Sick elderly rabbit

Hi,

Our rabbit is due to be 10 years old in June, but is very sick. He has had a history of problems with stasis and gas. I'm not sure he will pull through this time. We rushed him to the emergency vets last night as he wasn't eating or drinking and had gas. This morning back to the vets again. He hasn't responded now to 3 doses of prepulsid, plus 2 x sub cut fluids. He is now on fibretex and we now have to start with supreme science recovery. He's also had infacol that seemed to stir things up more than anything. Have to go back to the vets at 5pm today for more fluids. If anyone out there has any other ideas please let me know. He is such a brave dear little bunny! We haven't tried laxatives yet and I have read that it stops the blockage from being softened.

Thanks.

Has he had any pain relief ?
Stasis is often a secondary symptom of another problem. Has your Vet run a Blood profile to see if Bun's Kidneys/Liver are functioning OK ?

Poor old chap If he has not eaten for some time then he may have some gastric ulceration. An anti GI ulcer med -Ranitidine AKA Zantac- may be helpful.

Is he indoors? This is essential as he wont be able to regulate his body temperature whilst he is poorly. A heatpad will be comforting for him.

Please keep us updated as to how he is doing

has he had any pain relief such a s metacam? this would be my first concern ..otherwise keep him warm and try and find what is bringing on the bouts of gass.. certain foods....stress etc. i am sending lots of vibes my mum has two older buns 11yrs and 9yrs and i have a 6yr old so i know how it is to worry about them xxxx

keep him indoor thru out this sickness as he can't fight the cold while he fights the sickness. Keep the room warmer than normal, as it helps his body immune system to fight the sickness.

this link tell you everything you need to know about GI stasis

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=124510

Thanks for your reply. Yes, he had metacam injection last night and I was told this would cover him for 24 hours. He is an indoor bunny and being kept warm. We don't have a heatpad, but have been warming towels on the radiator and with hot water bottles. Vets haven't suggested anything for potential ulceration. They seemed most keen on getting hold of our bottle of prepulsid that we have left!

We don't want to give up on him too soon, but also don't want him to suffer. Will keep you posted.

Thanks again.

P.S He only ever develops this problem when he is molting. However, at the moment there isn't much hair coming off of him. Stress has also caused gas in the past, but I don't think this is the cause.

just another thought if he wont take the science recovery (and only really if wont as more nutricious(sorry spelling atrocious) tehn baby food can be given(provided it doesnt have milk or salt and is vegitarian) or alternativly porrige oats soaked in water. or you can pureee up some carrot adn veg into like a soup for him to lap out of a bowl? x

If he has had Metacam and has also got quite an empty stomach then GI ulceration is even more likely. I really would advise you to request some Ranitidine. I have witnessed miraculous results with using this med as part of the treatment for GI stasis.

I will ask the vet about the Ranitidine. Thanks for the advice!

Thanks for your reply. We did get a little science recovery down him, so will persevere a bit longer with it.

bunlover said:

just another thought if he wont take the science recovery (and only really if wont as more nutricious(sorry spelling atrocious) tehn baby food can be given(provided it doesnt have milk or salt and is vegitarian) or alternativly porrige oats soaked in water. or you can pureee up some carrot adn veg into like a soup for him to lap out of a bowl? x

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Sad news

I am deeply saddened to tell you that on Wednesday evening we had to let our dear Sniffy be put to sleep. We had been back to our local vets with him twice on Wednesday, both morning and late afternoon and mentioned the advice about Ranitidine. Unfortunately, although they were open to the idea they didn't have stock of it. Sniffy was given further fluids, metoclopramide, (prepulsid wasn't working) and an opiate based painkiller for his discomfort as metacam wasn't helping. However, on returning home it became obvious over the next few hours that although he was not in pain, he was slowly fading away. My wife and I both held him in turn and realised he wasn't going to recover and wanted to spare him any more suffering. He was 9 years 8 months old and we had him from 8 weeks old. He had come through so many similar episodes in the past, . However, I think old age crept up on him in the end and he didn't have the strength to recover. Only 2 days before he had been running for his food and jumping onto our sofa. I cannot put into words just how special he was or how much he meant to us. We shared so much with him and miss him terribly. He will live on in our hearts forever!

Love to you all and thanks for all your support. Enjoy every moment you have with your bunnies and take care!

bunnyboy said:

I am deeply saddened to tell you that on Wednesday evening we had to let our dear Sniffy be put to sleep. We had been back to our local vets with him twice on Wednesday, both morning and late afternoon and mentioned the advice about Ranitidine. Unfortunately, although they were open to the idea they didn't have stock of it. Sniffy was given further fluids, metoclopramide, (prepulsid wasn't working) and an opiate based painkiller for his discomfort as metacam wasn't helping. However, on returning home it became obvious over the next few hours that although he was not in pain, he was slowly fading away. My wife and I both held him in turn and realised he wasn't going to recover and wanted to spare him any more suffering. He was 9 years 8 months old and we had him from 8 weeks old. He had come through so many similar episodes in the past, . However, I think old age crept up on him in the end and he didn't have the strength to recover. Only 2 days before he had been running for his food and jumping onto our sofa. I cannot put into words just how special he was or how much he meant to us. We shared so much with him and miss him terribly. He will live on in our hearts forever!

Love to you all and thanks for all your support. Enjoy every moment you have with your bunnies and take care!

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You clearly loved and cared for Sniffy for all of his life. Then you made the selfless decision to allow him a peaceful passing. He will have trusted you to do right by him and you have.

I am sure that at the moment you will feel so much sadness at his passing. That sadness is a reflection of the amount of love you feel for him. Eventually the sadness will become more managable and you will remember Sniffy and smile.

You can shed tears that he is gone
or you can smile because he has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he’s gone
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what he’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Adapted from a poem by David Harkins, © 1981
Silloth, Cumbria, UK

My thoughts are with you - I've just been through a similar bereavement and it is jolly hard!!

May I suggest you have Sniffy cremated and bring his ashes home. I did this with my Bunbun and it certainly helps with the grief knowinghe's home where he belongs.

Take care and big hugs

Lyndsey

I'm so sorry for your loss, he was a very lucky bun to have lived such a long and cherished life with you both.

So sorry for your loss xx

This is very sad. But you should be proud that your bun live such a long life. An average life of a bunny is 8 years. So 10 years is a very long life, as we have a thread of rabbit vs. human age, that each year a bunny lives, is 13 years in human life.

So the fact that he lives 2 years longer than the average life of a bun, is actually 26 years in human life.

Get yourself a rehome bun in your area to refill the energy in your home, many rabbits are waiting for months in a small living area inside a rescue center, waiting for a good home.

here's a list of rescue center in UK

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/centres.asp

or go to the Rabbit In NEED section and see who's available

Or post in the rabbit in need section, many members w/ rescue centers will response to you

If you can't find a rescue center in your area, some members here wiil do a bunny run and deliver to your place,

But the best bet is for you 2 to find a rescue center that is run by 1 of the members here, then you can get a bonded pair, perhaps even some photos first hand, and a recommendation of that rescue center owner, and drive down there and get the feel of the bonded pair and pick them up from the rescue center.

That's how I get all 3 of my SPCA buns, all 3 came from the recommendation of the same person from the local SPCA. And I really like their characters

I am so sorry for your loss.Its obvious by your post how much you cared and loved your bunny.Sleep tight beautiful Sniffy xxxxxx

I am so sorry you lost your beautiful Sniffy - he was obviously very much loved & must have felt so lucky to have you both as his bunny parents. We too had to make the decision to let one of our bunnies go last Friday & I know how difficult it is, but please be assured you did the best thing for him.

Binky free Sniffy at the bridge, sleep tight little fella xxxx

Echo what the others have said, I also had to make the excruciatingly painful decision to have a suffering much loved bun put to sleep and I still get weepy at the memory, 2 years down the line.

Sniffy was obviously much loved and a very lucky bunny.

i am so sorry to hear of such a saddening loss. take comfort in knowing he had al lthe love a bun could want and you did all you could for him xxx

just reading this, so sorry for your loss.