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Please Help very ill bunny

debndot

New Kit
Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can help work out what is wrong with my bunny. On Thursday night i noticed she hadn't drunk from her bottle which is very unusual and wasn't very interested in her food again not like her. When i picked her up she was quite limp and unresponsive where as usually she's very energetic and wants to explore i managed to get her to drink and eat a little and took her to the vet fri morning as she still wasn't very interested. She stayed at the vets all day with a drip to rehydrate her as she was very dehydrated and they done tests. They said her bloods came back fine and it isn't the normal symptoms of the common rabbit illnesses, she's now pretty much only eating the syringe food and drinking from the syringe and just sits panting slightly. i have medication for ec just in case but they really don't know what's wrong. I've seen some posts about vitamin e and floppy bunnies and wondered if it might be worth giving her some as she is very unsteady and quite limp. She's only 6 months old and didn't have a a very good start to life as she had a life threatening gash on her belly that luckily healed on its own as was missed by the pet shop. Please any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Is she pooing?
If not it could be gut stasis. Has she been given pain killers?

I have no other advice but hopefully someone more experienced will come along soon.
 
Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can help work out what is wrong with my bunny. On Thursday night i noticed she hadn't drunk from her bottle which is very unusual and wasn't very interested in her food again not like her. When i picked her up she was quite limp and unresponsive where as usually she's very energetic and wants to explore i managed to get her to drink and eat a little and took her to the vet fri morning as she still wasn't very interested. She stayed at the vets all day with a drip to rehydrate her as she was very dehydrated and they done tests. They said her bloods came back fine and it isn't the normal symptoms of the common rabbit illnesses, she's now pretty much only eating the syringe food and drinking from the syringe and just sits panting slightly. i have medication for ec just in case but they really don't know what's wrong. I've seen some posts about vitamin e and floppy bunnies and wondered if it might be worth giving her some as she is very unsteady and quite limp. She's only 6 months old and didn't have a a very good start to life as she had a life threatening gash on her belly that luckily healed on its own as was missed by the pet shop. Please any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

I am surprised that they did not know what was wrong as this sounds like classic GI stasis. I'm pleased they put her on a drip - this was the correct course of action.

Did they examine her teeth? Was she given any pain relief for you to administer at home? Was the parasite EC mentioned at all? I think you may need to find yourself a rabbit-savy vet urgently. Whereabouts in the country are you? Is your bunny passing any droppings tonight and taking any of her syringe food?
 
Hi, yes she is pooing and weeing which makes it quite confusing.

How much? Normal amount and normal size? Is she only taking syringe food or is she eating voluntarily by herself and drinking? When you say she is limp and unsteady - is she falling over to the side when she hops?
 
I'm also wondering if this gash in her stomach has abcessated inside? Is it fully healed and not warm to touch - no lumps or bumps around the old wound?
 
Hi i just posted this in another thread, it sounds like what lola had as she was panting too - Get her to the vets.
Hello i have had exactly the same thing with lola this week, it started on monday morning when she refused to eat and sat in the oddest places where she never normally goes, i took her to the vet monday morning and he gave me critical care to syringe to her which was a night mare as lola was having none of it so i took her back to the vet mon afternoon who put her on a drip at 6pm she was taken to animal hospital in wimbledon, kept in for 2 nights i reall thought i was going to lose her she refused to eat until i visited her tuesday and ate carrot tops and parsley and started doing tiny poos she came home weds pm and is slowly recovering she was on zantac/metacam and metoclopramide and bio lapis until friday, when i took her back to the vet for a check up, she is gradually getting better but is taking advantage with me feeding her at intervals i havent seen her drink any water yet but she is pooing and peeing. my advice to you is TAKE HER BACK TO THE VET!
 
Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can help work out what is wrong with my bunny. On Thursday night i noticed she hadn't drunk from her bottle which is very unusual and wasn't very interested in her food again not like her. When i picked her up she was quite limp and unresponsive where as usually she's very energetic and wants to explore i managed to get her to drink and eat a little and took her to the vet fri morning as she still wasn't very interested. She stayed at the vets all day with a drip to rehydrate her as she was very dehydrated and they done tests. They said her bloods came back fine and it isn't the normal symptoms of the common rabbit illnesses, she's now pretty much only eating the syringe food and drinking from the syringe and just sits panting slightly. i have medication for ec just in case but they really don't know what's wrong. I've seen some posts about vitamin e and floppy bunnies and wondered if it might be worth giving her some as she is very unsteady and quite limp. She's only 6 months old and didn't have a a very good start to life as she had a life threatening gash on her belly that luckily healed on its own as was missed by the pet shop. Please any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

This can often be a sign of pain, or of a bloated stomach that presses on the chest cavity making it harder to breathe. Does her stomach appear bloated. I too agree that she really does need to see another, more rabbit-savy vet again tonight, but if not, any emergency vet will do. I suspect she needs more pain relief and another examination, not to mention more fluids. :wave:
 
her teeth were looked at and were fine same as her ears, i have the wormer medicine which covers ec to give her and some painkillers but I've been told not to give her the pain killers tonight as her temperature was a bit low and she's not showing any signs of pain or discomfort and they could lower her temp so to leave unless she looks like she's in pain. She loves the syringe food and quite happily lets us syringe water, she will pick at a few pellets or a bit of cabbage now and again but very little.
 
her teeth were looked at and were fine same as her ears, i have the wormer medicine which covers ec to give her and some painkillers but I've been told not to give her the pain killers tonight as her temperature was a bit low and she's not showing any signs of pain or discomfort and they could lower her temp so to leave unless she looks like she's in pain. She loves the syringe food and quite happily lets us syringe water, she will pick at a few pellets or a bit of cabbage now and again but very little.

Bunnies hide pain due to the type of species they are. I would suggest that if she is not eating voluntarily in the normal amounts that she is experiencing pain and therefore the pain relief is essential. Low temperature - mild hypothermia is a common symptom of a rabbit who is in ileus/GI stasis as they rely on their constant eating/grazing to maintain their metabolism and body heat. If her body temp is cool then she needs to be warmed up (using a heat pad, sock filled with rice and microwaved until warm or a hot water bottle) Just warming bun up and giving pain relief can really help. If she is poorly she will not be able to respond appropriately to things that are too hot so only warm - giving them a cuddle wrapped up in a blanket if they don't mind this can also really help.

I really feel that she may need to see an emergency vet tonight for more pain relief (or a different type than you will have at home - Opiates) and probably more warmed fluids given under the skin to increase her hydration.

ETA if she is happily taking syringed water this indicates she is still dehydrated - the gut reabsorbs fluids drastically in a rabbit who's gut has slowed. I would provide her with a bowl as this will be easier to drink from than her bottle.
 
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