• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Do you think it's essential...(Hope Jane sees this!!!)

Buuny_Friend

Mama Doe
...for a Rabbit who has is off their food or hasn't eaten to be given fluids (preferably sub-cut?)

Do you think this is one of the first things that should be done?

The reason I ask is that I work in a vets and always (gently and quietly) recommend to a vet they do this when I book a rabbit in who is displaying these symptoms. Obviously, the cause of the inappetance needs to be investigated (examine teeth, lower and upper abdomen etc) but I feel it is highly necessary to give fluids under the skin as an immediate first aid.

We had a rabbit in on Friday who had stopped eating and was lethargic. I expressed that I thought fluids should be given and all the neccesary checks etc etc and do you know what the vet did?....

Gave an injection of Baytil and Baytril to go home with. THAT'S IT!!!!! :censored::evil:

As you can tell, the vets I work at are not bunny savvy in the slightest. In fact, I don't take ANY of my animals there! I get all my drugs there as I get them at cost but that's it!

So...do you think fluids are essential?
 
Probably.... surely an animal with little strength wont have much luck of fighting anything off.... if you know what I mean.... if given fluids then surely they would have more of a chance of surviving whatever is wrong with them or the vet figuring out what is wrong with them?

Thats just my thought to be fair, but thats what I would like for my bun if they hadnt eaten.
 
I have found SQ fluids to be important in the treatment of GI stasis or Bloat.
But I dont think it would be necessary to administer them as a matter of routine in every anorexic Rabbit. I think it would very much depend on the Vet's findings during a thorough examination.

Also, if the Rabbit is very flat and shut down SQs will be useless as they wont be absorbed. IVs would be needed.
 
I have found SQ fluids to be important in the treatment of GI stasis or Bloat.
But I dont think it would be necessary to administer them as a matter of routine in every anorexic Rabbit. I think it would very much depend on the Vet's findings during a thorough examination.

Also, if the Rabbit is very flat and shut down SQs will be useless as they wont be absorbed. IVs would be needed.

That's the worrying thing...I don't think our vets have a clue about what they are looking for!!! I don't think it would occur to them Baytril seems to be the magic cure for everything! :(
 
Oh and one of the vets (the boss!!!!) saw a rabbit who hadn't been eating the last 2 days after her spay. He tole the owner that they should bring her back in 3-4 days if she still wasn't eating! :shock::censored::evil:
 
Oh and one of the vets (the boss!!!!) saw a rabbit who hadn't been eating the last 2 days after her spay. He tole the owner that they should bring her back in 3-4 days if she still wasn't eating! :shock::censored::evil:

Oh my word, they sound useless! I absolutely agree on the fluids front, it's an absolute must and I can't believe thats not one of the first things vets think to give. I have seen it all to often where baytril is seen as a magic cure. :evil::evil:
 
Alvin was given the fluids on the 2nd and 3rd days of being ill when he had stasis, this was purely from my insistance as the vet said he was not dehydrated as they had managed to get a lot of water into him while he was hospitalised on those days.. i kept saying thro the tears :oops: that when he was home i was useless at syringe feeds and he needed the extra fluids so she gave him the injection more for my piece of mind than anything else.

i think it should be part of the standard treatment too, but now theyve done it for me on that occasion i will insist on an injection of fluids at the first visit next time Alvin goes on hunger strike even if its only just to give me a fighting chance of getting him better
 
To be honest guys, it is making me sick. The boss asks me to purchase rabbit textbooks etc (at the companies expense) but I am the only one who had read them and I'm just the Reception Manager not a vet!!! They are now gathering dust on the shelf.

When I discussed the spay rabbit with him and said if she is left for 4 more days without eating she could quite possibly die...he laughed in my face! :shock: His answer was, "I am sure she will eat!"
 
To be honest guys, it is making me sick. The boss asks me to purchase rabbit textbooks etc (at the companies expense) but I am the only one who had read them and I'm just the Reception Manager not a vet!!! They are now gathering dust on the shelf.

When I discussed the spay rabbit with him and said if she is left for 4 more days without eating she could quite possibly die...he laughed in my face! :shock: His answer was, "I am sure she will eat!"

12 hours without food and she is at an increased risk of hepatic lipidosis :( Your vets are quite shocking :( It sounds to me like they all need to go on a CPD course!!!!! ASAP!
I'm so sorry your job must be driving you crazy :( Let's hope that one day your influence rubs off a bit.
 
12 hours without food and she is at an increased risk of hepatic lipidosis :( Your vets are quite shocking :( It sounds to me like they all need to go on a CPD course!!!!! ASAP!
I'm so sorry your job must be driving you crazy :( Let's hope that one day your influence rubs off a bit.

I hope so :( What makes it worse is that they just laugh in my face! One of the partners once told me that a Guinea Pig with Flystrike could wait 20 minutes as it wouldn't affect it's chance of survival! :shock:
 
Jesus!!! It must be so stressful and disheartening to work there! I am sure that your influence is changing things albeit very slowly - how bloody arrogant are they!!

I think you should retrain as a vet hun - you'd be great at it :)
 
Jesus!!! It must be so stressful and disheartening to work there! I am sure that your influence is changing things albeit very slowly - how bloody arrogant are they!!

I think you should retrain as a vet hun - you'd be great at it :)

Not clever enough unfortunatley! Thinking about doing animal behaviuor though! Have been searcing and there are no courses for rabbits and rodents for people who aren't vets! :shock:

Oh and by the way...if something were to happen to Bella and Charlie whilst they are here, don't worry cos they won't be seen by the vets I work with! We use a vet who used to work with Christabel for our bunnies :)
 
Last edited:
Not clever enough unfortunatley! Thinking about doing animal behaviuor though! Have been searcing and there are no courses for rabbits and rodents for people who aren't vets! :shock:

Oh and by the way...if something were to happen to Bella and Charlie whilst they are here, don't worry cos they won't be seen by the vets I work with! We use a vet who used to work with Christabel for our bunnies :)

I don't believe that for a second!!! Animal behaviour sounds very interesting- a bit ridiculous though that there are no courses for non vet peeps.

I'm not worried..I know that they will both be very safe with you guys :)
 
It must be so frustrating to work for someone who has no clue. My dad used to have similar problems with colleagues, just that he's a surgeon for humans, and not a vet. Sometimes you probably need to force people to educate themselves, because a lot of them can't be bothered to learn the latest stuff. Or to learn even the most basic stuff. Not sure what they learn when they study to be a vet, just dogs and cows??
 
It must be so frustrating to work for someone who has no clue. My dad used to have similar problems with colleagues, just that he's a surgeon for humans, and not a vet. Sometimes you probably need to force people to educate themselves, because a lot of them can't be bothered to learn the latest stuff. Or to learn even the most basic stuff. Not sure what they learn when they study to be a vet, just dogs and cows??

They get 5 days out of the 6 years they do on Rabbits and exotics :shock:

I just get the feeling they think I am too dramatic. My boss said I care too much and shouldn't let my life be dictated by rabbits. Well, it's my life and I will do what the hell I like! (sorry...had to vent that! :oops:)
 
Back
Top