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IV Drip in Rabbits

R

rebeccaemms

Warren Scout
Hi Everyone

My rabbit has been pretty ill for the last two days - I took her to the vet on Wednesday because she was straining to urinate and just generally looking a bit unwell and the vet gave her some shots and gave me some baytril to give her twice a day. On Thursday morning she was really cold and limp in my arms so I rushed her to the vets again and they told me she was not at all well, severely dehydrated and would need to be connected to an iv where they would get some fluids into her, she stayed there until this evening when they told me I could pick her up and since I've brought her home she has absolutely no interest in food or drink and is barely moving - when she does move she cannot put any weight on her front paw where the drip was and it's almost as if this paw is broken. Has anyone any experience of their rabbits having been on an iv drip and whether this is common - I'm starting to worry now that it's not the drip at all and that she has fallen somehow. I just wish I could get her to eat something which would make me feel a little better.

Any help you could give would be appreciated,
Rebecca xxx
 
Heya

Ozzy has been on an IV before when he was severely underweight for 24hours. I think he was normal when he came back from his and seemed to be able to use his paws fine and was ok in himself. He was really ill at this point though so wasn't really hyper but he wasn't too quiet and I'm sure he was eating and drinking ok.

I don't know if I've helped at all but I hope your bun is feeling lots better soon.

XxX
 
The vet told me it had gone in the foot and she has a shaved patch about halfway up her leg. I'm so worried. The vet gave me some powdered foot to make up with water and to 'force feed' her through a syringe but she won't even take that she just lets it sit in her mouth and it drips out. I'm not sure if she's actually doing worse now that she's home because the vet said she was taking the syringe fed food earlier.
 
Will she eat anything at all by herself? Will she drink by herself?

When you syringe it in you need to make sure it is syringed into the corner of her mouth and it should go down, Ozzy didn't want his but it did go down.

Does your Vet have an out of hours number just to ring up and see what he/she says?

I really hope she's feeling better soon!

*hugs*

XxX
 
IV's usually go in an ear vein in Rabbits :? I would check with the Vet who treated your Bun.
Is your Bun on any pain relief?
Did the Vet test a urine specimen for infection or was cystitis just assumed on clinical symptoms?
Did the Vet rule out bladder sludge/stones as the cause of her dysuria (difficulty weeing) ?

If your Bun is not eating and appears depressed I think you need to contact your Vet again tonight. Your Bun may need additional medication (pain relief and gut motility stimulant). She will also require syringe feeding if she is not eating for herself.
I really hope she feels better soon

Janex
 
No she won't eat anything by herself - we've given her rabbit pellets, celery and dandelions and she won't touch them she won't drink at all and she won't take the syringe-feed food - I am squirting it in sideways but she just lets it fall from her mouth/ stay there and won't swallow at all.
 
She hasn't been prescribed any pain relief and the vet didn't say why the iv had gone in her leg but I didn't think it unusual as I just didn't know.

The vet did test a urine specimen using a kind-of pH type paper test and there was nothing too abnormal - a slight amount of calcium in the urine but nothing too worrying which was why baytril was prescribed to handle the infection.

She is not responding to the syringe feeding at all and refuses to swallow she would rather it run back down her chin than swallow any of it.
 
I think you should phone up the vet and explain that she isn't drinking/eating and also won't accept syringe feeding. You don't want her to become dehydrated again :(.

Let us know how she gets on.

*hugs*

XxX
 
Hi
Unfortunately she is no better - I have stayed up all night with her and have tried to force-feed every 2 hours and she is still the same - refusing to take even a mouthful. Her fur around her mouth and chin is saturated with food and she looks no better. Her leg is still unusable. 2 hours til my doctors appointment.
 
Poor Bunny :cry:

I really hope your Vet can help her. I feel sure some pain relief would be a good place to start. Please let us know how you get on

Janex
 
Just to let you all know that thirty minutes ago Twinkle was put to sleep at the vets. As she was not responding to medication and not eating or drinking, her temperature was barely registering on the thermometer and she was lifeless. The vet said that the damaged paw looked like nerve damage from a minor fall and the iv in her leg would have added to that. She is now at peace. I have brought her home and have left her body out in the run with Benjamin her bonded partner so he can see what has happened to her - he seems disinterested and hasn't gone anywhere near her yet - how long do you think I should leave her with him as my hubby is keen to bury her soon and give her a fitting send-off.

Rebecca
 
I am so sorry to hear this. Please get a new rehome rabbit for Twinkle partner, because a rabbit can lost his will to live due to the loss of a companion.
 
I'm not sure if it's too soon but hubby has already suggested that we go round some of the rescues this afternoon and start looking for a new partner for Benjamin - he was the happiest bunny in the world when he was with her and I'm not sure that he would cope being a single rabbit. Do you think it's too soon to start looking and start a new bonding process within the next week?
 
Not at all, the digging of a new rabbit should begin as soon as possible. It also re-fill the missing energy in your house. Further, it takes time to dig out a new rabbit that is tame.

You pretty much has to find one that is similar to the character of Twinkle, preferably a tame one, so the new female get along with Benjamin.

If Benjamin is over 2 yr. old, I would get a rehome rabbit that is over 2 yr. old, because any rabbit under 2 yr. old is still immature and growing. A 2 yr. and older rabbit is tamer and settle down more.

Hold the new rehome rabbit around your body, with your hand supporting her feet. If she's tame, she would like you hold her for a while. That's the test I use at the breeder's place many years ago.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this about your bun.

I think looking for a partner now is a good idea, benjamin will be lonely without twinkle and the sooner he has another companion the better.

Once again so sorry

*hugs*

XxX
 
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