Help - is anyone awake to give me some urgent advice? U/D Things better & Pics P3

Hi,

I am very concerned about Star. She is not herself tonight.

She hasnt eaten anything since I took her and Twinkle their veggies at 11pm. This is not like her as she normally likes to tuck in. She is also usually still out in her run binkying around and she was just sitting in the corner of the hutch.

She seemed to have problems with her back legs, because to stand up was taking her a few seconds and involved her sliding on her front legs.

She can hop though. She hops from one corner to the corner with the litter tray where she flops down, ears back and eyes half open. She looks like she is in pain.

She seemed tempted by hay but didnt eat it.

Tried to feel her tummy for bloat/stasis and she hopped off pretty quick, as though that was a bit painful.

Have rung the out of hours vet, not sure whether to take her as I am not sure whether its stress-related, something that will go away by itself (as it has done previously for no reason) or whether its something she has eaten.

I am blaming myself - 2 reasons - 1 was that they both free-ranged in the garden for the first time today, she ate something but I thought it was just grass in the borders, but it could have been weeds. 2nd I picked them both up to check their bums but they are so scared and skittish that she let out a little squeal when I picked her up and wriggled so I put her straight back down again, feel very guilty but was trying to do the right thing. She was very stressed immediately afterwards.

So am not sure if it is related to either of these two and whether me taking her to the vets is going to make it worse....

Please can someone advise at all??!!

Hello, first of all, please do not blame yourself! Buns will eat what they are not meant to at one time or another - My Jims ate a chocolate foil wrapper tonight so I am worrying about that!
I would suggest that if she seems like she is in any sort of dicomfort and is not eating that it would be advisable to take her tonight to be honest.

Thank you for replying. I am just going out to bring her indoors so I can keep a better eye on her. To be honest I am thinking I should just take her. But will bring her in first and then probably just go to the vets. I think she is pooing but cant be sure... every so often she gets up and hops to the other side of the hutch like all is ok.... I am sure I am making it worse by stressing....

I know this is virtually impossible but TRY your best not to show her that you are stressed as this will further stress her out, try to be positive with her.
It is good that you are bringing her indoors, try and tempt her with lots of yummies, herbs are very good as they are nice and fragrant.
Maybe give her an hour and see how she is but if she has not picked up or you are still unsure then probably best to take her to the vets.

To echo what Rachylou has said, I'm sure it's not your fault. I'm very good at blaming myself for things like this and it dosen't get you anywhere. Take a deep breath, any stress you show she'll be able to tell.

As she's gone downhill so quickly, I'd take her to the out-of-hours vet. As I'm sure you know, buns are incredibly good at hiding pain and the first sign is often that they go off their food. Especially if she normally loves her food, a big change is something to be on the safe side of and pop her to the vet.

Problems with back legs could be any number of things and not something you want to leave until the morning in case she does something else to hurt herself during the night. She's maybe just done a few over-enthusiastic binkies during the day. At the very least the vet can give her some pain relief.

In the meantime you can keep her warm, tempt her with her favourite foods and see if she's urinating and producing any poo. Best of luck.

Forgot to say if she is part of a bonded pair would probably be advisable to bring her mate in too, so she does not stress about being apart.

Hi, thanks, she is in the house now, I'm afriad all I have to offer her is a washing basket, I've filled it with lots of hay, with some pellets and banana and Carrotys. Have already tried parsley and spring greens but she wasnt having it.

if I take her to the vets, should I take her sister with her? I have left Twinkle outside at the moment but she will be confused as to where Star is, and Star may feel more reassured with her there?

Am probably waking up the neighbours with the amount of times I am going in and out of my back door and opening up the shed.

Ok will go and get Twinkle in too. There isnt room for her in the washing basket so I think I may just take her to vets now. Best to be on safe side isnt it. I would never forgive myself if something bad happened.

Yes I would take her sister along with her, she may feel more reasured.

Thank you, will get Twinkle now. x

Best of luck with the vet trip. Let us know how she gets on.

I would take her to the vets if she was one of mine.

Good luck at the vets and let us know how she is. X

I am going to get ready for bed now, will be on first thing to see how your little girl got on.

Any news?

Hello, so sorry for not getting back before now, didnt get home from the vets til 4.30 so my hubby let me have a good lie-in (lucky no work today).

The vet couldnt establish what was going on, he looked at her hopping about and couldnt see anything wrong. To my eyes there may have been a something slight with her rear right leg but thats probably me being paranoid.

He checked her all over - slight gas in the tummy but not much different to Twinkle so he wasnt worried about that.

In summary he thought it was pain-related given the symptoms and probably musculo-skeletal (I guess a pulled muscle or something from where she wrigged so much earlier in the day - she almost leapt over my shoulder at one point, and all I could do to keep her safe).

So he injected two different painkillers and injected a gut stimulant.

Gave me some recovery but I havent used it yet. She did eat some hay when she got back home last night. We havent seen her eat but she is in the run and seems almost her normal self. Will keep an eye on her all day today!

Is it worth trying the recovery anyway?

So glad that I took her to the vets as what he has done does seem to have perked her up and touch wood sorted her out.

Thanks for the advice, so glad some people were awake last night!

Helen x

So glad to hear she's perked up And that you got a bit of sleep! Sod's law that she would be fine once you got to the vets. :roll:

How stressed would she be if you were to give her the recovery? And how much hay has she had? If she's eating I'd be inclined to leave it and keep an eye on her poo to see how she gets on. There's no point in syringing recovery into her only to have her not eat because she's become stressed again :lol:

Thank you . We think she will be even more stressed out by trying to give her the Recovery. I am not very good at doing things like that at the best of times, but those pair are such nervous wriggle bums that I think it would not be worth the risk of trying - probably just set her back more.

I gave them both a carrot biscuit earlier, they both ate one, she has eaten some hay today although they havent eaten much of their pellets. One thing I have noticed is that her poos are much smaller than Twinkle's - about half the size, which is ununsual for her, but at least she is pooing.

She seems to be alert and is hopping about slowly, not lethargic like she was last night. Also seems fine to stand on her hind quarters so if there was any pain there you would think she wouldnt do that?

Am trying to decide whether she needs a vet trip to check her over today and if she needs any more pain relief. But given that in herself she seems OK today I am not sure it is worth the stressing her out. Mind you, last night cost £166 so need to avoid that too!!!

The other thing is that they both need their myxi jabs but think I will wait a week or so now for that. Trying to relax and leave her to get back to herself....Hope I am doing the right thing...

If she is used to leafy greens I would offer them some now nice and wet from being washed so that she gets some extra fluid into her gut - this should help keep it moving along. If she is eating and passing droppings then I would just keep a close eye on her at home for now.

Thank you Prettylupin, I was hoping someone would be along with some more advice, I really doubt my decisions sometimes and worry about everything.

I will take her some lovely greens and parsley in a minute. Thanks :wave: