tlcwrites
Mama Doe
We haven't had Archimedes all that long. And, in many ways, out of my 5, he's the one I know the least about by some considerable distance. Athena and Apollo are both young rescue rabbits, and all of Athena's medical "history" has been with me. Elphie and Galinda (Artie's wives) are both lively 5 year olds who have been with me from about 10 weeks old.
Artie, meanwhile, was adopted as an adult. The rescue was informed that he's 2.5 years old. He had/has slight lameness in his rear left leg - but that is already much, MUCH improved since he has been home with us. His leg is nothing like it was when we first met him. He was a fast turnaround for them because they wanted him homed with other rabbits asap as they didn't think he'd thrive in a rescue scenario. They neutered and vaccinated him before he left though.
However, it's his weight/appearance that's worrying me. He doesn't feel or look like a 2.5 year old buck. I'm struggling to get weight on him - he feels like he's losing weight, not gaining it, in spite of being comparatively skinny since we got him from the rescue. His body shape is improved - I think thanks to his leg being better and being able to exercise properly. He eats like a trooper though - without fail, he's always first in the hay. Even when his girls are finished eating, he'll still be going around and eating the rest at breakfast and dinner. Yesterday he had a bit of a mucky bottom. He just looks like a little, elderly man, not a comparative youngster. He makes Elphie and Galinda look like teenagers.
I can't get him to a vet today. I can't drive and all the vets that are open are too far away (and too stressful) to take 3 rabbits to. The emergency vet for our practice is 10 miles away as opposed to up the road (where we'd ordinarily see them) too.
We're taking one of the cats tomorrow for a sedation/biopsy, but I'm going to try and get them to fit Artie in too. I just hate feeling out of control.
Artie, meanwhile, was adopted as an adult. The rescue was informed that he's 2.5 years old. He had/has slight lameness in his rear left leg - but that is already much, MUCH improved since he has been home with us. His leg is nothing like it was when we first met him. He was a fast turnaround for them because they wanted him homed with other rabbits asap as they didn't think he'd thrive in a rescue scenario. They neutered and vaccinated him before he left though.
However, it's his weight/appearance that's worrying me. He doesn't feel or look like a 2.5 year old buck. I'm struggling to get weight on him - he feels like he's losing weight, not gaining it, in spite of being comparatively skinny since we got him from the rescue. His body shape is improved - I think thanks to his leg being better and being able to exercise properly. He eats like a trooper though - without fail, he's always first in the hay. Even when his girls are finished eating, he'll still be going around and eating the rest at breakfast and dinner. Yesterday he had a bit of a mucky bottom. He just looks like a little, elderly man, not a comparative youngster. He makes Elphie and Galinda look like teenagers.
I can't get him to a vet today. I can't drive and all the vets that are open are too far away (and too stressful) to take 3 rabbits to. The emergency vet for our practice is 10 miles away as opposed to up the road (where we'd ordinarily see them) too.
We're taking one of the cats tomorrow for a sedation/biopsy, but I'm going to try and get them to fit Artie in too. I just hate feeling out of control.
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