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Weight Loss

Skye

Young Bun
My bunny Skye has lost quite a lot of weight over the past few weeks, she just looks like skin and bones. I'm not to sure why, she is still eating well and the food is passing through fine. She is 5 and a half now and has never been a big rabbit, she is a english spot. I took her to the vets yesterday, but couldn't see my normal vet as she was off sick, the vet I saw wasn't very informative said it could be her liver or kidneys and that she wasn't absorbing her food proberly, ans once a rabbits liver or kidneys go theres not much you can do but as she is still eating and is quite fine apart from being skinny then just to leave her be! Well now I'm worried sick that there could be something really serious with her and I just don't know what to do, does anyone have any advice? Or any ideas to what could be wrong? I'll be going back to see my vet when she comes back from being off ill.
 
Hello

Is your Bunny drinking and weeing more than usual?
Is she spayed?
Did the Vet suggest running a blood test on her which would check the function of her Liver and Kidneys?

Has she ever had an episode of 'Snuffles' in her lifetime? If so and it was caused by Pasteurella then a chronic but so far asymptomatic flare up may be going on.

IF she has kidney failure (not uncommon in older Rabbits) then although there is not a cure the Bun can be made to 'feel better' with treatment including anabolic steroid and multivitimin injections.

If she is an outdoor Bunny it might be a good idea to bring her indoors. She will be using up lots of calories keeping warm outdoors.You could also gradually introduce a small portion of Whole Porridge Oats into her diet. Very useful for fattening a skinny bunny up.

If she were my Bunny I think I'd request a blood test in the first instance

Janex
 
Thanks for the reply, Skye is drinking fine and eating fine, no loss of appetite at all. She has never been spayed, the vet said we could run a blood test but didn't see the need to at the moment ( i'm not very happy with the vet but preffered to leave it untill my own vet came back!).

She has never had snuffles but has had teeth problems (her teeth were checked and were fine), and also had problems with a hairball a few years ago where she lost loads of weight.

I think I'll introduce some porridge oats to her diet and will definatly be requesting a blood test.

Thanks Karen
 
As she has not been spayed I'd also ask for a Chest X-ray

Unfortunately entire Does over the age of 3 have an 80% chance of a Uterine Cancer. This is often asymptomatic until weight loss and lung metastisis occur

Janex
 
Thanks, yeah i was thinking about uterine cancer aswell, I know all about the dangers of not having them spayed now, but when I got her I never knew any of that. My vet still isn't back yet should be back in the next few days, so i'll take her back and get a blood test and chest x-ray done. Thanks again.
 
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