After anesthetic?

So a follow up to the thread 'Bunny injury advice'.
Peanut got through the anesthetic yesterday and there are a couple of things today I'm a little concerned about so just wanted some thoughts.
Every so often Peanut's jaw and lower face trembles. She looks confused by this and will lick or move her head to stop it. Just wondered if this was a side effect of the Metacam or anything?
Also, the vet mentioned yesterday that she has bruising behind one eye which has caused it to bulge. They said it should settle down a bit and if she doesn't close it to get some lubricant from them. She has had it closed most of today and I've opened it to have a look. It still looks slightly bulged and pink. I'm taking her back for a post-op check up tomorrow. Is there anything I should ask for to make this more comfortable for her?
Peanut hasn't eaten a great deal but is licking at the blended up vegetables, banana and baby food I've been giving her.
Other than these issues, she seems to have come round from it well Just some advice if anyone could offer it, please? Thank you in advance!

Maddie220790 said:

So a follow up to the thread 'Bunny injury advice'.
Peanut got through the anesthetic yesterday and there are a couple of things today I'm a little concerned about so just wanted some thoughts.
Every so often Peanut's jaw and lower face trembles. She looks confused by this and will lick or move her head to stop it. Just wondered if this was a side effect of the Metacam or anything?
Also, the vet mentioned yesterday that she has bruising behind one eye which has caused it to bulge. They said it should settle down a bit and if she doesn't close it to get some lubricant from them. She has had it closed most of today and I've opened it to have a look. It still looks slightly bulged and pink. I'm taking her back for a post-op check up tomorrow. Is there anything I should ask for to make this more comfortable for her?
Peanut hasn't eaten a great deal but is licking at the blended up vegetables, banana and baby food I've been giving her.
Other than these issues, she seems to have come round from it well Just some advice if anyone could offer it, please? Thank you in advance!

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Maddie, I'm sorry I missed this, and that no one has got back to you.

Have you had your follow up vet visit for today? It's really early days considering what she's been through .. it sounds like the both of you are doing really well.

Can you update me on what the vet says today? Thinking of you xx

Hi Maddie, sorry to hear your bunny has a fractured jaw. I hope all went well with the post-op check.

So since the check up, Peanut's third eyelid is hugely swollen. It's protruding and is very pink and hard. The vet has given her some eye drops, eye lubricant and antibiotics. She said that if that doesn't make any difference there's nothing else they can do for her but she's eating and going to the toilet so the rest of her is fine. I'm not going to take her back anymore if they recommend putting her to sleep as she seems to be managing it but what I don't understand is that it came up a week after the accident. The vet has said it might be bruising or bleeding behind the eye but wouldn't that have come up straight away or in the first couple of days at least? Is it more likely to be an infection maybe? Any help much appreciated!

Where about are you from Maddie? Someone maybe able to recommend a rabbit savvy vet in your area so you can go and get a second opinion.

Maddie220790 said:

So since the check up, Peanut's third eyelid is hugely swollen. It's protruding and is very pink and hard. The vet has given her some eye drops, eye lubricant and antibiotics. She said that if that doesn't make any difference there's nothing else they can do for her but she's eating and going to the toilet so the rest of her is fine. I'm not going to take her back anymore if they recommend putting her to sleep as she seems to be managing it but what I don't understand is that it came up a week after the accident. The vet has said it might be bruising or bleeding behind the eye but wouldn't that have come up straight away or in the first couple of days at least? Is it more likely to be an infection maybe? Any help much appreciated!

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What antibiotics is she on? It could be a prolapsed tear duct, or something called 'Cherry Eye'.

There is some info here - have a look and see if anything sounds helpful:

http://www.justanswer.com/pet/0kgsr-rabbit-appears-cherry-eye-went.html

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Disorder/Harder/Harders_en.htm

http://www.binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/143085/Default.aspx

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2008/12/rabbit-eye-problem-5.htm

I do agree though that you should get some expert advice on this. It needs a proper diagnosis and treatment.

MummyBunnyEm said:

Where about are you from Maddie? Someone maybe able to recommend a rabbit savvy vet in your area so you can go and get a second opinion.

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Em has given you good advice here, I think it's rather premature for the Vet who carried out the GA etc to state that there is 'nothing more she can do'.

It is possible that there is some infection behind the eye, potentially a retrobulbar abscess. But a large haematoma is possible too, as your current Vet mentioned. This could take some time to disperse. Your Rabbit is still so young and it is possible that her jaw injuries may heal themselves. But sometimes it can be necessary for surgery to wire the jaw.

Is Peanut insured? I ask as if so then maybe now would be a good time to request a referral to a Specialist Vet. Of course this can prove to be costly and if Peanut is not insured I completely understand how a Specialist Referral may not be an option. Not many of us have a bottomless pit of spare funds.

Alternatively if you can state your approximate geographical location someone on here may be able to recommend the Vet they use and you could take your Rabbit there for a Second Opinion. If you do that it is common courtesy to inform the 2nd Vet that you are seeking a second opinion and give him/her details of your original Vet. The 2nd Vet is obliged to contact the initial Vet to request Peanut's clinical records are forwarded and to adhere to the Veterinary Professions expected code of conduct when seeing a client who's Pet is already under the care of a fellow Professional.

I do hope that Peanut will eventually make a good recovery x

Thank you all for your replies! In answer to a few questions, I am in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. There have been two places recommended to me but neither of which I can get to as I don't drive and they aren't on a bus route. Also, Peanut is not insured.

She doesn't seem to be in pain from the eye and she lets me touch it to have a look and put eye drops in. She is on Baytril and Isathal for her eye drops if that helps.

I'm not going to take her back unless it appears to get worse or she is in lots of pain because I agree that she is too young and is progressing well in other areas to have her PTS.

Maddie220790 said:

Thank you all for your replies! In answer to a few questions, I am in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. There have been two places recommended to me but neither of which I can get to as I don't drive and they aren't on a bus route. Also, Peanut is not insured.

She doesn't seem to be in pain from the eye and she lets me touch it to have a look and put eye drops in. She is on Baytril and Isathal for her eye drops if that helps.

I'm not going to take her back unless it appears to get worse or she is in lots of pain because I agree that she is too young and is progressing well in other areas to have her PTS.

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I think given all the circumstances, a 'watch and wait' approach is a good idea. If things don't improve, you can reassess. Especially if they were to get any worse then you can think about what to do next.

How is Peanut today?

She's much the same. Getting a bit grumpy with me giving her syringe medicine now!
The eye still looks about the same though :/
She also has what seems to be an uncontrollable mouth twitch which looks like it confuses her! Vet said this could be a trapped nerve or maybe a reaction to medicine? It stops when she moves her mouth but looks like it annoys her!

Hmmm it's odd. I still think it would be a good idea for her to see another vet, something more sinister could be going on that you don't know about. Rabbits hide pain really well.

Maddie220790 said:

She's much the same. Getting a bit grumpy with me giving her syringe medicine now!
The eye still looks about the same though :/
She also has what seems to be an uncontrollable mouth twitch which looks like it confuses her! Vet said this could be a trapped nerve or maybe a reaction to medicine? It stops when she moves her mouth but looks like it annoys her!

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I would think it's a nerve issue rather than medication. Or perhaps because of the state of her jaw, it moves in directions she can't control, and that irritates her. Poor love!

Maddie220790 said:

She's much the same. Getting a bit grumpy with me giving her syringe medicine now!
The eye still looks about the same though :/
She also has what seems to be an uncontrollable mouth twitch which looks like it confuses her! Vet said this could be a trapped nerve or maybe a reaction to medicine? It stops when she moves her mouth but looks like it annoys her!

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It could be because the fracture is unstable.

Yes, think it might be nerve. Vet said her jaw was fairly stable and she's been eating well lately
Will have to contact them again soon to try and get some more Metacam. Are they likely because they said they can't do any more for her to give me anymore? I mean, they wouldn't refuse on that basis would they? :/ worried in case they try to put her to sleep because there's no way she needs that at the moment.

Maddie220790 said:

Yes, think it might be nerve. Vet said her jaw was fairly stable and she's been eating well lately
Will have to contact them again soon to try and get some more Metacam. Are they likely because they said they can't do any more for her to give me anymore? I mean, they wouldn't refuse on that basis would they? :/ worried in case they try to put her to sleep because there's no way she needs that at the moment.

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I thought it might be the nerve. When a bone is broken, it's often the nerves that are affected, sometimes in unexpected ways.

I should ring your vet and ask in a matter of fact way, for a prescription for Metacam. It's much cheaper to buy it online than in the vet's surgery. It's your decision whether to PTS, and if she has a quality of life and you and her are fighting together at the moment, he will take all that into account.

Many owners wouldn't want the trouble of caring for a sick rabbit. You are not one of them, or you wouldn't be here :wave:

Awh, no, I honestly would care for her for the rest of her hopefully long life if I had to! She's brought me so many smiles and I love her to bits!

One question about the eye; I don't know if anyone has come across this cherry eye or protruding eyelid before but it seems to sometimes go hard and like crust over. If I wash it though the crust comes away. I'm fairly sure it's the eye drops setting hard on it but just want to make sure I'm okay to wash it and it isn't meant to be left like that?
I will get in contact with the vet again. Just scared at the moment after what they said last time!

Ohhhh Maddie I'm so sorry to hear your bunny is unwell. petra fractured her jaw last summer after a fight with a plant (she lost!) so i know how lonnnnggggg the process of recovery is. One thing i found a saviour though was oxbow and the small syringes in the side of her mouth (obviously providing that the fracture isn't there) How much medication is she on? X

Maddie220790 said:

Awh, no, I honestly would care for her for the rest of her hopefully long life if I had to! She's brought me so many smiles and I love her to bits!

One question about the eye; I don't know if anyone has come across this cherry eye or protruding eyelid before but it seems to sometimes go hard and like crust over. If I wash it though the crust comes away. I'm fairly sure it's the eye drops setting hard on it but just want to make sure I'm okay to wash it and it isn't meant to be left like that?
I will get in contact with the vet again. Just scared at the moment after what they said last time!

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I think you're right - either that or it's discharge from the eye mixing with the drops and causing the film. If you gently wash it away and it doesn't look angry or irritated, I'm sure you're doing the right thing.

Yes, make sure you have confidence when you talk with your vet, and stand up for what you know to be the right thing at the moment.

Good luck

She is on quite a lot of medication. She has Loxicom 0.8ml in the morning. Baytril 0.38ml twice a day. The eye lubricant and some eye drops twice a day!