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My Bun Has lost ALLOT of weight - Vet dont know whats wrong - advice please!!

D

devoted2buns

Mama Doe
Not long been back from the vets because Houdini is getting skinner and skinner and I have given him more food etc. but has made no difference. I got my parents to look at him to see if i was just "seeing things" and maybe "over-reacting" as I see him every day but they confirmed he is skin and bone :cry:
He is absolutly fine in himself and eating well. He lives with 3 other buns and they all get along fine and dont fight over food and if i was to say who was getting more i would say him.

The vet checked his teeth - not perfect but fine at the moment.
He checked his gut and said he had a belly full and everything felt fine.
He also said he looks well too.

I have been told to keep an eye on him and he looses anymore weight then he may have to have a blood test, might be kidney failure??

I dont know what to do for the best and im hoping someone will advise me? I want to bring him in my room and set up the dog crete and keep a close eye on him, on his own, watch what he eats, drinks, poos etc.... Is this the best thing for me to do??
 
I'd definitely recommend keeping him inside and checking his eating and pooing, as you cannot be sure if he lives with other buns. They are so good at hiding their illness that I'd err on the side of caution.

Is your vet rabbit-savvy?
 
when peanut lost alot of weight he went on a long course of Panacur wormer, suspected E.C.

It was never confirmed but after the course his weight came back to normal so i can only assume he did have it, even if it was mildly.

If he has Kidney probs it will prob be as a result of E.C, rather than a kidney prob on his own., im suprised your vet didnt mention E.C

X
 
XMissySJx said:
when peanut lost alot of weight he went on a long course of Panacur wormer, suspected E.C.

It was never confirmed but after the course his weight came back to normal so i can only assume he did have it, even if it was mildly.

If he has Kidney probs it will prob be as a result of E.C, rather than a kidney prob on his own., im suprised your vet didnt mention E.C

X
Click to expand...

no he didn't :roll: but when i brought him home from the rspca i wormed him straight away. Shull i start him again on another panacur course??
 
I'd get the blood test done anyway. Our Tootsie lost a lot of weight and it turned out to be a liver problem. It was only in her last 2 weeks or so that she started being noticabley unwell.

The quicker you know what it is the more chance you have of sorting it out.
 
Is Houdini the Rex ?

Did the Vet listen to his heart?

Has he had a history of Snuffles ?

Is he drinking and weeing a lot ?

Do you routinely treat your Buns with a course of Panacur ?

Sorry for all the questions, just need a bit more info :)
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Is Houdini the Rex ?

Did the Vet listen to his heart?

Has he had a history of Snuffles ?

Is he drinking and weeing a lot ?

Do you routinely treat your Buns with a course of Panacur ?

Sorry for all the questions, just need a bit more info :)
Click to expand...

he didnt listen to his heart.

not any history of snuffles as far as i know as hes a rescue and ive only had him a couple of months.

haven't noticed if hes weeing or drinking allot recently as he has been living with 3 other buns for a month or so now but before that no. Best to keep him separate to see??

They were all wormed this month.
 
Bella lost weight quite alot actually.

First of all it was suggested her teeth, but as she was so underweight, had to build her back up.

She was put on a 9day course of panacur and was double fed in which she ate it all...

She was given Fibreplex, metacam and baytril, not all at same time.

Another Vet said the weight loss wasnt her teeth :?

One day she stopped eating, She went into stasis and was admitted, for bloods and xrays to be done, it was however too late for Bella and she passed away.

Please if he has lost that much weight and no known cause is found yet, get the tests and xrays done :)
 
devoted2buns said:
he didnt listen to his heart.

not any history of snuffles as far as i know as hes a rescue and ive only had him a couple of months.

haven't noticed if hes weeing or drinking allot recently as he has been living with 3 other buns for a month or so now but before that no. Best to keep him separate to see??
They were all wormed this month.
Click to expand...

I had to separate Bella to enable me to monitor, weeing, drinking, pooing. :)
 
devoted2buns said:
he didnt listen to his heart.

not any history of snuffles as far as i know as hes a rescue and ive only had him a couple of months.

haven't noticed if hes weeing or drinking allot recently as he has been living with 3 other buns for a month or so now but before that no. Best to keep him separate to see??

They were all wormed this month.
Click to expand...

Trouble is if he is in a closely bonded group it will be stressful for him to be seperated :?

I would definately opt for a full blood profile ASAP, particularly Liver and Kidney Function.

xx
 
ok thanks guys. I will ring the vets again tmo and tell them i would really like a tests done. Houdini sleeping with me tonight, my poor baby.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Trouble is if he is in a closely bonded group it will be stressful for him to be seperated :?

I would definately opt for a full blood profile ASAP, particularly Liver and Kidney Function.

xx
Click to expand...

should i not take him away from his bonded 3 then?? Ah i dont know what to do for the best :?
 
devoted2buns said:
should i not take him away from his bonded 3 then?? Ah i dont know what to do for the best :?
Click to expand...

My only concern about that is how stressed he'd be on his own. You are the best person to judge that.

In my experience Rexes are more prone to heart disease than other Rabbits. I cant find any documented evidence to back up my theory. But I have had several Rexes who have developed heart disease and for some the first symptom was rapid weightloss.

I do think the sooner diagnostics are done the better. Sending him lots of vibes.

xx
 
Jack's-Jane said:
My only concern about that is how stressed he'd be on his own. You are the best person to judge that.

In my experience Rexes are more prone to heart disease than other Rabbits. I cant find any documented evidence to back up my theory. But I have had several Rexes who have developed heart disease and for some the first symptom was rapid weightloss.

I do think the sooner diagnostics are done the better. Sending him lots of vibes.

xx
Click to expand...

Thanks Jayne - I will put him back with the others then as hes still so happy in himself and i wouldnt want him to be sad. Will phone vets again tmo and try and get him in for a blood test ASAP. Thanks so much.
 
Milly has also lost a fair amount of weight in the past 2 or 3 weeks despite eating well and seeing full of the joys. When she goes in tomorrow to have the abcess flushed the vet is doing a full MOT on her including a full blood screen . Meanwhile she's enjoying extra pellets and porridge. When she was spayed there was no sign of cancer...
 
Phoned my vets this morning and demanded a blood test to be on the safe side and explained why and they said they will not give him a blood test because it is hard to get blood from rabbits and they wont do anything while he is still fine in himself. The vet didnt even write on his notes that he could possibly need a blood test if things dont improve!! :shock::roll: I don't know what to do now :?
 
devoted2buns said:
Phoned my vets this morning and demanded a blood test to be on the safe side and explained why and they said they will not give him a blood test because it is hard to get blood from rabbits and they wont do anything while he is still fine in himself. The vet didnt even write on his notes that he could possibly need a blood test if things dont improve!! :shock::roll: I don't know what to do now :?
Click to expand...

Can you request a second opinion from another Vet ?
In your situation I most definately would.

I was in a similar position a few years back when my then (useless) Vet refused point blank to do any diagnostics on one of my first 'cardiac' Rexes. It was only when I kicked off big time that they (reluctantly :evil:) did bloods and a conscious Xray. This revealed an enlarged heart and secondary renal failure :cry:

I am NOT saying I think your Bun has the same condition. It may be something as simple as molar spurs that the Vet missed (Easy to do in a conscious Bun) I am only mentioning my experience to show that sometimes you have to make a fuss to get a Bun the help you know they need.

Thankfully I am now with a much better Vet !!

xx
 
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