Although it can be difficult to determine when your rabbit needs an emergency visit to the bunny vet, some important steps include: offering your bun a favorite treat, at least twice- if he/she refuses then it is time to check temperature. Ask your rabbit veterinarian to teach you.
Next is to listen to your bunny’s intestinal sounds. Total silence could mean gastrointestinal stasis Ileus), a potentially life threatening emergency while loud gurgling could mean gas. The gas pains could push the bunny into ileus, so gas should not be taken lightly.
This past week we’ve gotten through both kinds of rabbit health and wellnessexperiences. The first was clearly the bunny emergency and in addition to the subtle behavioral signs we found a small trail of tiny, hard cecals that she’d passed during the night. The cecals for us meant don’t walk, run to the bunny vet. Last night HRH was suffering from gas, and the recommended bunny massage along with sympathetic attention and lots of fussing got us through the night. By about 2 a.m. she nibbled some timothy hay- of course holding out for the long green stalks, and by noon today she was eating again and passing cecals.
1 comment:
I highly recommend that bunny parents have a copy of Rabbit Health in the 21st Century. It's a very down to earth, user friendly book that is extremely helpful when bunny starts acting weird and the good vet is closed. At the very least, it can help you determine if the issue can wait until the vet is next open or if you should go to the emergency vet, who may or may not know anything about rabbits.
Post a Comment