GI Stasis is one of the most common rabbit killers -- perhaps only next to baby rabbit diarrhea.
Has your rabbit been lethargic, ignoring hay, veggies, pellets and water? Has been hunched in a corner? Has had very few, small and deformed poop? Has been behaving very differently from what you're used to?
These are telltale signs of GI stasis. You should make plans to bring your rabbit the moment the rabbit vet clinic opens. Keep in mind that a rabbit is not like a human that can survive weeks of poor appetite. You're not counting weeks; you're counting hours.
In the meantime, here is the first aid I do for my bunnies:
1) I check if the tummy is bloated (feels like a balloon).
2) Do tummy massages throughout the night. I tend to do 30 minutes at a time and then let my bunny rest. Watch Youtube videos on how this is done.
3) Give simethicone at 1 ML / hour for 3 hours via syringe (available in Mercury at about P100 / 10 ML)
4) If tummy is NOT bloated (or has subsided from #2 and #3), hydrate your bunny by force feeding Pedialyte and / or dextrose water. In my case, it's been easier said than done so I can't really place a limit. I only give as much as my rabbit lets me. But just keep in mind that a rabbit can roughly finish a 200 ML drinking bottle in a day (give or take a few depending on the bunny). Hydration is an urgent concern.
5) If tummy is NOT bloated, offer a variety of veggies almost constantly. Different rabbits will respond to different veggies. But more often than not, the fragrant ones win the day for me (cilantro, basil, and dill). Simply putting a bowl in the cage or room is not enough. Put the veggies in front of your bunny's face.
5.1) Mix the veggies with some Critical Care. I've had zero luck feeding CC by itself, but good enough chance when I lace the veggies with CC.
6) Keep your rabbit warm. I usually put a blanket.
7) Give gut motility drugs (metoclopramide & ranitidine). I use the dosage prescribed by my vet beforehand.
8) Give pain killer (meloxicam). I use the dosage prescribed by my vet beforehand. Pain management is extremely important for GI stasis (i.e. they won't eat while in pain).
9) Give probiotics (benebac. NEVER dairy probiotics). GI comes with a bacterial imbalance that needs to be corrected.
Once you get to the vet, I now always ask for a 100 cc hydration. Without hydration, the poop in the tummy can harden, causing a blockage which will complicate matters even more. Even simpler, dehydration can also kill your bunny really fast. Aside from hydration, your vet can further assess the concern (i.e. is there excessive bacteria in the gut (for antibiotics), are dental issues causing the GI stasis).
Please don't make the mistake of NOT going to the vet. You are risking you rabbit's life by doing that. In fact, you may need to bring back your rabbit repeatedly, especially for hydration.
Disclaimer: I'm not a vet. I'm not an owner with 200 years of experience. But I have faced GI stasis so many times this year and I've researched the first aid over and over. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for my bunnies. Please do your own research. I'm merely telling you what has worked for me.
Good luck dear bunny owner!
Related:
First Aid Kit
Rabbit Vets in the Philippines
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