Lea-Anne
Warren Veteran
Yesterday Vince my snuffle bun was fine, bouncy as always, ate his breakfast. That was about 11am then me and hubby were in the garden for the next two hours giving the shed bunnies a spring clean and new lino. Came back in and sat on the sofa and immediately knew something was wrong with V. He sat up, then down, the up, then down, in obvious tummy pain. We offered him food and all his favourite treats and he refused them.
My vets is amazing. I've been going to Fiona for 10 years or more, she treats all my rabbits with such compassion and has never once told me they are not worth the effort ( one time she took my ill guinea pig home with her). All the receptionists know V and love him and are so kind and friendly. Unfortunately my vets is closed at the weekends and you have to go to their sister practice ( which is actually closer to my house) but the vets switch and change every week and the attitude of the staff there stinks. Even the receptionists are rude and cold and look at me like I'm crazy when I say I'm bringing my rabbit in. Over the phone when I said he wasn't eating, woman said ' is that all? How do you know he is ill?'
The only other choice in a completely different practice ( never been to) but they were also closed and would charge emergency call out fee. The other practice was still consulting so would be normal price. As we had faith in neither we chose to go to them after much arguing between me and hubby. He didn't want to take him there since they did nothing to help our previous rabbit Dennis. I was in bits getting to the surgery, didn't want to be there, brought back all the horrid memories of Dennis being ill and then picking up ( according to them fine) not eating/ not pooing and generally letheragic only to have him die the next morning. It was heart breaking.
At the surgery the vet looked at me like I was mental ( because I had tears in my eyes), V was sat up, sniffing the computer and I got told he was ' bright enough' ( words used to describe dennis also). I said 'he has obvious tummy pain and has refused all food.' I suggested an x-ray, to which she said no, he's too bright (??) I don't want to knock him out. We feared he had a blockage as some of the lino had been nibbled. The vet said ( and I don't know if this is true or not) that '' he would not of injested any of the lino. They bite things and tear off mostly and if they do eat things they grind it finely so it's unlikely to cause problems, it's not like a dog eating a ball for example. '' She couldn't feel any blockages so said gut stimulant.
Then '' we *may* consider giving him pain relief.'' Wth?? Me : '' I want him to have pain relief please.'' Then she said ' I'd like to admit him so we can keep an eye on his eating and pooing'' to which I said '' I'd rather take him home please.'' Vet looked unimpressed. I said '' I'm sorry but I know he'll be more comfy at home and we can spend all evening tempting him with foods we know he loves.'' I was probably a bit rude but I was upset.
He had a gut stimulant, metacam and abx and looked drugged the first hour he got home but then thankfully started eating again. My husband had to tempt him with all kinds, the first being a shreddie of all things lol We then tried EVERYTHING we could think of and had to keep putting grass, dandelions and pellets in front of him and he started to come round. Finally he started eating hay.
He's bouncy as this morning, so relieved I cannot explain. Spent all of yesterday in tears. I just get the impression they could not give a stuff about rabbits, I wonder if the would have a different attitude to a dog or cat.
My vets is amazing. I've been going to Fiona for 10 years or more, she treats all my rabbits with such compassion and has never once told me they are not worth the effort ( one time she took my ill guinea pig home with her). All the receptionists know V and love him and are so kind and friendly. Unfortunately my vets is closed at the weekends and you have to go to their sister practice ( which is actually closer to my house) but the vets switch and change every week and the attitude of the staff there stinks. Even the receptionists are rude and cold and look at me like I'm crazy when I say I'm bringing my rabbit in. Over the phone when I said he wasn't eating, woman said ' is that all? How do you know he is ill?'
The only other choice in a completely different practice ( never been to) but they were also closed and would charge emergency call out fee. The other practice was still consulting so would be normal price. As we had faith in neither we chose to go to them after much arguing between me and hubby. He didn't want to take him there since they did nothing to help our previous rabbit Dennis. I was in bits getting to the surgery, didn't want to be there, brought back all the horrid memories of Dennis being ill and then picking up ( according to them fine) not eating/ not pooing and generally letheragic only to have him die the next morning. It was heart breaking.
At the surgery the vet looked at me like I was mental ( because I had tears in my eyes), V was sat up, sniffing the computer and I got told he was ' bright enough' ( words used to describe dennis also). I said 'he has obvious tummy pain and has refused all food.' I suggested an x-ray, to which she said no, he's too bright (??) I don't want to knock him out. We feared he had a blockage as some of the lino had been nibbled. The vet said ( and I don't know if this is true or not) that '' he would not of injested any of the lino. They bite things and tear off mostly and if they do eat things they grind it finely so it's unlikely to cause problems, it's not like a dog eating a ball for example. '' She couldn't feel any blockages so said gut stimulant.
Then '' we *may* consider giving him pain relief.'' Wth?? Me : '' I want him to have pain relief please.'' Then she said ' I'd like to admit him so we can keep an eye on his eating and pooing'' to which I said '' I'd rather take him home please.'' Vet looked unimpressed. I said '' I'm sorry but I know he'll be more comfy at home and we can spend all evening tempting him with foods we know he loves.'' I was probably a bit rude but I was upset.
He had a gut stimulant, metacam and abx and looked drugged the first hour he got home but then thankfully started eating again. My husband had to tempt him with all kinds, the first being a shreddie of all things lol We then tried EVERYTHING we could think of and had to keep putting grass, dandelions and pellets in front of him and he started to come round. Finally he started eating hay.
He's bouncy as this morning, so relieved I cannot explain. Spent all of yesterday in tears. I just get the impression they could not give a stuff about rabbits, I wonder if the would have a different attitude to a dog or cat.
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Hope V is feeling better soon 
