Parsley's BIG DAY U/D post 17 - nasty scare!

Today is the day Parsley goes to the Animal Health Trust for his first canine melanoma vaccine shot . . .

it is very scary for us - but I think he will take it in his stride . .

they did talk about a mild GA/sedating him for the injection as it has to be done in the inside of his 'thigh' so to speak; but I told them he doesnt usually like any sedation - other than ketamine . .

the health trust were a bit :shock: about a rabbit with a ketamin habit . . . but my vet rang them up to re-assure them:lol::lol:

We are really hoping that everything goes ok and there are no side effects even though he is not a canine . . .

only effect we want is to get rid of the cancer

All human fingers and toes and animal paws crossed here for little Parsley xx

Good luck parsley bun! Just think of all the other buns you'll be helping if this works xx

Hope all goes well for him

Loads of vibes for him. Really hoping this can help him.

sending lots of vibes for parsley!!

Good luck parsley hope everything goes well x

Thinking of Parsley today. xx

Hope all goes well with the injection, fingers crossed it gets to work right away.

Thinking of parsley. I hope it all goes well for him Xxx

Sending tons of good luck vibes for Parsley bun! Xxx

Lots of vibes for Parsley!

Mega vibes for Parsley xx

Vibes for all to go well xxxx

How is Parsley?

I missed this! How is he? :wave:

Well today did not go quite as planned . . . somehow it never does when Parsley is involved!

We had a 2.30 appt at the specialist oncology treatment place, and the agreement was that he would have a slight sedation of ketamin or diazapam as the injection is noisy (like a staple gun) and also into the inside of the upper thigh. We had carefully explained how he really does not react well to other sedation meds . . . all was agreed . . .

So Steve stayed with him and I went to the waiting room -

about 30mins later . . . or more . . . . I see Parsley completely passed out being rushed on a 'cushion' carried by a nurse with the vet following going through to the back area with steve trailing behind . . .

more time passed . . . .

the vet came back and forward . . . .

more time passed . . . a nurse came and had a very very hushd conversation with reception which included the words . . Mrs Ford calling back . . . . (Mrs Ford is our usual vet at our normal vet practice - ). . . .

more time . . . . eventually the vet came and said that Parsley was 'fine' but appeared to have reacted very strongly to the sedation meds and was complteley out of it (not quite his words) - they had given the reversal drug and he was on oxygen/heat pad in an 'incubation' thing with steve by his side . . . .

They said he would be round anytime soon as soon as reversal took effect . . . (alarm bells rang as ketamin does not have a reversal drug as far as I know)


more time passed . . ..

I spotted another specialist (opthamologist) that I know and asked her to go and find out what was happening . . . time passed


Anyway to cut this very stressful and long story short - THREE HOURS LATER he was round enough to raise his head just - although still could not find his own paws let alone walk . . his breathing was still ver very very quick . .


I later learned from Steve that at one point the machine monitoring his heart etc had dropped to a single blank line . . . . after going ten to the dozen . .


What had happened was their head aneasthatist had decided to use not just plain ketamin or even diazapam but a ketamin mix with another drug often used in rabbit sedation despite the fact WE KNOW they almost all make Parsley zonk out . . . (we think she used medetomidine but don't have an invoice yet)

I guess another case of just not realising that occasionally owners DO actually know what they are talking about and CAN discuss sedation routes for their rabbit - at least to a certain extent even if we dont know the technical details.

Anyway - he is home now and eating and awake - and seems at present to have no ill effects from the actual cancer drug!!! (we almost forgot about that in the sedation scare!).


Note to self: next time have lunch BEFORE taking parsley for a 2.30 'quick' appt:lol::lol:

Oh goodness poor boy

I really hope he will be OK xx

Forgot to mention - he has to have another 3 of these injections two weeks apart :shock:

When I spoke to the oncology vet when we were finally taking Parsley home we agreed they would be 'reviewing their dosages and drug usage' next time:roll:

parsnipbun said:

Forgot to mention - he has to have another 3 of these injections two weeks apart :shock:

When I spoke to the oncology vet when we were finally taking Parsley home we agreed they would be 'reviewing their dosages and drug usage' next time:roll:

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I wouldve had kittens!!
Im SO glad hes ok...poor lad!!
Will be watching for more updates.