Had horrible, horrible week with bunnies...

I don't think I am doing the best for my rabbits. I really feel like I can't cope at the moment.

Two of my bunnies (Teddy and Thumper) went to the vets to have dentals on Wednesday. Teddy didn't have much done but THumper had to have x-rays and his eyes checked. He has serious problems where his teeth are concerned and now he has bilateral ulcers and a cataract. Teddy has a solid mass on the right hand side of his neck.

I got them home on Wednesday and they have barely eaten since.

Thursday Phoebe had acute bloat and was poorly.

So I had three bunnies who weren't eating and I thought I was stressed. Today I let Teddy and Thumper out in the garden to see if it would perk them up into eating. I always check their bums and today was no exception, so when I went to get them in at 6pm so I could give them some meds I turned Teddy over to see that he had maggots on him and lots of fly eggs under him and on his back/bum. I got off just about all of them and took him to the emergency vets. They have taken off all of the fly larvae and rear guarded him, giving him some metacam, metoclop, and ranitidine to try and stimulate him to eat. I am just so angry at myself because this is the first time I haven't rear guarded and thought I was safe just checking them. I can't understand why I was so stupid to leave him out all day knowing that he hasn't been himself. I just don't know if i'm supposed to have rabbits, I seem to constantly fail them

Dont Ever Say That Your Not A Good Owner When You Are - Your Just Having A Rough Patch [ALL OF US DO!]
You Were Running Around After Your Buns And Trying To Help Them And I Wouldnt Call That Failing Then
Would A Bad Owner Give Their Buns Its Meds Or Check Its Bum Daily or Take Them To The Emergency Vets As Soon As They Saw Something Wrong
No
So You Are Not A Bad Owner
From What I Read - Your Rabbits Adore You And You Shouldnt Punish Yourself

Emma X

Sending you <<<<<<<<vibes>>>>>>>>>>

You've got a lot on - don't be too hard on yourself, sounds like you're doing a fantastic job, in a very stressful situation

Thank you...I just don't feel like I am doing a good job at the moment. I'm so annoyed with myself for letting him out. I don't think I'll sleep now in case they didn't get everything off him. I just pray that they will start eating again soon.
x

Aww sending loads get well ****ViBeS**** to ya bunnys n hugs to you hun dont batter ya self you doing all you can n thats a great job

I'm so sorry you have had a bad week, but you are not a bad bunny owner, you do so much for your bunnies.

Do you think the mass in Teddy's neck could prevent him from keeping himself clean?

I hope they start to eat properly soon, sending vibes

Sending Loads Of Vibes

Hugo's There said:

I'm so sorry you have had a bad week, but you are not a bad bunny owner, you do so much for your bunnies.

Do you think the mass in Teddy's neck could prevent him from keeping himself clean?

I hope they start to eat properly soon, sending vibes

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No it's more of an abscess type lump. He still has the mass in his dewlap but it has not changed so the vet has just left it. The mass on the right hand side feels completely different but wouldn't restrict his movement.. the vet wants to monitor it before doing further tests. He had to have huge amounts of valium on Wednesday as he wouldn't go under, so when I picked him up he was out of it. He looked dead and wasn't moving much so was just urinating and lying in it. I cleaned him up but I'm thinking that because he has been less active these last few days, not wanting to move about much he has been sitting in his own waste making him more smelly. I checked him this morning and he was clean underneath but has not been passing much through. When he has been in the garden he has passed something but it stuck to him and although it wasn't a lot it was enough for the flies.

The vet said the flies have only been on him today so I caught it early. I could jut kick myself for not rearguarding. I as supposed to ask the vet to do it on Wednesday and got so caught up with everything else i.e looking at x-rays etc that it was the last thing on my mind.

sweetcheeksemma said:

Sending Loads Of Vibes

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Thank you x

:wave: Hi, I have known you for quite a bit now, and you are a fantastic bunny mommy, so please dont think otherwise.Have pm,d you.Deb.x

billysmom said:

:wave: Hi, I have known you for quite a bit now, and you are a fantastic bunny mommy, so please dont think otherwise.Have pm,d you.Deb.x

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Thanks Debbie I'll PM you..xx

Ohhh Sweetie, So sorry to hear you've had such a bad week Its really difficult but instead of blaming yourself, focus on the fact that all three of your buns could so easily not be here if they didn't have you as an owner, and you sound to have noticed everything in absolute record time! You are one of the people I really look up to on here, don't do yourself down. Sending humoungous vibes to the bunsters, and also to you - Its exhausting with the care & the worry. Chin up chuck XX

Don't think you are a bad owner, when you realised they weren't right you took them to the vet= responsible owner.
As for flys, I lost a chicken last week to flysrike, and we'd been checking her, the vets assured me that flystrike can happen very quickly, and they hatch and grow very qiuckly, so don't blame yourself, you found it and dealt with it, many would have not noticed or just buried their heads in the sand not wanting to call out the vet. That makes you a good pet owner in my books.

We all have bad times and I often feel like giving up, but thats just the way life is, good times and bad times, but it will get better.

Thanks Becki....and Halfpenny xx

You are right. I didn't realise how fast fly strike can happen either. I'll just have to be extra cautious now. I just always feel guilty that I am possibly not doing 100% for my animals. I strive to be perfect but I know that realistically that can never happen! All I can do is my best. I think just the culmination of things that have happened lately have gotten on top of me. The emergency vet told me that they had a rabbit in last night in a really bad state due to flystrike, and that it was beyond the point of being able to save it She said that's usually how they get them in. My friend who is a vet also said she had a rabbit in this week that had flystrike and had been left for two days as the owner didn't notice I feel guilty that Teddy had them on him, but I know that I caught it early so he should be fine. x

Just wanted to send vibes for your bunnies and to say you're not a bad bunny mum!! They are such delicate creatures and you have done everything right with their care and getting them veterinary attention. Fly strike can happenso quickly. Sending hugs to you, I hope they all improve soon. Bunnies are just such a worry, you're doing all you can for them x x x

Fairy13 said:

Just wanted to send vibes for your bunnies and to say you're not a bad bunny mum!! They are such delicate creatures and you have done everything right with their care and getting them veterinary attention. Fly strike can happenso quickly. Sending hugs to you, I hope they all improve soon. Bunnies are just such a worry, you're doing all you can for them x x x

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Thank you

Teddy is fine this morning, I even caught him eating a little bit of food. I just spent three hours re-arranging the summerhouse where they live, and chucking things out so that there is no where a fly can hide from me I have fly papers up and an electric fly killer but I still check the walls and ceiling every night for flies!

I'm going to rear guard everyone tomorrow. Teddy smells quite strongly of urine, but I don't want to bathe him until tomorrow because the vets put rear guard on him last night but I can't get any more until tomorrow. I've kept them in the summerhouse today just to be on the safe side.

xx

I'm glad teddy is a little better today.

I spoke to my vets about washing bunnies when they have been rearguarded and she said leave them for around 4 days before washing them and then you can wash them as often as you like with out affecting the rearguard. It just needs a few days to be absorbed into the skin.

Hope that helps

Hugo's There said:

I'm glad teddy is a little better today.

I spoke to my vets about washing bunnies when they have been rearguarded and she said leave them for around 4 days before washing them and then you can wash them as often as you like with out affecting the rearguard. It just needs a few days to be absorbed into the skin.

Hope that helps

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thanks Liz, that's great advice

Awwwwww sorry you're having a pants time