Need advice for cancer diagnosis 11yo female bunny

[Jack's-Jane]

Even slight dehydration can cause disorientation and dizziness.
Older animals can have difficulty regulating their body temp so she may not be able to tolerate being even a little hot. Jane would know more, but I think this is somehow related to the functioning of the kidneys.
Could it be that she got too hot while she was napping and she felt too ill to move on her own into the shade?

I dont think I can offer a definitive explanation as to what the fluid means as it could be related to so many things. It does sound as though Lola was too hot and unable to regulate this. That might be due to reduced kidney function, but it may not be. If there is now something going on in Lola's mouth, maybe relating to the mass previously removed from her cheek, that could cause excessive salivation. If the fluid came from her nose it could be related to something going on in her lungs. But all this is just speculation really and not helpful to you I dont think.

I have known a few Rabbits diagnosed with Cancer who tended to drink their own wee. Rabbits with low grade ear pain may do it too, as can some Rabbits in chronic renal failure.

I hope the Vets can give you some answers and a way forward to try to help Lola remain comfortable. Maybe you could keep her indoors all the time now ?

 

[MightyMax]

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments, it's so good having other bunny parent's experience and opinions!

I feel like the tramadol has been helping lola, she is still uncomfortable and not great but slighty better.

But ...

When I went to the vets last I briefly mentioned her eyes had been more gungy than usual...you know like that yellow/green eye gunge, sometimes White. also said that Id noticed In the past couple of months or so (since her op) that she is licking her urine up straight after she has weed, or emerging newspaper that is wet with urine (old or new) all the time. (NB: newspaper is at the bottom of the litter tray under hay/straw and usually she would never eat it, it just helps me when I clean our!). Any ideas about wee licking?? Vet said potential sign if urine infection but her wees have been normal as much as ive seen and not going more than normal that I've noticed...

Anyway so today, the first day I felt I could leave her, I went out and I got home and she wS sleeping I her side again, she's beendoing this more recently so it's not unusual recently. But I always check on her anyway...so I open the hitch door and notice the floor of the hutch (the plastic floor where hay/straw had parted) was all wet, and when I looked at her face after propping her up I saw she had been leaking yellow-green fluid from her mouth. May have been from her nose too...but difficukt to tell as she was panting and very hot (as in ears etc, not internal temp). She was lying half in sun half in shade, she usually sleeps in shade but when in sun she is usually fine. If she was hit i dong know why she didn't move anyway I don't know if the wet under her nose was because she was hot, but I think she was leaking a but from her nose too.

I was obviously really worried as there was quite a bit of fluid and brought her inside the house, offered her water from a bowl (sometimes she takes more readily than bottle) and she drank a little bit. She could sit up but really didn't want to and was lying down lethargic on the floor still panting. Must before I left for bets she was sitting up and slightly more alert/perky.

Vet thinks fluid Is from her mouth maybe only and fhibks she might have an abcess in her mouth. She is going in tomorrow for a sedation and they are going to have a look, mah explain why I think her pain has increased recently. She's slao been chattering her teeth ( like when we shiver cold but with her mouth closed) and occasionally (not as often) some grinding noises. Also mentioned to vet recently she did more cecotropes(sp?) and didn't eat them which she's usually good at doing. But all her poos today have been fine.

Any ideas? She's still eating fine and everything. I said to vet she is possibly drinking less water but that might just be me overthinking lol. Vet said she's not dehydrated or anything.

Thanks everyone
Sophie

Hi Sophie

I'm sorry to hear this update

In my experience of cancer bunnies, the fluid could be coming from her digestive tract/abdomen or her mouth/nose, and it's difficult to say.

I hope the vet can get to the cause of her issues, and also that if she has a GA, she is sufficiently strong to withstand it.

Wishing you and her loads of vibes xx thinking of you both xx

 

[sophiebssn]

Hi everyone an update. Lola went in today and the surgeon vet who was doing her dental called me and said there was no abscess but that her back teeth had developed spurs, so he clipped and sorted them. He said she should be a lot more comfortable. She only had a sedation, no GA, and was very good with it apparently. He even said he didn't believe she was really 11 and thought it was a glitch on the computer as she is so bright and perky!! I said she definitely is 11 as I've had her since a baby and he said "yeah...well...ok..." lol!!

I asked what they think the fluid leaking from her mouth yesterday could be and they said sore teeth can sometimes cause them to salivate a lot, or that maybe she overheated.

Just makes me worry that I won't be there if she needs me if she was maybe feeling too poorly to move! but she is home now and is doing good thanks for the good vibes everyone, they definitely helped!

Also, the discharge wasn't with the surgeon so I didn't get to ask my usual 1000 questions. I am going to call and ask (as they are 24 hours), but with a dental do they normally give more painkillers (i.e. more than her metacam and tramadol she is already on), thanks! She is eating and drinking, pooing and weeing (weeing lots) - although one of her poos was really tiny!! Im keeping an eye out. She seems to be doing good so far

xxxxxxxx

 

[sophiebssn]

I have known a few Rabbits diagnosed with Cancer who tended to drink their own wee. Rabbits with low grade ear pain may do it too, as can some Rabbits in chronic renal failure.

I hope the Vets can give you some answers and a way forward to try to help Lola remain comfortable. Maybe you could keep her indoors all the time now ?

Thanks for the info! They checked her bloods on 10th march before her GA and they went ahead and never mentioned anything so I assumed all was fine - I will make sure to ask on Saturday when I'm in for her post-op check! Do you think her kidney function could have deteriorated since being on metacam only for about 6 weeks? Also, could her sore back teeth have potentially caused ear pain?

She pretty much licks everything!! I read somewhere that getting a salt lick might help as she may be licking her wee because its salty and she needs some - although she gets a very varied diet!

Thanks again! xxxx

 

[MightyMax]

Thanks for the info! They checked her bloods on 10th march before her GA and they went ahead and never mentioned anything so I assumed all was fine - I will make sure to ask on Saturday when I'm in for her post-op check! Do you think her kidney function could have deteriorated since being on metacam only for about 6 weeks? Also, could her sore back teeth have potentially caused ear pain?

She pretty much licks everything!! I read somewhere that getting a salt lick might help as she may be licking her wee because its salty and she needs some - although she gets a very varied diet!

Thanks again! xxxx

No, it's extremely unlikely. Although Metacam has to be used with caution in rabbits that have renal failure, rabbits without impaired function can take it for years at quite high doses without ill effect

 

[MightyMax]

Hi everyone an update. Lola went in today and the surgeon vet who was doing her dental called me and said there was no abscess but that her back teeth had developed spurs, so he clipped and sorted them. He said she should be a lot more comfortable. She only had a sedation, no GA, and was very good with it apparently. He even said he didn't believe she was really 11 and thought it was a glitch on the computer as she is so bright and perky!! I said she definitely is 11 as I've had her since a baby and he said "yeah...well...ok..." lol!!

I asked what they think the fluid leaking from her mouth yesterday could be and they said sore teeth can sometimes cause them to salivate a lot, or that maybe she overheated.

Just makes me worry that I won't be there if she needs me if she was maybe feeling too poorly to move! but she is home now and is doing good thanks for the good vibes everyone, they definitely helped!

Also, the discharge wasn't with the surgeon so I didn't get to ask my usual 1000 questions. I am going to call and ask (as they are 24 hours), but with a dental do they normally give more painkillers (i.e. more than her metacam and tramadol she is already on), thanks! She is eating and drinking, pooing and weeing (weeing lots) - although one of her poos was really tiny!! Im keeping an eye out. She seems to be doing good so far

xxxxxxxx

Definitely, spurs on the teeth can cause excess salivating or 'slobbers'. The mouth gets sore, and the rabbit wants to drink more to sooth the sore mouth. I suppose this could be an explanation of why she might be licking her own wee?

 

[sophiebssn]

Definitely, spurs on the teeth can cause excess salivating or 'slobbers'. The mouth gets sore, and the rabbit wants to drink more to sooth the sore mouth. I suppose this could be an explanation of why she might be licking her own wee?

It might well be!! I did mention to the vet that I thought she had been drinking more water recently. She is currently hopping happily all over the living room which I haven't seen her do in weeks!! Making me feel so happy - but I don't want to get my hopes too high as I know she likes to change her mind on how she is feeling quickly. She's moving more this evening than she has in days!

 

[sophiebssn]

Little lady just went for ANOTHER wee (third big wee in 4 hours!) and then started licking it up again :shock:

 

[MightyMax]

Little lady just went for ANOTHER wee (third big wee in 4 hours!) and then started licking it up again :shock:

Bless her little cotton socks

Who knows what goes on in their bunny minds? You're doing all you can. Hopefully she'll let you know when she wants things to change