Spenser not eating - now eating a bit, post 26

[paulinejoe]

Aww Spenser! C'mon be a good bun and get nomming!! Hope he's ok xxx

 

[susie bun]

He's just nommed some grass and a dandelion leaf from the garden.

 

[Sky-O]

If you are unable to give him oral Metacam then you need to discuss with the vet about a way for you to give him Metacam. If you think he needs pain relief then he needs it, even if its difficult to give to him.

 

[Boudicca]

The vet has rung to ask questions about Spenser. She is going to give him a gut stimulant but if it doesn't work refer us to a specialist. Spenser has just eaten a small piece of apple and done a flop. :? He has perked up no end since coming indoors, and eaten a few strands of hay. Also done some more small and very dark poos.

But am I right, they didnt actually look at his back teeth while he was under the GA did they?! Maybe she should just try a quick sedation to have a look right at the very back of his teeth he might be a very sensitive bun and a tiny pin pric* from a tiny spur might put him off just like The Dudster?! Might be worth a look before a full on referal just in case. A sedation isnt like a GA.

 

[Tracy]

Poor Spenser.

Sending lots of eating and pooing vibes. I hope he is better very soon. xx

 

[susie bun]

He's now eaten a few pellets. I'm wondering if I might do more harm than good by taking him to the vet. :?

 

[Shellypops]

is there a chance that he is picking up on your stress a bit?/ I don't know much about bunny health, I am still learning myself. But I know when Bobby wouldn't eat, i left the room, and Ian went in to feed hay, and she started eating

 

[susie bun]

I've spoken to Spenser's vet again, and we've agreed that bringing him in today could do more harm than good. He's looking the picture of bunny happiness, flopped in his crate. Obvously I'll be monitoring his input and output closely, but my gut feel now is that I should leave him alone.

 

[Sky-O]

What do you intend to do RE pain relief (in general)?

 

[Shellypops]

I've spoken to Spenser's vet again, and we've agreed that bringing him in today could do more harm than good. He's looking the picture of bunny happiness, flopped in his crate. Obvously I'll be monitoring his input and output closely, but my gut feel now is that I should leave him alone.

You know him best hun, I know I can sense when Bobby wants me to leave her in peace a bit.

ETA, do you have metcam at home?? I haven't read the whole thread

 

[GrahamL]

Has he had any of the metacam today Susie? Did you ask the vet if you could give him some to see if it improves?

 

[Tuckerbunnies]

Sending Spenser 'nomming' vibes xxxxxx

 

[Fluffers]

But am I right, they didnt actually look at his back teeth while he was under the GA did they?! Maybe she should just try a quick sedation to have a look right at the very back of his teeth he might be a very sensitive bun and a tiny pin pric* from a tiny spur might put him off just like The Dudster?! Might be worth a look before a full on referal just in case. A sedation isnt like a GA.

What???? :shock: I hope they bloomin well did! :roll:

 

[Fluffers]

I've spoken to Spenser's vet again, and we've agreed that bringing him in today could do more harm than good. He's looking the picture of bunny happiness, flopped in his crate. Obvously I'll be monitoring his input and output closely, but my gut feel now is that I should leave him alone.

Why? In what respect?

Sorry, just trying to understand more.

I agree that (assuming he's not showing signs of distress) leaving him in peace may be the best thing (for now). He will pick up on your anxiety, no matter how much you try and surpress it

It's vital Spenser has pain relief and eats more. This cannot carry on for much longer, we must get him sorted.

 

[GrahamL]

At the risk of you thinking im an interfering git, i'm just going to sit here and type this and await anything anyone wants to say, be it for or against.

Susie.

You are Spensers care giver. His owner, he relies on you, nobody else.

I've asked twice now, others have also asked and so far, each question about pain relief has been either ignored, or missed by you. I dont know if thats because you are struggling to read, or are choosing to not answer, because you are scared to.

I dont want you to be scared of me, i want whats best for Spenser, as im sure you do to.

If Spenser will not take FC's any more, and you can't give him oral metacam for his teeth because he bites, how are you going to administer it? Have you asked a vet about alternatives? You can't just leave it, you know as well as we do, that you wont know he's in pain, as he'll hide it so well.

If he's refusing to eat almost everything, there's something wrong. You know this. Or are we not seeing the whole pictuere here, which as im sure you can appreciate, is difficult, as we only know what you're saying?

Buns are crepuscular. That means active, dusk and dawn (read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular) so for him to be 'quiet' and not wanting to eat at all hours during the day is actually perfectly normal.
Is this what you are seeing? Or is Spenser not eating at ANY time, be it 5am, 11am, 3pm, 8pm, 11pm?

I'm not hearing anything in yuor posts that make me think Spenser is perfectly healthy. I think Spenser needs some SERIOUS investigative work done on his teeth. If Boudicca's post that says the vet didnt check all this teeth during the GA, i am extremely concerned, and in my opinion (note, MY opinion) you should be also.

I know it can all become very difficult when people are saying "do this" "do that" but you know Spenser better than anyone else, like i know Ginger better than anyone else. Thats why this morning, she went in for a dental, involving a GA which is high risk for her. But she needed it, so it was done. I KNEW something was up by changes in her behaviour and appetite.

Spenser may well be a fussy bunny, but this is NOT normal the way he's being portrayed (i use that word loosely, as my english language is not what it could be).

I really really hope you read this as me wanting/trying to help, if you choose not to, so be it, but i genuinely want Spenser to be better than he is now, and i can't do that without being me and doing what i can.

 

[Shellypops]

Susie, we are all here to help and support you lovely, please don't think we are getting on to you

I know it can seem like that sometimes, but people really want to help you.

Much love to you sweet heart, you are very caring and I can tell you love the bones of \Spencer

 

[Fluffers]

At the risk of you thinking im an interfering git, i'm just going to sit here and type this and await anything anyone wants to say, be it for or against.

Susie.

You are Spensers care giver. His owner, he relies on you, nobody else.

I've asked twice now, others have also asked and so far, each question about pain relief has been either ignored, or missed by you. I dont know if thats because you are struggling to read, or are choosing to not answer, because you are scared to.

I dont want you to be scared of me, i want whats best for Spenser, as im sure you do to.

If Spenser will not take FC's any more, and you can't give him oral metacam for his teeth because he bites, how are you going to administer it? Have you asked a vet about alternatives? You can't just leave it, you know as well as we do, that you wont know he's in pain, as he'll hide it so well.

If he's refusing to eat almost everything, there's something wrong. You know this. Or are we not seeing the whole pictuere here, which as im sure you can appreciate, is difficult, as we only know what you're saying?

Buns are crepuscular. That means active, dusk and dawn (read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular) so for him to be 'quiet' and not wanting to eat at all hours during the day is actually perfectly normal.
Is this what you are seeing? Or is Spenser not eating at ANY time, be it 5am, 11am, 3pm, 8pm, 11pm?

I'm not hearing anything in yuor posts that make me think Spenser is perfectly healthy. I think Spenser needs some SERIOUS investigative work done on his teeth. If Boudicca's post that says the vet didnt check all this teeth during the GA, i am extremely concerned, and in my opinion (note, MY opinion) you should be also.

I know it can all become very difficult when people are saying "do this" "do that" but you know Spenser better than anyone else, like i know Ginger better than anyone else. Thats why this morning, she went in for a dental, involving a GA which is high risk for her. But she needed it, so it was done. I KNEW something was up by changes in her behaviour and appetite.

Spenser may well be a fussy bunny, but this is NOT normal the way he's being portrayed (i use that word loosely, as my english language is not what it could be).

I really really hope you read this as me wanting/trying to help, if you choose not to, so be it, but i genuinely want Spenser to be better than he is now, and i can't do that without being me and doing what i can.

I agree 100%

Please don't feel that we're ganging up on you Susie - we're typing on here because we want to help and we know that you sometimes have a tough time with your parents/friends etc not showing support. It would be easy for us to ignore your posts and to not bother replying but we don't.

I know you have to rely on others to get you from a to b because you don't drive and so you're not as independant as other folk but ultimately this shouldn't prevent Spenser getting the treatment he needs.

As Graham has said, rabbits hide their problems, show little sign of pain or that something is wrong.

Spensers strange eating habits have been going on for as long as I can remember and I'm becoming increasingly concerned that unless you get to grips with this very soon your next trip to the vets may be your last

 

[KarenM]

Susan, I've already said this by email but wanted to repeat it here also if that's ok:

In my own (granted very limited) experience bunnies don't need to be eating all the time. When they were indoors after Alfie's leg op, I noticed how much time they actually spent not eating & (if I overdid the treats/veg a little) I found that Bubbles would often refuse what was offered. There was never anything wrong with her as half an hour later she'd be nibbling hay instead - it didn't stop me fretting in the meantime either and that half hour waiting for her to eat was always the longest half hour in history.

I guess what I'm getting at is whether the 'bunnies must eat constantly' idea is drummed in so much on the forum that we start to take it a bit too literally. They must eat very regularly but can also go an hour or two without eating anything at all. Our job is then trying to balance that with knowing when there is a problem.

I think you are the only one who can judge, Susan. I mentioned the above as it seems that Spenser will often refuse one thing, only to accept something different a short while later. I know myself that it's all too easy to focus on the times when Bubbles turns her nose up at something and ignore the rest (I say Bubbles because Alfie is a greedy piglet who would eat until he popped)

I'm not saying that he is absolutely fine and nothing needs to be done, but it's hard to tell without seeing exactly what he's eating for myself. That's why I wondered whether there's a possibility that too much info could be making you overly paranoid as well.

Whatever the case may be, your love for Spenser is obvious.

 

[Shellypops]

Susan, I've already said this by email but wanted to repeat it here also if that's ok:



I think you are the only one who can judge, Susan. I mentioned the above as it seems that Spenser will often refuse one thing, only to accept something different a short while later. I know myself that it's all too easy to focus on the times when Bubbles turns her nose up at something and ignore the rest (I say Bubbles because Alfie is a greedy piglet who would eat until he popped)

I'm not saying that he is absolutely fine and nothing needs to be done, but it's hard to tell without seeing exactly what he's eating for myself. That's why I wondered whether there's a possibility that too much info could be making you overly paranoid as well.

Whatever the case may be, your love for Spenser is obvious.

if it makes you feel a bit better Susie. I sometimes have to step away from the good advice on the forum, and make the decision myself, because at the end of the day its you thats there. Not us

 

[Fluffers]

I'm not saying that he is absolutely fine and nothing needs to be done, but it's hard to tell without seeing exactly what he's eating for myself. That's why I wondered whether there's a possibility that too much info could be making you overly paranoid as well.

Whatever the case may be, your love for Spenser is obvious.

I have wondered this too and have suggested keeping a diary of what Spenser eats so that this can be accurately monitored (& shared with RU if that helps).

:wave: