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Does My Rabbit Need Pain Relief.............

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper
PLEASE PLEASE ask your Vet this if you have a poorly Bun ( eg a Bun in GI stasis or a Bun with an abscess etc......etc....)

I have been a member of RU for 3 years and I cant believe I am still reading posts where Vets have failed to provide analgesia for a sick Rabbit :censored:

No, I am not a Vet and I am not claiming to know more than someone who has trained for 5+ years in Veterinary Medicine. But surely one does not need to have a Degree to realise that Rabbits hide pain and pain in Rabbits causes PHYSIOLOGICAL changes that can lead to LIFE THREATENING conditions.

I am really sorry for this rant :oops: but it is so distressing to read so many cases where pain relief has been omitted :cry: :cry:As a completeley unqualified numpty I'd advise anyone consulting a Vet with a sick Bun to ask about pain relief and if it is refused ask 'WHY'
 
I completely agree and it was the first thing we asked for when bailey had a down day.

well said jane x
 
i certainly wont let my vet get away with not givin pain relief again... i have a print out about stasis which i will take with me next time alvin goes on hunger strike.... and if they refuse for what ever reason i shall inform them that i will self medicate with aspirin if i need to thier choice :evil:
 
I must admit I never thought to ask for pain relief when Sooty had her bout of stasis :oops:

When I took her back the next day she was given pain relief and came home and started eating.

I will always ask for it in the future.
 
Rabbits hide pain and pain in Rabbits causes PHYSIOLOGICAL changes that can lead to LIFE THREATENING conditions.

...and even if it didn't lead to potentially life threatening conditions, why would you leave a bun in pain if you could help ease that pain?!
 
My vets didn't seem to think my bunny needed any... He had a GI stasis episode thingy, and when I took him I had to tell them I wanted him to have some pain medication... They gave him some, but even when I told them how he was grinding his teeth, they still seemed reluctant to give him some. :? I stood firm! Heh.
 
I agree. My vet is so good at this, because he advises pain relief at the drop of a hat. I also keep some metacam at home so that I can use it as and when necessary. That, to me, is just common sense, and no different from keeping paracetamol or something here for people, but I never had it from my old useless vets.
 
This is something that really annoys me, my bun who had a big abcess removed was sent home without any pain releief at all:oops: Next day after id pm,d Jane when i questioned my vet her reply was "i didnt think he would need it, hes a strong bun":cry::cry: Obviously ive changed vet now, and will always ask for pain releief thanks to what ive learnt on here, but it is unbeleivable.:evil:
 
Good post Jane. My vets alway inject a bunny with rimadyl ( anti-imflammatory/ painkiller) after an op, which lasts for 3 days, I'm trying to hint that it should be a regular thing, as and when a bunny comes in with any problem which might lead to pain- they vets are very good. The funny thing is I tend to hold off pain relief after a dog/ cat has been neutered, or a horse is slightly lame, my thoughts being I would rather they feel a bit sore, than run around and do more damage because they feel fine.
 
Good post Jane. My vets alway inject a bunny with rimadyl ( anti-imflammatory/ painkiller) after an op, which lasts for 3 days, I'm trying to hint that it should be a regular thing, as and when a bunny comes in with any problem which might lead to pain- they vets are very good. The funny thing is I tend to hold off pain relief after a dog/ cat has been neutered, or a horse is slightly lame, my thoughts being I would rather they feel a bit sore, than run around and do more damage because they feel fine.

The trouble is that with Buns their physiological response to pain effects their GI function. We are all aware of how serious GI stasis can be in Rabbits and GI stasis is often a secondary symptom of pain from another primary condition. Buns are not the same as Cats/Dogs when it comes to their response to pain. I just wish that every Vet realised that fact :cry:
 
Good post, Jane. Its definately something to remember to ask every time they need anything serious doing.
 
The trouble is that with Buns their physiological response to pain effects their GI function. We are all aware of how serious GI stasis can be in Rabbits and GI stasis is often a secondary symptom of pain from another primary condition. Buns are not the same as Cats/Dogs when it comes to their response to pain. I just wish that every Vet realised that fact :cry:

I agree, and to be honest if pain was putting any animal off their food, i would demand pain relief.
I have been told that a steriod injection stimulates appetite and have often thought this might be a good idea for anorexic buns, what are you thoughts on this. That is assuming they aren't getting metacam or such like, which have contraindications with steroids.
 
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I feel terrible for not checking with the vet if Meg had pain relief:cry:

I'll def ask if i need to take her back.
 
I agree, and to be honest if pain was putting any animal off their food, i would demand pain relief.
I have been told that a steriod injection stimulates appetite and have often thought this might be a good idea for anorexic buns, what are you thoughts on this. That is assuming they aren't getting metacam or such like, which have contraindications with steroids.

Corticoteroids really are best avoided in Rabbits except those in the 'last chance saloon'. This is because of the immunosupressant potenitial from corticosteroid use. Many Rabbits carry latent bacteria in their Respiratory Tract, EC spores and intestinal Clostridia. Use of a corticosteroid could lead to any one of these progressing to a clinical disease.

The only time my Vet will prescribe a corticosteroid is in the management of a neoplastic disease (cancer). My Sarah-Wabbit has been on a corticosteroid injection every 7-10 days since last March. She is on a shed load of other meds too but she has a cancer in her chest :cry:

I have had Buns in chronic Renal failure prescribed an anabolic steroid as part of managing their chronic Renal Failure. Anabolic steroids act as appetite stimulants, promote Red Blood Cell regeneration, reduce the rate of muscle wastage and catabolic changes-all of these effects are very helpful to a Bun in chronic Renal failure

All the above ^^^^^^^^ is info I have learned from my Vet and from caring for 'Terminal' Rabbits

:)
 
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:cry::cry::cry: I didn't think to ask for pain relief when Bella was bad last week, I'll definitely never omit to do that in the future.

It's a good thing you're here to put stupid people like me right Jane! :wave:
 
Corticoteroids really are best avoided in Rabbits except those in the 'last chance saloon'. This is because of the immunosupressant potenitial from corticosteroid use. Many Rabbits carry latent bacteria in their Respiratory Tract, EC spores and intestinal Clostridia. Use of a corticosteroid could lead to any one of these progressing to a clinical disease.

The only time my Vet will prescribe a corticosteroid is in the management of a neoplastic disease (cancer). My Sarah-Wabbit has been on a corticosteroid injection every 7-10 days since last March. She is on a shed load of other meds too but she has a cancer in her chest :cry:

I have had Buns in chronic Renal failure prescribed an anabolic steroid as part of managing their chronic Renal Failure. Anabolic steroids act as appetite stimulants, promote Red Blood Cell regeneration, reduce the rate of muscle wastage and catabolic changes-all of these effects are very helpful to a Bun in chronic Renal failure

All the above ^^^^^^^^ is info I have learned from my Vet and from caring for 'Terminal' Rabbits

:)

That's interesting, Smokey is on a steriod inhaler and is prone to respiratory infections. I wonder if that is secondary to his condition or because of the steriod.
I suppose it makes no real difference as he is ' in the last chance saloon' and the vet predicted he would have to be PTS a year ago. I just wondered if in a way the steriod helps as he has a fantastic appetite, unfortunatly he doesn't put on any weight, but as long as he eating and boping around as usual we will continue to try.
 
:cry::cry::cry: I didn't think to ask for pain relief when Bella was bad last week, I'll definitely never omit to do that in the future.

It's a good thing you're here to put stupid people like me right Jane! :wave:

You are not stupid !!! We take our Buns to a Vet whom we hope will have sufficient knowledge to diagnose and treat them. Unfortunately there are still some Vets who assume that because a Rabbit does not show pain in an obvious way then they cant be in need of analgesics.
I know that my posts here may be read by some as me thinking I am an 'expert', I am not !! But over the years I have experienced such a wide range of standards in Rabbit specific Veterinary care and quickly realised that just because someone has 'MRCVS' after their name it does not automatically mean they know much about Bunnies !!

So, this thread is most definately not meant to make anyone feel stupid. I just hope that we can all be a 'voice' for our Bunnies when it comes to requesting pain relief as they cant ask for it themself.

:)
 
That's interesting, Smokey is on a steriod inhaler and is prone to respiratory infections. I wonder if that is secondary to his condition or because of the steriod.
I suppose it makes no real difference as he is ' in the last chance saloon' and the vet predicted he would have to be PTS a year ago. I just wondered if in a way the steriod helps as he has a fantastic appetite, unfortunatly he doesn't put on any weight, but as long as he eating and boping around as usual we will continue to try.

Sarah is on longterm abx aswell as the Corticosteroids (Depocillin Injections every 48-72 hours) I dont know if thats a possibility for a Horse :?
Also, have you heard of Equimune?

http://www.bionicheanimalhealth.com/Products.aspx?ProductID=23&PatientTypeID=7
 
No, Smokey is a bunny too. A little, grey nethie cross, rescued from a house after his owners moved out!:(

We don't really know what is going on, he has had x-rays, scans and blood tests. The only thing that showed up in his bloods implied he had either asthma or an allergy. Another vet suspects he has had an untreated respiratory infection and it has caused long term damage. We don't even know how old he is. I am in constant worry over him not eating and worry about if he needs a dental. The fact is I won't know what is going on until he passes on, he is one of the few on whom I would have a PM done. Hopefully it will be a long time yet.
 
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