RabbitBears
Warren Scout
Hello everyone
Apologies for the essay, and for the fact that I have been lurking here (although I have found some excellent information as a result!) without introducing myself for a while.
A little about my two rabbits, they're two, neutered boys, lionlops(ish) and I've had them for about a year and a half. They came from rescue and they're my first bunnies. They're cheeky balls of fluff and I love them to bits, Lambchop is a real attention lover and will play any person who he meets, they all love him, and I do too, he's a bit like a little dog, always needing love and affirmation. Smudge is a bit more discerning, more of a rabbit's rabbit, but when you give him space whilst making the effort with him he responds with deep love and affection. They live in my room and I have a real bond with both of them.
About a year ago they started having alternating stasis episodes. One was sick and then the other in turn, and I had to learn about nursing sick rabbits fast. I had family members suggesting putting them to sleep but I did my best to research what might be wrong, and got them through it, with some changes in their diet, after about six months they seemed to stabilise. The vet I was seeing I have since discovered was not the best, but the two better vets at the practice helped with this and prescribed the right medications.
Unfortunately shortly after they stopped having frequent stasis episodes they started periodically losing weight, in much the same pattern, first one then the other, then together... Excess cecals and other digestion issue stuff never disappeared either. They weren't overweight to begin with, but when I got them stable again at a few 100g less than originally, I accepted what the vet said when he suggested my hunch that something was still up was me being an overly worried owner. Eventually I took them both for another check up last week as Lambchop had started to get wet patches around his mouth and a hunch also told me I should get both of their weights checked, they had both lost more, Lambchop most of all. He now weighs around 1.15kg, compared to around 1.75kg when I got him. Smudge is about 1.3kg from around 1.8kg to start with.
At that point I went to another vet, and found out I had one who is meant to be an exotic specialist very near me. I wish I had gone for a second opinion sooner. be that as may, he thinks it highly likely that Lambchop has dental stuff going on that can't be seen consciously. I can see with his symptoms that makes sense, and whilst I'm nervous about him having his first dental on Wednesday, as I'm not sure how well a rabbit he is right now, I understand it needs doing and should help him.
I'm not convinced it's the whole story however as why would Smudge be having some of the same issues if that were the case? The vet is going to try to get some blood whilst Lambchop is under to run tests on, but said he would need to get it from his jugular vein, has anyone else had this? I thought blood was generally taken from their ears so I'm going to ask about that if I can on Wed. I'm just so worried about both of them. I feel like I want to push for cecal and wee samples to be looked at at the same time as this has gone on for so long now, but the vet seems keen to do one thing at a time.
I guess what I'm asking is, I realise this is a bit of long winded complex case, but does the care they're now receiving (at the new vets) sound ok? He definitely put me at my ease in many ways, said Smudge was welcome to come in with Lambchop and suggested I bring them a pack lunch. He seemed to know his stuff. I'm just concerned about the jugular thing and that if we leave it longer before doing to tests it might be too late (if it isn't already).
If anyone has managed to read through this and has any thoughts, suggestions, or things they'd ask, I'd really appreciate it.
I just want my little furry guys well and binkying again.
Apologies for the essay, and for the fact that I have been lurking here (although I have found some excellent information as a result!) without introducing myself for a while.
A little about my two rabbits, they're two, neutered boys, lionlops(ish) and I've had them for about a year and a half. They came from rescue and they're my first bunnies. They're cheeky balls of fluff and I love them to bits, Lambchop is a real attention lover and will play any person who he meets, they all love him, and I do too, he's a bit like a little dog, always needing love and affirmation. Smudge is a bit more discerning, more of a rabbit's rabbit, but when you give him space whilst making the effort with him he responds with deep love and affection. They live in my room and I have a real bond with both of them.
About a year ago they started having alternating stasis episodes. One was sick and then the other in turn, and I had to learn about nursing sick rabbits fast. I had family members suggesting putting them to sleep but I did my best to research what might be wrong, and got them through it, with some changes in their diet, after about six months they seemed to stabilise. The vet I was seeing I have since discovered was not the best, but the two better vets at the practice helped with this and prescribed the right medications.
Unfortunately shortly after they stopped having frequent stasis episodes they started periodically losing weight, in much the same pattern, first one then the other, then together... Excess cecals and other digestion issue stuff never disappeared either. They weren't overweight to begin with, but when I got them stable again at a few 100g less than originally, I accepted what the vet said when he suggested my hunch that something was still up was me being an overly worried owner. Eventually I took them both for another check up last week as Lambchop had started to get wet patches around his mouth and a hunch also told me I should get both of their weights checked, they had both lost more, Lambchop most of all. He now weighs around 1.15kg, compared to around 1.75kg when I got him. Smudge is about 1.3kg from around 1.8kg to start with.
At that point I went to another vet, and found out I had one who is meant to be an exotic specialist very near me. I wish I had gone for a second opinion sooner. be that as may, he thinks it highly likely that Lambchop has dental stuff going on that can't be seen consciously. I can see with his symptoms that makes sense, and whilst I'm nervous about him having his first dental on Wednesday, as I'm not sure how well a rabbit he is right now, I understand it needs doing and should help him.
I'm not convinced it's the whole story however as why would Smudge be having some of the same issues if that were the case? The vet is going to try to get some blood whilst Lambchop is under to run tests on, but said he would need to get it from his jugular vein, has anyone else had this? I thought blood was generally taken from their ears so I'm going to ask about that if I can on Wed. I'm just so worried about both of them. I feel like I want to push for cecal and wee samples to be looked at at the same time as this has gone on for so long now, but the vet seems keen to do one thing at a time.
I guess what I'm asking is, I realise this is a bit of long winded complex case, but does the care they're now receiving (at the new vets) sound ok? He definitely put me at my ease in many ways, said Smudge was welcome to come in with Lambchop and suggested I bring them a pack lunch. He seemed to know his stuff. I'm just concerned about the jugular thing and that if we leave it longer before doing to tests it might be too late (if it isn't already).
If anyone has managed to read through this and has any thoughts, suggestions, or things they'd ask, I'd really appreciate it.
I just want my little furry guys well and binkying again.
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