Bloating problems

[user 3309]

I lost a few buns from what I believe is bloating..The similar things the rabbits have in common are distended stomach followed by diarrhea/loose stools, loss of appetite, and sometimes you can hear liquid sloshing around their stomach.

What's scary is being helpless to cure the bloating that's a painful experience for the rabbit, watching the excessive teeth chattering and coming back to see them pass away through the night.

I found another one today, to end her suffering I culled her and checked out her intestines:










I thought it was a defective part of the intestine, but it turns out it was the colon, thanks to the fly to highlight that photo.
(second thought: Diverticulitis?)



Found a website that informed me treatment is risky for the rabbit, surgical removal of the causes of the bloating stomach or intestines.

This one said it's unknown for the causes:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_disease ... /bloat.htm

 

[Dood]

You don't have a case of "true" bloat which affects the stomach and not the intestines.

What you have is a huge amount of gas being produced by bacteria due to an intestinal flora imbalance.

There are no bacteria in the stomach which is why causes of true bloat are unknown.

Usually high carbohydrate diets promote the "bad" intestinal bacteria, Gastro-Intestinal (GI) stasis also prevents the gas from escaping or excessive feeding of brassicus vegetables - cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.. can cause a flare up.

I would switch to a hay only diet (alfalfa and timothy mix would be best) supplemented with a small amount of seed oats - oat meal might be too digestable - and gradually reintroduce pellets

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I agree.. I would feed just hay for 24 hours .. then some oatmeal the next .. then the next some pellet.. but only some and gradual increase.

 

[user 3309]

Thanks for the advice guys, will take out the pellets and slowly introduce it back.

I have avoided using broccoli but was just told that it was good for the buns.

 

[bo_murphy]

I discovered a rabbit this morning with the same condition. I culled it and did a necropsy to determine why there was so much "bloating". I found the same thing as in the OP's pictures. Was getting on here to ask what the cause was. Thanks guys

 

[Miss M]

Wabbitjack, I'm sorry you've been losing your rabbits to this! Thank you for the excellent pictures, though!

You can also give a pro-biotic to help colonize the intestines with good flora. I think it's the one used for goats that's supposed to be best for rabbits.

I discovered a rabbit this morning with the same condition. I culled it and did a necropsy to determine why there was so much "bloating". I found the same thing as in the OP's pictures. Was getting on here to ask what the cause was. Thanks guys

This is a great place, isn't it?

 

[grumpy]

I believe every member of this site has had the problem at one time or another
in their rabbit-raising career. It's completely FRUSTRATING!!! when you
can't do anything but watch.

Even with all of the excellent suggestions and advice from our site members,
there's a good chance the rabbit won't respond to your best efforts and expire
anyway.

I've had the same issues this year and more often than not, the animal
won't make the turnaround.

grumpy.

 

[user 3309]

Thanks Miss M, I went to the vet to get Gustav diagnosed and treated. I didn't opt for the x-ray and there was no intestinal sounds. Sadly, he passed away even with the drugs and Sub-Q fluids at the clinic.

I did went home with a probiotic gel 15 gram, Baytril/enrofolxacin, Reglan/Metoclopramide liquid (the motility drug), and a bag of critical care.
Will use the probiotic gel on the renaming kits who seem to have a big belly for their age.

 

[Miss M]

It might not be a bad idea to give the probiotic to other rabbits, too, if you have enough of it.

 

[user 3309]

I think I have enough, going to add the gel on to the treats for the bigger buns.

 

[michaels4gardens]

Thanks Miss M, I went to the vet to get Gustav diagnosed and treated. I didn't opt for the x-ray and there was no intestinal sounds. Sadly, he passed away even with the drugs and Sub-Q fluids at the clinic.

I did went home with a probiotic gel 15 gram, Baytril/enrofolxacin, Reglan/Metoclopramide liquid (the motility drug), and a bag of critical care.
Will use the probiotic gel on the renaming kits who seem to have a big belly for their age.

at least ,it seems, you have a rabbit savvy Vet.

 

[michaels4gardens]

Thanks Miss M, I went to the vet to get Gustav diagnosed and treated. I didn't opt for the x-ray and there was no intestinal sounds. Sadly, he passed away even with the drugs and Sub-Q fluids at the clinic.

I did went home with a probiotic gel 15 gram, Baytril/enrofolxacin, Reglan/Metoclopramide liquid (the motility drug), and a bag of critical care.
Will use the probiotic gel on the renaming kits who seem to have a big belly for their age.

at least ,it seems, you have a rabbit savvy Vet.

 

[squidpop]

It sounds like you went to the vet and have got things under control but... So this advice is a bit late but...
For gassyness in the first instance... I always go straight to syringing 15mm to 20mm water or homemade electrolyte solution figuring that well hydrated intestines will better deal with whatever is going on, and help the intestines flush out what ever bad bacteria there is causing the gas. Also, I always feel like if they are in too much pain to eat they are probably in too much pain to drink water so they are probably dehydrated as well as gassy. My rabbits are Jersey Woolies so if you have larger rabbit you may need to syringe more than 15mm to 20mm.

After that for the gas, I give simethicone - infant gas drops you can buy from the grocery store - it is perfectly safe for rabbits, dosage is below.

Dosage
B. Simethicone
(liquid, pediatric suspension or tablets) is essential for the relief of gas pain which usually accompanies ileus. For relief of acute gas pain, 1-2 cc (20mg/ml suspension) can be given as often as every hour for three doses, then 1 cc every three to eight hours. This substance has no known drug interactions, is not absorbed through the intestinal lining and acts only on a mechanical principle: it changes the surface tension of the frothy gas bubbles in the gut, joining them into larger, easier-to-pass bubbles. Simethicone is practically inert, and is safe to give, even as a precaution, as long as it is not given long term. (Note: liquid suspensions of simethicone are relatively expensive. Less expensive versions, such as 125mg gel capsules are equally effective. A bunny can safely receive the contents of half a capsule at the rate described above.) A flatulent bunny is a happy bunny!

After that I give bene-bac probiotics and hay.

 

[user 3309]

Well..I'm a big fool! I switched the feed type and this was the likely cause!! I was using Purina: Professional Pellets without any problems and just ran out early July. I bought the same brand but a different type: Purina Show, it does not have the corn but added vegetable oil for coat condition.

Lesson learned here, don't switch to new pellets without slowly introducing them. On the plus note, the breeder I got my new sets of NZ and Cali provided a large bag of the pellets that was being fed to them.