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  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

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    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Urgent advce needed

R

rexposh

New Kit
Hi,

I've browsed these boards for a while without posting - hope someone can help. We've got a 4 1/2 year old rex houserabbit - female, unneutered (who hasn't had a litter). When I got up this morning I thought she was in a sulk because we were out for a while yesterday - but she keeps moving between her 4 favourite spots in the room trying to get comfortable, stretching out then just moving on to another place and washing herself.

She's not interested in breakfast - I've tried tempting her with carrot, banana and hay but the only thing she'd take off me was a yoghurt drop. She doesn't seem to have drunk as much water as normal either.

I've gone to stroke her and she's moved off - when I did she shivered as I stroked the top of her back, near her head. There's no chattering, grunting or other obvious signs of discomfort.

Any ideas? I'm just about to look up details of a vet who might be available on a Sunday.

Thanks
 
I hope she feels better soon.
Tummy rubs and keep her moving about, but definitely vets asap.
 
If her tummy is a bit bloated or gassy you could try giving her 0.5mls of infacol with a tummy rub until you can get her to a vets.

Is it possible she may have hurt her back? Although that said Caspian shivers when he has bloat and I touch him :(
 
We took her to the vets pretty much straight after I posted. The vet gave her a gut relaxant and a painkiller there and then, and some liquid feed and lectade.

So far, we haven't been able to get her to take any of the food, but she's had a few small drinks of the lectade. She's certainly still strong enough to resist the syringes we were told to feed her with :shock: - I've shredded one of my fingers on her teeth :roll:

We've got to take her back tomorrow if she's no better - the vet thinks it may be the rabbit equivalent of fur balls or some other form of blockage. She told us to phone again if she seemed to be going downhill but I'm not sure what this would really look like. Her stomach is still quivering and she's shaking from time to time.

The dilemma is I don't want to tire her out by chasing her round, but we need to get her rehdrated. She's wee'd and done one odd-shaped poo so far.

What's the best way to rub her tummy? Just down towards her hind legs?

Thanks for your help so far.
 
If the vet thinks its a blockage, perhaps he should of done an xray to check.

Just keep trying with the syringe feeding, try just syringing water if you think she's dehydrated. Actually if she's running about thats good and might help things get moving.

Sending get well vibes.....

Nicola
 
Small circular motions on her lower abdomen with a little pressure (be very careful as if its a blockage you could casue some damage with too much pressure).

If she is gassy it is perfectly safe to give her infacol as well as the other meds you have mentioned....they like the sweet taste to and most bunnies will take it voluntarily.

I may be wrong but I thought that metachlopromide/emequell shouldnt be given for a suspected blockage???
 
TheGaffer said:
If the vet thinks its a blockage, perhaps he should of done an xray to check.

Just keep trying with the syringe feeding, try just syringing water if you think she's dehydrated. Actually if she's running about thats good and might help things get moving.

Sending get well vibes.....

Nicola
Click to expand...

Thanks. The vet said that an xray would be next on the list. She probably last ate at 9ish last night, so at this stage I think the liquid is probably more important (and she does actually like it... once you can get it down her).

She'll be back there first thing on Monday either way.
 
Sooz22 said:
Small circular motions on her lower abdomen with a little pressure (be very careful as if its a blockage you could casue some damage with too much pressure).

If she is gassy it is perfectly safe to give her infacol as well as the other meds you have mentioned....they like the sweet taste to and most bunnies will take it voluntarily.

I may be wrong but I thought that metachlopromide/emequell shouldnt be given for a suspected blockage???
Click to expand...

Thanks. She doesn't seem to be gassy - there's not really too much stomach gurgling going on. The only thing that the vet mentioned was that she wasn't going to give her antibiotics at this stage.
 
Yes thats sensible....it will upset the stomach flora further.

However if it continues for a few days it would be worth considering as gastric infections (such as enteritis) are often secondary to bloat and stasis. The bad effects of antibiotics on good gut bacteria can be minimised with some probiotics in the water or syringe feeds.
 
Did your vet give her an injection of fluids to rehydrate her? The link I posted at the beginning of the thread mentions treatment for GI stasis, which is what it sounds like to me - not a blockage. Did the vet actually FEEL for a blockage?
 
elve said:
Did your vet give her an injection of fluids to rehydrate her? The link I posted at the beginning of the thread mentions treatment for GI stasis, which is what it sounds like to me - not a blockage. Did the vet actually FEEL for a blockage?
Click to expand...

She said that Posh wasn't dehydrated at the time, and she did feel for a blockage. She said it did feel more dilated than normal. I've come across vets who know nothing about rabbits and fortunately this one did appear to have a good understanding of all things lagomorph :)

She's a little more lively than she was. She's eaten a small amount of carrot and has drunk a little without me having to wrestle with her :) she's also out from under the sofa and investigating her food bowl, and has eaten some hay. I have held off from giving her the "science recovery" sludge food as yet - I'd rather she ate her normal pellets and hay. But we'll see.
 
Suzanne said:
Does sound like things are improving. Hopefully her receovery continues.:)
Click to expand...

Posh is now well on the way to recovery :D

She's turned her nose up at the sludge feed in favour of normal pellets and is devouring carrot and hay as normal...

...I also don't think I've ever been as happy to welcome a poo into my life :lol:

Just keeping an eye on her to see that she's taking on liquids but I think the worst is over. She came up onto the sofa for a groom before so I think she's forgiven us for bundling her off to the vets this morning.

Anyway thanks for all your advice - and if you're interested in having a look at Posh (there never has been or will be a Becks - didn't even think about the Spice Girls when naming her :lol: ) there's some pics here

Cheers
 
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