Dude not well, vet baffled. Need advice...

Hello,

I brought the buns in last night as it was mischievous night and then bonfire night tonight with the fireworks and whatnot.

I put Angel and Blake in the garage and Dude in the conservatory in a large-ish playpen.

He's got his litter tray filled with megazorb and straw, green tube, another tube thingy, water bottle, food dish and loads of hay.

He seemed absolutely fine when I first put him in and sat down to eat some cabbage and have a little play around. This was about 7.30pm.

At about 10.30pm OH said went through for something and came back saying Dude didn't seem right. Rushed through and Dude was in his litter tray not moving. He wasn't hunched up or grinding teeth etc, just not being his normal self. We gave him one or two pellets which he ate and all his food was gone from earlier (carrot and cabbage).

OH got him out and put him on my lap on the sofa and he just sat. Now this would be most people's ideal bun; loving a hug. But Dude is usually a little fiesty and hates being picked up or held at all. When OH picked him up, he didn't move or struggle at all.

I sat with him for 20 mins or so then I started dozing off. We tried to decide whether it was vet-worthy being late on. Now I'm the first to rush to the vet at the slightest trouble and if I'd have been even 75% sure he was actually ill then the emergency vet fee wouldn't have been an issue at all. But the thing is we weren't sure if he was ill, or just really relaxed and comfortable.

He usually lives in one half of a large shed with my bonded pair on the other side and I think he gets nervous hearing them tear around and have the odd scuffle, so I thought maybe he's just relaxed and non-jumpy now he's out of there. (He will be in new shed permanently once I've found him a wife.)

I went to bed at 11pm deciding that I'd see how he was later on before calling the vets, so set my alarm for 3am and went to check. He was no worse, but still just in the litter tray. I gave him some strokes and chatted to him then went back to bed.

This morning he was the same - a little lethargic - but ate all his pellets straight away and had had a little water overnight. (He's not a big drinker anyway normally.)

OH came back from work at 3.30pm and went straight to check on him. He said he'd eaten everything and drunk a little more, but not much.

Also: he's been weeing and pooing fine since coming in last night.

I took him to the vets this evening for my own peace of mind, and the vet checked him out but is baffled as to what is wrong. The fact he's eating and pooing doesn't add up with him not moving.

She gave an abx to err on the side of caution and also a painkiller incase he's hurt himself when playing. I have to carry on with the abx for 5 days.

He didn't move on the vets table (unusual) and let me get him out the carrier no problem (v unusual!). He also didn't move when she put him on the scales on the floor to weigh him.

She said if he gets worse overnight/tomorrow then bring him back. If he's no worse but equally no better by sat then I have to take him back then.

To end my longest ever RU thread oops::lol, does anyone have any experience of anything similar or any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, you lovely rabbity people!! :rabbit2:

Did the Vet take his temperature ?

Did she check his pupil responses and look in his ears ?

:wave:Sorry hun, i dont have any advice. But hopefully someone will soon.
Hope your little one is ok. Try not to worry (easier said than done i know).

Edit i always seem to post just after advice:lol:

I had a similar experience with my two when they were about a year old. They both became quite lethargic and although they were eating, they didn't seem to have any enthusiasm. My vet was baffled too but after a few days of antibitotics and gut motility drugs they improved. I think they probably had both eaten something in the garden that didn't agree with them but what I have no idea.

Hope Dude improves soon.

FC x

Jack's-Jane said:

Did the Vet take his temperature ?

Did she check his pupil responses and look in his ears ?

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I was hoping to see you! :wave:

No to both... :?

It wasn't Francis, it was another lady vet...

Have you brought him in from outdoors? Is your conservatory heated? It couldn't just be something really simple like he's too hot, could it?

FriskyClover said:

I had a similar experience with my two when they were about a year old. They both became quite lethargic and although they were eating, they didn't seem to have any enthusiasm. My vet was baffled too but after a few days of antibitotics and gut motility drugs they improved. I think they probably had both eaten something in the garden that didn't agree with them but what I have no idea.

Hope Dude improves soon.

FC x

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Becky's Bunnies said:

:wave:Sorry hun, i dont have any advice. But hopefully someone will soon.
Hope your little one is ok. Try not to worry (easier said than done i know).

Edit i always seem to post just after advice:lol:

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thanks guys, I think I may take him back to get ears & temp checked as per Jack's-Jane.

p_prod_uk said:

I was hoping to see you! :wave:

No to both... :?

It wasn't Francis, it was another lady vet...

Click to expand...

Well I would imagin anyone working with FHB would get good mentoring

How does Dude behave if he is put back in his normal accomodation ?
Not suggesting you leave him there if there's lots of Firework noise, but could it be that he is just more relaxed away from the other two :?

Santa said:

Have you brought him in from outdoors? Is your conservatory heated? It couldn't just be something really simple like he's too hot, could it?

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He is inside, but conservatory windows are open, and all heating off. (we're freezing!!! :roll::lol

He also had he fan on for half an hour or so when he first came in as I'd only just put the heating off.

I'd put money on it not being too hot.

Thanks for replying

Just wondering if he's missing being next door to your bonded pair, I know when my 2 went for boarding they were in seperate cages and couldn't see each other they were used to living next to each other and seeing each other through the runs and Peanut wasn't his usual self although he was still eating and pooing, he's fine again now and they are bonded . As i say it's just a thought . Hope he feels better soon.xx

Jack's-Jane said:

Well I would imagin anyone working with FHB would get good mentoring

How does Dude behave if he is put back in his normal accomodation ?
Not suggesting you leave him there if there's lots of Firework noise, but could it be that he is just more relaxed away from the other two :?

Click to expand...

The vet said not to put him back in tonight, but maybe to put him back there tomorrow during the day, just to see if he perks up being back in his normal environment.