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Raven needs vibes, falling, circling update March 11

bunny momma

Wise Old Thumper
Raven did very well after his dental on nov 21.
Late last night he did not eat his treat. He got his daily Metacam and took his syringe feed well, yet his poo was small and sparse. He ate greens and a couple treats before stopping again.
This morning I started motility meds and continued syringe feeds. His poos improved, yet he is not eating much.
After I put him down, he was circling to the right many times. When he stopped he was still curved to the right and his head and eyes were moving horizontally for almost a minute before he stabilized.
Raven had a couple similar events that were treated with sulfatrim. After the last event vet and I discussed switching to Bayrtril if he had it again. So today I began the Baytril. He continues to get his daily Medicam and he will continue to get syringe feeds and motility meds, if needed, until he is eating enough on is own.
Please send vibes for our shiny little black bunny.
 
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Thank you Zoobec & Pets Mum.
I just finished giving him a very early morning syringe feed, which he took well, and meds and he is now drinking lots of water.
He got a few fresh greens too and is nibbling them a little, so he wants to eat.
 
Poor boy ☹️ In the absence of diagnostics maybe it would be advisable to treat him with Fenbendazole too, to cover for EC. Dormant EC can flare up at times of physiological stress such as a GA. Although I believe that Vets in the US have a different approach to managing EC than is the case over here. I get the impression that over there there is a reluctance to use benzimidazole anthelmintics. Sending lots of vibes for him x
 
Poor boy ☹️ In the absence of diagnostics maybe it would be advisable to treat him with Fenbendazole too, to cover for EC. Dormant EC can flare up at times of physiological stress such as a GA. Although I believe that Vets in the US have a different approach to managing EC than is the case over here. I get the impression that over there there is a reluctance to use benzimidazole anthelmintics. Sending lots of vibes for him x
Thanks Jane. You are right that some vets here do no longer give panacur for possible EC. I noticed a similar tightening on Metronidazole which used to be given for gi issues like bloat. I am not sure if that is in the same drug classification.
 
Thanks Jane. You are right that some vets here do no longer give panacur for possible EC. I noticed a similar tightening on Metronidazole which used to be given for gi issues like bloat. I am not sure if that is in the same drug classification.
No, it’s not. But I agree with the withholding of metronidazole without diagnostic evidence that it’s needed. It’s an antibiotic. The overuse of antibiotics in both animals and humans has caused a serious problem now. Antibiotic resistance.

With Fenbendazole, to be honest in my unqualified opinion it might not be as beneficial as some people believe. But EC remains a complicated condition with very different opinions within the Veterinary profession regarding treatment.
 
Vibes on the way for Raven. I used fenbendazole for Mimzy when he tilted and had to go to a feed store for it. Luckily my vet at the time was very rabbit savvy and guided me in his care through the whole six months that he spun and rolled until we got it under control. My family just wanted me to put him down. 🙁

We also added meclizine to keep him upright. (It's like dramamine, for sea sickness.) Had to get a special script for it at a human pharmacy. He tolerated it well and while it didn't resolve his residual tilt, he was able to hop eventually without going into barrel rolls. This also helped his nystagmus since it kept his middle ear from feeling wonky.
He was tested for E.C. but it didn't show up which is typical of the disease. Spending on that when it's so good at hiding is pointless if the rabbit has the clinical symptoms, imo. U.S. vets aren't really schooled well in rabbit health. Luckily, mine was as she was also in the University's wildlife field watching cotton tails in Alaska as part of a tularemia study.

I hope Raven will recover quickly. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. xxxxx
 
Aw poor boy. Sending loads of vibes for Raven.

My vet is still v pro panacur use I didn't realise it was used so rarely in the States.
 
Mimz mum, Joey&Boo, reader of books, kcg,
Thank you for your support.
I was thinking of asking for meclizine which I had for one of my bridge bunnies, yet may see how quickly abx will help so he is not on too many meds.
Raven had this issue twice before, and he also had a more traditional head tilt which was from a middle ear infection in the past. I am hoping the abx will clear this up.
 
I gave him fluids tonight and he was not his usual cooperative self. At least it is done and he is nibbling a little bit of his greens. I hope the fluids will help him to feel better and will improve his poo consistency since it was small and very firm.
 
Aw, I'm sorry he didn't want fluids. I hope it'll help him, though. It's good that he's nibbling some greens, even just a little bit.
 
Thank you Joey & Boo,
Raven has a vet appointment in two hours. I expected more improvement by now based on his prior episodes.
I will give him more critical care in a little while. At his last syringe feed he did not want as much as usual, so I hope he does better. He ate some greens overnight and was trying to eat hay. He also ate a part of a treat before stopping.
I will ask about meclizine.
 
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