**UPDATE***Cleo's fluctuating weight; Now ear issues

[InspectorMorse]

Poor girl I am wondering if it could be peripheral vascular disease. There is an artery in the ears of a Rabbit and if there is arterial disease it would effect the blood supply to the ears

 

[lauraj27]

Thanks Jane, are there any links you can share about peripheral vascular disease as I can't seem to find any information on it? In particular what t causes it, how it's diagnosed and what if any treatment is available. I'm worried she will lose more of her ears which won't be nice for anyone

I've checked Molly Varga's book on rabbit medicine and can't see the disease listed anywhere, the closest thing seems to be Psoroptes cunniculi which seems to be some sort of mite or E.Cunnuculi but it doesn't quite fit with the clinical presentations of these.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thanks Jane, are there any links you can share about peripheral vascular disease as I can't seem to find any information on it? In particular what t causes it, how it's diagnosed and what if any treatment is available. I'm worried she will lose more of her ears which won't be nice for anyone

I've checked Molly Varga's book on rabbit medicine and can't see the disease listed anywhere, the closest thing seems to be Psoroptes cunniculi which seems to be some sort of mite or E.Cunnuculi but it doesn't quite fit with the clinical presentations of these.

PVD is just a broad spectrum term for any malfunction of the vascular system/blood supply to the peripheral parts of the body. It can have many causes. The condition probably has very little documented information relating to Rabbits apart from in the context of medical research for humans.

All sorts of vascular diseases can occur, especially in aging Rabbits. Just as it can in humans.

If the vet thinks it might be PVD then they might advise you to gently massage Cleo’s ears a few times a day to try to promote a better blood supply. Also, not allowing her to get cold. I would ask the Vet if giving Paracetamol rather than buprenorphine for additional analgesia for her arthritis might be a good idea. Bupe’ can lower blood pressure which would impede blood flow to the peripheries.

All that said it might not be anything to do with PVD at all. It was just an unqualified suggestion

 

[lauraj27]

PVD is just a broad spectrum term for any malfunction of the vascular system/blood supply to the peripheral parts of the body. It can have many causes. The condition probably has very little documented information relating to Rabbits apart from in the context of medical research for humans.

All sorts of vascular diseases can occur, especially in aging Rabbits. Just as it can in humans.

If the vet thinks it might be PVD then they might advise you to gently massage Cleo’s ears a few times a day to try to promote a better blood supply. Also, not allowing her to get cold. I would ask the Vet if giving Paracetamol rather than buprenorphine for additional analgesia for her arthritis might be a good idea. Bupe’ can lower blood pressure which would impede blood flow to the peripheries.

All that said it might not be anything to do with PVD at all. It was just an unqualified suggestion

Thanks Jane, really appreciate it. She is a black and white dutch rabbit who is13 and half and one of our previous buns (netherland dwarf rex cross) lived to a similar age but didn't experience this issue.

She went on the buprenorphine on 5th April and the first issue with her ear was 2nd May; prior to that there had been no issues with her ear so if it can lower blood pressure then it seems too much of a coincidence not to be related to the buprenorphine.

I take it will the paracetomol it would be a case of mashing it up and mixing with a little water to put in a syringe?

Your advice and knowledge is always absolutely fantastic and I think you may be more qualified than some vets we have seen in the past!

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thanks Jane, really appreciate it. She is a black and white dutch rabbit who is13 and half and one of our previous buns (netherland dwarf rex cross) lived to a similar age but didn't experience this issue.

She went on the buprenorphine on 5th April and the first issue with her ear was 2nd May; prior to that there had been no issues with her ear so if it can lower blood pressure then it seems too much of a coincidence not to be related to the buprenorphine.

I take it will the paracetomol it would be a case of mashing it up and mixing with a little water to put in a syringe?

Your advice and knowledge is always absolutely fantastic and I think you may be more qualified than some vets we have seen in the past!

I wasn’t suggesting the bupe’ caused the ear problem. But if there was PVD the use of bupe’ could be contraindicated.

Re the paracetamol, my Vet has said I can use Calpol Paracetamol, which is a liquid paracetamol for children. But please don’t use it without discussing it with your Vet first.

 

[lauraj27]

Thanks for the reply - sorry if I wasn't clear in my initial reply; I did understand that the bupe may not have caused it but could have contributed / made the blood flow worse.

We will absolutely discuss any changes in medication, including paracetamol with the vet before doing anything.

Really appreciate all of your help and guidance.