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Hi.. do these symptoms sound like anything specific?

notabunny

New Kit
Hi. I'm new here.

I need some advice about my bunny Jefri. He is a mini rex about 9 years old and I've had him since he was about 3 months old.

I think I am going to take him to a vet but its Friday night and I'm sure I wont be able to get an appointment sooner than Monday if we did. Would have taken him sooner but we were unable to financially this month and I haven't been able to find a cheap or free animal clinic around me. So in the meantime I was hoping for some advice..

These are his symptoms:
- wet nose..for the last 1 - 2 weeks. sometimes gets kinda crusty. can't see very good but its wet..
jefri-nose.png



- wet eyes.. for the last 1 - 2 weeks. also sometimes get kind of crusty. but he is constantly grooming his face. Right now it looks worse.. like there is a big goopy booger in his eye but I don't know how to remove it, or if I should.. and he wouldn't let me anyways. Here's some pics I took earlier (post goop) (I know.. he has cataracts in both eyes)
jefri-eyes.png



- this is the symptom I'm most confused about and I don't know if I should worry about it more or less than everything else. occasional labored loud breathing/snorting?/snoring?.. I don't know what to call it.. but I've had other rabbits and he is definitely the loudest. Its not constant.. sometimes its quieter but still different sounding than other rabbits.. He's been like this for along time, not the entire time (that I remember) but at least a year or 2. And I just thought that's just how he sounds. But I recently saw a video on youtube and the rabbit sounded like Jefri and it had some sort of respiratory problem or nasal obstruction.. i forget and i cannot find it again. It doesn't sound normal. I guess I didn't notice because he's mostly been my only rabbit.. then I got him a wife who was a quiet breather (or normal breather?) and I started noticing but didn't think much of it.. then we had to move a lot this year so i had to leave him with my mom who has 3 rabbits. none of her rabbits breathe like Jefri.. even when you pick them up... which exasperates jefri's "honking" as I had termed it. Its for this reason he has developed the name "piggy" over the years.. I just really hope this is in fact the way he sounds and something hasn't been lodged up there for years! or worse. :( I've asked the vet about it before but I forget what they said so they must have said it was fine.. but I don't know how experienced this vet was with exotics. There aren't many in my area. Plus i think it has gotten worse. It doesn't seem to be hurting or bothering him though..

- I checked his ears and in one ear there is a build up of wax.. it looks like more than should be in there and more than on the other side.. its kind of hard and i would assume its impacting his hearing in that ear to some degree. To be honest I have no idea if this is normal for him because I always forget to check his ears and I hadn't been around him for the last 6 months while he's been at my moms. How much is normal? And should I get it out? I have these very dull edge tweezers I was thinking of getting it out with.. its not like INSIDE his ear.. its like at the base of the ear. Its not a large amount.. but i don't know.. i heard a build up of ear wax could mean mites and there could be pus underneath it... does it look like mites? i know you cant see them but what would the rest of his ears look like?

left ear- has some ear wax but it doesn't block the entire entrance to inner ear...
jefri-leftear.png


right ear - a lot more.. blocks ear entrance.. normal??
jefri-rightear1.png

jefri-rightear2.png

jefri-rightear3.png


- i think its fine now but yesterday I noticed his poops were smaller and harder than usual.. it had been 2 days without hay because i couldn't get to the store but he has a bunch now.

- he licks a lot. he's always been pretty lick-y but it seems excessive now.. like he licks his litter box, his bear (that no longer has a nose because of it), himself, me, the bars on his cage, the air.. normal?? I once heard rabbits do that because of lack of salt in their diet. i tried salt licks before but he would not go near it.

- he seems thinner than usual.. maybe he's just getting old..?


Other than that he seems like his usual self. His head perks when he hears his name and gets up to be pet when i walk by him. He grinds his teeth happily when i scratch his head. He seems to be eating normally.


okay i think that's it.. based on what I said does anything stick out? Something I could treat myself? Like i said I'll most likely be going to the vet but if it is like most likely something minor I'd much rather try at home solutions first and spend the money on more hay. We're short on money right now since I had to quit my job to relocate for my husbands new job.. so we aren't making as much and i have my own health issues that i need to take into consideration. but if it sounds like something your own bunnies have had or something I'd really appreciate some advice. :? thank you
 
Hi, it looks/sounds to me like their is some kind of infection in his nasal passages/sinuses/ears. His ears definitely need cleaning, but I wouldn't attempt that yourself if you haven't done it before, as you may do more damage. You won't be able to treat an infection yourself, he will need antibiotics from a vet - whereabouts do you live? Maybe someone could point you in the direction of a good bunny vet near you.
 
Looks and sounds like Pasteurellosis :cry:



This will effect his upper and lower respiratory tract - as indicated by his snotty nose and laboured/noisy breathing

Pasteurella can also cause eye problems- conjunctivitis etc

It can also cause ear infections. I suspect that behind the plugs of wax in your Rabbit's ear canals there will be a huge amount of pus

This is certainly not a problem that you can treat yourself. A consultation with a Vet is absolutely essential, within the next 24 hours IMO.

http://www.lbah.com/word/pasteurella-rabbit/

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Pasteurellosis_lagomorphs.htm
 
Hi, welcome to RU. Sorry your bunny is poorly.

I think the only advice is to get your rabbit to a vet. My rabbit had/has a respiratory tract infection and gets the nasal discharge as you describe. My current vet did a swab test to find out what bacteria caused it, then chose an antibiotic based on that. Based on my own experience I would advise you request a test sooner rather than later, as the vet I first went to never suggested a test so the treatment was all wrong at first and now my bun has a long term infection :(

The ear wax doesn't look or sound right either. As does the eye discharge. I don't know what is wrong but it could be a combination of things. Only a qualified rabbit vet would be able to tell after an examination and tests.

I hope you can get him to a vet soon. I hope he is feeling better really soon.
 
Also, ear infections are very painful, so he will need pain relief too until it clears up :wave:

Looks and sounds like Pasteurellosis :cry:



This will effect his upper and lower respiratory tract - as indicated by his snotty nose and laboured/noisy breathing

Pasteurella can also cause eye problems- conjunctivitis etc

It can also cause ear infections. I suspect that behind the plugs of wax in your Rabbit's ear canals there will be a huge amount of pus

This is certainly not a problem that you can treat yourself. A consultation with a Vet is absolutely essential, within the next 24 hours IMO.

http://www.lbah.com/word/pasteurella-rabbit/

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Pasteurellosis_lagomorphs.htm



Thank you both so much for the quick replies. After reading your posts I will definitely be taking him to a vet. I think I might take him to where I had him neutered although they are so expensive :( I am not in the UK I'm in the US in Santa Clarita, California. About 40 minutes north of LA.

Do you know what they usually do to test for Pasteurellosis? Or if it is easily treatable? What medications do they prescribe? What happens if left untreated?

I feel terrible that I haven't gotten him help sooner.. and that the vet i saw most recently sort of shrugged it off (about 3-4 months ago i think. For another reason - he poked his eye on a rose bush). He didn't seem to know much about rabbits.. he said Jefri was the oldest rabbit he'd seen.. which should have been a red flag.
 
Looks and sounds like Pasteurellosis :cry:



This will effect his upper and lower respiratory tract - as indicated by his snotty nose and laboured/noisy breathing

Pasteurella can also cause eye problems- conjunctivitis etc

It can also cause ear infections. I suspect that behind the plugs of wax in your Rabbit's ear canals there will be a huge amount of pus

This is certainly not a problem that you can treat yourself. A consultation with a Vet is absolutely essential, within the next 24 hours IMO.

http://www.lbah.com/word/pasteurella-rabbit/

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Pasteurellosis_lagomorphs.htm



oops didn't see your links! Reading now and they're providing most of my answers
 
Update on Jefri...

I'm sorry this is so long and i ramble and go off into tangents..

I know you're all going to hate me for not taking him sooner but we couldn't and he was actually showing improvements. I monitored him and he had a good appetite and poops were normal and good attitude and acting normal so I waited. I wouldn't suggest this to others and I didn't want to wait.. we just had to. Then he had a different issue which was more important. I started to notice his hind legs were getting weak and he started shuffling and stepping rather than hopping. Last week he didn't stop eating but he started eating less and then grinding his teeth when he wasn't being pet.. not loud and not constant but it was a weird behavior for him so I took him in.

We don't really like this vet and might switch vets.. she is one of those vets that does not want to hear what you think or why and thinks an owner who researches is stupid. She expects you to just follow blindly but I've done that before not only with pets but with myself and had horrendous results and honestly I usually if not always turn out to be right which is why now.. i don't care - I research as much as i can and keep an open mind and trust professionals who know more than I do (to an extent). But believing everything i read off the internet? That isn't what I do... I wanted to confirm some things with her and she sort of flipped out... I said "I'm not telling you this information.. I am asking you to confirm for me if it is true or not". She seemed to not want me to research ever.. to which i asked wouldn't I be an irresponsible owner if I didn't? And I don't really like how she kept bringing up how old he is and putting him to sleep (just because his legs are weak! I mean even if his hind legs just became paralyzed completely i have seen rabbits live happily in bunny wheel chairs) and basically saying or hinting or implying every 5 seconds that old bunnies die. Not the sort of optimistic attitude you would want or expect from a vet right? Obviously they die but we are not even close to that time right now.. Jefri is still a very happy curious loving bunny who is having some ailments. She just kept saying how these situations always get worse. and this and that. she doesn't even know for sure what it is and she's telling me this.. DURING OUR FIRST VISIT! I can understand her saying this if we had been trying some treatment for weeks and not seen an improvement.. but the first visit? uhg.

Sorry I am so angry right now because I didn't want to just take him to just any vet... i tried to find the best and most qualified. If i had to spend money I didn't have I wanted it to be worth it. But I screwed up. The House Rabbit Society and another rabbit organization both listed the same doctor on their websites for recommended rabbit vets. But that vet wasn't available. The receptionist said that there was another exotics vet on staff that was just as good and been seeing just as many rabbits and just as qualified and this and that so we scheduled an appointment. I should have taken it as a red flag when the receptionist was getting offended at our hesitation. But I thought.. she's in good company and maybe she is just as good.. maybe that's an outdated list..

Anyways.. so like i said the focus has shifted from his other problems (which have actually improved a lot) to hind leg weakness which is causing him to not care where he is when he pees and caused urine scald. I have been trimming the fur back, giving butt baths or dry baths, and treating with A&D cream and the redness is gone and fur is back.. but he still pees on himself most of the time.... I thought of diapers but he is so small even the newborn ones fall off.. maybe i will try a different brand I think the ones I have are too long.. Or would expressing his bladder work?? I have seen a lot of disabled rabbits having their bladder expressed to prevent peeing on themselves and getting urine scald. However when I asked the vet if that is something I could do to prevent him peeing on himself and if she could teach me how.. she looked at me like I was crazy for asking and said it was not something she could teach me... I accepted her answer but I don't understand how other peoples vets have been so much more helpful and offered to teach them not only urine expression but a lot of other things and just been generally more optimistic with what can be done for my rabbits comfort. She didn't seem to want to teach me because she didn't seem to take me or my rabbit seriously.. to be honest if I had to guess she probably heard how old he was and thought "old rabbit.. what's the point?"

During my research a couple weeks ago I narrowed it down to arthritis, maybe a back injury, spurs on the spine, or a bacteria like e. cuniculi. When I saw one pain medication used for arthritis is meloxicam (Metacam) we thought we'll just go get that but of course we needed a prescription..

The vet thinks its either arthritis or e. cuniculi and put him on Metacam (big surprise there...) so he's getting .3 cc /day of 1.5 mg/mL. This is what I asked her about that put her off. I asked.. "Is .3 cc a day considered a typical or a small dosage?". And she got very offended and then I had to tell her I was not telling her it was a small dosage, I was asking. I don't want to argue with my vet every time I simply ask a question. I asked this because there were other rabbits on forums like these where vets put them on .8 or more cc for the same weight as Jefri and I just wanted to make sure. She was like "I cannot be your vet if you are going to be getting all your information off the internet".. this was the first thing i asked that she didn't agree with.. during the appointment when i would say something she agreed because I knew what I was talking about... but I barely said anything she talked most of the time and I asked a lot of questions to questions I didn't know but also questions I already knew the answers to.

During our appointment she cleaned out his ears.. with a q-tip.. she stuck it in his ear and for the next 2 days he was shaking his head non stop and falling over and not being able to get back up thank god that stopped. it scared the poop out of me and i decided to stay home instead of going to a job interview.

But he's not shaking anymore.. as much. It scared us enough at the time to call her plus I wanted to talk to her about his leaky eyes and nose and ask about the dosage of Metacam. She said she was focusing on 1 thing at a time... and that the other stuff isn't important right now. And that she can't treat a huge list of things in one appointment.. I am not sure what this huge list is.. its just the hind leg weakness that caused urine scald which we didn't even address and the leaking nose/eyes and cleaned out his ears. I understood when she said she didn't want whatever she prescribed for the leaking to interfere with the Metacam... (if that would even be an issue I dont know but I accepted that)... but when she said she could only treat one thing at a time I got really suspicious because that doesn't make sense.. If my nonexistent kid had an ear infection plus he broke his arm that day... i would expect a good doctor to address both. The appointments are $80.. I have to pay another $80 for her to check something she's already checked out? Does this seem right to you? i would rather take that money to do the blood work to rule out e cuniculi.

I asked about Pasteurella as a possibility and she pretty much blew it off as stupid internet information.

Anyways.. I think the Metacam has been helping at least a little. Jefri hasn't been grinding his teeth and he's eating his normal amount. Plus I thought he was dead this morning it scared me so bad but he was just super comfortable and napping. That hasn't happened in a few weeks so hopefully that means he feels better. He's also been more mobile.. and hopping (still a little slow) rather than shuffling or stepping or dragging his leg.


I don't know.. what do you guys think about everything... should I switch vets? Should I still be worried about his leakiness or wait for when she wants to treat it...
 
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First off... You need to find a different vet!!! That sounds like a horrible vet. I had a similar experience recently, funnily enough regarding a low metacam dosage as well. I have vowed NEVER to go back to this vet ever again. If you list your location, we may be able to help you find a different vet.

Next off, yes you can treat more that one thing at a time, and with what is going on with your rabbit, this is most likely essential. Was no panacur given or an antibiotic? Hind leg weakness can be from arthritis but is also a very common symptom of e. cuniculi, along with the symptoms of ear problems and infection, your rabbit should have been given the metacam, and panacur and an antibiotic to cover the bases. Frankly I wouldn't let this vet near ANY of my rabbits.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html
 
I agree that trying to find a more helpful Vet, one who has more time for her/his patient than for massaging her/his own ego is what you need to do.

I hope that you are able to find one as I am sure the current situation must be very stressful for you.It is certainly not helping your Rabbit much :cry:
 
First off... You need to find a different vet!!! That sounds like a horrible vet. I had a similar experience recently, funnily enough regarding a low metacam dosage as well. I have vowed NEVER to go back to this vet ever again. If you list your location, we may be able to help you find a different vet.

Next off, yes you can treat more that one thing at a time, and with what is going on with your rabbit, this is most likely essential. Was no panacur given or an antibiotic? Hind leg weakness can be from arthritis but is also a very common symptom of e. cuniculi, along with the symptoms of ear problems and infection, your rabbit should have been given the metacam, and panacur and an antibiotic to cover the bases. Frankly I wouldn't let this vet near ANY of my rabbits.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

I agree that trying to find a more helpful Vet, one who has more time for her/his patient than for massaging her/his own ego is what you need to do.

I hope that you are able to find one as I am sure the current situation must be very stressful for you.It is certainly not helping your Rabbit much :cry:


Thank you both for the replies! What a relief to hear I'm not overreacting. I am so desperate to find answers that I didn't want to rock the boat or for her to write me off as a "difficult" owner and not get Jefri the care he deserves. But she really was not helpful..

That is interesting about the metacam dosage Jbun. Jefri seems better for a while on the Metacam but i definitely think he could be on more. Seems like she's trying to play it safe because she doesn't know what she's doing - or maybe older bunnies should be given lower dosages?? I don't know. I'm curious to know what dosage you ended up giving your bunny and how did they do on it(also how old and what did they weigh)??

She said she thought it could be arthritis or e. cuniculi but she didn't want to prescribe the panacur yet... to see if the metacam helped so she could see if the metacam or panacur had the effect... because if she tried both she wouldn't be able to tell if they both worked or one or the other. I guess I get that but to just blow of pasteurella and make me feel stupid for asking is ridiculous.

I would love to be referred to a good vet but I have a feeling you guys wont know of any in my area as this is a uk site and I am in the US (near LA in California).. :/ I don't know how but I didn't realize this when I signed up despite the uk in the url... I guess I just didn't notice it. I have called rabbit organizations around me who they recommend so maybe i will try another one.. i would go to the doctor i originally wanted to see at the same vet hospital but i don't know if that would just make matters worse... and who knows if he really would be better anyways.


Essential is what I was thinking... it seems like a strange thing to only treat one thing at a time... i could hardly afford that visit.

It has been so stressful! I've known Jefri longer than my husband we've been through a lot and I care about him more than most people. He is like my baby even though I know by not taking him sooner it doesn't seem that way. My husband was also assuring me we could wait and that he seemed fine and I trust my husband but he's no bunny expert.. when he started grinding his teeth I insisted and thankfully he listened without hesitation. Maybe I am wrong but it almost seemed like the vet was trying to tell me i am a bad owner or something because he had so many problems and try to like scare me as a punishment. But this isn't how it usually is.. he's had a very happy life. He's been so spoiled. People think I am crazy how much I try to spoil him with his 3 story condos and his bunny door to the porch (there is nothing cuter than watching a rabbit use a doggy door!) and all the time i spend trying to make him happy. He's been so health I've never had to worry about anything. Its only recently that we've been dealing with these health issues. And of course they come when I don't have a job. But he really was improving from the leaking nose and eyes which is why I felt okay not taking him in right away from when i first posted and he didn't seem in pain at all - no lethargy or grinding of teeth and a good appetite. The hind leg weakness came on a week and a half ago as did the urine scald and i treated it pretty good I think. I was so happy it went away so quickly. I kept him as clean as possible.. But when i brought him in his bottom was dirty even though i had given him a butt bath the night before.. it hadn't even been 24 hours.. that's how fast he has been getting messy.. she probably thought i was just neglectful. Or that I was bringing in an outdoor rabbit I don't spend any time with when he has been an indoor rabbit his whole life with the exception of 4 months at my moms while we moved for my husbands job 6 months ago but he had his own custom bunny condo and a huge grass yard to run around in.

My husband thinks I am crazy because i spend so much time cleaning Jefri only for him to get super messy less than 24 hours later.

Do you guys have any tips to keep him clean?

How can i safely trim/shave the fur from the inside of his legs? I am terrified of cutting him. I nicked him once a while ago and got VERY lucky that it just turned red and scabbed didn't bleed at all but it has made me not want to try anything ever again.

Should I find a vet to teach me how to express his bladder or should I forget about that?

Should I try diapers? I've also thought of fashioning some sort of bunny pants haha I know it sounds horrible.. but i thought if it was some sort of moisture wicking fabric and it wasn't too invasive maybe it would be worth it..?

Also is there a blood panel that can rule out several things at once? She said next she wanted to run a blood panel to check for e. cuniculi but is there any blood panel that will check for that and pasteurella and other possibilities all at once.. or is it.. the e. cuniculi test, the pasteurella test, the this test, the that test... because if so that sucks.

I talk a lot..
 
What a stupid vet :? if it is e cuniculi it needs to be treated asap otherwise it just gets worse :( the urine incontinence is also a symptom of EC. Does wormer over there have to be prescribed or can you buy it? Here we use rabbit Panacur or Lapizole and it's available to buy without seeing a vet. It may be worth starting panacur in case it is EC.

Covering his bum won't really work as he needs to reach back there to eat his cecals. Not sure what to suggest really, you need something absorbent like vetbed but not sure if you can get that?
 
Just being an older rabbit doesn't necessarily make a difference, unless there are liver or kidney issues, then metacam may be contraindicated, and this would take a blood test to determine. My bun is older, about 4 lb. Right now I'm in the process of finding a new vet, and working out what dose is going to work best for my bun. Generally vets in the US dose metacam at around 0.1-0.2mg/kg. My vet dosed at around the 0.1mg/kg and wasn't really willing to go much higher than that. I believe many vets in the UK dose around 0.3mg/kg or higher, as research and experience, have shown that rabbits need higher doses because of their metabolism.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Chem/ChComplex/Meloxicam.htm

The problem with delaying the panacur, is that if it does happen to be EC, delaying treatment can put your rabbit at risk. Plus relying on just the metacam to be a determining factor in what the issue is(arthritis or EC), is a bit ridiculous, because there is inflammation with both issues, so improvement on metacam doesn't necessarily mean that arthritis would be the cause of the hind limb weakness. If you really need to, you can get fenbendazole(panacur) at some livestock feed stores. It's a liquid goat wormer called Safeguard, but hopefully you will be able to find a new vet that can prescribe some.

And not treating the possible ear infection is just plain negligence, and dangerous. Infections in rabbits, are very serious and need to be treated so.

With regards to the urine soaking. If your bun is stepping in it and getting soaked, you can try using layers of towels to help absorb the pee. Puppy pads can be used if your bun won't chew at them at all(as that could be dangerous if ingested). Vetbed is also a good thing to use to keep your bun off the urine. If it is dribbling down the inside of the legs, then you are going to have to try your best to keep him clean. I wouldn't recommend using diapers unless you are absolutely certain your rabbit won't chew at them at all. Then if they are used, they have to be changed frequently, plus you have to somehow ensure your bun can eat his cecotropes. If you had had an even half decent vet, they would have cleaned your bun up there and shaved the area to help keep him clean. So that's what I would suggest when you find a better vet, is make sure they shave the area, plus you need a cream to protect the skin. You can take a look at this link. It has info on how to keep a bun with urine issues, clean. If your rabbits bladder needs expressing, it HAS to be done carefully, and should only be done under a vets supervision. So if this is something your rabbit needs, your new vet should show you what to do.
http://www.disabledrabbits.com/urine-scald.html

A blood test would be done to check for EC, but a swab would be done for the ear infection, and a culture and sensitivity test to determine which bacteria it is, and what antibiotics would be effective against it. A blood test can show if your bun has ever been exposed to EC, but not necessarily if there is an active infection. So I don't know how important it is to have the blood test done. Sometimes it's better to just go ahead and treat the symptoms.

So here are some vet lists for your area. You already know that just because they are a rabbit vet, doesn't make them a good one. I would think that the vets on the rabbit rescue lists, would probably be good. But sometimes you need to kind of interview the prospective vet, before you bring your bun in. This is what I did. One question I asked was what dosage of metacam is generally used for something like arthritis. You could also ask what their basic treatment would be for signs of e. cuniculi. Their answer can't always be exact, but it can give you a general idea. You don't want to delay getting into a new vet though, as your bun needs to get the needed meds right away. Today would be best, tomorrow at the latest. EC treatment isn't something to be delayed, as even hours can sometimes make a difference.
http://www.bunnyluv.org/#!recommended-vets/c1sl
http://www.mybunny.org/info/rabbit_vets_online.htm
http://rabbit.org/rabbit-veterinarians-state-listings/#California
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f21/ca-rabbit-savvy-vets-10069/
 
I appreciate the vet info although last month I had gone to the House Rabbit society's website and Bunnyluv's website plus a few other organization and shelters sites and/or called and asked for recommendations. So these are actually vets already on my list. All of them usually suggest the same doctor - the one i originally wanted to see who wasn't available that day.. none of them suggest the vet I saw even though she is at the same vet hospital - which I now know is not a coincidence! I am worried if I call and ask to see the vet I wanted to see originally that they will ask me to explain why and the other vet will be offended and say negative things to the other doctor to make him be just as unhelpful. I thought the receptionist would know what she was talking about but she obviously didn't. I don't have the money to go vet hopping though. Especially if I also need to get all these tests and medications.

I have tried interviewing the vets from my list but the receptionists always act like no one ever does this and thinks I am crazy for asking if the vet could call me at their earliest convenience so i can ask a few questions before I decide they are who i want to take my rabbit to. One receptionist was annoyed I asked how many rabbits the vet sees in a week so i asked in a month and she kept saying she couldn't give me a number because it changes.. i asked for a range.. a ballpark.. something to give a basic idea.. flustered she said "I don't know because we don't see rabbits on a regular basis!" I said "that's all I needed to know..." and hung up. Another receptionist said the vet would not call me back and that he was too busy to come to the phone. One thought I wanted free vet advice. My list is getting smaller.

How weird.. I used that exact website for urine scald to treat him when it first started so that's where I initially got the idea to express the bladder and using diapers. But I would never just let him sit in a diaper - i know I would need to change it frequently. I would also never try expressing his bladder without a vet showing me how - too scared. That is a really good point that she didn't clean or shave him. She saw that i had trimmed a little and suggested shaving him.. but that's it. I've been using fleece blankets and towels but the biggest help has been getting this sort of grid like thing from the dollar store.. its made for like sinks or something idk but it has these little squares about 1/2 in and it is comfortable for him to step on because the grid sections are also about 1/2 in. I cut it to the size of his litter box and filled his box with wood stove pellets and then set this grid on top and it works great for keeping his rear and feet cleaner but he still gets some inside his legs. But I have been cleaning and using zinc free A&D cream like that link said. Haven't had to this week though.

When she cleaned his ears she was trying to look closely to see if he had mites but she said she wouldn't be able to because he couldn't keep his head still.... um, he's a rabbit! He is one of the most docile rabbits I have ever known but just like any other rabbit he hates his ears being touched especially a stranger poking around inside them... one of the sites with vet recommendations (the one posted on a forum) jbun linked to gave a testimonial about how the doctor i originally wanted to see did a swab test and let the owner see the mites under the microscope. and then gave her a huge discount on everything. but for me.. not even a definite yes or no to mites and when i asked her if they meet online prices she said "not anymore" and when i asked if there are different types of metacam for dogs or cats or specifically for rabbits or whatever so i knew what to look for when i bought it online she said she didn't know and then before we said we would take it she just was like "ok i will go get the metacam" and left before we could tell her no because we just said we wanted to buy it online.. but we decided it was best to just get it there this time since online would take longer to get. But it says right on the package "for dogs"! And online it is about 1/3 of the price she charged us. Comparing it with the testimonial it sounds like a completely different vet hospital.

If I see his cecotropes in his cage I've been putting them in his food dish and he usually eats them there. I don't see them too often so I assume the rest of the time he's eating them naturally.

I thought he would need more for the inflammation if it is just arthritis.. but what I wasn't sure.

I'm not sure about wormer I will have to check on that.. if I can get panacur without a prescription i may go that route.

But if I treat for e. cuniculi with Panacur but he doesn't have it.. what could happen? Will it have a negative effect or make other possible illnesses worse? or could it just not hurt? Right now he seems like his usual self.. his eyes look fine today and his nose isn't wet. he's not shaking his head anymore either. He had some dandruff on his back (not today) - he had it the day we took him to the vet.. she said it could be mites or just dry skin. I'm ****** she didn't make sure it wasn't mites in his ears.

Could it be that his tear ducts are just clogged and that his nose sometimes gets wet because he is a VERY messy drinker? and eater... he has to have both front feet in his dish while he eats. I just wonder about the clogged tear ducts because a couple months ago he was an outdoor bunny for 4 months while at my moms and there was a lot of grass but also a lot of dirt and sometimes it was windy.. I'm just saying because his breathing seems fine now and his leaking seems to have stopped... could it be/have been a bunny cold?

Also what do you think of giving him some glucosamine & chondroitin? i asked the vet and she said it couldn't hurt. But can I use the stuff for people? My mom gives her dogs people glucosamine & chondroitin because her vet said it was the same. Her vet also sees any animals for free who get their vaccines there. I would take Jefri there but he openly admits to knowing very little about rabbits.

Also want to mention that when I ask these things I am just looking for advice.. I don't / wont give my rabbit anything unless a vet recommends it.
 
After talking to the vet she decided to treat him for a middle ear infection first. Its annoying though because the only way that happened was by us asking questions.. and from those answers she ended up changing her own mind about his treatment plan. At first she was going to see how the panacur did then after hearing his other symptoms from my husband (even though I had already told her the same exact thing over 2 weeks ago) she said it might be a middle ear infection and she would try baytril next after the panacur. But I insisted my husband ask which was more serious and she said the ear infection and quickly changed her mind and decided to treat for that first. I don't know why she doesn't like questions.. if he hadn't asked that she wouldn't have decided on Baytril... and if neither can hurt i would rather treat for the more serious of the 2. Luckily she thinks this was her idea and wasn't a jerk about it to him like she was with me. blah.

I have a question though.. I have a friend who asked her vet about Jefri and he sugested SMZ and said it is more effective and a lot cheaper.. also he said vets who do use baytril usually try to push it on their patients because it is so expensive and they want to get rid of it before it expires. When we asked her about possibly using SMZ as an alternative she said we could use that instead but they don't use it anymore because it is less effective than baytril. Anyone have an thoughts on this or experiences with both?

He has been doing a lot better on metacam but still has bad days. my friends vet also suggested we get him on a joint supplement. we asked our vet and she said it couldn't hurt... she suggested cosequin.

also kind of random but can cats catch e cuniculi or pastuerella or an an ear infection and other things from rabbits?? I know this is a rabbit forum but my cat has been sneezing recently... she likes being in Jefri's cage... she has to be the center of attention.. after i clean his cage she thinks I did it for her and gets in and makes herself at home. she also insists on drinking his water but I've been trying to stop her when i see it. my other cat does this once in a while but not nearly as much and i haven't noticed him sneezing. he is also a lot bigger than her even though she is a year older. I am going to ask the vet I just thought I would ask here too since I've received such good information. All 3 have always been indoor animals (and on our balcony) with the exception of 4 months when we left them with my mom and she let all of them in her backyard.
 
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I don't know much about infections but I didn't want to read and run. Ted and Little send vibes and nose-rubs :love:
 
My Vet treats for both Ec and Ear infection at the same time as the symptoms are similar. Baytril and panacur and metacam can be given at the same time. You could ask if your vet would be willing to do the same.

Personally it sound like the bun has multiple issues going on as the nasal/eye discharge and ear problems and hence balance issues can all be linked to a pastrella infection but it doesn't cause hind leg weakness that I know of. Possibly Ec was lying dormant and the weakend immune system from the pastrella has allowed it to take hold.
 
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