Mimzy's Dental - U/D p 15 still waiting for proper poos :(

I just can't get a handle on whatever is bothering his down eye. It's distressing both of us, the constant drops and ointment, he doesn't deal well with handling and administration is next to impossible to get right. I'm hoping to get a different med to try because he still has this watery condition that turns to thickened and hardened chunks in his fur (which I have now trimmed slightly around his eye as no amount of washing would take it out) and I'm worried other opportunistic infections would rise from the slimy mess it gets into when I attempt to remove it.

He is also having excess cecals still (haven't been able to reduce the pellets enough and not be afraid he stops eating altogether) and he's going to need a bit of a bum trim. I found scald last week that I treated with neosporin. I can't keep up with the mess down there. Fresh greens and forage are now out as they only aggravate the condition. One more look at that tiny spur on his downside molar too, because he still doesn't eat enough hay to keep a bird alive. I hate to think of him having another dental so soon after his May one, but he is extremely sensitive to even the slightest change in his bite.

I'm agitated just typing this because he seems to be on a bit of a downhill slope and I fear I'll lose him before we move...yet it would almost be a blessing for him I think, the concern I have about taking him a long distance preys on my mind constantly and I don't sleep well thinking about the logistics of the whole thing. He did well enough in the evacuation, but I've never put him on a plane before. (I'm going to be enough of a wreck as I hate flying.)

I really need my vet to be brutally honest with me this time about whether he is in good enough shape to make this move, or for that matter, if it's fair to keep him going at all. I'm too OCD to do more than re-equivocate endlessly about his QOL. He's a good bun and there's times he seems downright lively, but his appearance is probably an illusion as to how he is really feeling. There are moments he just seems to sleep, eat a little bit, make a poopy mess, then sleep again...what kind of life is that?

I don't remember if she told me last time whether we would do bloods this go round. He is still on the highest possible dose of metacam for his weight (that she will allow anyway) ever since his last dental, but the effect it has seems to be minimal. Some days he doesn't even seem to want to take it. His head is more tilty today, but it's been wicked hot for days here and I know this makes him tired. I'm not sure if it's bone pain or if he's maybe too matted up with fur that I can't get off him to feel good about any movement he makes. And he doesn't make many movements.
If it just didn't seem to hurt him every time I groom him. I've tried every method I can think of and nothing seems to make it any easier. But he's got to be getting fur down him as well and his gut is no doubt affected.

Still no idea exactly when we're leaving or where we'll be going and this only adds to the worry circling in my head. So tired....
Sorry...didn't mean to turn this into a rant. Done whingeing now.

Its so hard when you don't what is going on.

I was convinced for more than a year greens and other green vegetables where a problem for Mr B, extra cecals and a poor quality of poo. Turns out it was the pellets all along and now he is on loads of vegetables I never see cecals and his poo has been the best ever.

I guess its trial and error.

Thanks Amanda, yeah I guess I should really just cut the pellets out altogether but it was the only thing that kept weight on him this last year. So I'll either have a very skinny Mimzy with a clean bum or vice versa.
We'll see what Dr. H has to say this weekend. We go in on Saturday at 3 PM.

MimzMum said:

Thanks Amanda, yeah I guess I should really just cut the pellets out altogether but it was the only thing that kept weight on him this last year. So I'll either have a very skinny Mimzy with a clean bum or vice versa.
We'll see what Dr. H has to say this weekend. We go in on Saturday at 3 PM.

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Poor Mimzy. I am sending lots of vibes for the both of you. I think that I have an idea of the way that you are feeling caring for a very dependent bun. it is hard work and lots of worrying to make sure that they are happy and that you are doing right by them. It must be extra hard with your life in limbo with the up coming move. That would do me in. I can't make any long term plans with Julie.
Does Mimzy like critical care? Julie's vet told me to kept her on it to help with her weight. She said to mix it with water,pumpkin and oats. It helps Julie with her weight. I feed her a bowl a day and her poops are fine. it also has probiotics in it as she is on an antibiotic forever.

I am sorry that Mimz is struggling a bit more recently. I can understand your anxieties about the move, especially if flying is involved. I guess the air pressure issue that may be encountered on a plane might be especially difficult for a Bun who already has ear problems

I do hope the Vet can be of help, I am sure that you will always make sure that Mimz's needs come first in any decisions you make.

Lots of vibes for your special little chap

Well, looks like Mimzy is going to need a dental. I have to bring him back tomorrow at 1pm because she was fully booked today. He's getting the full spa treatment; nails and teeth trimmed, bummy shave and wash, ear cleaning...the works!
Doctor seems to think he is in good shape despite his challenges. Honestly if his spurs are back then this is why he's been so low lately.
Got meds for mites as he's really flaky. All buns to be treated.
Ugh...another thirty mile drive tomorrow...but it's worth it to make him feel better.
I do worry that one of these times he might not wake up...but we both know that if it happens it would be his time. He's already had more than a year longer than I thought he would and he'd be in the best hands.

May we beg spare vibes for his dental tomorrow...and a few that I can drive safely there and back again because I'm exhausted!

Sending lots of vibes for Mimzy and a safe trip for all of you. He really is getting the spa treatment . I bet he feels much better after it all.
That is great that your vet office is open on Sunday. Julie's vet isn't in Saturated,Sunday or Monday.

I hope Mimz's dental goes well and that he will soon be back home xx

Sending lots of vibes for Mimzy and hugs for you xxx

I hope he feels better after his various treatments at the vet. Xxxxxx

Update - he did great but is still not eating much

Sorry to not get back to this thread yesterday...after two days of driving a 60 mile round trip with a bunny who is obviously still having balance issues I am exhausted and a complete wreck. Boy did I drop off fast last night, but up early at about 7 this morning again and can't seen to sleep longer. (I don't usually pass out till past 3 AM, so that's not enough rest.)

Anyway, he got his spa day and he did great! I got to take him home while he was still seriously groggy so he didn't get his feet back for a few hours after coming home. This lasted a little longer than his May dental, but he was under for longer so they could shave him so I figure that was the reason.

He had a larger spur that was hidden on the very back molar of the side she trimmed and it took her a while to file it down. She removed a few other hooks as well, no wonder he was not eating or drinking much he must have been in pain.

No other worries expressed to me, I made sure she checked for abscesses and the reason his wee has been smelling is he was a bit dehydrated. So whether he gets mucky bum or not, since he's not going to his water dish well now I'll have to keep up the veggies and fresh forage. We've dropped his pellets (to his consternation) and so his cecals aren't as bad as they were. (Thanks BYB!)

But today he is just lying about or sitting with his head in his corner and not really eating. He's had some greens which he gobbled down, so my guess is the teeth still hurt from the dental. He is on maximum doses of metacam (.35 twice a day), plus he's got gentamycin ointment for his down eye, 3 times daily. His poos are horribly tiny, not even pips, but he is not huddling, he just doesn't seem to have energy. It's hot here so that may be part of it. plus I think he just isn't coming back from these surgeries as well as he may have when he was younger.

Keeping an eye on him, but would appreciate any ideas on how to get him to eat. He must be pretty empty after yesterday.

Many thanks for all the vibes sent for him.

Sounds like an exhausting day for both of you. Does he like herbs or oats or apple? Those are good tempters for Julie after her dental. She takes longer each time to come round from the anesthesia also. Sending lots of eating and energy vibes for Mimzy. He is a brave boy. Please give him an extra nose rub and kiss from me.

Good to hear your buns dental went well. Hopefully he'll pick up on the eating quickly. When one of my buns had a hard time recovering from the anesthesia, I just kept feeding little bits of greens when he would eat them. It's all he would eat and only a little at a time, for the first day and a half. It sounds like your guy is already liking the greens. It may also help a bit with the small poops.

I hope he is a bit brighter by now ?

Sending lots of vibes for him xx

Well he's up and about, but still not a lot of eating/pooping. I believe he's gotten into his hay, but I can't really tell if he's eaten much of it. :?

I was trying to be conservative, but I think I'm going to spam the greens. I don't get any sense of pain and he will notice me/move about as I come by, so I don't think he's in stasis, but I kind of hoped for a little more activity from him after getting his spurs and the knots in his bum fur removed.
I suppose he also has some hair buildup in his gut, he is shedding horribly thanks to the unseasonable hot weather. I probably should've gotten a new bag of fluids, but I didn't think of it. He'd likely not stand for it now either.

Hopefully some extra fresh food will help him get his input/output back to normal.

Today's update - 13-8 at 6 PM ETA: mushy cecals still

Well we've had some progress eating greens and I think he's taken in some hay, but I'm still not seeing the volume of poos I should see, their size is slowly increasing but there are still a lot of teensy ones. The dandelions are darkened either from the unseasonable heat or the smoke so I only give a few of those and really don't want to give them at all, but he likes them. The hayseed finally looks decent so we had a bit of that today as well.
It is horridly hot here AGAIN today. Both Mimzy and I just want to melt into a puddle. In fact all my animals are miserable. I have all the windows in the house open and the back door with the screen up to keep flies out, but it's still like a sauna in here.
Mimzy continues to have poopy bum, I had to wash him up last night but it was a lot easier without all that bum fur there. Poor little guy just sat in my arms all squished up and looking at me with his good eye and shooting as much stink as he could from such an undignified position. You can tell he feels better though as far as his rear end is concerned, it must be a huge relief not to have matted filthy fur down there.

I just got some third cut timothy in today so I'm hoping that might be a bit nicer for him than his mature oat, which is very coarse. Sadly third cut doesn't give a lot of fiber, so his poos will turn from semi golden to dark, but I just want to see some! :shock:

Continuing his gentamycin eye ointment, he's on a 7-10 day course, and it seems to be doing the down eye some good. I had to trim more fur from around it though as it's still weeping a bit.

Man...gettin' old ain't fer sissies! He's beginning to look twice his age.

ETA: And his cecals are little more than mush now..completely flat and without form. Could this be from the stress of surgery, the greens or the eye ointment? (He tries to wash it out everytime I put it in, even though I keep him away from it for about five minutes before letting him go.)

The unformed cecals may be due to both the stress of recent days and the GA

Is there any way you could obtain a bag of fluids to give him some sub/cuts ? It sounds as though his kidneys could do with extra support at the moment, especially as it is so hot there. Optimum hydration will help his GI tract function too.

I do hope you see some improvement from him soon, he is such a brave little chap

What a worry for you.

Every time Mr B has a dental its a huge ordeal for him. I takes over a week before he eats and poos properly. Not so sure about the mushy poo but nothing is normal for at least a week.

How is his tongue ? Were there any cuts or ulcers from the spurs ?

Thank you both. Jane, I'll speak to my vet tomorrow and see if we can get a bag of fluids, but I have to admit that he is a lot more mobile than he was a year ago and getting him to settle long enough to put a needle in him will be very difficult now. I may just have to take him in and have them do it, but then that's another rough trip in to town and back...not the happiest option. :?
He is eating a bit of the third cut hay now, which was a relief to see. He used to bounce back so quickly before, so it's a bit sad to see it's taken him longer. But there are nicer poos this evening, just not a lot yet.

BYB, the vet didn't say anything about any cuts or abrasions on his tongue or anywhere in his mouth. I made certain she would check for abscesses and such just in case. The last time his teeth were done he had a sore spot on his tongue, but that appears fully healed now. And we've had dentals where the tool has slipped during the procedure and cut him, but no such worry this time.

It's finally cooled down a bit tonight and he's more mobile, so the heat was getting to him. Going to leave the window open all night, it doesn't get cold enough to chill him and he'll be more comfortable.

The spurs give Mr B a cut or ulcer on his tongue and its one of the reasons his eating and poo out put is so bad for a week, he doesn't want to eat properly, than after about a week his tongue has healed. Don't worry I don't think Mimzy would have an abscess but he might have a sore tongue from a spur at the back.

I know how much Mr B worries me with his recovery, seems to go on forever. Before you know it Mimzy will be back to his normal self. What a shame you have such a long journey to get to the vets.