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Bunny Not Responding to Liver Disease Trearment

H

happybunny

Mama Doe
Boo was slowly loosing weight over a period of a couple of months. After blood tests were taken we were told they showed problems with her liver.

She was given Herpatisil(?) and Vitamin B injections but she has not responded and her weight remains where it was when treatment started. She appears to be eating and as a quite bunny anyway is acting like her usual self.

We have struggled with Boos weigh for many years as she is a tooth bunny and would like any advice on how we can help her.

She is a small lionhead who at the best of health weighed 2.2Kg. We settled about 1.8kg a year ago and now she is 1.6kg.
 
I have no idea if it would work in the same way, but I had a chicken who had problems with her liver (it wasn't functioning properly and was causing a fluid build up in her abdomen). The vet was at a loss as to what to do short of diuretics, but I spoke to a lovely lady I know who does hen rescues and she had had a lot of success with milk thistle. I tried it with Elsie (my hen) and it was like a miracle treatment. The vet was a bit gob smacked by how well it worked. I just bought a bottle of it online (making sure it was the alcohol free one) and put a couple of drops in 20mls of water which I syringe fed her daily.

I know that milk thistle is also used for people who have liver problems, but you would obviously just have to check that it suitable for rabbits.
 
happybunny said:
Boo was slowly loosing weight over a period of a couple of months. After blood tests were taken we were told they showed problems with her liver.

She was given Herpatisil(?) and Vitamin B injections but she has not responded and her weight remains where it was when treatment started. She appears to be eating and as a quite bunny anyway is acting like her usual self.

We have struggled with Boos weigh for many years as she is a tooth bunny and would like any advice on how we can help her.

She is a small lionhead who at the best of health weighed 2.2Kg. We settled about 1.8kg a year ago and now she is 1.6kg.
Click to expand...

Did the Vet explain exactly which Liver enzymes were abnormal ? Was Hepatic coccidiosis mentioned ?

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Hepatic_coccidiosis_rabbits.htm

HC can present with weight loss, poor over all body condition, dry 'staring' coat, lethargy. It may or may not cause episodes of diarrhoea (which is a frequent symptom with Intestinal Coccidiosis)

Also, weight loss for whatever reason can cause abnormal findings in Liver Function blood tests. So could the abnormal Liver Function be because of the weight loss, the weight loss being due to something else ?

How old is Boo and is she spayed ?
 
Rosie42 said:
I have no idea if it would work in the same way, but I had a chicken who had problems with her liver (it wasn't functioning properly and was causing a fluid build up in her abdomen). The vet was at a loss as to what to do short of diuretics, but I spoke to a lovely lady I know who does hen rescues and she had had a lot of success with milk thistle. I tried it with Elsie (my hen) and it was like a miracle treatment. The vet was a bit gob smacked by how well it worked. I just bought a bottle of it online (making sure it was the alcohol free one) and put a couple of drops in 20mls of water which I syringe fed her daily.

I know that milk thistle is also used for people who have liver problems, but you would obviously just have to check that it suitable for rabbits.
Click to expand...

Yes it is suitable for rabbits and I have used it with great success as you have on your chicken :thumb:

It's worth talking with the vet about it, and discussing how to administer it in any particular case, if you're thinking of using it. It's a powerful medication, so not to be given indiscriminately.
 
Thank you Rosie42 and MightMax I will have a talk with the vet about milk thistle (never heard of it before).

Jane - Boo is nearly 8 and has been neutered since we got her 7 years ago. He poops are normal and so is her body and fur condition. She had a dental at the same time as the blood test, although her teeth were not bad we wanted to rule it out as it has been a reoccurring problem.

The vet did say that the liver can be a problem because of the weight loss but no other issues came back on the bloods and he hoped it would be kick started with the meds.
 
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