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EC again

Jemima

Jemima

Alpha Buck
Bramble has just had his third relapse from EC [emoji22]. He recovered well from the 2 previous episodes with just a little hind leg weakness which didn’t stop him binkying and he always had lots of fight even when he couldn’t move his hind legs at all. This time his back legs have given in completely and he is Incontinent. There has been no improvement over the at 3 months. I put him out in the garden early morning when it’s cooler and he usually enjoyed it but for the last couple of mornings he has just crawled under a planter and stayed there. His legs are becoming more twisted.

I really thought the spark had gone out of his eyes until I put some veg in front of him and he perked up. He spends the rest of the day laying on his vet bed though.

I don’t know what to do for the best. Is there anything else I can do to improve his life? He’s inside with his mate, Peanut, and still grooms him. He’s on puppy pads and vet bed with foam tiles all around. He doesn’t like being propped up with rolled towels and is on 0.3 of Metacam twice daily. Is it his time or is the heat making him worse? I so wish they could tell us how they feel.


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Heat must certainly be attributing, especially in a bun with compromised mobility as they cannot adjust themselves as easily to get comfortable.

Only you can really answer your question, he's your bunny and you know him, but I'm thinking of you both x
 
Thank you. I should be used to this but I’ve always known the right time to let them go in the past. Perhaps that means it’s not the right time yet so will just keep him as comfortable as possible until we get some cooler weather and see if he picks up at all.


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I think only you will know when it’s best to let him go, as hard as it is :cry: Sending lots of vibes for Bramble, and hugs for you xx
 
I would put him back on the panacur, as well as the metacam.
Has he had another vet check? There may be something else going on as well, eg UTI.
 
Shimmer said:
I would put him back on the panacur, as well as the metacam.
Has he had another vet check? There may be something else going on as well, eg UTI.
Click to expand...

I agree that another Vet check would be advisable if he has not been examined recently. Rabbits who are very imobile are prone to developing bladder sludge ( a build up of calcium deposits in the bladder). This can lead to incontinence, cystitis and UTIs.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/further-reading/urolithiasis/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/generalities/Sludge.htm

I am sure that you are aware of the importance of being ultra vigilant re flystrike. An immobile incontinent Rabbit will be a very high risk

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/flystrike/

This site may be useful to take a look at

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/
 
Jemima said:
Bramble has just had his third relapse from EC [emoji22]. He recovered well from the 2 previous episodes with just a little hind leg weakness which didn’t stop him binkying and he always had lots of fight even when he couldn’t move his hind legs at all. This time his back legs have given in completely and he is Incontinent. There has been no improvement over the at 3 months. I put him out in the garden early morning when it’s cooler and he usually enjoyed it but for the last couple of mornings he has just crawled under a planter and stayed there. His legs are becoming more twisted.

I really thought the spark had gone out of his eyes until I put some veg in front of him and he perked up. He spends the rest of the day laying on his vet bed though.

I don’t know what to do for the best. Is there anything else I can do to improve his life? He’s inside with his mate, Peanut, and still grooms him. He’s on puppy pads and vet bed with foam tiles all around. He doesn’t like being propped up with rolled towels and is on 0.3 of Metacam twice daily. Is it his time or is the heat making him worse? I so wish they could tell us how they feel.


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Click to expand...


Oh gracious I'm really sorry to hear this :(

It's hard to tell in this heat what's actually affecting your rabbit. Certainly the heat is making them feel more lethargic than they would be.

I think only you can say what you feel about his quality of life and whether you should go on or not. I would be worried about flystrike in this weather and with an incontinent bun:

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/Flystrikedontgetcaughtout.pdf


As regards quality of life - I have had to make this decision regarding the mobility of a rabbit. It's so difficult
I wonder if anything here might help?

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-8/quality-of-life.html


http://rabbit.org/end-of-life/


http://www.disabledrabbits.com/quality-of-life.html


http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?270142-Quality-of-Life


Living day by day, having the Metacam, and just seeing how things are.
Hugs for you xx
 
Thank you everyone for your advice. Bramble is seeing the vet fortnightly - he didn’t feel he needed more Panacur as there was no sign of active disease but his Metacam dose was increased although I’m not sure it is making much difference.

I am majorly worried about fly strike which is why he came inside and they have a net over their run. He struggles to eat his caecotropes but does seem to lick them off the vetbed with lots of spreading and smearing. He gets his bum washed every evening but I do worry when I’m at work as I know how fast fly strike can happen.

This morning he couldn’t get upright but when I propped him up and gave him breakfast he polished it off with no problem., even pinching a bit of carrot off Peanut. Other than that, he stays in a small patch of the vetbed all day. Is that quality of life? I certainly wouldn’t want it but I’m not very energetic either in this heat. I’m hoping that the cooler weather forecast this weekend might help him.
 
MightyMax said:
Oh gracious I'm really sorry to hear this :(

It's hard to tell in this heat what's actually affecting your rabbit. Certainly the heat is making them feel more lethargic than they would be.

I think only you can say what you feel about his quality of life and whether you should go on or not. I would be worried about flystrike in this weather and with an incontinent bun:

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/Flystrikedontgetcaughtout.pdf


As regards quality of life - I have had to make this decision regarding the mobility of a rabbit. It's so difficult
I wonder if anything here might help?

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-8/quality-of-life.html


http://rabbit.org/end-of-life/


http://www.disabledrabbits.com/quality-of-life.html


http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?270142-Quality-of-Life


Living day by day, having the Metacam, and just seeing how things are.
Hugs for you xx
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links, I have already read the one from this site but will have a look through the others.


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Jack's-Jane said:
I agree that another Vet check would be advisable if he has not been examined recently. Rabbits who are very imobile are prone to developing bladder sludge ( a build up of calcium deposits in the bladder). This can lead to incontinence, cystitis and UTIs.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/further-reading/urolithiasis/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/generalities/Sludge.htm

I am sure that you are aware of the importance of being ultra vigilant re flystrike. An immobile incontinent Rabbit will be a very high risk

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/flystrike/

This site may be useful to take a look at

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane, I will mention sludge at the next vet visit just in case. I did read about expressing his bladder which could help keep him drier. Is this something you have ever done?

I’m on the disabled rabbits Facebook page which has been useful but I’ll have a look on the website too. Interestingly, he has never had any problems with head tilt, just his hind legs each time.


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Jemima said:
Thanks Jane, I will mention sludge at the next vet visit just in case. I did read about expressing his bladder which could help keep him drier. Is this something you have ever done?

I’m on the disabled rabbits Facebook page which has been useful but I’ll have a look on the website too. Interestingly, he has never had any problems with head tilt, just his hind legs each time.


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Click to expand...


I had a rabbit where I expressed the bladder to make sure there was no build up of sludge. I also gave fluids.
Your vet can show you how to do this, but you will have to be careful.

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00...iquesRabbit/ManualExpressionBladderRabbit.htm

There are also videos on YouTube.
 
MightyMax said:
When's your vet visit Jemima?
Click to expand...

Next vet visit is Tuesday afternoon.

It’s much cooler here this morning after the rain last night and Bramble and Peanut have been out in the garden since 8am. Bramble has travelled round the garden, been to visit his other friends in the run, and hasn’t stopped eating what’s left of the grass.

The spark is back [emoji3]


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Jemima said:
Next vet visit is Tuesday afternoon.

It’s much cooler here this morning after the rain last night and Bramble and Peanut have been out in the garden since 8am. Bramble has travelled round the garden, been to visit his other friends in the run, and hasn’t stopped eating what’s left of the grass.

The spark is back [emoji3]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

brilliant news x
 
Jemima said:
Next vet visit is Tuesday afternoon.

It’s much cooler here this morning after the rain last night and Bramble and Peanut have been out in the garden since 8am. Bramble has travelled round the garden, been to visit his other friends in the run, and hasn’t stopped eating what’s left of the grass.

The spark is back [emoji3]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Wonderful :D

This is a terrific update x
 
Thank you everyone for your help and advice but unfortunately Bramble started to fit on Saturday and was helped over Rainbow Bridge [emoji22].


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