Calcified kidney

Rosie is Badger's wifey and today had a dental. They also did a spine x-ray because she came to me with spinal damage many months ago and we wanted to see what was going on (back then she was not well enough to have a GA, so we waited until she needed one).

The x-ray showed up that her right kidney is very calcified.

When the vet did the examination of her yesterday (I took her to the vets because she has been quiet for a few days and thought her back had gotten worse but wanted her teeth checked just in case) the vet found pain on the right side of the abdomen. At the time we put it down to gut issues from the teeth, but now I wonder if its the kidney, because Rosie has still been eating like a horse and her poos are all good.

Rosie has been on Metacam since she arrived in November and I know this causes a risk to the kidneys. I asked about Tramadol but my vet has not used it in rabbits before, although she said she would look into it if I wanted. Are there any other pain medications that may help? I don't want her spaced out. If she is alive, then she is alive to enjoy life, not pass it in a drug induced haze.

Rosie is bonded with Badger and given we face losing Badger imminently, I need to try and not have anything hugely invasive done to Rosie until she is over that- unless obviously she really needs it.

I also need to know any other kidney related options. The vet mentioned removable but said we have to be so sure that the other one is working 100%. I didn't ask on the phone because my head was spinning, but I'm guessing blood tests is a good place to start?

Rosie is the biggest last chance bunny I have ever had here. The RSPCA gave up on her and their vet said PTS. Her adopter couldn't cope with her and told me if I couldn't take her she would be PTS. She's been here and improving and happy since November and is a remarkable remarkable bunny.

Whatever is best for her, I will do. I just know nothing about kidneys!

Thanks in advance.

parsnipbun's Damson had a nephrectomy a few weeks ago. Maybe PM her incase she doesn't get to see this thread.

A FBP would definitely be needed before going ahead with surgery xx

Hi,
it would be sensible to assess how well the kidneys are working - urine tests and blood tests are the standard. Calcification of soft tissue is often a response to pre-existing damage, but renal stones should be able to be excluded from the Xray.
I have used tramadol either instead of, or in addition to, metacam and have found it useful and effective pain relief. I would want to try that before going for surgery as obviously it is a less invasive and safer treatment option.
Marie

Thanks Jane.

Yeh, I have just been googling and stuff and had earmarked that thread to have a read of.

I think this is all starting to make so much sense now. Like when I reduced her Metacam she used to start weeing everywhere, and how she drinks more than the average bunny, and she came stinking of urine (we put it down to an UTI), how she is not litter trainable, with the best will in the world.

I think this has been a problem far before she came to me.

Some bunnies get it so rough

marie_kubiak said:

Hi,
it would be sensible to assess how well the kidneys are working - urine tests and blood tests are the standard. Calcification of soft tissue is often a response to pre-existing damage, but renal stones should be able to be excluded from the Xray.
I have used tramadol either instead of, or in addition to, metacam and have found it useful and effective pain relief. I would want to try that before going for surgery as obviously it is a less invasive and safer treatment option.
Marie

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Thank you Marie, very much.

I will try and discuss the Tramadol with our vet and see if she can look into it.

Hi

We recently were faced with this problem, and after assessing health of other kidney through tests etc we had the troublesome kidney removed.

Damson made an excellent recovery despite being 9 years old though there are lots of risks with the op. obviously. Apparently it also depends on which side the kidney is on as one side is more tricky than other (his was the tricky side:roll::roll.

He also had kidney pains for 6 months before and this led to periods of stassis and also infections.

We were faced with PTS or operate..

Thank you Parsnipbun. I followed Damson's story from a distance, but now intend to read about it thoroughly.

I'm so glad he recovered well. what a trooper he is! What side was his on? If you can't remember its not a big deal.

Rosie is apparently only 3 so far younger, which may or may not be a good thing?

Sky-O said:

Thank you Parsnipbun. I followed Damson's story from a distance, but now intend to read about it thoroughly.

I'm so glad he recovered well. what a trooper he is! What side was his on? If you can't remember its not a big deal.

Rosie is apparently only 3 so far younger, which may or may not be a good thing?

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His was on the side which tucks up under the liver and meant all his intestines had to be sort of tipped out (makes me feel odd just to think of it) to get access as liver in way otherwise.

The only hitch with his was that they didn't get out the whole of the bit (sorry forgotten name) that joins the kidney to bladder as he started to bleed - but are suspecting it will just petrify as not attached to anything either end. Apart from his awful reaction to VHD jab since he is still very very well - though since the VHD reaction he looks older which is a shame as before he was like a new bun

Thank you

Such a shame about the VHD jab though, after all that effort and fight he gave. Hopefully he will become a younger bunny in due course (what a strange sentence).

I just remembered that Rosie came into the RSPCA with a bunny called Sunshine who was PTS with mega kidney problems last December, shortly after I brought Rosie home.

Sky-O said:

Thank you

Such a shame about the VHD jab though, after all that effort and fight he gave. Hopefully he will become a younger bunny in due course (what a strange sentence).

I just remembered that Rosie came into the RSPCA with a bunny called Sunshine who was PTS with mega kidney problems last December, shortly after I brought Rosie home.

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That might indicate EC involvement then :?

Damson had also had EC (Head Tilted for a while in fact several years ago when he was 4-5) and his sister Quince sadly died of pneumonia related kidney failure/EC at the age of 6 just a year or so afterwards. BUT the reason we went ahead with Damson's kidney removal is that tests showed his other kidney was functioning well.

When they got the other kidney out (which had been tricky to xray because of placement re liver) it was shrivelled and useless and vet believes it must have been going like that a lot longer than the 6 months we had noted pain.

Damson has also had myxi when he was about 3 (though jabbed) and numerous torn ears etc, from fighting, as well as the EC and kidney removal - he really is a little miracle. He started life in the Blue Cross as well and from his size in relation to his sister may well have been the runt of the litter!

They are going to try and blood test her before I pick the pair of them up. If they can't do it while she is awake then she will have to wait.

Mine you, they managed to do Cloud when he was awake and he was a vicious nasty little thing.

Damson sounds completely amazing! One of the many miracle bunnies we have here.

I saw Rosie's x-ray, it was fascinating and so clear!

Thats really helpful - we had to have Damson scanned and then x-rayed several times just to establish the stone - and had no real idea what the kidney itself was like till she got in there.

From Rosie's blood test results, her urea is slightly elevated but her createnine (sp?) is very high. That's not good- even I understand that. I would also presume that that means that removing the offending kidney is not an option because the other kidney is obviously already not coping.