Aaah the all too familiar problem..Bif and Oscar got it terrible last year..we had a load of problems and workmen setting the porch for my daughters electric wheelchair to rights..we lost my daughters cat and then my dad so oscar became ill then on and off and dental probs too increased..we got him Bif from a re scue and they were fine but got ill like i said with all the hassle going on..then one day a whole load of folks coming in to try and sort out my daughters dla appeal..it gave both buns terrible upset tums and by tea time oscar was acting very odd..i rushed him to the vets in the morning the emrgecny one as i discovered he wasnt eating and pooing..but bif was still trying to eat and pooing bits..we lost oscar the early hours 48hrs later..bif survived.
But shes had this since then..the first vets told me it was like they told you..then they told me there was a mass and it was most likely cancer..but the bun vet left and the others took over..they did one xray from one angle..never checked her teeth under the GA took no bloods or poo samples.then said theyd have to ultrasound her whilst awake for an hour and 2 nurses would hold her down :shock: and she woldnt be sedated!
i tried everything..avipro in the water..syringeing of bio lapis for a week solid..sprinkling bio lpais ont he food..cutting out greens fruit etc..increasing greens hoping shed poo normally..nope it was hel..i reduced the maount of pellets and increased thehay but she got worse..they then said she needed a dental..she picked up byut after a week her mouth was a problem again..all this time shed back and forth for metaclompromide jabs etc..
Then they said she was in pain and when she stopped eating wanting to live it was time to let her go..
i demanded a second opinion with an e xotic vet and he said a whole batch of tests shouldve been done and if the ultrasound was needed then it would be done under sedation. Bifs cecum was always full so was her tummy but no sign of blockage or impaction just horrendous GI stasis.
i then saw the vets wife..a vet nearer me..she was fantastic..turned out Bifs lump had gone down..and she sent her for a dental as the last vets had either burred wrong side or not doneit! And the other side was full of small sharp ones too. she took a poo sample there n then one of normal poos one of a squishy one which she did with friht on the table!
Under the Ga she had her dental..2 levels xrays..and bloodworks..
she had dental probs alright but no soft tissue damage thankfully just a bit asore and red..her tummy is fine.the cecum had moved a little and there were normal poos lined up in her tummy tocome out.
i did as i was advised..changed her diet as son as i got the pellets in which was a week ago..but in the meantime i offerred pellets at a small amount twice a day..and i inntroduced greens very slowly again..and for 2 days bif was given this paste..carrot flavoured..its caled PROTEXIN FIBREPLEX not cheap but it did the trick..now shes the master of heaps of proper poo!! still the squishy ones but not as much
im feeding a mix right now of pellets as i want to change right across as i swear the allen and page ones have helped her n bertie his poos are bigger again too.
The vet said Bif was suffering SEVERE TRAUMATISATION egun by losing her love of her life..then our house getting floded and the ensuing and ongoing misery of it..and my mum who needs counselling after we lost my dad last year..ive had help..she wont go and its stressing us all out so i baned her for a week tillb if had improved and if she starts now i tell her to go home..im not losing bif like i did my oscar..and she rushes home..mean but necessary.
so in answer to your questions..
1:definatley allen and page natural rabbit with a sprinkle of science selective..( the one from bunny basics didnt do the trick and she only eats it after a dental!)
2
efinately timothy ay second cut..its softer and is a food supplement so if they dont eat much pelelts its a good feed substitue..my vet advised i keep on with it as they like it. But bif also likes to nibble barley straw from time to time..and of course dried herbs.etc
3; yes de stress yourself and your household..bar folks who are bringing in lots of negativity..if an outside bun make sure its not harrassment from next dors pets or kids etc..keep to a routine as much as you can and keep things as normal as you can..i only hoover once a week now as shes terrified of the hoover..i sweep with a rubber broom daly..gets the fur and hay!
And get to see a vet who undertsnads buns!
way to tell..walk into vets..hello do you sell protexin bio lpais..protexin fibreplex excel forage? nope..good day! the bun vets ive seen have this as the norm in their surgeries for buns and piggies..thats a good tip..ring a vets surgery and ask if they keep it..thats a tip i d pas son to everyone!
shes getting better is bif..lots of squishy poo probs but not as bad and her tmmy is starting to settle a bit fingers crossed..no swelling whatsoever..the vet said it was inflammation of her guts..sometimes turns to an ulcer can cause death i guess in some buns.
Odd thing is her bloodwork revealed her liver had mildly elevated liver fats..probably from drawing so much blood..they shavedher neck and drew it from 3 diferent places in it! And she showed 10% positive for EC!!
vets need a lesson from vets likeher!
BTW i have a localish farm that ordered in the allen and page for me and the delivery lady charged me a quid for delivery! But someone onhere found somehwere reasonable that sells it online and delivers..
http://www.bunnybasics.net/bunny-ba....html?osCsid=32ed2e3f035ccb5d1f7a77210a182a2f
http://www.bunnybasics.net/supreme®....html?osCsid=32ed2e3f035ccb5d1f7a77210a182a2f
http://www.gjwtitmussshop.co.uk/acatalog/RABBIT_PELLETS.html
http://www.petvetcare.co.uk/acatalog/Small_Animals_Pets.html
http://www.vetscriptions.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?