Jinny
Young Bun
I have a 12yr old (turns 13 in April 2015), un-neutered, Netherland Dwarf Male, who is my light of my life.
BACKGROUND:
He has been super sick - to the point where I thought he was going to die on Thursday, in the small hours. He had gut stasis, and I've never seen anything like it. He was 3 times his size, in a lot of pain, and so bloated, when I found him, that I could see his intestines through his skin, and his lower ribs were spread a little. With advice from the out of hours vet - who's said there was really no time to get to him, I gave meds that I already had at home, thanks to the previous months worth of vets trips, and Windeze Tablets that I always keep, so I can give half a tablet, ground up with a bit of water, to Littleblack when he gets bloat. The vet said to settle him quietly after and see how it goes. I asked if I should very softly and gently massage his tummy, while he was standing on all four paws. The vet said that there was little hope with his current condition, and I should prepare myself, but there would be no harm at this stage, as long as I was very very gentle to avoid ruptures.
I got to work immediately. I spent the next 3 hours continually massaging his guts, and talking calmly to him, and keeping him warm as I worked. As his guts started moving it was like watching a living creature inside of him - it was horrible, but he was getting better, and slowly deflating. I didn't stop until I saw the first droppings, and he stopped grinding his teeth in pain.
He went very cold at about 5:30am, but his guts had improved, and so I pulled him into bed with me, and huffed hot air into his fur from my mouth. I last saw the time it was 5:40am, and woke up to a thorough face washing....from his tongue, and him gripping my eyelashes in his teeth and pulling my eyelids open, and teeth purrs. He'd turned the corner. I re-gave meds as instructed, and a small liquid feed, lots of fluids, and massaged his tummy again for a while. It felt normal again. After 12 hours of almost solid work, he was perkier and bright, and I felt it would be ok to put him in a freshly hayed up cage, and get a couple hours sleep. I put him in, and he sprawled out comfortably, and nibbled a blade of hay.
Since then, he has made masses of improvements. He has been having issues since December 21st 2014. Including diarrhea and a persistent bladder/urine infection, lots of weight loss, and a lump development that has been tested, and come back as Lymphoma of the hair follicles, but non-aggressive, so even though it's a form of Cancer, we are leaving it be for now, as Littleblack won't make it off the table in his current state and age. But for the first time since December, we have normal droppings, and a dry bottom, and his infections seem to be clearing rapidly, and he is playing A LOT, and beginning to show interest in eating and drinking on his own.......It's fantastic! ..... but now we have a new issue!
NEW 'PROBLEM':
Since he was at death's door, he seems to be even more in love with me than before. He is super clingy, and ultra protective. If I watch anything on TV with things he perceives a threat, or if my Brother or Dad or Mum, enters the room, he goes into full gladiator warrior mode! He is reacting to them, like he did in the first few weeks he was here, when he trusted no-one but me. BUT this time, he does 'stand-down' when I tell him, and comes back to me and checks me over, before taking up a guard post on my lap, while warning grunting at them, and occasionally thumping at them with a back leg - which really hurts! Lol. However, I have been turning off the TV, for the last 2 days, because I don't want him that hyped up. The other times, he is bouncing about the bed next to me, picking up things and tossing them about, and binky-ing about too. And now this new issue, that I am a little concerned about..... his hormones are up!
He never humped me before - well maybe once, when he turned about 2 years old - but he never showed any signs at all beyond that. He couldn't be neutered as he had so many issues when we first rescued him, and he was an indoor bunny with no females here, so the vet said not to, so we didn't. Anyway - now, he is trying to hump me. It caught me unawares yesterday, as he was fine, and then 3 hours later, this started.... so now I have 6 holes in my sleeve, where he gripped on with his teeth, and wouldn't let go easily. I don't know if it's because I am somehow key to this, being 'on' right now?, but he's never done it before.
Horribly, my brother laughed and said he is trying to 'spread his seed' before he "goes". I doubt this is true, but I can't say that the sentence doesn't haunt me a little.
So my Questions really are -
1) Have you ever had an elderly rabbit go from super sick, to super hormonal?
2) Is it possible that my own hormonal cycle set him off? - I've even showered before handling him today - it made little difference. lol.
3) Is there any advice on calming him down - he's still a sick bunny, and I don't want him exerting himself. He's never been caged fully and I
don't really want to start now. He doesn't try it with anything or anyone else at all - just me.
Thoughts and opinions?
BACKGROUND:
He has been super sick - to the point where I thought he was going to die on Thursday, in the small hours. He had gut stasis, and I've never seen anything like it. He was 3 times his size, in a lot of pain, and so bloated, when I found him, that I could see his intestines through his skin, and his lower ribs were spread a little. With advice from the out of hours vet - who's said there was really no time to get to him, I gave meds that I already had at home, thanks to the previous months worth of vets trips, and Windeze Tablets that I always keep, so I can give half a tablet, ground up with a bit of water, to Littleblack when he gets bloat. The vet said to settle him quietly after and see how it goes. I asked if I should very softly and gently massage his tummy, while he was standing on all four paws. The vet said that there was little hope with his current condition, and I should prepare myself, but there would be no harm at this stage, as long as I was very very gentle to avoid ruptures.
I got to work immediately. I spent the next 3 hours continually massaging his guts, and talking calmly to him, and keeping him warm as I worked. As his guts started moving it was like watching a living creature inside of him - it was horrible, but he was getting better, and slowly deflating. I didn't stop until I saw the first droppings, and he stopped grinding his teeth in pain.
He went very cold at about 5:30am, but his guts had improved, and so I pulled him into bed with me, and huffed hot air into his fur from my mouth. I last saw the time it was 5:40am, and woke up to a thorough face washing....from his tongue, and him gripping my eyelashes in his teeth and pulling my eyelids open, and teeth purrs. He'd turned the corner. I re-gave meds as instructed, and a small liquid feed, lots of fluids, and massaged his tummy again for a while. It felt normal again. After 12 hours of almost solid work, he was perkier and bright, and I felt it would be ok to put him in a freshly hayed up cage, and get a couple hours sleep. I put him in, and he sprawled out comfortably, and nibbled a blade of hay.
Since then, he has made masses of improvements. He has been having issues since December 21st 2014. Including diarrhea and a persistent bladder/urine infection, lots of weight loss, and a lump development that has been tested, and come back as Lymphoma of the hair follicles, but non-aggressive, so even though it's a form of Cancer, we are leaving it be for now, as Littleblack won't make it off the table in his current state and age. But for the first time since December, we have normal droppings, and a dry bottom, and his infections seem to be clearing rapidly, and he is playing A LOT, and beginning to show interest in eating and drinking on his own.......It's fantastic! ..... but now we have a new issue!
NEW 'PROBLEM':
Since he was at death's door, he seems to be even more in love with me than before. He is super clingy, and ultra protective. If I watch anything on TV with things he perceives a threat, or if my Brother or Dad or Mum, enters the room, he goes into full gladiator warrior mode! He is reacting to them, like he did in the first few weeks he was here, when he trusted no-one but me. BUT this time, he does 'stand-down' when I tell him, and comes back to me and checks me over, before taking up a guard post on my lap, while warning grunting at them, and occasionally thumping at them with a back leg - which really hurts! Lol. However, I have been turning off the TV, for the last 2 days, because I don't want him that hyped up. The other times, he is bouncing about the bed next to me, picking up things and tossing them about, and binky-ing about too. And now this new issue, that I am a little concerned about..... his hormones are up!
He never humped me before - well maybe once, when he turned about 2 years old - but he never showed any signs at all beyond that. He couldn't be neutered as he had so many issues when we first rescued him, and he was an indoor bunny with no females here, so the vet said not to, so we didn't. Anyway - now, he is trying to hump me. It caught me unawares yesterday, as he was fine, and then 3 hours later, this started.... so now I have 6 holes in my sleeve, where he gripped on with his teeth, and wouldn't let go easily. I don't know if it's because I am somehow key to this, being 'on' right now?, but he's never done it before.
Horribly, my brother laughed and said he is trying to 'spread his seed' before he "goes". I doubt this is true, but I can't say that the sentence doesn't haunt me a little.
So my Questions really are -
1) Have you ever had an elderly rabbit go from super sick, to super hormonal?
2) Is it possible that my own hormonal cycle set him off? - I've even showered before handling him today - it made little difference. lol.
3) Is there any advice on calming him down - he's still a sick bunny, and I don't want him exerting himself. He's never been caged fully and I
don't really want to start now. He doesn't try it with anything or anyone else at all - just me.
Thoughts and opinions?
