• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Pip is so sad

shazbud

shazbud

Young Bun
What are the symptoms of a depressed rabbit? Milo and Pip had to be separated after she was spayed two weeks ago, I realise she has been through a lot, spay, separation and visits to vet but she is so lethargic, doesn't move much unless we get in with her and encourage her to do stuff. She is well enough to say get lost as she nudges us away and moves things if she doesn't want them in front her; like food and water which we are trying to encourage her to have. She just sits around all day either sleeping, or just looking so sad and isn't interested in playing, food or water - although I know she is eating a little hay and her veg/greens and I have seen her drinking from her bowl at least once today. I am concerned she is not eating enough or will get dehydrated - how can you encourage rabbits to drink?? You can't force them of course so what?

I have moments of panic when I think what shall I do, take her to the vet etc. But then she hops out of her hutch goes to her litter tray, has a bit of hay and seems ok and then 2 mins later goes back to where she was and sits again.

Really at wits end to know what to do??

Probably not making much sense either because I am so tired - this is taking over my every thought :(
 
I wouldn't worry too much if she is still drinking just not as much, she will be drinking less because she is eating less. Sounds like she has a slow gut - is she having gut stimulants and pain killers? Protexin fibreplex would help too. What does the vet say?

If you are worried, you could syringe feed and syringe water as well - but try not to unless you have to, as the stress it causes may make her worse. Keep offering her favourite foods.

I'd say she sounds ill rather than depressed, but she will undoubtably be feeling low because they have been split - why were they split? Could they not live side by side so they can interact through bars?
 
I think she probably is lonely, and wondering why Milo started being horrible to her :( it must be so upsetting for you to see :( I don't know what to suggest really; when are you thinking of trying to rebond them? If it's not for a while, maybe bring her indoors so she has you for company x
 
nessar said:
I wouldn't worry too much if she is still drinking just not as much, she will be drinking less because she is eating less. Sounds like she has a slow gut - is she having gut stimulants and pain killers? Protexin fibreplex would help too. What does the vet say?

If you are worried, you could syringe feed and syringe water as well - but try not to unless you have to, as the stress it causes may make her worse. Keep offering her favourite foods.

I'd say she sounds ill rather than depressed, but she will undoubtably be feeling low because they have been split - why were they split? Could they not live side by side so they can interact through bars?
Click to expand...

Hi she was on both painkillers and the fibre paste and did have an injection in her gut the second day after her spay as she was not eating much at all then. We continued the pain relief for 4-5 days and the same with the fibre paste and all seemed well. She just seems really low. I hope I don't have to syringe feed as she hates it! I had to put the paste and pain relief in leaves of basil for her to take it :) I am praying she is going to be brighter tomorrow. :(
 
shazbud said:
Hi she was on both painkillers and the fibre paste and did have an injection in her gut the second day after her spay as she was not eating much at all then. We continued the pain relief for 4-5 days and the same with the fibre paste and all seemed well. She just seems really low. I hope I don't have to syringe feed as she hates it! I had to put the paste and pain relief in leaves of basil for her to take it :) I am praying she is going to be brighter tomorrow. :(
Click to expand...

If she is not eating properly then she needs to go back on metaclopramide (there is an oral version you can give at home) and maybe metacam too. A slow gut will make her feel worse and it is painful too. I'd suggest offering Critcal Care or Supreme Recovery in a bowl and see if she will eat it and I think the fibreplex would be a good idea too.
 
I think you need to take her back to the Vet

You dont mention what her fecal/urine output are like ?? Output is just as important as what goes in.

She could have a UTI which can sometimes occur after a spay and that would make her feel 'off colour'.

So as I said, I think a Vet check is needed today for her to have a thorough examination.

Good luck xx
 
Pip - ongoing concern

Hi all,
Thanks for your replies so far - it is so helpful as there is not enough expertise out there when it comes to Rabbits and this seems the only place to get some good sensible answers - so thanks again. Pip seemed to have an ok night, still only eating a little hay and drinking a little. Poos are quite small, but she is pooping and weeing but not loads. I called the vet to ask for advice. They suggested Fibreplex as she has a diminished appetite and asked lots of questions about her a Milo. I guess they think she is pining a bit as on her last vet check on Thursday all was well - or so it seemed????

Anyway, rather than stress her out unecessarily (just yet anyway) I drove down to vets to get the Fibreplex and she has had her first dose of that today. She has had some parsley and basil and a little hay - I soaked the parsley in water and she loved it :) I am hoping it is just a slow tummy and the fibre will help? As soon as I see an improvement in her eating and her general demeanor we will try some bunny dates. I will keep you posted.

Oh and I did book a vet appoint for 5.45pm just in case I don't see any improvement after her three doses of Fibreplex today.

I must say there is really not enough information out there in respect to caring for rabbits, no one told me that this would happen because we had her spayed :( If I had known then what I know now I think I would have put it off for another year - she obviously wasn't ready and her and Milo obviously were not as bonded as I thought. Two weeks ago they were happy as larry, joined at the hip, hopping and skipping and running and jumping every day and now I have two lonely rabbits :(

I also have three children (not little) who need my attention and love during the summer hols and the rabbits have taken over! I hope things improve soon.

Thanks again for your help.
 
Just wanted to say I hope Pip is feeling better soon, I have a 4 month old mini lop Daisy who I am planning to get spayed at the beginning of October. Levi has already been done over a month ago. I have to say that reading your story has made me much more nervous about it than I was before, Levi and Daisy love each other to bits at the moment and it hasn't even occurred to me that that this might cause them to fall out. I hate seperating them for any reason, i felt beyond mean when i had to seperate them after levi's op, for just two days! Still, I guess I have to get Daisy neutered, I'll just have to keep everything crossed that it turns out ok...
 
shazbud said:
Hi all,
Thanks for your replies so far - it is so helpful as there is not enough expertise out there when it comes to Rabbits and this seems the only place to get some good sensible answers - so thanks again. Pip seemed to have an ok night, still only eating a little hay and drinking a little. Poos are quite small, but she is pooping and weeing but not loads. I called the vet to ask for advice. They suggested Fibreplex as she has a diminished appetite and asked lots of questions about her a Milo. I guess they think she is pining a bit as on her last vet check on Thursday all was well - or so it seemed????

Anyway, rather than stress her out unecessarily (just yet anyway) I drove down to vets to get the Fibreplex and she has had her first dose of that today. She has had some parsley and basil and a little hay - I soaked the parsley in water and she loved it :) I am hoping it is just a slow tummy and the fibre will help? As soon as I see an improvement in her eating and her general demeanor we will try some bunny dates. I will keep you posted.

Oh and I did book a vet appoint for 5.45pm just in case I don't see any improvement after her three doses of Fibreplex today.

I must say there is really not enough information out there in respect to caring for rabbits, no one told me that this would happen because we had her spayed :( If I had known then what I know now I think I would have put it off for another year - she obviously wasn't ready and her and Milo obviously were not as bonded as I thought. Two weeks ago they were happy as larry, joined at the hip, hopping and skipping and running and jumping every day and now I have two lonely rabbits :(

I also have three children (not little) who need my attention and love during the summer hols and the rabbits have taken over! I hope things improve soon.

Thanks again for your help.
Click to expand...

You mustn't start dates or bonding until she is completely better - it is very stressful for them and that would not be good right now. As I said before, if they get on well can you not have them living side by side so they can interact between mesh/bars? I'm not sure what happened or why you split them, but when one rabbit feels ill the other can sometimes react with aggression, pushing their dominance, so you must tread carefully and not date them until she is better.

No doubt she is lonely, but I don't think that is it. This sounds very much like a medical problem not an emotional one. If she does not perk up dramatically today, you need to go back to the vet and talk to them about gut stimulants and painkillers. Also a UTI, as Jane said.

Take some of her poos with you, as their poos give a good indicator of gut health and in my experience good rabbit vets like to see the rabbit's poos when dealing with gut problems.
 
Hi,
Thanks again for your advice. Yes we have been putting their runs beside each other since they were separated so they can see each other. I will not put them on dates until I really see an improvement in her health as I realise she won't be strong enough.
As I said I do have a vet appointment booked for 5.45pm today and will take her if I don't seen an improvement at all. I was told by someone else that the trips to the vet are very stressful and she has already had 4 visits in the last two weeks. I didn't want to rush her down there today until we had given the fibreplex a chance to work.
Good advice about her poops I will take them with me.
 
Ailstar said:
Just wanted to say I hope Pip is feeling better soon, I have a 4 month old mini lop Daisy who I am planning to get spayed at the beginning of October. Levi has already been done over a month ago. I have to say that reading your story has made me much more nervous about it than I was before, Levi and Daisy love each other to bits at the moment and it hasn't even occurred to me that that this might cause them to fall out. I hate seperating them for any reason, i felt beyond mean when i had to seperate them after levi's op, for just two days! Still, I guess I have to get Daisy neutered, I'll just have to keep everything crossed that it turns out ok...
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for your good wishes. It has been really hard work and I have questionned if we did the right thing more than once but like humans I guess all rabbits are different and will react and respond differently to this. Pip has had her second dose of Fibreplex and has eaten hay. I just went out and got her a new alphalfa hay ring which I know she loves and she is having some of that now. I am keeping everything crossed that by the end of today we are seeing some more signs of improvement. I was just sitting with her and encouraging her to eat and once she's had enough she flopped herself down in that "i'm pretending I'm dead sort of way" which says to me that she is feeling pretty relaxed? I hope that is a good sign. I'll keep posting on progress :thumb:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rosaleen
Feeding bunny with sticky poops
Replies
14
Views
505
rosaleen
rosaleen
D
Poorly Freja :-(
2 3 4
Replies
69
Views
2K
joey&boo
joey&boo
B
Urgent vets apt tomorrow
Replies
16
Views
574
Bun2
B
Back
Top