Thanks everyone
Well, a few odd things. Pip's protein (albumin) levels are still lower than 'normal'...apparently the vet doesn't want to do anything about this at present, but if and when Pip needs other veterinary care, he will draw bloods to see if the levels are just 'her normal' or if we see other signs of illness, such as edema, which would indicate a kidney or intestinal problem. (Hope that made sense, it really didn't to me when he explained it. Something about how protein binds with water in the body.) He didn't test her globulin this time, but did look at her bile results and they are normal. It's just the protein that's the problem.
He said they could do an intestinal biopsy to see if she has a malabsorption issue, but of course this doesn't work well for bunnies. (This I knew.) A dog or cat could come through it okay, but rabbit's digestive systems are too delicate. So I need to just watch her and see if anything else develops. It could also be kidney dysfunction, but he said it would be difficult if not impossible to diagnose. He did not tell me what kind of illness he suspected. (Likely he didn't want me googling it.)
He drew her repeat bloods from her neck again. >_< This really cheesed her off (I wasn't thrilled either) and she let us know by soundly thumping and stamping once back in her carrier. I think she actually waited for the vet to leave first and then stamped, then did it again once I got her in the car. She did bleed a little after her stick, which distressed me, but the vet seemed to think it was no big deal. I wish he could take it from her ear like her former vet could, but I guess he doesn't do that.
I really don't want her stuck there each time, so it's going to take a bit to convince me she needs it again. She is still not happy tonight but comes to see me when I put my hand up to her, so I think she's forgiven me. The vet did begin to say something about her projected lifespan, then dropped it. Should I be concerned about the low protein or is it possibly something we could put down to stress? Perhaps I'm not feeding her properly? What am I missing?
I would like to ask members here if any of this sounds like something I should pursue, maybe with a different vet for a second opinion, or if I should just allow Pip the comfort of an undisturbed future, especially if it's likely to be short...because it seems to me that all my bunnies have been nothing but upset by their recent vet visits and if I am overdoing it I want to stop so they can lead happy lives in their golden years.
She is considered well by the vet and he didn't prescribe any further medication. She is still leaning just a bit to her right when resting, but I'm not sure if she hasn't always done this and I just didn't notice. There is no more sign of infection but he did admit he couldn't see into her ear as well this time for a number of reasons, too many to list here.
Mimzy...ahh my little terror. He was VERY angry that I had dragged him to the vet yet again and showed it by dropping nasty cecals in the vet's lap and digging and chewing anything that came to hand. But the vet found it all amusing and recognized it for what it was, Mr. Cranky Britches strikes again. He couldn't find anything untoward on him, but didn't want to blanket him with abx, so just told me to feel his skin very carefully for the next few days and if I found any lumps of any kind to call, they would get some baytril up for him. I just hope I don't find one on Saturday, they will be closed for the holiday.
He did say that Mimzy's cataracts are advancing, so that is kind of sad. My poor little man has enough trouble with balance, to not be able to see well is just more disability he doesn't need.
Probably the reason why he didn't see the cat coming.
I'm still cross with Griffy. I know he couldn't help it, but I've tried to keep him off the counter above the exercise pen because I really have nothing to put a roof on it with. (And if I did, Griff would just use that as a new place to sleep and then Mimz would have to put up with him watching him all the time!) I need to do a major overhaul of all the habitats but I need room to do it first. If I could sleep on the couch (if we had a couch) they could all have my room and be very happy there. I could shut the cats out of there, but the kitchen is a hub of activity and I don't want the bunnies shut away with no socialization either. Nowhere else to put the cats, so some brainstorming is well overdue.
Sooo...that's the latest poop!
Thank you all for thinking of us today. And thank you Jane, for your kind thoughts for C. I will pass them on to her. She is very upset at having to deal with her GP again and really just wants all the doctors to leave her be. And we have another blood test this month, so she is bound to be fed up to the gills for awhile, poor thing.
