Sapphire extreme drop in weight loss... again!!!

I'm really at a loss with what to do about Sapphire. I have taken her to the vets twice in the past 9 months because of her ability to simply drop weight at a rapid weight. The last time I insisted she had blood tests a urine test and even x-rays - and everything came back spot on, although the vet did treat her for mild snuffles which cleared fine. She was put on some medication and some childrens medication...and with perceverence and a change from A&P to Science Selective she gained weight.

I've gone out tonight to give them all a hug before bed and I picked her up and she weighs the least out of all of them...when she used to weigh around 2.1kg... I'd say now she is no more than 1kg

There's absolutely no explanation from the vets and she does seem to perk up. She eats fine... they are getting a handful of SS on a morning along with loads of fresh hay which is topped up twice, sometimes three times a day, on an evening the rabbits each get half a carrot, half a spring green leaf, half a cabbage leaf and a little bit of brocolli... she seems to wolf everything down. In terms of exercise I have the Happy Hutch 6ft with the run underneath and they are out in the runs from morning until 6:30pm... the run is on grass and so they get grass when it's not all gone.

I just don't know what to do! Sapphire is insured but the last time I took her to the vets she had loads of checks and they found everything as fine. She shouldn't be stressed, she seems happy in her self - eating and pooping fine. I'm just at a loss with what to do. Her age has never been confirmed from the day I adopted her from Honeybunnies as she came from another rescue centre who weren't looking after her, it could be that she is alot older than the age of 5 which she should be according to her vaccination card. Taking her to the vets is a stressful situation for her =[

It seems to be happening every few months and I'm totally not getting the answers I need from the vets - this is the third vet she has seen and I'm starting to give up hope I'll ever know why she does this Now I'm more concerned because of the freezing cold weather, I've put loads and loads of straw in the sleeping area and the snugglesafe in as an added precaution.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

Lou xx

Sorry to hear about Sapphire

Some elderly rabbits find it more difficult to maintain weight and condition.

When did she last have renal/liver function tests performed?
Has she been spayed?

Does she have any history of dental disease?

Are you keeping a weight chart for her? I think this is going to be important, it might be worth investing in some decent scales to monitor her weight more closely.

I also wonder whether or not your vet would consider making an exotics referral?

prettylupin said:

Sorry to hear about Sapphire

Some elderly rabbits find it more difficult to maintain weight and condition.

When did she last have renal/liver function tests performed?
Has she been spayed?

Does she have any history of dental disease?

Are you keeping a weight chart for her? I think this is going to be important, it might be worth investing in some decent scales to monitor her weight more closely.

I also wonder whether or not your vet would consider making an exotics referral?

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Thank you for replying, I really appreciate it

In response to your questions:-

When did she last have renal/liver function tests performed? She last had the urine/blood and x-rays taken at the back end of July, prior to that she had the bloods and urine checked in March...with everything coming back normal, both times, but with the vet admitting she was very underweight.

Has she been spayed? Yes, Sapphire was spayed before she came to live with me and her husbun.

Does she have any history of dental disease? Sapphire has no history of dental disease at all. One of the positives to come out of Sapphire's vet visits are the fact that her incisors and her molars are all in fabulous condition... this is reflected by the amount of hay she grazes I think.

Are you keeping a weight chart for her? I think this is going to be important, it might be worth investing in some decent scales to monitor her weight more closely. I haven't thought to do this, but I think it is definitely something to do. She is a mixed breed rabbit and, at her heaviest when I first got her, she was 2.2kg....when she was poorly and at the vets in March she was 1.5kg and in June she was 1.4kg. Now I would definitely say she is less than this but will need to weigh her to confirm this.

I also wonder whether or not your vet would consider making an exotics referral? Unfortunately my vet is an exotic specialist yet can't seem to provide me with the answers... in March she went to a different specialist to the one she went to in June for a difference of opinions, but neither could provide me with any answers and were happy to discharge her when the tests came back fine.

At the moment I'm not working so I am claiming job seekers, so don't have a spare £60 to pay for the excess - especially if she is going to have the same procedures done, which causes her much stress and upset - to be told everything is fine. I am registered at the PDSA and she is one of the animals covered but I would rather find the £60 and take her to a vets known for their exotics. I just don't know what to do anymore

xx

loobie_lou said:

Thank you for replying, I really appreciate it

In response to your questions:-

When did she last have renal/liver function tests performed? She last had the urine/blood and x-rays taken at the back end of July, prior to that she had the bloods and urine checked in March...with everything coming back normal, both times, but with the vet admitting she was very underweight.

Has she been spayed? Yes, Sapphire was spayed before she came to live with me and her husbun.

Does she have any history of dental disease? Sapphire has no history of dental disease at all. One of the positives to come out of Sapphire's vet visits are the fact that her incisors and her molars are all in fabulous condition... this is reflected by the amount of hay she grazes I think.

Are you keeping a weight chart for her? I think this is going to be important, it might be worth investing in some decent scales to monitor her weight more closely. I haven't thought to do this, but I think it is definitely something to do. She is a mixed breed rabbit and, at her heaviest when I first got her, she was 2.2kg....when she was poorly and at the vets in March she was 1.5kg and in June she was 1.4kg. Now I would definitely say she is less than this but will need to weigh her to confirm this.

I also wonder whether or not your vet would consider making an exotics referral? Unfortunately my vet is an exotic specialist yet can't seem to provide me with the answers... in March she went to a different specialist to the one she went to in June for a difference of opinions, but neither could provide me with any answers and were happy to discharge her when the tests came back fine.

At the moment I'm not working so I am claiming job seekers, so don't have a spare £60 to pay for the excess - especially if she is going to have the same procedures done, which causes her much stress and upset - to be told everything is fine. I am registered at the PDSA and she is one of the animals covered but I would rather find the £60 and take her to a vets known for their exotics. I just don't know what to do anymore

xx

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Gosh it really does sound like you have explored an awful lot of things and that you have good veterinary backup. I'm not sure what else to suggest either :?

I think keeping a weight chart is important, sometimes I think one of my bun's feels very light and I worry then we weigh him/her and they've gained weight! :shock: It isn't always easy to tell just by holding them.
Is it possible that she was just overweight when she came to you and now having lots of exercise and a good diet she is now a good weight? How long has she been at this 1.5kg weight? This is why weighing her regularly is important I think because it may be that she has stabilised at this size and it is ok for her build? My two fluctuate a few hundred pounds throughout the year - less grass, more grass, more time inside (more stairs in the house more muscle) different hays.. etc. etc.

Those bloods were done quite recently and with two sets coming up clear it doesn't seem to indicate any renal/liver issues does it.
It may be an age related thing.... some do find it hard to maintain weight. I don't have an elderly bunny but someone like Liz (Hugo's There) might be able to give you some good advice from this point of view having so many elderly buns in her care.

Is she an outside bun? Are you able to observe her eating on a more regular basis to see if there are any behavioural issues/bullying from her partner bun? Poppy can bully Nino out of his food so we have to scatter feed some things or if he is under the weather take him off for 'extras'

I think... keep a weight chart and do it weekly, it might make you less paranoid if you can see factual weight fluctuations or... not. Good luck x

ETA oh have they done an EC antibody titre just out of interest? What are her droppings like? Perhaps a faceal sample might be helpful - look for intestinal parasites?

prettylupin said:

Gosh it really does sound like you have explored an awful lot of things and that you have good veterinary backup. I'm not sure what else to suggest either :?

I think keeping a weight chart is important, sometimes I think one of my bun's feels very light and I worry then we weigh him/her and they've gained weight! :shock: It isn't always easy to tell just by holding them.
Is it possible that she was just overweight when she came to you and now having lots of exercise and a good diet she is now a good weight? How long has she been at this 1.5kg weight? This is why weighing her regularly is important I think because it may be that she has stabilised at this size and it is ok for her build? My two fluctuate a few hundred pounds throughout the year - less grass, more grass, more time inside (more stairs in the house more muscle) different hays.. etc. etc.

Those bloods were done quite recently and with two sets coming up clear it doesn't seem to indicate any renal/liver issues does it.
It may be an age related thing.... some do find it hard to maintain weight. I don't have an elderly bunny but someone like Liz (Hugo's There) might be able to give you some good advice from this point of view having so many elderly buns in her care.

Is she an outside bun? Are you able to observe her eating on a more regular basis to see if there are any behavioural issues/bullying from her partner bun? Poppy can bully Nino out of his food so we have to scatter feed some things or if he is under the weather take him off for 'extras'

I think... keep a weight chart and do it weekly, it might make you less paranoid if you can see factual weight fluctuations or... not. Good luck x

ETA oh have they done an EC antibody titre just out of interest? What are her droppings like? Perhaps a faceal sample might be helpful - look for intestinal parasites?

Click to expand...

Thanks for your further reply I really do appreciate it.

I need to invest in some good scales so will have a look tomorrow and start a weight chart as soon as I have them, I don't tend to own weighing scales because I become a bit OCD with checking my weight :roll: And there is no way she would stay stood on a food weighing scale.

I've started seperating them when I feed them, this morning I gave her a tablespoon of porridge soaked in water....then an egg cup full of SS. She wolfs food down, she always has and has never once gone off her food. The hay is sourced from a farm and is a good quality hay, I did notice last night that they didn't have much hay but I'm guessing this could be because of the snugglesafe so I may move it nearer to the hay rack to see if this encourages her to nibble more. Tonight when I feed the vege I will give them it seperate again.

I shall message Liz as I think that's a very good suggestion.

Thanks again =]

xx

Her poo's are fine, well all the poo's in the hutch are fine...the vet ruled out E.C as I asked them when I took her because I don't routinely panacur my rabbits.

xx