Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:59:51 GMT

[quote user="Sammy82"]It might be worth to quickly check the urine SG just to have an idea if (early) CRF is of any concern before giving long-term NSAIDs. [/quote]

Unfortunately s.g. is unreliable on its own for diagnosing renal disease, especially if early. It really needs to be viewed alongside other tests, such as BUN and creatinine or urine protein:creatinine ratio

From Greendale labs website:

Copius amounts are produced due to their inability to concentrate as well as other animals and daily volumes range from 20-350 ml/kg averaging about 130 ml/kg. The specific gravity varies significantly due to the presence of mineral deposits but should range between 1.003 and 1036, average 1.015. Traces of glucose and protein may be present.

http://www.greendale.co.uk/rabbit_urinalysis.html

Having said all that, like Marie, I have used meloxicam long term in many rabbits for OA, including those with kidney issues, and haven't been aware of any problems.

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Sammy82 — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 23:42:25 GMT

It might be worth to quickly check the urine SG just to have an idea if (early) CRF is of any concern before giving long-term NSAIDs.

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Julie Innes — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 18:38:26 GMT

Good to know- thanks Marie!

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 15:47:12 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]

Although I guess if it did have renal disease loxicom won't be much help

[/quote]

Rabbits seem to be pretty tolerant of meloxicam (in my anecdotal experience!) and I have a vague recollection of renal prostaglandins and NSAID response being different in rabbits but can't find that reference... I have had lots of old, chronically arthritic/dental bunnies with concurrent CRF on it long-term without any apparent negative effects. I have seen a paper showing no detrimental effects in cats in a similar clinical situation which reassured me and owners are generally keen to have a more comfortable rabbit even with a hypothetical risk of shorter lifespan.

Marie

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Julie Innes — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 14:41:05 GMT

Although I guess if it did have renal disease loxicom won't be much help

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Julie Innes — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 14:40:26 GMT

I usually put these guys on loxicom, as , like Marie, I always think there is pain somewhere that they are just too rabbity to show!

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 12:50:50 GMT

Thanks Marie as ever you're a star. The rabbit is very flighty and the owners are so nervous make it worse, they are reluctant to even have the rabbit admitted or sedated. We managed a D/V view with it conscious but that was just to demonstrate the bloat so little information on spine, limbs or teeth.

RE: Rabbit with persistent gut stasis/bloat

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 10:03:08 GMT

There is likely an underlying health issue - disease or chronic pain. I did one review of stasis cases I saw when in practice and in older rabbits dental disease, osteoarthritis, renal disease and inappropriate diet were common inducing causes.

Definitely worth explaining to the owner the stasis is only a symptom of a primary problem and you can't know what the problem is and what impact it is having on the rabbit's welfare without investigating. Putting a plaster on the problem by giving prokinetics is unlikely to work long-term and may leave the rabbit in discomfort. Conscious rads of spine and limbs are pretty simple and cheap to do (skull rads too in calm animals), and may highlight issues such as spondylosis, OA, osteomyelitis, nephroliths etc and you may then have a treatment plan and prognosis. If they refuse anything then I would be inclined to give the rabbit pain relief and see if that obviates the need for prokinetics.

Marie