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Rudy's got belly ache / ?sore mouth? HOME... UD ok Esme now too.

Bunny Buddy

Wise Old Thumper
Poor Rudy :cry:

He was hunched and in a panicky state. I assumed it to be bloat and obviously very upset after losing Little Dot to bloat/blockage only a week ago, I thought that we had another bloat episide.

I only watched him for about 10 minutes and I can't bear to see him in distress so took him to local vets. The vet who saw him I know to have been trained at the Royal D1ick in Edinburg which is a huge reassurance.

He said Ru had no signs of bloat :shock: Which actually I've been told before but assumed that it had passed but thinking about it some of the time he's just been distressed and not showing signs of bloat - ie pushing belly to ground etc.

So he's had Metacam, Metaclopromide and the morphine-based painkiller (Bupra something or other). He still looks miserable and is refusing food. Hopefully within the next hour he should be back to being greedy.

I however am drained. I've rung work (having done only 2 shifts since leaving 1/2 way through a shift when I lost Dot) and said I might not be in :? They are brilliant thankfully but there's only so many times you can do that. :cry:

Why are my bunnies always poorly :cry::cry::cry:
 
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I'm so sorry you are having such a difficult time. :( I was exhausted after one night of a poorly bunny who luckily got better very quickly, so you must be really worn out. Is he even refusing favourite foods?
 
Thanks for the vibes.

I'm so sorry you are having such a difficult time. :( I was exhausted after one night of a poorly bunny who luckily got better very quickly, so you must be really worn out. Is he even refusing favourite foods?

Yes. Some of the time he sniffs at food, sometimes he turns his face away. The thing is with him he's so stressy that if I approach him he when he's off he assumes I'm going to drag him to the vet so he doesn't calmly look at the treat he just panics and bolts.

I can't decide now whether he's 'off' or just dopey due to the drugs. :cry::cry::cry: I really hope he eats soon, the stress is awful.
 
Those strong pain killers can make them really sleepy, which doesn't make it easy to tell if a rabbit is refusing food for another reason.

Sounds like gas to me, so hopefully the meds will help with that.

Sending vibes xx
 
I'm sure you are doing your best to hide it from him, but might he be picking up on your anxiety? When Spenser was ill we kept him in overnight and took turns to watch him. He was quite ative but didn't do any serious eating or poouing until we put him back in the hutch and left him for half an hour. I'm not suggesting you ignore your sick bunny, but if you haven't tried already, it might be worth keeping an eye on him from a distance and trying to pretend you are relaxed. I really do feel for you, it is awful having to look at a poorly bunny. Sending more vibes.
 
Buprenorphine really does knock some buns out for the count, Nino barely tolerates it at all but the need for such strong opiate pain relief sometimes outweighs the disadvantages. Personally, despite the sleepiness we will periodically wake him up every hour and keep him awake (albeit swaying with drug drowsiness) in order to keep the food going in, it is important that you keep the food going in and his tum moving. The downside of opiate pain relief is that they do have a negative effect on gut motility, but the metclopramide will help to combat this anyway. Some fresh grass/dandelions might be worth a try.

I do hope he feels better soon x
 
Buprenorphine really does knock some buns out for the count, Nino barely tolerates it at all but the need for such strong opiate pain relief sometimes outweighs the disadvantages. Personally, despite the sleepiness we will periodically wake him up every hour and keep him awake (albeit swaying with drug drowsiness) in order to keep the food going in, it is important that you keep the food going in and his tum moving. The downside of opiate pain relief is that they do have a negative effect on gut motility, but the metclopramide will help to combat this anyway. Some fresh grass/dandelions might be worth a try.
I do hope he feels better soon x

Thanks. He's definitely a lot dopier than Artie was when he ahd the same drug about 3 weeks ago. I've waved dandelions at Rudy and he's just not interested. Art on the other hand did snatch them from me.
 
I've asked for him to be admitted as the stress of him not eating and me not going to work is too much for me at the moment.

A more expert eye will say whether it's illness of the drugs. I've been told that Jenny will be looking after them which is excellent news, a huge reassurance. (Them as in Tink is going as well but they'll separate them if she's too much of a pain).

I feel a huge relief as I know they are being cared for and I don't have to take the immediate stress of it.

Just taking them there now.

Thanks guys for your wisdom and good wishes. I need to get them sorted and to work but will update as soon as I can.
 
Thanks. He's definitely a lot dopier than Artie was when he ahd the same drug about 3 weeks ago. I've waved dandelions at Rudy and he's just not interested. Art on the other hand did snatch them from me.

Yes different rabbits tolerate it differently. Now we know Nino doesn't tolerate it well, if he does need it and the pain is too bad and not controlled by meloxicam when he is bloated then we ask for the lowest dose rather than the standard dose for his size when it comes to the bup.

Just keep trying intermittently. It takes time for the pain relief to kick in also. I would expect the drowsiness to wear off after about 3-4 hours (the worst of it) but I would not leave it this long to get him to eat so I would every now and then wave something new under his nose, try a few things, when he wakes up enough he will have some i'm sure. It might be an hour or two before you get a result if he is very dopey so let him rest as well. :wave:

p.s. Poppy barely bats an eyelid on the bup. Tolerates it very well. They are all different buns x
 
:wave:
I have just taken the afternoon off before knowing Rudy was coming in, sorry. I would have stayed if I had known an hour earlier. If you need anything let me know. I am working tomorrow morning and tomorrow night shift so if they are both in still tomorrow I will be nursing them day and all night if that helps.
I hope he is ok and I am sure they will receive great care from the other nurses and vets. Keep me updated today and let me know if you need any help.

ETA if you need me to help medicate etc in the future just ask and I am more than happy to come over and lend a helping hand!
 
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Poor Rudy. :( It must be a huge worry after all the upset you've had recently Alison but try not to panic; hopefully he will be fine again before you know it. Sending lots and lots of vibes. xx
 
Yes different rabbits tolerate it differently. Now we know Nino doesn't tolerate it well, if he does need it and the pain is too bad and not controlled by meloxicam when he is bloated then we ask for the lowest dose rather than the standard dose for his size when it comes to the bup.

Just keep trying intermittently. It takes time for the pain relief to kick in also. I would expect the drowsiness to wear off after about 3-4 hours (the worst of it) but I would not leave it this long to get him to eat so I would every now and then wave something new under his nose, try a few things, when he wakes up enough he will have some i'm sure. It might be an hour or two before you get a result if he is very dopey so let him rest as well. :wave:

p.s. Poppy barely bats an eyelid on the bup. Tolerates it very well. They are all different buns x

Thank you so much for all your advice, it does help knowing what to expect.

:wave:
I have just taken the afternoon off before knowing Rudy was coming in, sorry. I would have stayed if I had known an hour earlier. If you need anything let me know. I am working tomorrow morning and tomorrow night shift so if they are both in still tomorrow I will be nursing them day and all night if that helps.
I hope he is ok and I am sure they will receive great care from the other nurses and vets. Keep me updated today and let me know if you need any help.

ETA if you need me to help medicate etc in the future just ask and I am more than happy to come over and lend a helping hand!

Thank you so much for all this. I'm hoping he'll pick up now but if I'm not convinced he's eaten enough you may be getting him tomorrow. Thanks for the offer of medicating etc, it's a huge reassurance knowing you'd be available to help :love:

Poor Rudy. :( It must be a huge worry after all the upset you've had recently Alison but try not to panic; hopefully he will be fine again before you know it. Sending lots and lots of vibes. xx

Thanks again :love::love: As ever.


UPDATE

I've had them home about an hour. He had a few syringe feeds while admitted and during the latter stages he was nibbling bits for himself. He and Tink had to be separated in the latter stages but they could still see each other :love::love:

Since he's been home he's been a little out of sorts. It took them both about 15 minutes to stop looking stressed. I picked them some fresh grass/dandelions and he rushed over, ate just a few but very enthusiastically then Tink came along and he gave up and she ate the rest. :roll: He lays for about 10 minutes then suddenly starts moving about, looking lively and gobbles something down then settles again. He still looks miserable when at rest but *hopefully* that's still just the medication. I shall observe them all evening and probably all night and tempt him with bits every half hour or so. Syringe feeling will be a last resort that I hope I don't have to try as neither of us need the stress. *Touch wood* the way he's going he will let me hand feed him grass etc sufficient for what he needs. I'm starting to wonder if it is actually his mouth as the vet said he had small spurs but not enough to put him in the state he was in. I think Rudy has a low pain threshold and if there's a bigger spur right at the back ... when he had his previous dental over 2 years ago the spur that was stopping him eat wasn't visible until he ws under GA .. Anyhow, time will tell when the painkillers wear off :?

(I suspect he's eaten more than I have today though:?)

Thanks for the good wishes everybody.
 
Poor little love. Hopefully it's just the meds making him feel a little out of sorts still.

Teeth could be worth considering if he doesn't perk up though - when Bubbles had her last dental, the spurs were very very minor but enough to put Bubbles off her food.

Sending him gentle nose rubs. xxx
 
Thanksies Karen and Susie

Im glad he is nibbling little bits and hope he improves more and more overnight.
Stay strong!

Thank you.

I'm convinced now some of it is still sedation as he ignores food that's there and when he seems me move he gets ready to run after me and beg (he's programmed to do this) then he sees the food and nibbles.
 
Thanksies Karen and Susie



Thank you.

I'm convinced now some of it is still sedation as he ignores food that's there and when he seems me move he gets ready to run after me and beg (he's programmed to do this) then he sees the food and nibbles.

It's good that he is nibbling some food so lets hope that if it is anything to do with the medication it will wear off soon and he will feel more like himself.
 
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