Any ideas for a First aid bunny kit???

I want to make up a first aid kit in-case one of my buns falls ill. Does anyone have any ideas what to put in it? I want to try and stick to natural treatments if possible.I have some willow as i was told this was a natural pain killer is this true? Any suggestions would be very welcome.

www.galensgarden.co.uk do some natural treatments. I've got probiotics, Sudacrem and vasaline, panacur, cotton wool, science recovery. I am sure there are alternatives to this on galens garden website.

According to the famer at West Wales Willows where we get our hay there are over 200 varieties of willow! They choose specific varieties which are low in salycins as no one apparently is entirely sure 'how' safe salycin is for bunnies, it's an interesting one:? Salycin is basically a form of 'aspirin' it's where it comes from although modern aspirin tends to be synthetic the compounds are similar, so yes, if you or your bun chewed a lot of willow you might receive some pain-killer effects but as I said no one really knows what levels are safe and every different willow species has different amounts, and at different times of the year. Apparently if you grow your own willow you can use the young tips/shoots and the trick is to chew it yourself! If it tastes bitter it's probably at an ok level, if it tastes SO bitter you want to wretch then apparently the levels are too high!!
As great as it is to be natural, I personally think that there is always a place for conventional medicine alongside alternatives, but that's just my opinion. At the end of the day, if your bun is suffering from serious bloat for example, he really needs conventional medicines, especially painkillers such as Metcam/Meloxicam or Vetergesic, Infacol (simeticone) etc.
I think for mild illnesses you could certainly try alternatives such as Manuka honey for infection, papain enzymes perhaps for a bun moulting etc, but when threatened with a life and death situation like bloat/stasis you really need the fast acting conventional medicines like the NSAID's and gut motility drugs Metclopramide, Zantac etc. I have a prone stasis/bloat bunny so always keep these drugs at hand, but with vet approval as they are prescription. No reason why you can't put together a first aid kit of alternatives for the days they might be appropriate...e.g. Manuka, herbal tea bags (great for a dehydrated bunny refusing to drink), Bach Five Flower remedy (I use this before car trips) etc. Am sure the more experienced on here can think of other complimentary medicines good to keep close at hand

I fully agree that natural treatments would be of no use in a life or death situation and i would never put my bunnies at risk. I didn't think the vets would let you have items unless they have seen the rabbit in question and diagnosed a problem.

No they probably wouldn't you are right! and it's always better to get your bun checked over even if you are sure it's a recurrent problem that you can treat at home. Everything like that is vet discretion really, stress plays a big part in stasis/bloat and so in our situation our vet feels it's better for us to treat at home when we are certain it's the same thing and we have all the medicines to do just that. However, were there to be no response or no improvement within a few hours we'd be at the vets at midnight like we were the other week with our other bunny who doesn't get it frequently. Every case, of course, is specific to the bun, and more often than not there are other underlying problems that only a vet is qualified to find, not to mention the usefulness of injectable painkillers and sub-cut fluids we can't do at home. I do think though that having some infacol at home is always a good idea, it's available over any pharmacy counter without prescription.
Bach five flower rescue remedy is definitely one for your alternative medicine chest though!

THE IDEAL RABBIT FIRST AID KIT
Having a first aid kit at home for your rabbit is a very good idea in case of emergencies. However, it is vital that if you see signs of illness in your bunny, take it to a vet WITHOUT DELAY. In the wild, rabbits are prey animals and so hide any sign of illness for as long as physically possible. This means that by the time your rabbit is exhibiting symptoms, it’s probably far more poorly than you would think. So if you’re reading this thinking that your bunny may be ill, call a vet NOW.

That said, it is extremely useful to have a basic first aid kit at home, and the following 12 items are recommended by the Rabbit Welfare Association as your emergency kit.

> NAIL CLIPPERS: these are essential to prevent claws growing too long and splitting or getting caught and being painfully ripped out. Purpose-made nail clippers for rabbits are available here.

> CORNFLOUR: very occasionally you will probably trim your rabbit’s nails a little too short and clip the vein that runs inside them, causing the nail to bleed. The trick to stop the bleeding is to apply a little cornflour to the wound.

> SCIENCE RECOVERY FORMULA: this is a special high fibre diet that can be syringe-fed if your rabbit is too sick to eat. It comes in dry packet form and can be purchased from most good vets.

> BABY FOOD: it sounds odd, but if you don’t have any Science Recovery Formula or have run out, baby food is the next best thing. However, this is a short-term solution as it is lower in fibre and higher in sugar.

> SYRINGES: a couple of sizes are good so that you can administer medications and syringe feed if necessary.

> INFACOL: you might think this is for babies, but it is suitable to help relieve a build up of gas in the case of a rabbit gastrointestinal problem. However, if this is needed, consult a vet first.

> PROBIOTIC: if your rabbit needs antibiotics or has any gastrointestinal problem, a probiotic will help to encourage good bacteria and restore the very delicate balance of the intestines. Rabbit probiotics can be bought from most vets or online.

> GAUZE/COTTON: this is used to clean and care for minor wounds. Deeper wounds and abscesses should be looked at by a vet.

> WOUND POWDER: veterinary wound powder is used to help dry up wounds if they occur and is a good item to have for emergencies.

> SKIN CREAM: a tea tree skin cream acts as an antiseptic to keep germs at bay and speed up the healing of wounds. It can also be used to relieve itchy skin, sore patches and minor grazes.

> FLY STRIKE PROTECTOR: fly strike is a common and very uncomfortable condition among rabbits, but with the regular application of a fly strike protector it can be guarded against.

> YOUR VET'S PHONE NUMBER: perhaps the most important item in your first aid kit is your vet’s phone number. Before you collate the above items, locate a good vet experienced with rabbit care and note down their number for daytime and out-of-hours contact.