Poorly bunny update

For those keeping an eye on the 'Poorly bunny' thread
We were back at the vet today, and managed to get a fresh urine sample. There'd been no change in Mary's condition/weight even on the antibiotics.
Apparently the dilution of urine was below normal which could be an indicator of kidney/organ failure. Everything else was normal, and the vet couldn't feel any abnormalities in the rest of him but said again his kidneys seem smaller than they should be.
We're giving Mary a course of Panacur and going back in a week to see if it's worth carrying on a 28 day course, incase it's not kidney failure (I suppose it's treating incase of EC? But the name of the thing the vet said didn't sound like EC, but I suppose I've never heard it's long name said outloud so may well have been!)
Forgot to ask the vet - I still have more Baytril (was enough for an 10 day course), should I be giving this with the Panacur too? I know you're not supposed to cut courses short as it builds up an immunity, but not sure if the two are OK together?

Hiya. Yes it is OK to give Baytil with Panacur. Has your Vet run a blood screening on Mary?? If not it might be a good idea to request one to get some idea of his renal function. The full name for EC is ENCEPHALITIZOON CUNICULI if that sounds like what your vet said!! The Panacur would be prescribed to treat suspected EC. Jane and Buns xx

He did try but couldn't get enough blood to run tests on.
Sounds kind of familiar but not 100% - he said it was something semi-common in buns so seems like it would be EC.

No improvement with Mary so far Infact I think he's going downhill. He had no interest in his veg last night - not sure if it's because it's not his normal stuff (he gets green cabbage and romaine lettuce, no carrot, kale, etc. which are his favourite) or whether he just has no interest in eating it.
I also put him out in the run - he normally scoffs down the grass as soon as his feet touch it but he just sat in the corner with no interest in his surroundings at all.
He's still quite active indoors - when I open the crate he hops out and runs out to the hallway like usual, and he still comes up to me to have his normal head scratches.
He's still eating pellets - not so keen on them soaked but pigs in when they're dry - I did mix some in with his veg last night and he did end up eating some more veg whiel rooting through for the pellets.
He takes his meds fine and I've been syringing him some water too - will have a go at liquidising some veg/pellets this evening to syringefeed so he gets more food/water inside him.
It's really upsetting to look at him and see him not acting himself. He's due to go back to the vet Friday but I'm going to make an appointment for tomorrow. Just feel helpless and don't know what to do - going to insist on them attempting to get more blood to test and also considering asking them to check his molars under GA - not sure if this would do more harm if it's his kidneys failing but I want to be sure it's not something as simple as a spur they couldn't spot when his molars were checked conciously.
I just want to do something to make him better - feel horrible watching him sit there staring into space and wondering if he's in pain.

Hi Karly. Oh poor bun and poor you. Is Mary drinking?? This is VERY important as if he is in renal failure and is weeing lots but not drinking much he will dehydrate very quickly and will become very poorly. To check how well hydrated he is gently pull up the skin along his spine. When you release it it should spring straight back down. If it only goes down slowly (tenting) then Mary is becoming dehydrated. From what you describe regarding his behaviour he is clearly depressed and I wonder if he should perhaps be seen by a Vet TODAY?? As you know with Bunnies they go downhill so fast and if you have noticed deterioration then another 24 hours wait may be too long. I would not put him outside as he clearly isnt happy there and just keep him comfortable in surroundings he appears more content to be in. Hope that your poor boy improves very soon. Jane and Buns xx

He's still drinking - I've put bowls of water in as well as an auto-drinker bowl thing, and two bottles - he prefers drinking from the bottle whereas the others prefer the bowls so I'm fairly confident he's drinking enough as the water bottle is going down a fair bit.
He's active this morning and has been hopping between his wooden box and over to the litter tray sitting munching hay, I think as you said he wasn't happy to be outside hence the sitting there. He seems a bit perkier this morning and he's just hopped up to the door to see me while I'm getting his meds ready. He's had bouts of being himself (like hopping out to the hallway - something he's done all his life) and then not being himself (like not pigging into veg/grass) which makes it hard to tell how happy he is. He's still weeing and pooing, and eating hay and pellets but he normally loves veg and grass too.
His skin is still 'pinging' back down and his weight is around the same as it's been since we've been monitoring it (around 630-640g).

Managed to get some veg down him - was feeding it to him and the other two through the bars and he seemed more keen on it that way. I've set up the puppy pen so he can be seperate from the others for a little bit just to relax and get some of his porridge/veg/pellets without the others eating it first, without the freedom of my whole room to distract him.
His ears are pricking up at the sounds of the other buns so he's obviously aware of his surroundings, not feeling quite so distrought when I look at him as he's obviously not totally out of it.
Was wondering if there were any herbal remedies that would help if the diagnosis is kidney failure? I've heard dandelion is good? We get it growing in our garden so I can get hold of it and know it's not treated/weed on by dogs or anything.
I've seen at work 'mixed vegetable' tables for kidney and bladder problems in dogs - the ingredients are parsley, watercress, celery seed, horseradish and celery plant - would any of these be suitable? Obviously have to balance any kind of positive effect they might have with negative ones from calcium(/phosphate?) content.
A couple of people have suggested cranberries/cranberry juice. I've heard of it for UTIs but is it any good for kidney problems too?
I just want to do something to help him :?

Cant offer any advice Karly, sorry, but hope Mary is better soonxx

Thanks.
He's having a munch at his veg/porridge, so think it will be a case of seperating him for a bit of time to himself every day. Hopefully won't cause the trio to unbond as they can still see/smell him (pen is set up about a foot away from their cage, and it's on 'their' territory anyway) but he's eating slower than normal so the other two would gobble down the food before Mary would have a chance.

I do hope bunny is feeling better soon, it is very worrying especially when you aren't sure what to do. Have just been through this with Pippa, it was the not knowing what to do that really got me, sadly she went to the Bridge yesterday. I hope the vet finds out what is wrong, I had blood tests + X-Rays which eventually showed us what the problem was. Take care of urself, it's so emotionally draining and a rollercoaster!!

Nicola

Yeah it's hard. I would love to find out it's just a spur that's not been noticed but he's had his teeth looked at 3 times and none of the vets could see anything.
If it is kidney failure I'd just like to know, and to know what kind of things I could do to make his life as long and comfortable as possible.
He's still making the odd squelching noises when he eats - he was doing it as I syringe-fed him too, so wondering if that's related (never heard it from him before). It's kind of a squelch mixed with a grunt, and only as he eats.
He seems to be straining - either to wee or poo (think it might be poo, as he widdled all over my mum about 5 minutes before :lol: ). Worried about stasis as his poo-size has been decreasing gradually. I'll mention it to the vet, may have to give him something to get his gut going better and I've started syringe-feeding so hopefully that will help.

Popped him in the pen again and he's munching away - bought some of the veg/fruit on the poor calcium provider list and he's had a little of each (most he's had before and he's been fine with them, don't want to upset his tum so I've stuck to little amounts and added some probiotic powder on top)
He seems to not want to eat long strands of stuff - he'll munch away and stop and drop the rest and then searches the bowl for something else. I don't know whether he just doesn't like the taste of it, or if it is tooth-related and it's hurting him. Will definately bring it up at the vets today though.
I've given him some dilute cranberry juice - I've found sites suggesting cranberry to rabbits so figured a small amount wouldn't harm in his water, and he seems to like the taste so if it encourages him to drink more it's even better.

Another update!
Vet looked at his teeth again. No problem spur-wise but the rest of his teeth are quite slanted. He's staying there overnight and having them rasped down tomorrow morning, incase that's the reason he's reluctant to eat.
One of my ratties is poorly and is staying too - the lump I was hoping was just an abcess turned out to be a tumour (I had a feeling it might've been, her sister has had one too), so that's being removed tomorrow. I'm glad payday is Friday!