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Esme admitted 2.20 am. Re-admitted. UD51 Coming home!!

Bunny Buddy

Wise Old Thumper
Esme's been 'doing the belly ache thing' since about 11 pm. So I need to find out what her glucose level is before/instead of ringing the vets.

I can't believe how stressed I'm getting at the prospect, it's ridiculous. I am literally feeling sick and shaking so I'm sorting out a strategy.

I think I need to catch her in a carrier and take her into the bathroom where I can keep her cornered more easily. I'm dreading trimming the hair off her ear as much as sticking the needle in, i just have horrible visions of cutting her eat. What if I can't see the vein? (and various other what ifs!)

I first saw her laying in her litter tray which isn't normal. Then she seemed alright, then 5 minutes later went back to the tray, seemed to be straining (her tail went very high so I thought cystitis rather than guts??) then she lay in the position she was earlier. But she is doing the changing positions thing and stretching, refusing food so it *could* be guts and I need to know. She felt very warm.

I'd given her some hay at about 9.30/10 pm and she was eating that very enthusiastically just before the pain behaviour. She keeps having long sessions of preening when I start to think she's alright then she does the big stretch/lie down thing.

I've set myself til 12.30 before I do the test if she still doesn't look right. Only 6 minutes now :cry::cry:

The vet's I'm registered with aren't on call tonight so I'll have to take her elsewhere.


Update 1.20 I couldn't find a vein. I did manage to trim some hair and wet the surface but I couldn't see a vein. I've just spoken to the out of hours vet and he said she's unlikely to come to any serious harm before tomorrow morning. He kept on going on about whether she was spayed or not:( I did explain she had had a blockage in the past albeit not requiring surgery. She is moving about and looks quite bright from time to time so I honestly believe her glucose to he in the range of 12 - 16, even thought I've not tested. I'll be napping in her room and setting the alarm at hourly intervals until I'm convinced she's okay or I need to get her seen.
 
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How worrying :( I don't know anything about doing the test, but I hope she'll be OK. Sending lots of vibes for Esme and hugs for you xx
 
How worrying :( I don't know anything about doing the test, but I hope she'll be OK. Sending lots of vibes for Esme and hugs for you xx

Thanks Helen.


Esme started to get very stressed at about 2.20, she was hyperventilating and stretching whilst laid in her oval plastic pet bed so I could constantly hear her claws scrapping, it was horrible to watch. I decided to ring the local vets as the vet I previously spoke to was the far side of Harrogate from here, so 50+ minutes away and so I thought I'd take my chances locally - I felt time was of the essence.

Never considered this particular vet rabbit savvy before (I think he's mainly farm animal vet) but he was brilliant. I don't know if he would have done the glucose test but was happy to when I asked and it was only 12.1, so no full blockage at the time but poor Esme definitely needed seeing. Vet felt she was dehydrated so said he would give fluids (and the usual cocktail of drugs, too tired to list!) She's been admitted. I thought I'd find that really hard to cope with but actually felt reassured by the consultation so felt okay about it. Hopefully she'll be more comfortable now. She was booked in for myxo jab later today so better cancel that at usual vets when they open.

Getting some shut eye now.
 
How worrying, poor Esme. It sounds like she's been in good hands overnight though. I hope you managed to get some sleep and that there is some good news this morning. :D
 
Thanks for the support.

I've just reached breaking point with these :censored: stasis episodes :cry::cry:

I've just had a lovely phone call from local vet who said Esme is brighter but not eating for herself. She's on fluid therapy, being syringe fed liquidy food and painkillers as needed.

They did a mini blood screen and everything was okay. Her 'blood sugar' was slightly raised but not alarmingly so. They may x-ray her today (conscious) if they feel the need but otherwise just carrying on with the supportive care. Also of huge relief to me, the vet spontaneously asked me if I was happy for them to continue the care and if there was anything complex they found there was the option of referring to Harcourt-Brown's. I was finding the prospect of that conversation really difficult because it's like a snub to my local vets, who I used prior to HB's, which it isn't, there's just a world class rabbit vet only 20 miles away so, why not?

What I didn't say last night is 'Barnaby' (my 'foster bun' who hasn't been put up for rehoming yet) was admitted at HB's yesterday afternoon with a stasis episode. Never had two on the same day before, that's a first even for me.
 
It must be so worrying to have two buns admitted. :( They're both in good hands. I hope they can come home soon. Sending lots of vibes for Esme and Barnaby xx
 
I'm so sorry you're having such a rough ccouple of days. You did really well to try and get the blood sugar from her prior to calling the vet, and I'm glad that the second vet you called was decent and has provided Esme with good care. I hope she, and also Barnaby, are both improving.

With regards to the glucose tests, having watched my vets, when I was hunting for a vein I warmed the bunny up and then where I knew to be a vein I added pressure to try and make the vein more visible, which did work quite well. I definitely appreciate the stress and anxiety tha goes with it though.

*squishes tight*
 
Thanks everybody so much for the support.

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough ccouple of days. You did really well to try and get the blood sugar from her prior to calling the vet, and I'm glad that the second vet you called was decent and has provided Esme with good care. I hope she, and also Barnaby, are both improving.

With regards to the glucose tests, having watched my vets, when I was hunting for a vein I warmed the bunny up and then where I knew to be a vein I added pressure to try and make the vein more visible, which did work quite well. I definitely appreciate the stress and anxiety tha goes with it though.

*squishes tight*

Thanks especially for this. I have been shown and watched the finding a vein but I didn't think to do it :oops: I'm determined to conquer it though. On the plus side, Esme was so very, very good just laying in the carrier letting me fiddle with her ear - at least I know that strategy worked.

I got another call to say x-ray is unremarkable and she keeps removing the drip - they might go to sub cuts because of this! Bless her at least she's got fight in her. They would just carry on with the supportive care and tempt her with her favourites.

Barnaby's home and very bright, I've yet to see him eat anything but no reason to believe he won't.

Off out to buy cabbage now as the rest of the flock need feeding.
 
Glad Barney is fine and hope Esme is eating now. xxx

Sending nomming vibes xx

Thanksies :love::love:

Barnaby is nomming for England after a slow start and is back to his friendly self

Esme is getting 6* treatment, the whole package being 6* in fact. I got to visit her yesterday and take some favourites in for her. She was looking a bit sorry for herself intermittantly but looked bright and was wandering round. She had just started nibbling food for herself.

I got a call from the vet nurse this morning to say that Esme is eating well, pooing and weeing, very bright. The vet who rang last night suggested she'd be coming home today. The vet who decides today is seeing emergencies at the mo but will ring with a 'plan'.

So, sounds like she'll be back soon. :D
 
I'm so sorry you're going through all this with Esme but very happy she has turned a corner this morning. Why bunnies suffer from stasis I don't know. :(
I hope she continues to improve, keep us updated :wave:
 
Not Barnaby too :( (lovely name btw! :love:) I hope they're both well enough to come home today.
 
Thanks again.

Esme is now home. I think my lack of sleep for the last 2 nights has caused my anxiety (general) and paranoia to be in overdrive, I realised the fact that I'd barely eaten all day was a factor :roll:

I rushed home from work, was collecting Esme at 5.50, wanted to check everybody before going back out and Barnaby didn't come out of the 'dark' bit of the hutch, he's normally there waiting as you approach from 30 yards. He's been fine since coming home. I made a lot of noise to attract his attention. Nothing. Opened the solid door and he startled. I got it into my head he was unwell again but had only a few minutes before going to collect Esme. Short version I got in a right state about prioritising and was 20 minutes late for Esme (though I did ring to say I had an emergency), booked Barnaby in, tried to catch him and he appeared absolutely fine. Took a biscuit off me. :shock::oops::oops:

Anyhow, got Esme, and I've got to say it was gold star service all the way, they had kept ringing with updates, explained everything thoroughly etc. I was very impressed.

I got in a bit of a stress about Esme when I got home as she's very unresponsive, if I'd just had the sense to read the invoice earlier, she has had two lots of vetergesic today, no wonder. I got in s panic and rang the vet for advice (so, so tired I can't think straight). She has brightened up massively in the last 20 minutes and has requested a cuddle and is tucking in, very heartily to some dried plantain. :D

Barnaby was on top form last time I checked too. :D
 
Your poor mind. No wonder you're stressed! I'm glad all is currently on thhe up though :)

I wonder if it might help you to write down instructions for yourself for the blood glucose test and then if you need to do it you can just get out the instructions and follow them, which might help ease some of the panic and make it easier for you too.

Have you tried doing them when the bunny is well, so there is less anxiety around doing it?
 
Your poor mind. No wonder you're stressed! I'm glad all is currently on thhe up though :)

I wonder if it might help you to write down instructions for yourself for the blood glucose test and then if you need to do it you can just get out the instructions and follow them, which might help ease some of the panic and make it easier for you too.

Have you tried doing them when the bunny is well, so there is less anxiety around doing it?

That's what I did


I am glad that Esme and Barnaby are doing better now xx
 
Your poor mind. No wonder you're stressed! I'm glad all is currently on thhe up though :)

I wonder if it might help you to write down instructions for yourself for the blood glucose test and then if you need to do it you can just get out the instructions and follow them, which might help ease some of the panic and make it easier for you too.

Have you tried doing them when the bunny is well, so there is less anxiety around doing it?

I tend to work better from demonstration though I suppose written back up is a good idea, to remind me of that i'd seen. The idea of doing it when their well is a good one and I think I need to do it at the vets whilst supervised/encouraged. I hate the idea of causing pain or discomfort anyway but to do it when they are well feels horrible, though I know it's for their sake. Maybe I should get in the habit of asking the vet to let me watch/do the test during the consult if not pushed for time. It did help me a lot when I saw Allison take Elijah's a couple fo weeks ago.

The truth of the matter is though, Esme's blood glucose was only 12.1, so not in the danger zone but she was in extreme pain/distress so she needed treatment so even if I had got the reading I would still have got the poor vet out of his bed at silly o'clock. I also, having lost a rabbit to liver torsion and have seen another in pain with kidney stones, will always play the 'what if' it's something else serious. I kind of think if I did take the reading would it reassure me anyway?

Interestingly, Barnaby's BG on admission was only 9 :? The most likely cause for his bellyache/refusing food was because he'd been stuffing himself. Pretty much identical to a stunt Binky played last year.
 
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