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Worried about bun :( UD Admitted

Tinsel

Tinsel

Wise Old Thumper
He's passed some very runny droppings starting last night (found them this morning). Wasn't eating Thursday - was seen and given meds but at that point the problem was "just" that he wasn't eating. Teeth checked fully and dental probs ruled out. Has been on iv fluids all today as I wasn't happy with his progress and the (more bunny savvy) vet agreed.

He is currently on metacam, zantac, domperidone, baytril (started tonight), lapizole and has just finished a two day course of baycox to rule out coccidiosis.

He passed some droppings with clear jelly round them but not in large quantities and since he's been eating a bit more (syringe fed him yesterday but tonight he nibbled a few herbs and some hawthorne) these have stopped. He still has diahorrea but perhaps in smaller quantities. Does this suggest he doesn't have mucoid enteritis? My most bunny-savvy vet has just gone on holiday for ten days so am feeling quite jittery. :(

Any advice welcomed. :wave:
 
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Is he quarantined ? I would strongly advise that he should be.

As for 'is it mucoid enteritis'- ME is not really a disease in its own right but rather a description of a set of symptoms. The mucus production is indicative of severe inflammation-'enteritis'- in the guts, but the actual cause of the inflammation is not always the same thing.

These links may be useful *some contain graphic images*

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Protozoal_diseases/Cocc_en.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Mucoid_EnteropathyRabbits.htm

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Clostridial_enteritis_rabbits.htm

Is there any bloating ? Grass is very rich at this time of year and some Rabbits cannot cope with eating too much of it. Although a Rabbit used to grazing all year round tends to be less adversely effected. There are always exceptions to the rule though !!
 
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Thank you for this. :wave:

He's indoors on his own but overnight there's been no droppings at all. He does seem to have wet himself, though, so now I'm wondering UTI. He's been on baytril since last night - how long would that be likely to take to work, or would he need a different antibiotic if it is a UTI? He's on day 3 of a course of lapizole already as my other worry is EC. He's having probiotics and syringe feeds but is clearly not himself. The vet said I would need to keep the supportive care going until there's an improvement but we don't really know what's wrong. He doesn't feel bloated and she said there were gut noises yesterday but his stomach seemed quite empty. :?
 
I'm sorry I can't offer any advice but just want to send lots of vibes for your bun and hope he is eating soon and in less discomfort. Poor little man.
 
helgalush said:
I'm sorry I can't offer any advice but just want to send lots of vibes for your bun and hope he is eating soon and in less discomfort. Poor little man.
Click to expand...

Thank you; that's really kind.

He's still very lethargic but droppings seemed slightly more formed and were less mucous-y, plus he made a slight effort to eat some of the syringe food rather than letting it dribble out of his mouth. It's early days yet but I'm clinging on to every bit of progress. :? I gave him his antibiotic last night so hopefully they'll kick in more overnight, if that's what he needs, plus he's on day 3 of lapizole now....
 
Thank you both. :wave:

He doesn't seem any brighter but the droppings seem more normal and he''s started drinking for himself so I'm praying that overnight he'll really start improving. Poor little boy. :cry:
 
clarebear said:
Sending you lots of vibes xx
Click to expand...

Thank you! :wave:

He seems a little brighter this morning and for the first time wasn't covered in diahorrea although I worry this is because he's not eating. I have been syringe feeding him though. He's just had a drink himself but not as big as yesterday. He's still teeth grinding and was wet underneath again so I'm now suspecting a UTI. He's been on baytril since the night before last - is that a good antibiotic for UTIs, does anyone know? He's just hopped out of his carrier whereas yesterday he sat in it all day - hopefully a good sign? I'm hoping that when the metacam kicks in he will start eating today...
 
i dont know if its ok for buns but with the piggies we put a tiny amount of cranberry juice in the water... the no sugar one. this is good at making them drink more and also helps the same way it helps us with cystitis... check first though, that its ok to do;)..i hope he feels better soon :love:
 
rabbitmum said:
i dont know if its ok for buns but with the piggies we put a tiny amount of cranberry juice in the water... the no sugar one. this is good at making them drink more and also helps the same way it helps us with cystitis... check first though, that its ok to do;)..i hope he feels better soon :love:
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Thank you. :wave: I can get him some tomorrow once the shops re-open and will certainly try it..
 
Baytril is a good broad spectrum abx and is often used for treating a UTI. But what abx is 'best' would depend on the exact bacteria involved in the infection.

It is of concern that he is tooth grinding, he probably requires additional analgesic cover. Metacam does not always provide adequate pain relief.
He probably needs something like Vetergesic too. The anorexia is likely to be due to pain as much as anything else.

Personally I would also want to consider ongoing fluid therapy, even if he appears to be drinking for himself. He is losing a heck of alot of fluids in the diarrhoea he has had and in the urinary incontinence. No matter how much he is drinking he may not be able to maintain good hydration whilst he is so poorly. This, in turn, will put a major strain on his kidneys amongst other things.

Sending more vibes for him xx
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Baytril is a good broad spectrum abx and is often used for treating a UTI. But what abx is 'best' would depend on the exact bacteria involved in the infection.

It is of concern that he is tooth grinding, he probably requires additional analgesic cover. Metacam does not always provide adequate pain relief.
He probably needs something like Vetergesic too. The anorexia is likely to be due to pain as much as anything else.

Personally I would also want to consider ongoing fluid therapy, even if he appears to be drinking for himself. He is losing a heck of alot of fluids in the diarrhoea he has had and in the urinary incontinence. No matter how much he is drinking he may not be able to maintain good hydration whilst he is so poorly. This, in turn, will put a major strain on his kidneys amongst other things.

Sending more vibes for him xx
Click to expand...

Thank you. He was admitted and did have iv fluids all day Thursday ie after/while he had the diarrhoea. I have some vetergesic but the tooth grinding seems to be stopping now the metacam is starting to kick in, so will hold off on that for now but will ring my vet to ask what to do if it comes back. He looks okay today in terms of hydration but I will monitor and he is going to the vet to be checked tomorrow morning, if not before. :wave:

ETA I don't know for sure it is a UTI but that's my suspicion. He's on lapizole in case it's EC related too.
 
Thank you for the advice and vibes. :wave:

On Jane's advice, although I didn't think he was dehydrated, I took him to our emergency vets this morning to be checked as I didn't feel I knew enough to be 100% sure.

Lucky that I did - he has been admitted and WAS dehydrated so is now on IV fluids. They still don't know what is wrong with him but they ran kidney tests and although there are some abnormalities, his kidneys aren't failing and the abnormalities could easily be the result of the dehydration.

I also mentioned Questran, which the vet hadn't heard of - again, I'd only heard of it via Jane and RU....:love: I've phoned back to give them the generic name and the vet was looking into it too so hopefully they'll be able to give him that.

It's thanks to Jane and RU that he's still with us. Fingers crossed that the IV fluids work their magic... :?
 
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