I'm not sure what to do: *Update*

Hi Everyone..

I've been up all night sweating, stressing, and in a pure state of anxiety..

my bun has his conscious dental on tue last week, and seemed to be eating fine, but I noticed a couple of days ago, he was just a bit picky with his food.. and its close to the time when he would normally have a GA full dental too. (he's done this before also though when he hasn't had teeth issues) and even though he's been picky last couple of days, and pushing his dish away, once he had the food in his mouth he seemed fine..and chomping away like normal

Anyway, I woke up yesterday morning and noticed there was no poops, and he hadn't touched his pellets, but ate smalll amounts of veg, which is all he's eaten in the last 24 hours. he is moving around, and still cleaning himself etc, and not grinding his teeth or showing any signs of pain.


he's also moulting heavily, and hes done this a few times before when he's moulting also but his teeth were fine, usually passes large poops, and he picks up again..

We usually give him fluids, but there used to me and my parnter and my partner left and I find it practically impossible to manage him on my own..



So.. my dilema is, If I take him to the vets this morning for fluids, but not put him for his teeth (because I don't know for sure its that) and then it turns out it is, he still wont be able to eat

If I do put him in for his full dental and it's not his teeth, and its fur etc, I've put him through the increased stress and extra risk of anasthetic whilst his tum is already slowed down



When they take them in for a dental I just drop him off so never get chance to see a vet usually first.. but I book him in first thing for fluids, they might not be able to do his teeth today sort of thing, I'm waiting for them to open at 8 so I can hopefully talk with someone..

Sorry if this post doesn't make a lot of sense I been up all night, trying to decide what best to do.. obviously VET first thing either way.

Thank You

M

Given that it is impossible for any Vet (however skilled) to carry out a *thorough* Dental on a conscious Rabbit I would say that it is very likely that Dental issues are still involved. However, this may now have led to gut slow down/gut stasis.Previous ingestion of lots of fur will just be another factor making for problems, not a primary cause as such. So definitely Vets ASAP so that appropriate treatment can be given

Good Luck

ETA:

If you read the part on this link entitled 'Clinical Examination' you will see how a well respected Dental Specialist Vet states that only 50% of Dental abnormalities can be seen when examining a conscious Rabbit

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...y1Y9Ee&sig=AHIEtbTMwptus3YvHoNoB74C6-qz15JQig

Hi Jacks Jane

Thanks for the reply, and yeah, I know its almost impossible for them to see inside the mouth properly when they're conscious..

Normally in the past when he's been like this (And hes been eating just prior) similar to now, only he was pushing his bowl away which he never really did before.. once he had his fluids he would pick up and eventually poop it all out, then be back to normal.

but your right, as he's nearing his time for full dental anyway, I guess it makes sense to go that route really, then at least thats sorted and they can check more throughly, I'm just worried about the effect of a GA on top of his tum already been like this now though, as I normally get the signs to catch a full Dental or stasis in time ,but this time if it is that, its a lot more sudden.

The Vet should get him stable with treatment before doing the GA

So fluid therapy, gut motility meds, pain relief and syringe feeds may be needed first. He may need to be admitted for a couple of Days

Sending vibes for him

Thank You Jane... and Thank You for the vibes,

normally I catch everything in time, but this time really caught me off guard.. and also now being on my own, I really really struggle to syringe feed him, or administer fluid etc..

m

Martin7 said:

Thank You Jane... and Thank You for the vibes,

normally I catch everything in time, but this time really caught me off guard.. and also now being on my own, I really really struggle to syringe feed him, or administer fluid etc..

m

Click to expand...

If you explain that to the Vet I am sure that he/she will be happy to help

Good luck with your little one at the vets x

We can't always catch everything in time, you obviously care a lot for your rabbit and he is fortunate to have such a caring owner. I hope that things are more stable for him soon.

I agree with the others, get him down the vet. There shouldn't be a problem with the GA as the vet should get his gut working properly again before doing the dental. But this may take a while and I wish you the best of luck. Don't beat yourself up for not catching earlier, bunnies are fickle creatures and from what you have said you have caught it very very early. ie before he was in pain.:thumb:

Also I have some experience of syringe feeding a bun on my own (it actually became my preferred method as we ended up with a case of too many hands but nobody holding the bunny!)
If you kneel on the floor and either out your ankles together or cross them then sit on them. Place the squirming mess of teeth and claws that normally passes for your gorgeous cuddly bunny between your legs then bend over so that you are looking pretty much into his eyes then he is stuck unable to go backwards left or right, you trying to open his mouth will stop him going forward, so it's only the upwards escape attempts you have to contend with.
This worked a treat with my first bun who turned out to be an anorexic :roll: he used to give up fighting take his medicine then run off flicking his feet at me in disgust!

But obviously don't grip or squeeze the poor thing... obviously!

Hope the vet can help. Sending lots of vibes xx

Sending lots of vibes - let us know how he is xx

I've got eleven buns and live alone and it can make things harder when they are poorly. I asked my vet to show me how to administer meds and syringe feed unaided and I found that helped. Maybe your vet could do the same for you?

I find it best to be very firm (but not rough) as the bun feels secure then. I have to medicate two of mine daily at the moment and they are now used to the routine.

I get help when it's nail cutting time though - there is no way I could do that alone - not with eleven buns!

Sending lots and lots of vibes for your bun xxxx

Hele said:

I agree with the others, get him down the vet. There shouldn't be a problem with the GA as the vet should get his gut working properly again before doing the dental. But this may take a while and I wish you the best of luck. Don't beat yourself up for not catching earlier, bunnies are fickle creatures and from what you have said you have caught it very very early. ie before he was in pain.:thumb:

Also I have some experience of syringe feeding a bun on my own (it actually became my preferred method as we ended up with a case of too many hands but nobody holding the bunny!)
If you kneel on the floor and either out your ankles together or cross them then sit on them. Place the squirming mess of teeth and claws that normally passes for your gorgeous cuddly bunny between your legs then bend over so that you are looking pretty much into his eyes then he is stuck unable to go backwards left or right, you trying to open his mouth will stop him going forward, so it's only the upwards escape attempts you have to contend with.
This worked a treat with my first bun who turned out to be an anorexic :roll: he used to give up fighting take his medicine then run off flicking his feet at me in disgust!

But obviously don't grip or squeeze the poor thing... obviously!

Click to expand...

This is exactly how I was holding my bun still when I needed to shove cotton buds into a hole the vet made in his face! My Dad was awful at holding him for me, so I had to do it on my own. This was the only way I could do it without him hopping away. And yes, I got the feet flicking when I'd finished too!

Good luck.

Update

Thank You everyone for all your vibes, whenever I felt anxious which was an awful lot, I thought about all those vibes going to him.. and sooooo.. he''s home and eating (kinda)

I took him in first thing, the vet checked all his vitals, and looked in his teeth and said oh yeah, they need doing, and cleaning... so in he went! I mentioned he's not really ate for 24 hours etc and about the GA, but she said, they will give him fluid and critical care pre op (which they did) and they felt it would be fine *Which it was*...

turns out his back teeth were actually fine, which makes sense why he seemed to be chewing ok, but his front tooth was loose, which makes sense why he fumbling around when actually picking the food up, my guess is, it cracked last time he had a consious dental.... soo, they took his front tooth out completely.. I kinda wanted that doing anyway to save him (and me) the stress of repeat dentals, though they said it may grow back, hopefully it will give us longer inbetween...

They also trimmed all his bum and cleaned it, cut all the tatties off his face, and flushed his eyes.....gave him pain relief and Gut stimulant

they gave me 2 x packs of critical care, metacam, and gut stimulant too to bring home

All for £80 I can't really fault that...

I mentioned about him still not pooping or eating and that he's moulting like crazy and I think he ate fur, but the vet said she had a really good feel while he was asleep and it felt absolutley fine and she wasn't worried about it all

soo..

as soon as he got home he was alert and VERY hungry!.. he went straight to his veg, then his pellets but was still reluctant to eat a pellet (softened with warm water), then went back to his veg, ate some more veg, plantain, and dandilion leaves, so it's a good start the most I've seen him eat in the last 2 days now.. he has a shaved ear too for some reason, but I thought they used gas.. I meant to ask about that. but the taxi came..

anyway, I just gotta keep an eye on him now and make sure he stays eating etc, and get some poops going, then take him back on fri for post op check up

I want to say thank you to everyone for all your vibes and Nuggy says thanks too and same to all your buns...

BIG THANK YOU!...

The only thing he is doing is flicking his head from side to side like one of his ears is bugging him, but he always seems to do that whenever hes had fluids for some reason.. she did look in his ears this morning but never mentioned mites etc, so not sure..

The ear will have been shaved to enable the Vet to put access a vein to give IV fluids.

His ear may feel a bit 'odd' to him as a result

I am glad that he is now eating more and I hope his recovery continues

Thanks Jacks Jane

and everyone, im still reading the replies and posts..

Thank You again, he tried to eat a pellet but is kinda of reluctant still as I expect his mouth is sore. but he seems to be eating veg, dandilion and plantain, and mashed carrot ok, I've tried different degress of various mushedness of pellets but doesnt seem to keen just yet. next up trying to syringe etc, which from past experience with 2 of us, usually ended up in grand disaster..this time it's just me...

but he's ate plenty of veg, and I know he had a good feed of critical care today at the vets, and his belly feels pretty full.. just want to try and get the fiber in now.

well didn't go very well, there's more critical care on me, than anywhere else.. and he was freaking, I tried to grasp him between my knees.. somehow he still manages to escape and I think Im scared of crushing him.. soo..

plan b, for now until I can find a second person to help me tommorrow, is he's eating a lot of veg, so I just wet the veg and sprinkled critical care over it, I know he's not getting as much that way, but probably getting more than Im wasting trying to syringe it in on my own:.. sooooo... hopefully better luck tommorow but his tum is nice and full, and hes been sitting in his tray, and nibbling tiny bits of thin hay..

I have been in a similar position to you recently, with having to syringe pro-biotic and antibiotics to my bunny Poppy, she HATES it, and I think she can tell that I don't know what I'm doing. I think confidence is probably the main thing. Was simple as anything when I had a second pair of hands.

You are doing a fabulous job, keep up the good work - I would think that some is better than none! Hope that Nuggy is well today xx

Thanks Bink..

sigh.. it's exhausting! I've got to syringe critical care, gut stimulant, and metacam.. but I had to load the three syringes.. and try and have them ready but by the time I manage to get hold of hiim, the critical care has almost set and blocks up the syringe, and won't plunge etc.. and he's wriggling and fighting the whole time..

I tried the burrito method, but he always breaks free or shrinks his head under the towel and I can't get to his mouth, or see it... I've tried placing him between my knees but he buckaroos like crazy and I still can't seem to get it going:S...

he is eating small amounts of veg still, and carrot, and he will take his metacam and gut stim off the carrot.. so he is getting some, but nowehere near as much as if i could syringe it straight in... as I'm sure you and many others know its pretty draining trying.

I have about 8 different dishes out of as many ingenous ways of offering food I can think of ranging from different types, and different mushyness etc.. which he still not really attempted, but he will sit and nibble on a brush:S

it was difficult enough when there was two of us, but one would have to hold him while I prepared all the syringes etc.. but it seems nearly impossible on my own (so far...)

and I'm worried about stressing him out too much on top of all the vet visits he had this last week, and the GA etc, yesterday... I don't know if constantly stressing him is actually helping..

Your right too, I think confidence is a biggie, and he definately senses Im a total amature and not don't like doing it etc..