Bloated looking rabbit

Hi guys, I would firstly like to say I understand I need to get Callie to a Vet. I am dealing with the RSPA at the moment to get this done via a payment plan and welfare help for the bill. I am asking for general advise for the meantime from people who are rabbit owners.

My neighbor moved a few months ago leaving her pet rabbit Callie with our other neighbor who is elderly and didnt want him. She pretty much knocked on the door and handed him the rabbit. He later came to me knowing I have kept guinea pigs and asked me to take Callie in which I did as at the time I was working.

I have had him now for a little over 2 months and all has been going fine. I am able to feed, clean and look after him perfectly fine (vet bill is just hard until my partner is paid on friday)

Recently he has been passing rather small hard poops. Alot smaller then normal. He also doesnt seem to be cleaning himself too well.

I came home yesterday to find him laying on his side. I have read about them laying like this when very comfortable so didnt think too much of it at first. I noticed his back legs were moving as if he was trying to get up but couldnt. He didnt move as I went to pick him up and i brought him inside. He sat fine on the sofa though just didnt seem himself (hes normaly very active)

I decided to keep him in over night just to make sure. This morning he seems alot more alert though still is not hopping around at all. If i move him he stays put. He will turn around to put his back to the wall and this is all.

He has always had a bad leg. This has been treated and is fine though he will not tend to put much weight on this anymore. Hes also always has a very large stomach. (which looks as though he is bloated) he has been this way since I moved into the property. (2 years) Though I have noticed even though his stomach is big, his back and hind seems very thin.

He is eating and drinking. Though had become VERY picky in the last few days. Whenever I put food down for him he cant wait to dig in! It seems like hes always hungry. Though will only pick at the food once he gets it.

Another thing I have noticed is he has a runny nose. No sneezing or sore eyes. The colour looks to be creamy. A slight yellow tint to it which he has been cleaning off his face with his paws leaving them rather dirty.

I have him in my hallway at the moment. With food, water, hay and a few toys.

I am having help with sorting out a Vet to get to him. I'm mainly looking for a bit of advise on what I should do with him in the meantime. What foods are okay? Should I still be giving him veg? if so how much?

I know you cant tell me whats wrong. Thats what the vet is for I just want to make sure he is comfortable.

I'm not very rabbit savvy and I hate the thought he is suffering.

Any advise would be great.

Thank you and I'm sorry I got in this mess.

It sounds as though he may have Dental problems. Dental disease can lead to problems with the GI tract, an inability to clean himself and respiratory tract/ocular symptoms.

Are the RSPCA aware of how unwell your Rabbit is *today* ? As, with respect, he is almost certainly in pain and at the very least needs analgesia *today*, not in a few days time.

Hay is the most important part of a Rabbit's diet. But I suspect Callie has not previously been fed an appropriate diet (80%-90% hay). Poor diet is a primary cause of Dental Disease.

However, given his overall poor body condition, there may be other physiological problems too.

Can you contact the RPCA again now and explain that Callie is in pain and in need of Veterinary attention today ?

Meantime it is important that he continues to eat something, softened pellets may be easier for him if he does have Dental problems. Giving him his water in a bowl would be preferable than using a sipper bottle, he is likely to drink more from a bowl.

I do hope that Callie can seen by a Vet today

Thank you for you fast reply.

I have no idea how he was fed before I took him in though the way our neighbor kept her guinea pigs im guessing it wasnt great. I have also noticed he doesnt tend to eat alot of hay. Though I do leave him fresh every day.

The RSPA understand he needs to be seen today and have been calling around to find somewhere for me. They have advised if they cannot find a place to see him they will come to me themselves. Though they seem reluctant. I will call them back and keep bothering them until I can get some real answers off them and get him some help.

Thanks again.

kaysevicious said:

Thank you for you fast reply.

I have no idea how he was fed before I took him in though the way our neighbor kept her guinea pigs im guessing it wasnt great. I have also noticed he doesnt tend to eat alot of hay. Though I do leave him fresh every day.

The RSPA understand he needs to be seen today and have been calling around to find somewhere for me. They have advised if they cannot find a place to see him they will come to me themselves. Though they seem reluctant. I will call them back and keep bothering them until I can get some real answers off them and get him some help.

Thanks again.

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Hi
I have no advice, but I notice you are in cheshire.

Are you near to winsford / northwich at all?
There is a branch called the willows, there are a few dotted all over the country.
They will agree to a payment plan for treatment as long as the initial £22.50 consultation fee is paid.
If you cannot afford £22.50, the RSPCA will pay it
(I'd suggest paying it back in a donation to rspca when you can though if you need to do this so that there are more funds available for other emergencies)

xx-snowball-xx said:

Hi
I have no advice, but I notice you are in cheshire.

Are you near to winsford / northwich at all?
There is a branch called the willows, there are a few dotted all over the country.
They will agree to a payment plan for treatment as long as the initial £22.50 consultation fee is paid.
If you cannot afford £22.50, the RSPCA will pay it
(I'd suggest paying it back in a donation to rspca when you can though if you need to do this so that there are more funds available for other emergencies)

Click to expand...

I'm in Warrington which isn't too far. Thanks very much for the info I will give them a call now. I was planning to pay back in donation whatever help I got. Other people may need this kind of help aswel at some point and I wouldnt like to feel I am taking money and not giving something back.

Thank you.

Do you not qualify for the PDSA? They will see your bunny for free but i think you need to be receiving housing benefits and council tax benefits or something like that.
They may not be particularly rabbit savvy but they'd be better than nothing.
I'm surprised, personally, that the RSPCA are trying to help you at all. I'm very glad they are.

I would say it sounds like your bunny has dental problems, if so it could be due to bad diet or a genetic problem which could mean he may need a dental every few weeks or so. Which obviously isn't going to be cheap, so be prepared that this could be a long term problem. There are rescues which will take in dental bunnies so please don't let a vet talk you into euthanasia because of expenses. (you probably wouldn't consider that, but I have known bad vets to suggest it and obviously people tend to listen to vets)

I think your doing as much as you can for now. Just keep making sure he's eating constantly and has water available at all times. Buns prefer fresh water so if it get mucky then make sure to change it frequently

I hope very much that you manage to get him to a vet and I think your great for caring so much about a bun which isn't really "yours".

I would like to say thanks for all your advise. I got Callie to the vets where they advised he had gas in his stomach. I was given some meds for him but unfortunately he passed away last night in my arms.

I'm not surprised as he was in a bad way last night and was going to be taken back to the vets this morning.

Thanks again for all your help.

Oh no, I'm so sorry Binky free Callie xx