Whitelighter
Warren Scout
Ok,
So we have been looking after a school class rabbit for the last few months. We had her for the summer and before she went back she produced 4 little babies so we kept her - the plan being to return her and the kits after half term once they were 8-9 wks and weened.
And up until this week everything has been hunky dory.
I noticed on Sunday that Rosie (the mum) was become a bit withdrawn and lethargic, but was still eating with the kits and being a bit dominant so thought maybe she was just a bit under the weather. Yesterday at feed time I noticed she didn't come out of the dark area of the hutch for feeding. I retreated and watch for 30minutes and while the kits ate Rosie never made an appearance. I went back out and picked her up to have a general check. The first odd thing was she let me pick her up - she doesn't really like it and usually protests. Second, I noticed the smell. She stank, like the worst farm yard you have ever smelt and her bottom was covered in sticky poo.
I washed her clean, towelled her dry and kept her in doors until her fur was dry. I also gave her a very small bowl of pellets and some Timothy hay but she seemed quite disinterested. I had a look in the hutch(which had been cleaned the day before) and while there are lots of small (kits) hard poos there are not any that I can see that are adult sized. I refreshed the contents of the hutch and once Rosie was dry I put her and the food back in the open side of the hutch where she stayed, but didn't make any obvious attempt to eat. I was working nights last night so couldn't monitor her.
When I got back at mid day today I check and she was again in the dark part of the hutch, right in the corner. Her chew stick (which she usually devours as her favourite treat) hasn't been touched, but again she smells terrible and her bottom is even worse than yesterday along with her hind feet, lower legs and haunches. I'm not convinced she is eating.
I have spoken to the Vet who looks after her and is Rabbit centric and have an appointment for this afternoon (5pm).
I have a couple of questions that the vet receptionist wasn't helpful on.
1. Should I clean her again or leave it for the vet to see.
2. Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable
3. Should I take her away from the kits? I don't have a second hutch so she would have to go into the carry case, but she doesn't seem to want to move so that may or may not bother her.
I have had rabbits as a child and so far as I can see this is probably terminal, I have already told the school but I don't want it to affect the kits (5 weeks old and I think fully weaned) and I might as well try and make what time Rosie has left comfy.
So we have been looking after a school class rabbit for the last few months. We had her for the summer and before she went back she produced 4 little babies so we kept her - the plan being to return her and the kits after half term once they were 8-9 wks and weened.
And up until this week everything has been hunky dory.
I noticed on Sunday that Rosie (the mum) was become a bit withdrawn and lethargic, but was still eating with the kits and being a bit dominant so thought maybe she was just a bit under the weather. Yesterday at feed time I noticed she didn't come out of the dark area of the hutch for feeding. I retreated and watch for 30minutes and while the kits ate Rosie never made an appearance. I went back out and picked her up to have a general check. The first odd thing was she let me pick her up - she doesn't really like it and usually protests. Second, I noticed the smell. She stank, like the worst farm yard you have ever smelt and her bottom was covered in sticky poo.
I washed her clean, towelled her dry and kept her in doors until her fur was dry. I also gave her a very small bowl of pellets and some Timothy hay but she seemed quite disinterested. I had a look in the hutch(which had been cleaned the day before) and while there are lots of small (kits) hard poos there are not any that I can see that are adult sized. I refreshed the contents of the hutch and once Rosie was dry I put her and the food back in the open side of the hutch where she stayed, but didn't make any obvious attempt to eat. I was working nights last night so couldn't monitor her.
When I got back at mid day today I check and she was again in the dark part of the hutch, right in the corner. Her chew stick (which she usually devours as her favourite treat) hasn't been touched, but again she smells terrible and her bottom is even worse than yesterday along with her hind feet, lower legs and haunches. I'm not convinced she is eating.
I have spoken to the Vet who looks after her and is Rabbit centric and have an appointment for this afternoon (5pm).
I have a couple of questions that the vet receptionist wasn't helpful on.
1. Should I clean her again or leave it for the vet to see.
2. Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable
3. Should I take her away from the kits? I don't have a second hutch so she would have to go into the carry case, but she doesn't seem to want to move so that may or may not bother her.
I have had rabbits as a child and so far as I can see this is probably terminal, I have already told the school but I don't want it to affect the kits (5 weeks old and I think fully weaned) and I might as well try and make what time Rosie has left comfy.