Stanley bladder sludge and not eating well (Lolas boyfriend)

Hi everyone,

I've just posted in Rainbow Bridge about my darling girl Lola ( I don't know how to paste the link). I just have one question someone might be able to help with. We had to help her go in the end, she left comfortably in my arms . after about an hour of her leaving us, some blood and possibly a bit of fluid started leaking from her nose, does anyone have any idea of what this could be? If the info on the Rainbow Bridge post doesn't help enough, I can fill you in on her health problems some more. My poor girl xx

Re her boyfriend Stanley. Two days ago he had a vet visit and had a catheterisation and his bladder flushed as it was completely full of sludge! HE only needed a sedation, no GA.
He's always been picky, so i just knew he wouldn't eat must when he got home. He is on metaclopramide (1ml 3X daily), however he is the jumpiest bunny and also aggressive when he wants to be (which seems to be a lot lately - probably because of Lola related incidents). Anyway Im finding it REALLY difficult to syringe feed his medicine, I think he probably got maybe 0.5ml of it yesterday, he gets SO stressed and his breathing goes all crazy and loud. He's not really eating though, he is eating a little, but not enough. He's also not drinking hardly any water at all - he's never drank a lot but he's handling touching it. I'm so worried. He's still hopping about like himself, albeit a bit reserved and sheepish sometimes.

The vet said he doesn't need painkillers, but Im worried he's a bit uncomfortable. But then how would I get the painkillers into him? Its almost impossible, and I've been syringe feeding Lola for a while so I've done it before. I've also syringe fed him before, but he was feeling much more poory and wasn't as resistant.

also when I picked him up, it was a night vet who did the collection as he had his procedure quite late, so i never got to talk to them about diet. Can anyone help with diet related info i.e. what not to feed, what to feed. He usuallyy has a small amount of pellets, and veg which is usually one of broccoli, cabbage, or carrot. He seems to have gone off his hay recently. The water in our area is also very hard and full of limescale, which I assume doesn't help. Would a water filter help or should I just be giving him bottled water? He's also so aggressive, I think because of stress of the Lola situation, but I don't know what to do. My poor boy.

Sorry this is a ramble! Any help appreciated xxxx

Sophie

I am sorry to hear stanlet isn't feeling well. If u check out a post started by Ruthy Jones in diet and digestion her bun Bailey has to reduce calcium. I posted too about my sludge bun Oliver about diet etc.

I am very sorry to hear that you had to let Lola go The blood/fluid from her nose could possibly have been due to her having some pulmonary oedema (fluid in the air sacs of the lungs). About an hour after death the blood looses most of it's clotting ability, so that could be why blood stained fluid leaked out of Lola's nostrils If it would help I would speak with the Vet about it as I am sure the Vet would not mind explaining it to you.

I am shocked that the Vet refused to prescribe pain killers. Bladder sludge causes the bladder wall to be inflamed and this causes pain/cystitis.

After caricaturisation the urethra can go into spasms and that would be VERY painful. To be honest I'd be furious if the Vet refused to prescribe analgesia in this type of situation.

Personally I would be insisting on pain relief. A Rabbit in pain will not eat. Then there will be the risk of secondary gut stasis too.

http://www.vettimes.co.uk/article/pain-recognition-and-its-management-in-rabbits/

Giving bottled water/filtered water would be a good idea if you are in a hard water area

These links may also be useful :

http://www.vettimes.co.uk/article/urinary-tract-diseases-in-rabbits-diagnosis-and-treatment-methods/

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/HypercalciuriaRabbits.htm

http://www.goddardvetgroup.co.uk/pet-factsheets/Factsheets/Otherpets/24_290531.shtml

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-5/calcium.html

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/calcium.htm

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-food-...-plus-urinary-tract-health-formula-1kg-p-5641

nickybunny1 said:

I am sorry to hear stanlet isn't feeling well. If u check out a post started by Ruthy Jones in diet and digestion her bun Bailey has to reduce calcium. I posted too about my sludge bun Oliver about diet etc.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I will take a look at that x


Jack's-Jane:
Thanks for that reply <3 It was a difficult decision to say the least. As far as I was aware, I thought pulmonary oedema was from heart failure and similar conditions? The vets listened to her heart at every consult and never said anything was abnormal? As she looked like she was exhaling very hard for the last few days, and looking like she was struggling a bit to breathe normally (just heavier and a bit more forced), I was wondering whether the cancer had spread to her lungs and caused the blood leakage after she had gone. At first it was normal blood and then after a while a bit fluidy. I was actually worried it could have been from syringe feeding her and she accidentally aspirated some medicine, but I don't remember this happening.

Re Stanley. I was very surprised they didn't want to prescribe Metacam, vet said he didn't need it because he was eating and when they are in pain they stop eating (which I know is not always true - Lola never stopped eating!), however I've no experience with this condition so I let it go until I got home. I did question the metaclopramide - when Lola has been prescribed it, they have always given Zantac/Ranitidine alongside it. I mentioned this and the vet said Stan didn't need it with the metaclopramide. She was also on 2.5ml 3X daily - however we ended up stopping it because she didn't even need it (hungry until the end, bless her). Stan is only on 1ml3X daily - he is slightly heavier than Lola was - 2.9kg (she was about 2.6kg he's a bit of a chunk now actually :shock: ) - I thought this wasn't much, I've always had to give 2.5ml per dose???

I took it upon myself to give Stan some Metacam anyway, as I have the bottle that Lola was having. Also since I got Stan home he's not been eating well at all (which they said he had eaten so was ok). I knew he wouldn't eat well because he is fussy at the best of times and seems to just go off his food for no reason. I gave him one dose of 0.75ml (I think this is quite high, I'm going to consult the vets on pain relief, but any advice greatly received) and he has perked up a bit. Still not eating much though :/ He seems quite on edge still.

Do you think they should have tested for a bladder infection? And from yours (or anyones experience) do you think there is anything else I should be looking out for?

All in all the procedure seems to have helped, he does seem more comfy, and instead of just flopping out, he is now frequently rolling around on his back looking pretty cute.

Thanks xxx

sophiebssn said:

Hi everyone,

I've just posted in Rainbow Bridge about my darling girl Lola ( I don't know how to paste the link). I just have one question someone might be able to help with. We had to help her go in the end, she left comfortably in my arms . after about an hour of her leaving us, some blood and possibly a bit of fluid started leaking from her nose, does anyone have any idea of what this could be? If the info on the Rainbow Bridge post doesn't help enough, I can fill you in on her health problems some more. My poor girl xx

Re her boyfriend Stanley. Two days ago he had a vet visit and had a catheterisation and his bladder flushed as it was completely full of sludge! HE only needed a sedation, no GA.
He's always been picky, so i just knew he wouldn't eat must when he got home. He is on metaclopramide (1ml 3X daily), however he is the jumpiest bunny and also aggressive when he wants to be (which seems to be a lot lately - probably because of Lola related incidents). Anyway Im finding it REALLY difficult to syringe feed his medicine, I think he probably got maybe 0.5ml of it yesterday, he gets SO stressed and his breathing goes all crazy and loud. He's not really eating though, he is eating a little, but not enough. He's also not drinking hardly any water at all - he's never drank a lot but he's handling touching it. I'm so worried. He's still hopping about like himself, albeit a bit reserved and sheepish sometimes.

The vet said he doesn't need painkillers, but Im worried he's a bit uncomfortable. But then how would I get the painkillers into him? Its almost impossible, and I've been syringe feeding Lola for a while so I've done it before. I've also syringe fed him before, but he was feeling much more poory and wasn't as resistant.

also when I picked him up, it was a night vet who did the collection as he had his procedure quite late, so i never got to talk to them about diet. Can anyone help with diet related info i.e. what not to feed, what to feed. He usuallyy has a small amount of pellets, and veg which is usually one of broccoli, cabbage, or carrot. He seems to have gone off his hay recently. The water in our area is also very hard and full of limescale, which I assume doesn't help. Would a water filter help or should I just be giving him bottled water? He's also so aggressive, I think because of stress of the Lola situation, but I don't know what to do. My poor boy.

Sorry this is a ramble! Any help appreciated xxxx

Sophie

Click to expand...

I'm so sorry you're having to go through all this, Sophie

Did you ask your vet the questions about what happened to Lola after she passed? They might be in a better position to advise than any of us.

Regarding diet - as Nickybunny has said, there's a new thread begun about sources of calcium etc. The main one being the water. I believe SarahP identified a good bottled water that was low calcium. I can't remember the name, but she would tell you if you sent her a PM

Veggies don't really have enough calcium to matter much whatever you feed, but pellets do. Also, veggies and fresh grass are full of helpful moisture, whereas hay and pellets have very little water, and so are of less use to a sludgy rabbit.

In my experience (over 12 years) the only real way to take the calcium out of water is to use a reverse osmosis filter.

Good luck xx