George to the vets tomorrow

I've thought for a while now that George has been losing weight. I have watched him carefully (which is easy as he is an indoor bun) and he is definitely eating loads and seems perfectly OK in himself.

His former wife, Gemma, sadly went to the Bridge last year after losing weight as she had a tumour which was inoperable. I felt awful as I hadn't taken her to the vet sooner but, like George, she showed no signs of illness at all.

I am really worried George may have the same thing but, as far as I know, tumours aren't infectious.

I have cut down all my buns' pellets but none of the others have lost weight. Both George and Violet wolf their pellets down as though they are starving so maybe I need to increase the amount again, but they do get more than the recommended eggcupful each twice a day. George is a good hay eater too and he has fibafirst and fenucreek crunchies as treats, with the occasional carrot to share with Violet and herbs when they are reduced for a quick sale.

George is off to the vet tomorrow morning. I will take Violet too just in case he has to stay in for any reason. George is a BARC bun who was left behind in a hutch in the garden when his owners moved (I have promised him he will never have to go in a hutch ever again!). When I first got him he was quite nervous but he was much happier once he was bonded and now he is very friendly and even lets Rosie (Sam's toddler) stroke him.

Any spare vibes would be really appreciated as I can't think of any reason why he would lose weight that isn't serious and potentially terminal

Having said that, I could be imagining it as all my outdoor buns have huge thick coats and George doesn't. My vet has George's previous weight on record so I will know for sure tomorrow.

Hope you get on ok at the vets tomorrow, as far as I know, tumours wouldn't be infectious. Hugs xx

Hope all goes well for George tomorrow xx

Goodluck at the vets ((HUGS))

Good luck at the vets.

Bunnies' weights can be deceptive. I could have sworn one of mine was well padded but turns out she had lost 300g over the last year and I never noticed ..

Sending vibes for George. xx

Sending vibes for George for tomorrow xx

Sending George mega mega vibes. xxx

Good luck, we both know what its like when a bun loses weight unexpectedly and the outcome Hope its nothing serious for George!

Thanks everyone. I still feel quite raw from Furby and Gemma's deaths, although I know they were some time ago. I am not sure I can face another bun going to the Bridge.

George seems so well within himself and is still very norty (he is a BARC bun after all). What I have noticed is that litter training seems to have been completely forgotten and I am getting droppings all over the kitchen, but this is only since Violet arrived so I have been blaming her. Maybe it is George after all.

I think I am seeing the senior vet tomorrow (although there are only two vets anyway) and he acknowledges he is not an expert on bunnies and is more than happy for me to ask for advice on here. He also uses FHB's books and telephones colleagues if he is unsure so I know that together we will do the best we can for George. Fortunately, he is insured - the only bun who is now - so I don't have the added stress of trying to borrow money or obtain a PIN number for my credit card, which I never use - but keep for emergencies.

I haven't tried to feel for lumps and bumps as I am worried I may do some harm so just hope and pray that the vet can't feel anything.

If the vet can't find anything tomorrow do you all think I should just increase George's food to see if that helps? It's what I have to do with Apple who goes through phases of losing weight. The vet checked her and there was nothing obviously wrong and as soon as I increased her food and started giving her occasional oats, she put weight on and is now remaining stable.

I'd rather have a vet like yours to a vet with exotic training who thinks he knows it all anyway. If he is using FHB's books and willing to ask advice he sounds like a darn good vet!

Is it possible that violet is eating quicker than him and he just isn't getting as much? It sounds so obvious I know but it took me months to realise just how much faster Thor can eat compared to Poppy, there is nothing wrong with her teeth (they were checked last week) and she eats with lots of gusto just not a quickly. Now Poppy gets to come out for snuggles and a run around the bed daily whilst she has her portion of pellets. It is hard to see when two bunnies are sat next to each other happily nomming that one is actually eating the vast majority of it!

I hope everything is alright xxx

Hele said:

I'd rather have a vet like yours to a vet with exotic training who thinks he knows it all anyway. If he is using FHB's books and willing to ask advice he sounds like a darn good vet!

Is it possible that violet is eating quicker than him and he just isn't getting as much? It sounds so obvious I know but it took me months to realise just how much faster Thor can eat compared to Poppy, there is nothing wrong with her teeth (they were checked last week) and she eats with lots of gusto just not a quickly. Now Poppy gets to come out for snuggles and a run around the bed daily whilst she has her portion of pellets. It is hard to see when two bunnies are sat next to each other happily nomming that one is actually eating the vast majority of it!

I hope everything is alright xxx

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Thanks Hele.

I stick with my vet because he does his own out of hours cover so I know I will either see him or the other vet (who is young and good looking). He also accepts that if I say a bun needs to be seen asap, then something is really wrong and his staff always fit me in. I never abuse it, which is why George is going in tomorrow, not today.

He explains things to me and teaches me as much as he can and is willing to go with my suggestions. He didn't think a bun needed pain relief but prescribed it because he said I knew my bun better than he did and I thought the bun was in pain. He is also pretty good at reducing the fees a bit if I have multiple visits.

He also lets me give injections and sub cut fluids and has said that a bun will get more care at home with me than he will at the vet where they have other animals to look after too.

I guess Violet could be eating more than George as they do eat together. He definitely gets more than his half of the carrot though as I've watched them eating it.

I so hope he hasn't anything seriously wrong with him. I am really worried.

Continuing vibes for George, and thinking of you too. xx

Topping up vibes for George. xx

Thank you Susie:wave:

George is fine The vet couldn't find his previous weight but said he is the correct weight now. Can't remember what the scales said - 28. something I think. He felt along his spine and said that he wasn't underweight. He checked his teeth - all good - and spent a long time feeling along his abdomen. He could feel some poos in there but said it all felt perfectly normal. I asked him to listen to George's chest. Heart and lungs sound fine.

The vet said that George appears to be a very fit rabbit He has suggested possibly worming him and increasing his food - George cheered up up at this point - before this he had been VERY grumpy at being shut in a carrier on his own. Violet flatly refused to be caught and was becoming so stressed I thought it wasn't worth insisting as she didn't need to go to the vet. I will start getting her used to the carrier with treats as bribery as I don't want her getting that panicky when it's her turn for the vet.

George humps Violet a lot despite both being neutered. The vet said that because George wasn't neutered when he was young (was done at BARC after they had rescued him) this could affect his behaviour and he could well be expending lots of energy humping and so need more food.

He has had some fenucreek crunches as a treat for being a good bunny and I will increase his daily pellets. I feel bad now that I had reduced them but I was trying to follow recommendations and encourage them to eat more hay.

I asked the vet to cut George's nails while we were there as I can't do it on my own so he had a pedicure. The vet only charged me £12 and I was in there quite a while. I trust his opinion and George hasn't appeared poorly in any way so I am a Very Happy Bunny Mummy at the moment.

Thank you all for your support.

Rhianna said:

Thanks everyone. I still feel quite raw from Furby and Gemma's deaths, although I know they were some time ago. I am not sure I can face another bun going to the Bridge.

George seems so well within himself and is still very norty (he is a BARC bun after all). What I have noticed is that litter training seems to have been completely forgotten and I am getting droppings all over the kitchen, but this is only since Violet arrived so I have been blaming her. Maybe it is George after all.

I think I am seeing the senior vet tomorrow (although there are only two vets anyway) and he acknowledges he is not an expert on bunnies and is more than happy for me to ask for advice on here. He also uses FHB's books and telephones colleagues if he is unsure so I know that together we will do the best we can for George. Fortunately, he is insured - the only bun who is now - so I don't have the added stress of trying to borrow money or obtain a PIN number for my credit card, which I never use - but keep for emergencies.

I haven't tried to feel for lumps and bumps as I am worried I may do some harm so just hope and pray that the vet can't feel anything.

If the vet can't find anything tomorrow do you all think I should just increase George's food to see if that helps? It's what I have to do with Apple who goes through phases of losing weight. The vet checked her and there was nothing obviously wrong and as soon as I increased her food and started giving her occasional oats, she put weight on and is now remaining stable.

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Can you ask them to test for liver coccidiosis?

Great news.

Really pleased to see a happy update on George. xx