InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
:lol:
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I think Odin's in stasis :-( UPDATE -his eye burst!!
- Thread starter dollyanna
- Start date
:lol:
HE'S EATING HAY! Not sure how much, but he is certainly eating stuff other than syringe food now, his poos are abut 3/4 normal size instead of half, much better shape, and the colour is almost the same as Freja now. I am finding piles next to the forage bowl, and next to the bowl of grass pellets (she doesn't bother with them), and then this morning after he molested me for 4.5 syringes again, took all his meds, got his ointment in his eye by myself, he settled into their house and as eating actual long strands of hay as I left!! So pleased.
The other notable thing was that as I went in I saw him looking at me and had to do a double take - there was no visible redness from a distance of a few feet with his eyes closed. Once open you can see the sore eyelid, but it is about half the size now, just still very red and sore. But definite improvement.
My only niggle is that he was a bit nasally with his breathing, but he has always done this from time to time if he's been digging around in the forage bowl, I think he inhales small bits that gets stuck in his nose, but I'll keep an eye on it. It certainly wasn't bothering him, he was so affectionate and cheeky.
Tomorrow I have my first injection to do, and have no help, so if anyone has any bright ideas that don't involve restraint then please share! I do everything with as much consent as possible, especially at the moment when stress is such an issue, I'm hoping he'll just let me sneak it in but I'm thinking maybe a smallish box that will stop him moving around without having to actually restrain him. I could paint some puree on the wall for him to lick.
We're likely to be doing that every other day for a while so I need it to be as easy for us both as possible!
The other notable thing was that as I went in I saw him looking at me and had to do a double take - there was no visible redness from a distance of a few feet with his eyes closed. Once open you can see the sore eyelid, but it is about half the size now, just still very red and sore. But definite improvement.
My only niggle is that he was a bit nasally with his breathing, but he has always done this from time to time if he's been digging around in the forage bowl, I think he inhales small bits that gets stuck in his nose, but I'll keep an eye on it. It certainly wasn't bothering him, he was so affectionate and cheeky.
Tomorrow I have my first injection to do, and have no help, so if anyone has any bright ideas that don't involve restraint then please share! I do everything with as much consent as possible, especially at the moment when stress is such an issue, I'm hoping he'll just let me sneak it in but I'm thinking maybe a smallish box that will stop him moving around without having to actually restrain him. I could paint some puree on the wall for him to lick.
We're likely to be doing that every other day for a while so I need it to be as easy for us both as possible!
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
The small box gets my vote. It is important that he doesn’t move about when the injection is given so it does not hit a vein or leak out of the skin. If it is a penicillin then he must not ingest any and if some got onto his fur and he hopped away he might lick it off before you get the chance to remove it.
keletkezes
Wise Old Thumper
Woohoo, hay eating 
I know what you mean about consent The box sounds like a really good idea TBH
I know what you mean about consent The box sounds like a really good idea TBH 
a reader of books
Warren Veteran
Well done, Odin! The smallish box with some food to distract him sounds like a good idea to me, too.
The smallish box with some food to distract him sounds like a good idea to me, too.Great, glad that is a good idea, I'll see what I can find. I do have a holder tomorrow as my parents are arriving, so if it's too much in the morning I can try again in the afternoon, and I have a neighbour who looks after them when we're away who has just offered to help if needed. I'll make sure he is clean afterwards too so no risk to Freja either. It is definitely penicillin. The one by mouth is marbocyl.
CarelessSquid07
Mama Doe
Fingers crossed the injection goes nice and smoothly.
So nice to hear he's starting to recover his appetite!
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
So nice to hear he's starting to recover his appetite!
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
Hope the injection goes well. Take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before you give it so it is not so cold when it is injected into him. Also, if you have been given pre drawn up syringes put a new needle on before injecting. The one used to draw up the dose or has been left on for some time is likely to be clogged up. So as you push the plunger down to inject the needle head can fly off and the dose goes all over Bunny.
I expect the Vet advised you about pulling the plunger back a bit once the needle has gone in and before actually giving the dose to make sure you have not hit a vein. If you hit a vein it will be evident on pulling back the plunger as blood will draw up into the syringe.
Well, I'm in the bad books today big time. Managed the injection in 2 halves, pretty horrible, he really doesn't have much skin and I struggled to get it in a bit, he moved and pulled it out halfway through. Made sure there was none on his coat though. He was really upset with me after that, wouldn't even take a bit of puree as a peace offering :-(
And then I managed to lock Freja out all day and him in, because I'd locked the catflap when she went out so that she wouldn't come back in and disturb us or he wouldn't escape before I'd had chance to do everything. So he is really subdued this evening, really hoping it is just that he's been on his own, and not that he's is getting worse again.
The eye looks better, he can completely close it and the 3rd eyelid is receding, if the scab would heal and drop off then it might be nearly normal. But I can get a good dollop of ointment on it easily enough. The eyeball still looks swollen/prominent compared to the other side but then I guess it will do until the abcess has completely cleared?
He was eating happily enough this morning, so hopefully he will have picked up later tonight - I couldn't get him to take all his emeprid earlier but he did have his metacam. Might just have been too early though to be fair, he won't eat at all until the evening even in normal times, neither of them do.
Feeling pretty down about it all today, I was at breaking point before this started and I am just about done in now. I am really worried about longterm injections, it made me feel sick doing it, but I don't think there is a better option - taking him to the vets every other day would just make it so much more stressful :-/
And then I managed to lock Freja out all day and him in, because I'd locked the catflap when she went out so that she wouldn't come back in and disturb us or he wouldn't escape before I'd had chance to do everything. So he is really subdued this evening, really hoping it is just that he's been on his own, and not that he's is getting worse again.
The eye looks better, he can completely close it and the 3rd eyelid is receding, if the scab would heal and drop off then it might be nearly normal. But I can get a good dollop of ointment on it easily enough. The eyeball still looks swollen/prominent compared to the other side but then I guess it will do until the abcess has completely cleared?
He was eating happily enough this morning, so hopefully he will have picked up later tonight - I couldn't get him to take all his emeprid earlier but he did have his metacam. Might just have been too early though to be fair, he won't eat at all until the evening even in normal times, neither of them do.
Feeling pretty down about it all today, I was at breaking point before this started and I am just about done in now. I am really worried about longterm injections, it made me feel sick doing it, but I don't think there is a better option - taking him to the vets every other day would just make it so much more stressful :-/
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
Injecting gets easier as you become more confident.
Was the penicillin very cold when you injected it ? I mentioned removing the dose from the fridge 10-15 minutes before administering it, but you can also warm it up a bit in your hands. If the dose is cold most Rabbits will react far more as it is injected under their skin than they will if it is a bit warmer. Also, what size needle are you using to inject ?IME Blue tops are best, the green tops are too wide and the orange tops too narrow meaning the dose often gets clogged in it and will not pass through.
If you could get your neighbour to help you when you do the injections, by keeping Odin still, it would probably be easier and a less stressful experience for you too.
If it is a retrobulbar abscess then if the penicillin is going to work it is likely to take many weeks of treatment. So the fact that his eyeball is still protruding at the moment is not really surprising .
Giving injections to a Rabbit is always anxiety provoking at first, but it really does become less so the more you have to do it.
Was the penicillin very cold when you injected it ? I mentioned removing the dose from the fridge 10-15 minutes before administering it, but you can also warm it up a bit in your hands. If the dose is cold most Rabbits will react far more as it is injected under their skin than they will if it is a bit warmer. Also, what size needle are you using to inject ?IME Blue tops are best, the green tops are too wide and the orange tops too narrow meaning the dose often gets clogged in it and will not pass through.
If you could get your neighbour to help you when you do the injections, by keeping Odin still, it would probably be easier and a less stressful experience for you too.
If it is a retrobulbar abscess then if the penicillin is going to work it is likely to take many weeks of treatment. So the fact that his eyeball is still protruding at the moment is not really surprising .
Giving injections to a Rabbit is always anxiety provoking at first, but it really does become less so the more you have to do it.
Sorry, was tired when I replied - I'll try warming the next dose, I wasn't told to keep it in the fridge but it's in their house anyway which is outside so it won't have come to any harm. I think it was a blue top needle, will need to check. I think it was more not expecting how tough his skin would be, knowing they are so delicate, and I'm used to injecting ponies hides, but it'll get easier. He's just got really tight skin around his neck too, the vet did warn me of that, that he wasn't the easiest to do!
My neighbour would help I'm sure, but he is usually better without restraint, he responds quite badly to it though he is very cuddly the rest of the time. He doesn't mind being held for cuddles, but as soon as it becomes restraint he fights a lot, and I'm not sure my neighbour would actually manage to keep hold. The box worked ok, I just need to get better at it.
On the plus side (I think)he refused half his emeprid last night point blank, and barely took any syringe feed - but he tucked into a pile of fresh cow parsley at almost normal speed of eating, and just kept eating! That and some mallow, baby sticky weed and celery leaves. His poos are almost normal for him so he must be eating a fair bit of something. I'm hoping that not wanting the syringe feeds is because he's no longer hungry enough, I was a bit worried he'd get hooked on them for ease and enjoyment, but if he's refusing because he doesn't need them that's great.
My neighbour would help I'm sure, but he is usually better without restraint, he responds quite badly to it though he is very cuddly the rest of the time. He doesn't mind being held for cuddles, but as soon as it becomes restraint he fights a lot, and I'm not sure my neighbour would actually manage to keep hold. The box worked ok, I just need to get better at it.
On the plus side (I think)he refused half his emeprid last night point blank, and barely took any syringe feed - but he tucked into a pile of fresh cow parsley at almost normal speed of eating, and just kept eating! That and some mallow, baby sticky weed and celery leaves. His poos are almost normal for him so he must be eating a fair bit of something. I'm hoping that not wanting the syringe feeds is because he's no longer hungry enough, I was a bit worried he'd get hooked on them for ease and enjoyment, but if he's refusing because he doesn't need them that's great.
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
Penicillin does need to be stored in a fridge and protected from light
https://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-477009
I am pleased that Odin seems to be eating more for himself now
keletkezes
Wise Old Thumper
Refusing emeprid and syringe food in favour of real stuff, awesome I hope the next injection goes better
I hope the next injection goes better 
bunny momma
Wise Old Thumper
You will get better, plus Odin may realize it is over quickly and stop fighting. Also,how is his hydration? Hydrated bunnies are easier to inject because skin is more pliable.
Lastly, try a new/different size needle.
Lastly, try a new/different size needle.
a reader of books
Warren Veteran
That's so good that his poops are almost normal and that he's preferring to eat normal food instead of syringe feeds. Good luck with the injections! Bunny skin is quite tough, I find! Sending lots more vibes for Odin, too.
What better way to start your 40th birthday than a trip to the vets?!! It was a good one though, he's doing well, can drop marbocyl and emeprid as he's eating so well, to keep going with metacam and jab him every 2 days. Got a big bottle and a bag of needles and syringes to take hime - weirdest party bag I've ever had :lol:
But we spent a blissful half hour last night just watching them eat. It was like old times. Had to con him into taking metacam, which makes me think he doesn't think he needs it - he seems to have dropped the things he doesn't "need" in order, he took his a/bs quite happily this morning but no emeprid for 2 days and now starting to go off metacam. No syringes last night as he was eating so well, I offered pellets but he spat them out!!
Lots of poo and I'm struggling to tell the difference between them, but lots of caecals too, hopefully they will level out as his diet goes back to normal? Is there anything else I can do to help that?
Oh, and he was grooming Freja yesterday which is a lovely sign!!
But we spent a blissful half hour last night just watching them eat. It was like old times. Had to con him into taking metacam, which makes me think he doesn't think he needs it - he seems to have dropped the things he doesn't "need" in order, he took his a/bs quite happily this morning but no emeprid for 2 days and now starting to go off metacam. No syringes last night as he was eating so well, I offered pellets but he spat them out!!
Lots of poo and I'm struggling to tell the difference between them, but lots of caecals too, hopefully they will level out as his diet goes back to normal? Is there anything else I can do to help that?
Oh, and he was grooming Freja yesterday which is a lovely sign!!
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
Firstly, Happy Birthday ! I am glad that Odin is doing better now. Could it be that it is having a syringe put into his mouth is what he is now objecting too, rather than what is in the syringe ?
Being on abx can effect the balance of bacteria in the cecum which could be why he is not eating his cecotrophs. Keep a close eye on his fecal poo output. If fecal poos become wet, unformed or there is any evidence of brown fluid or mucous amongst them you will need to let the Vet know straight away. Optimising his fibre intake will be the best thing for him. The Fibreplex might help, but there are mixed opinions about the benefits of giving probiotics to Rabbits. Fibreplex wont do any harm though so I would give it if he will take it.
AnjaSanja
Warren Scout
One of our bun does not have much skin also. We find it easier in the bum area. Try with your. And yes practice makes perfect. Also for the bun. Perhaps in time he will just wait paitently on the counter for his shot.
Have Metacam at home. Observe his eating habbit and eyes and energy level. If it is abscess or root elongation. THen you're in the long run of treatment (like 4-5 weeks).
Have Metacam at home. Observe his eating habbit and eyes and energy level. If it is abscess or root elongation. THen you're in the long run of treatment (like 4-5 weeks).
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a reader of books
Warren Veteran
Sounds like you started your birthday in a great way. :lol: I'm so glad to hear Odin is eating well now, and that he's been grooming Freja, too. Sending him lots more vibes.
