[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey's saga continues

[warmbreath]

If I understand it correctly if she is pooping the cecum and gut is working. 
This is hopeful. Did the vet say if there was pain involved in pooping?  Let 
me ask you, you were considering feeding her grain to add weight, did you do 
this? If so it may have impacted her. Presumably the vet is not feeding her 
that and her normal gut function may be taking over. In order for her to 
continue pooping she needs hay and critical care which have the normal long 
string fiber. If food doesn't go in food wont come out, therefore lettuce is 
not enough, since she has pooped and that means the gut is moving she must 
be fed, force-feed with Critical Care several times a day,  to continue that 
action. No fiber in no fiber out, she eats or her gut wont work.  If its 
possible she can flush the impacted grain (if that's what it is) and perhaps 
recover. There are 3 drugs that promote gut motility, Propulsid, Reglan, and 
Cisapride, They can be very dangerous,and there is allot of controversy in 
the rabbit community that they can cause a rupture, but they should be 
considered.  Each one of these drugs acts differently, discus with your vet 
if one of these is appropriate. I have used Reglan successfully before, but 
its main action is to reduce nausea and keep gas down less than affect gut 
motility per se, so it may not be the best. Again consultation with the 
University or other authority may be wise. Making a gut move is dangerous if 
the gut is distended so it's a fine line between helpful and dangerous 
treatments.  Perhaps on Monday or Tues if pooping has continued you can 
retake x-rays to see if there has been improvement,  if so perhaps sticking 
to a simple pellet and hay and LOTS of water given orally will finish 
clearing her out in time. Make sure she gets no narcotics except for end of 
life issues at it represses gut function, for pain relief an NSAID Metacam 
which is much less harmful to the gut although its much better/safer given 
with food would be used for pain relief.   I would remain prepared to help 
her over the rainbow bridge very quickly in case rupture does occur.  I 
would try to find out what your vet feels is the best way to hydrate and 
lubricate the gut might be.  And finally of course what does the vet 
recommend after the weekend.

Please consider that I have made some assumptions with this advice, if my 
facts are wrong, the advice may not be valid so your vet remains the best 
person for advice.  I think the poops are enough to buy her another day, and 
if she hasn't eaten hay or Critical Care in large enough amounts to 
stimulate her gut then that should not count against her if she hasn't 
continued pooping. Even a night feeding or 2 might be considered. Oral water 
must be given frequently, impaction occurs when not water for the given 
solid foods was taken in, see my message back when you asked for diet 
advice.  The real decision is to decide if the gut is working or not, if not 
can it be made to with proper food and water and possibly a drug, or is she 
still critically impacted facing rupture and possible surgery, which is the 
case

Finally remember that the grain was given because she was already in 
trouble, so considerable thought should be given as to why that occurred in 
the first place and if it can be resolved. Perhaps it was but the grain 
impacted her,  but its impossible for me to know, I only wish to promote 
your thinking process. I know its very expensive, guinea pigs are just as 
expensive to treat as dogs and cats and its part of keeping them although 
the price is very painful.

Good luck and healing wheeks to little Hershey,  Sandy