:wave: Thank you so much PL and Thumps. I will try to answer some of your questions.
My vet is quite happy for Floppy to be given meloxidyl as I think he needs it, and suggested a dose of 0.5ml (Floppy weighs almost 1.5kg now). She didn't think it would affect his tummy, but would have an affect on his liver. They have left it up to me how often he is given it and to give me prescriptions as and when I need them.
This is Floppy's first bloat
, but he has had excess caecs on and off since I got him back in June. He used to get them daily for almost 2 months, then stopped getting any for about 6 weeks, and is now back to getting them again after his bloat. They are not smelly, they are grapes, but in a blob like toothpaste. Most of his poos are fine. I had thought his tummy would go back to how it was before the bloat, but instead it is back to how it was months ago, although the number of caecs are decreasing now.
He gets no shop bought veg and no fruit. His supper is grass or various leaves that we have collected for him. He was eating loads of raspberry when he was coming out his bloat. If he is having meloxidyl he is allowed a little carrot (not the best for him I know). He gets so stressed with the syringe that I figure it might be better to have the carrot with the medicine on it.
I know his pellets need changing as his current ones are only 19% fibre. He is only on it because after trying a few, it was the one that caused the least problems for his tummy. I want to change to Bunny Basics or A&P, but am worried about upsetting his tummy just now.
He had no outside symptoms of the bloat. His tummy looked fine and he wasn't shifting position. He just suddenly appeared very unwell and wasn't moving around or eating.
The vet didn't recommend an op on his leg at this point, given his age as they said they would need to redo it when he was older. The problem with doing the op is that there is a very high chance that his leg bones would shatter, so he would be in a worse position than he is just now.
I think after any vet visits in the future he will need a decent dose of meloxidyl and maybe some zantac.
Floppy is having a serious moult just now, so don't know if that contributed. He is inside during the night, but he was going out to play during the day. Since he has been ill, he has been playing inside since it has been so cold out. To be honest I think I seems to enjoy inside more. He seems much more relaxed.