got teeth troubles you can never breed from him.


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## zeppee (Oct 27, 2011)

Kammie said:


> Happy to help. One of my rabbts has dentals every month, the first sign she gives when she's due a dental is dribbling and pawing at her mouth.
> 
> Now I think we need to see some pictures of your little man!


Here are some pictures of him.
And thanks for all the tips!


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Awww, he is a cutie  
I love those markings!

*Heidi*


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