Urgent ! he just wont eat update he's home

I previously posted saying finley wasnt quite right and huge thanks to jacks-jane who recommended i take him to the vet we've had quite a saga since monday.
here's my previous post http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=275685
well i took him on monday as he was a bit off colour and scratching at his ears he has a horrible infection in both ears so we started canaural and baytril. by tuesday he was off colour so we added in metacam to help the inflammation. then he fell out of his hutch (my fault he's deaf i gave him a fright and he came up and over the door landed fine ) he was hopping around and fairly bright but still wouldnt eat so we added vetergesic (strong painkiller) just incase back pain.
Vet advised to syringe feed at home that didnt go well and ended up him collapsing on me through stress.
Now next step is to go in tomorrow for x-rays teeth check and syringe his ears but i'm obviously Very concerned re not eating he is getting fibreplex and metocloprimide but no real nutrition.

How can i get food in to him without to much stress? also he is bonded and she is now becoming stressed by the whole situation do i take them both along to the vets or do i leave her to save her becoming stressed?

Sorry for the long post but i'm totally panic stricken

Poor lad

Is he drinking ? If not I'd strongly advise you to ask the Vet about him having subcutaneous fluids overnight in preparation for the surgery tomorrow.

With regards to the syringe feeds, is it the handling that stresses him or having a syringe put in his mouth ?

sorry meant to say he's had subcut fluids this afternoon they've given me him home to keep his stress levels down and also to prepare for the worst not good candidate for anaesthetic in his current state.

its the syringe in the mouth mostly i've tried putting it on a teaspoon but needless to say that didnt work he thought i was daft :roll:

I presume you have tried all the usual treats, soaking pellets in water, bramble leaves, etc?

I was talking to a lady yesterday who's bun went through the same symptoms and had a lot of ops for investigations, it's was discovered by another vet that he only had mites. Unfortunately by that time it was too late to have a happy out come. Maybe try another vet just for peace of mind?

He's seeing,the rabbit specialist at Edinburgh vet school she took swabs from ears no mites to be seen so we're out of options

When attempting syringe feeds do you wrap him up firmly in a towel and completely cover him apart from his nose and mouth ?

What are you trying to syringe feed him ?

Some Rabbits will take Veg Baby food even if they refuse Critical Care, Science Recovery or liquidised pellets.

These are the ones I use, you can buy them in most Supermarkets :

http://www.hipp.co.uk/products/our-baby-foods/jars/mixed-vegetable-medley

http://www.hipp.co.uk/products/our-baby-foods/jars/tender-carrots-and-potatoes

http://www.ellaskitchen.co.uk/sweet-potatoes-broccoli-carrots-stage-1-baby-food/

http://www.ellaskitchen.co.uk/carrots-apples-parsnips-stage-1-baby-food/

(COOKED potato is OK for Rabbits !! )

I agreee with wrapping bunny tightly in a towel first. I sit mine on top of a towel, and then pull the back up over her bottom so she can't reverse, then pull the sides over each other and hold her tight. I find that if I gently hold her head by her ears, she is very still as she knows she cannot move and just takes the syringe.

I hope that helps.

My Rabbit Jessica has just been spayed (on Monday) and has been poorly since - not eating at all. The first thing she ate was about 24 hours later and she was only interested in dandelion leaves - freshly washed and waved next to her nose for quite a while before she took. Obviously I dont know whats up with your bun but for me sitting with her and gently offering favourites seems to have helped alot. Parsley, Rich Tea biscuit and Weetabix are the other foods she has accepted but she has completly gone off her normal mix and hay! I hope your bun is feeling better soon, in the meantime tempt with lots of treats and give some gentle tlc.:angel:

I wrap him in towel but have to leave his eyes out as with him being deaf he panics with them covered. I'm having difficulty holding his head as his ears are so sore when the syringe goes towards him he flings his head around.

Thanks for the links Jane I have some baby food now and hoping to rope mum in to helping hold him. I've tried all his favourite foods but he's stubborn and cranky and just unwell so firmly refusing

I'm so worried

willowflower27 said:

I wrap him in towel but have to leave his eyes out as with him being deaf he panics with them covered. I'm having difficulty holding his head as his ears are so sore when the syringe goes towards him he flings his head around.

Thanks for the links Jane I have some baby food now and hoping to rope mum in to helping hold him. I've tried all his favourite foods but he's stubborn and cranky and just unwell so firmly refusing

I'm so worried

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Sorry I didnt think, when I said about holding my bunny gently by the ears. If your bunny has sore ears then that is not a good idea

I put the syringe in towards the side/back of the mouth.. have you tried that?

The veg baby food Jane suggested is better than the recovery I've managed 5mls at the moment which is an improvement and after the fluids he is a bit brighter so I'm bit more hopeful

I really hope that everything goes well for him tomorrow xx

my bunn bailey is in the vets overnight at the min, similar issue actually, she went off her food last thursday and then slowley ate less and less, took her to the vets yesterday and she had a dental today under anesthetic, the vets said her teeth were actually ok and werent causing any inflamation...am very worried she could of picked somthing up in the garden.
Someone mentioned mites? can mites have this issue because i suspect Bailey may have mites or fleas as shes been staying with my mum and she has a cat and dog which have had recentley.
Thanks x

Have you any news about Finley? How are you all?

Hi thump I'm on way to vets now he's been bit brighter overnight but still not eating fit himself so it looks like he'll have the xrays etc I'm so worried but at least he's going under anesthetic with some nutrition on board
Thank you all for the advice and support I'll keep you updated on how he gets on

Good luck for today xxx

:wave:Good luck for today Finley. We're all rooting for you.

Well got him home he had loads of xrays and then had to have bit of an Op to open ib to the canal of his ear as abcess formed in side and due to bunny pus being thick couldn't just be flushed out.
He's also got a narrowed disc space in his spine so he's on painkillers,antibiotics and zantac and metocloprimide and miraculously since all the access is flushed he's eating his hay its not much but its a start.
So relieved he's not out of woods yet but it's all looking good

Oh that's an excellent start. I'm so pleased that he's back home & started eating after such a long day.
"Come on Finley little fella, you're going in the right direction now."

Please keep us updated with his progress Willowflower 27.
You are both very much in my thoughts.