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Anorexia

Myst

Young Bun
Hey one of my rabbits wasn't well all week and he's fine now but it is still bugging me not knowing what caused it so wondered if anyone could help.
His symptoms were anorexia, dribbling, dirty bottom/constipation, lethargy and weakness. He was at the vet numerous times and I syringe fed him for 2 days before he picked up. Really thought I was going to lose him at one point.
He was refusing hay and pellets and would only take his syringe feeds and some parsley, thyme and carrot tops.
I had to clean his bottom twice - didnt seem to be diarrhoea just uneaten soft droppings and he wasn't producing many pellets.
His front teeth are perfect and vet said his back are fine.

Now he's back to normal munching hay and pellets, no drool and clean bottom. Any idea what was wrong with him? Or how I can prevent it happening again?
Thanks :)
 
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Well all you describe does sound like molar tooth problems :? Was he examined under GA ? It is seldom possible to carry out thorough oral examination on a conscious Rabbit. Maybe a molar spur caught his tongue/cheeks and caused an abrasion which initially caused drooling/ pain/Anorexia/ inability to clean himself etc. But now the lesion has healed so he can eat again. But of course if it is a molar spur it'll only a matter of time before more problems arise.

What did the Vet say after doing abdominal examination of your Bun ?
What medication was prescribed?
 
I was away for the first few days of him being sick and the first couple of vet visits but I dont think it was under a GA. He wasn't prescribed medication in case it gave him diarrhoea but he was injected with fluids and an antibiotic I think.
I don't think there was anything noticeable about his abdomen, it didnt seem swollen or hard to me and I didn't hear any of the 'sloshy' noises I read to listen for.
I thought it sounded like molars too, tried to check myself after vet but couldnt see them. :(

Forgot to say he is a lop, i've heard they commonly get molar probs? He is less than 3yrs old though I wasn't expecting teeth probs till an older age :(

Edit: Just remembered as well, one of the vets suspected a respiratory problem because his nose was apparently running but I never really thought that because by time I was home it seemed fine and it was the drooling that was catching my attention because it didn't seem to fit a symptom of digestive or respiratory prob. I'm not sure which vet it was because the first vet was an emergency vet at night, and the other was my normal one. Sorry im hazy on details - the person who was minding him for me is away for a week so im trying to piece it together. :oops:
Also after both vets had said his teeth were fine and I got home I noticed he was grinding his teeth sometimes which is when I tried to look myself.

How do you check yourself? I assume you need a sort of tool to hold the mouth open or cheeks apart or something?? His mouth is so small I couldn't move his cheeks open wide with my fingers..
 
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I was away for the first few days of him being sick and the first couple of vet visits but I dont think it was under a GA. He wasn't prescribed medication in case it gave him diarrhoea but he was injected with fluids and an antibiotic I think.
I don't think there was anything noticeable about his abdomen, it didnt seem swollen or hard to me and I didn't hear any of the 'sloshy' noises I read to listen for.
I thought it sounded like molars too, tried to check myself after vet but couldnt see them. :(

Forgot to say he is a lop, i've heard they commonly get molar probs? He is less than 3yrs old though I wasn't expecting teeth probs till an older age :(

Edit: Just remembered as well, one of the vets suspected a respiratory problem because his nose was apparently running but I never really thought that because by time I was home it seemed fine and it was the drooling that was catching my attention because it didn't seem to fit a symptom of digestive or respiratory prob. I'm not sure which vet it was because the first vet was an emergency vet at night, and the other was my normal one. Sorry im hazy on details - the person who was minding him for me is away for a week so im trying to piece it together. :oops:
Also after both vets had said his teeth were fine and I got home I noticed he was grinding his teeth sometimes which is when I tried to look myself.

How do you check yourself? I assume you need a sort of tool to hold the mouth open or cheeks apart or something?? His mouth is so small I couldn't move his cheeks open wide with my fingers..

Dental problems can most definately occur in a 3 year old. I would keep a close eye on his poo. Often an early warning sign of a sluggish GI tract is small, dark poo. Even with an otoscope it is possible to miss a spur on the very back molars when examining a conscious Bun.


Is he a good hay eater ? Hay should form at least 80% of a Buns daily food intake. Eating lots of hay/grass will aid good dentition. That combined with lots of exercise and good water intake will help promote healthy GI function.

:)
 
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