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Buzz is SO thin, I've tried lots of things

Candiflare

Mama Doe
I've posted before about Buzz being on the thin side, but when I gave him his pellets today I was actually "jabbed" by the bones in his spine protruding. I felt his tummy and it feels quite normal, but his joints are sticking out a lot.

I've been giving him porridge and two handfuls of pellets a day. He gets veg in the evening (cabbage, leafy greens, carrot, basil, parsley) and I have to hand feed him hay when I'm with him (as he won't naturally eat it.) I've tried all types of hay to get him to eat it, but he doesn't really want it and will only eat it as part of a game if I'm holding it in front of his face and he's nibbling it.

I took him to the vet and she said yes he is thin but she can see nothing wrong with him. She said she couldn't see any tooth probs but couldn't account for the molars. As he had his neuter about two months ago, she said she doesn't want to put him through another GA until 6 months time.

Like I've said before, he was on a bad diet before he came to me and had been on guinea pig food from 0-6 months of his life when I fostered him.

He ways about 1.7kg, but he's a BIG boned, bunny so he should be filling out more than he is. As you can see he's got a big head, and I'd expect his body to be in proportion to it.

His appetite is very normal and he's always hungry. It just doesn't seem to go anywhere :?

This is him a couple of months ago. He has become thinner since:

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Aww, he is skinny. Have you had his teeth checked? A dental bun doesn't absorb food properly, even if he's eating a normal amount. Could this be the problem?

To fatten him up, have you tried feeding CC/SR from a bowl? It's great for helping a bun put on weight and full of fibre too, which can't hurt at all if he's not a hay eater.
 
Aww, he is skinny. Have you had his teeth checked? A dental bun doesn't absorb food properly, even if he's eating a normal amount. Could this be the problem?

To fatten him up, have you tried feeding CC/SR from a bowl? It's great for helping a bun put on weight and full of fibre too, which can't hurt at all if he's not a hay eater.

The vet says she doesn't want to put him under another GA to check teeth until 6 months time :? What do you think?

What is CC/SR?
 
I know this is probably obvious, but have you tried loads of different hays?
Some seem nicer than others, more green and luscious!
Or hay cookies? I dont know if a bulk like the cookie would make a difference.

Delilah isnt proper fat. I mean, I can feel her spine but she doesnt look thin :?. However much she eats, she doesnt get fat either. And she is a right pig, with everything!!
 
Critical Care/Science Recovery


What is his current diet ?

Does he live with other Rabbits ?

What are his poos like ?

Does he drink/wee alot ?

Currently he's on hay that I hand feed him, 2 handfuls of Science Selective morning and night, a small bowl of porridge, and vegstables (cabbage, leafy greens, herbs and a half a carrot) each evening.

He lives on his own and is an outside bun.

His poos are big and quite dark and sometimes are quite slippery/mucousy...

He doesn't drink very much, but he seems to wee quite a lot... and, he sometimes drinks his wee...

Do you think this sounds like teeth probs?
 
I know this is probably obvious, but have you tried loads of different hays?
Some seem nicer than others, more green and luscious!
Or hay cookies? I dont know if a bulk like the cookie would make a difference.

Delilah isnt proper fat. I mean, I can feel her spine but she doesnt look thin :?. However much she eats, she doesnt get fat either. And she is a right pig, with everything!!

He has eaten a few hay cookies, (trust buns to like the most financially-inefficient type of hay!) and I have tried LOADS of different types of hay.. he only seems to want to eat it if I'm there giving him attention and feeding it to him. But even then he won't eat a lot...
 
The vet says she doesn't want to put him under another GA to check teeth until 6 months time :? What do you think?

What is CC/SR?

Why does he have to have a GA for a tooth checkup? Is he very nervous? :?

As Jane says, CC stands for Critical care, and SR for Science recovery diet. They're powdered food you mix with a little water, usually for syringe feeding a bun who's stopped eating, but they can be made into a thicker paste for the bun to eat straight from the bowl. As they're designed for poorly and undernorished buns they're full off calories to help weight gain.

When you say he is an outside bun, how much protection from the elements does he have? It could well be his recent weightloss is him burning calories trying to stay warm in this cold weather - the thinner he is the harder it is to keep warm, and the more energy he's burning off. It's a vicious cycle.
 
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He has eaten a few hay cookies, (trust buns to like the most financially-inefficient type of hay!) and I have tried LOADS of different types of hay.. he only seems to want to eat it if I'm there giving him attention and feeding it to him. But even then he won't eat a lot...

Yes, I looked at them the other day in the shop. Thought it would be a nice change for them,and then saw the price :shock: :lol:

I havent got a clue, im not rabbit savvy at all really.
Has he always lived outside? perhaps its the cold? Im not really sure :?
 
That's interesting. Can he have a molar check without a GA? Is my vet wrong? It sounds like she gives a GA to all buns who need a tooth check..

I am so, so surprised at that! If he's ok to be handled, and not generally a panicky bun, I see no need whatever for a GA for a simple check-up! :shock: It can be tricky to see clearly with a struggling bun, but it is do-able and I think the lesser of 2 evils than to knock him out. I expect you know that GA's can be risky for buns, and it's best to avoid them if at all possible.

If you try him with some SR, and he likes it, perhaps you could get him used to eating it from a syringe (not force-feeding him I don't mean, just offer the syringe and gently push the plunger as he nibbles the end). This would get him used to having a 'foreign object' placed in his mouth, and he should begin to associate it with a pleasant experience, which will make him easier to check at dental times. :)
 
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Maybe I've got it wrong?

Actually, come to think of it, I think it was a vet nurse who told me that after the vet had sent all the info through after my appt.

I'll go back...
 
PM your address and I will put you some of my Orchard Grass in an envelope for you to try with him. Mine is eating it like crazy at the moment.
 
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