Morrigan1981
Mama Doe
Hi all
Apologies to you all in advance, as this could get long
A couple of weeks back I took Harley and Jen to my vet together so that Harley could have a check up proir to both buns having their vaccs. Specifically, I thought I had felt a lump under Harley's chin. I was convinced this might be related to dental problems. However, my vet checked Harley over and looked at his cheek teeth with an octoscope. He reported no serious problems and no spurs, but did say that Harley's back teeth were slightly misaligned and to try and up his hay intake. He felt the lump and said that it was soft, not attached to anything and therefore likely to be a lymph node or just fatty tissue. He weighed Harley and he was 2.4kg, just heavier than Jen. They are about the same size, so no probs there.
Harley was still getting weepy eyes, so the vet prescribed a repeat prescription of Fucithalmic.
I took both rabbits back on Thursday last week for their vaccs. I saw a different vet this time - this chap is also rabbit savvy, but I wanted a second opinion on Harley's health as I'm convinced that he feels thinner. This vet checked Harley over, checked his teeth again and reported exactly the same as the first vet - no major problems, just some misalignment. Nothing that would cause pain. He re-weighed Harley and this time he was 2.2kg, but the vet wasn't overtly concerned about this reduction, particularly as the rabbits are getting a lot of exercise with the new run in place. He checked the lump again and also said that it was nothing to be concerned about. He adminstered the myxi vaccs for both buns and said he would see me in two weeks for the VHD jab.
Neither rabbit had any obvious sign effects from the jabs, apart from Jen developing a small lump that disappeared with 48hrs. However, Harley *still* feels as though he's losing weight. He just feels more fragile than before. On Monday I weighed him on our bathroom scales - 2.1kg. I weighed him again tonight - 1.8kg. Even allowing for the difference in scales, I'm getting seriously worried now. But now two vets have said that Harley is healthy. The second vet said I just needed to realise that Harley is an old man and therefore frail :s
Harley eats plenty and always has a good appetite. I've explored the possibility that Jen might be eating more food and concluded that is unlikely. In fact, just from watching them feed I would suspect that Harley eats all of Jen's food (although her weight is very stable). He eats pellets, veg and dried grass with enthusiasm. He drinks quite a long during the night (when they only have hay, dried grass and pellets) but not an amount to alarm me and certainly no more than Jen.
I'm at a lost what to do. My gut instinct to get him back to a vet asap. However, I've already seen two vets and they both gave Harley a clean bill of health, obvious than his obvious disability. Should I take him to a different practice? I'm in Sheffield.
Why would Harley be losing weight when he is eating so much? He had a course of Pancur last November. Jen feels fit and healthy.
I don't know if I am being vigilant or just paranoid. I don't want to lose Harley or for him to suffer silently if something is wrong
Apologies to you all in advance, as this could get long
A couple of weeks back I took Harley and Jen to my vet together so that Harley could have a check up proir to both buns having their vaccs. Specifically, I thought I had felt a lump under Harley's chin. I was convinced this might be related to dental problems. However, my vet checked Harley over and looked at his cheek teeth with an octoscope. He reported no serious problems and no spurs, but did say that Harley's back teeth were slightly misaligned and to try and up his hay intake. He felt the lump and said that it was soft, not attached to anything and therefore likely to be a lymph node or just fatty tissue. He weighed Harley and he was 2.4kg, just heavier than Jen. They are about the same size, so no probs there.
Harley was still getting weepy eyes, so the vet prescribed a repeat prescription of Fucithalmic.
I took both rabbits back on Thursday last week for their vaccs. I saw a different vet this time - this chap is also rabbit savvy, but I wanted a second opinion on Harley's health as I'm convinced that he feels thinner. This vet checked Harley over, checked his teeth again and reported exactly the same as the first vet - no major problems, just some misalignment. Nothing that would cause pain. He re-weighed Harley and this time he was 2.2kg, but the vet wasn't overtly concerned about this reduction, particularly as the rabbits are getting a lot of exercise with the new run in place. He checked the lump again and also said that it was nothing to be concerned about. He adminstered the myxi vaccs for both buns and said he would see me in two weeks for the VHD jab.
Neither rabbit had any obvious sign effects from the jabs, apart from Jen developing a small lump that disappeared with 48hrs. However, Harley *still* feels as though he's losing weight. He just feels more fragile than before. On Monday I weighed him on our bathroom scales - 2.1kg. I weighed him again tonight - 1.8kg. Even allowing for the difference in scales, I'm getting seriously worried now. But now two vets have said that Harley is healthy. The second vet said I just needed to realise that Harley is an old man and therefore frail :s
Harley eats plenty and always has a good appetite. I've explored the possibility that Jen might be eating more food and concluded that is unlikely. In fact, just from watching them feed I would suspect that Harley eats all of Jen's food (although her weight is very stable). He eats pellets, veg and dried grass with enthusiasm. He drinks quite a long during the night (when they only have hay, dried grass and pellets) but not an amount to alarm me and certainly no more than Jen.
I'm at a lost what to do. My gut instinct to get him back to a vet asap. However, I've already seen two vets and they both gave Harley a clean bill of health, obvious than his obvious disability. Should I take him to a different practice? I'm in Sheffield.
Why would Harley be losing weight when he is eating so much? He had a course of Pancur last November. Jen feels fit and healthy.
I don't know if I am being vigilant or just paranoid. I don't want to lose Harley or for him to suffer silently if something is wrong