Sorry for asking but I want some thoughts an opinions.
Roger is my lovely wildie. He's been here for 5 years now, which makes him about five and a half.
About 6 weeks ago I noticed he was easier to handle and was losing weight/condition (prominent spine type stuff), but showing no signs of any different behaviours.
Off to the vets we went and nothing was found wrong but they ran bloods. All normal. so we went for 'watch this space' because we knew something was wrong but couldn't identify what.
A couple of weeks later he hadn't improved and his poos shrunk so he had a dental to remone teeny weeny spurs.
He recovered ok but needed pain relief, twice daily.
He then lost his wifey. He's been on Septrin (which he LOVES) as a precaution because we're not sure what Sandy died of yet (looks like heart failure but still waiting for some more results).
He's on daily pain relief (well, bi-daily) and he is bright and alert and interested but he just isn't right. He doesn't have enthusiasm for pellets but he does for greens and grass and Readigrass. He is very interested and alert for any stimulation. He's also currently in quarantine.
Tomorrow he is going in for x-rays to see if there is a brewing dental abscess (seen something similar in some of the others prior to diagnosis) and see if there is any arthritis or anything. Both of those I will treat. He's great at taking meds- he loves his Metacam and Septrin (like steal the syringe and then chew it to pieces if I don't get there fast enough, type love).
He is still glossy he just has a very stuck out spine and he has lost some interest in his pellets.
I have opted for no specialist referral because, as a wildie, I don't think he would cope with that, especially alone.
I can't bond him yet but have a plan for who he may be tried with, although I don't feel entirely comfortable bonding him when he is not 100% (but he is my easiest bonder so it won't caused a problem with bonding, I worry more about him).
But he is a wildie and if I can see and identify it then he is hiding it REALLY well.
He has a quality of life but I worry that he's hiding stuff and he is suffering.
Because I've opted to not push this further than what my vets can do if the vets can't pick anything up tomorrow, do I make a pre-emptive strike to protect him and let him go? Do I wait and see what becomes clear? Do I whack him on Tramadol as well to ensure no pain?
I want to do the best for him and it would be horrible for me to let him go but if that's right, then I will, but I don't know if it is? I feel like I should only do that if we know what it is and can't treat it, but we may not find out what it is because it would be too stressful to see the Specialist. then I feel like I'm letting him down because I won't make the referral, despite going to specialists with others. I feel like he might think i think he's less worthy (which is stupid because he couldn't and wouldn't think that- he's a rabbit, and I don't think that anyway- I love him to bits).
So, any thoughts on that? Thanks in advance.
Roger is my lovely wildie. He's been here for 5 years now, which makes him about five and a half.
About 6 weeks ago I noticed he was easier to handle and was losing weight/condition (prominent spine type stuff), but showing no signs of any different behaviours.
Off to the vets we went and nothing was found wrong but they ran bloods. All normal. so we went for 'watch this space' because we knew something was wrong but couldn't identify what.
A couple of weeks later he hadn't improved and his poos shrunk so he had a dental to remone teeny weeny spurs.
He recovered ok but needed pain relief, twice daily.
He then lost his wifey. He's been on Septrin (which he LOVES) as a precaution because we're not sure what Sandy died of yet (looks like heart failure but still waiting for some more results).
He's on daily pain relief (well, bi-daily) and he is bright and alert and interested but he just isn't right. He doesn't have enthusiasm for pellets but he does for greens and grass and Readigrass. He is very interested and alert for any stimulation. He's also currently in quarantine.
Tomorrow he is going in for x-rays to see if there is a brewing dental abscess (seen something similar in some of the others prior to diagnosis) and see if there is any arthritis or anything. Both of those I will treat. He's great at taking meds- he loves his Metacam and Septrin (like steal the syringe and then chew it to pieces if I don't get there fast enough, type love).
He is still glossy he just has a very stuck out spine and he has lost some interest in his pellets.
I have opted for no specialist referral because, as a wildie, I don't think he would cope with that, especially alone.
I can't bond him yet but have a plan for who he may be tried with, although I don't feel entirely comfortable bonding him when he is not 100% (but he is my easiest bonder so it won't caused a problem with bonding, I worry more about him).
But he is a wildie and if I can see and identify it then he is hiding it REALLY well.
He has a quality of life but I worry that he's hiding stuff and he is suffering.
Because I've opted to not push this further than what my vets can do if the vets can't pick anything up tomorrow, do I make a pre-emptive strike to protect him and let him go? Do I wait and see what becomes clear? Do I whack him on Tramadol as well to ensure no pain?
I want to do the best for him and it would be horrible for me to let him go but if that's right, then I will, but I don't know if it is? I feel like I should only do that if we know what it is and can't treat it, but we may not find out what it is because it would be too stressful to see the Specialist. then I feel like I'm letting him down because I won't make the referral, despite going to specialists with others. I feel like he might think i think he's less worthy (which is stupid because he couldn't and wouldn't think that- he's a rabbit, and I don't think that anyway- I love him to bits).
So, any thoughts on that? Thanks in advance.
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