HoneybunElliott
New Kit
Hi My almost 5 yr old bunny (honeybun-we were told he was a girl for the beginning of his life and the name just stuck!) has always been a happy healthy bunny with a massive appetite. We moved house about 4 weeks ago. Up until last week he was absolutely fine. Then 3 days ago I picked him up for a cuddle as normal and he was suddenly stick thin and bony, this has never been an issue, he has a good diet and I literally only picked him up a couple days prior to this (I'm with him everyday but only pick him up for cuddles) and he felt normal, his spine was normal and I even clipped his nails so I would've noticed a significant weight change. He also, again very suddenly, seemed really weak, tired and his legs seemed weak also. There was 2 hidden patches of hair loss (he's malting so it was hard to find) down his spine and not as shiny as usual. Thought he had mites (flaky dandruff and I could see 2 black dots) so treated him for that. His appetite was still great, he had a bit to drink but his poops were half the size. Took him straight to the vet next morning - who told me to try to 'fatten him up' for 2 weeks then get him re-weighed. I took honey home and I was in such a state, I contacted a vet 45 min away who seemed a lot more rabbit savvy and went straight there.
She kept him in and did blood tests, and we went home without him. Needless to say I cried all night and phoned them up 1st thing - he'd been eating loads, drinking and pooping all night. He'd been on a drip to re-hydrate too.
Vet called later and was told he has non regenerative anaemia and low red and white blood cells, I think they said 13 or something. And mentioned his bone marrow and a word beginning with m that I can't remember (why do I not carry a pen round with me?!). The rest of the bloods were ok (liver etc) and as the NRA could have many causes the only way to find this out is to x ray him. The vets and myself are very reluctant to do that because they are saying they won't x ray a rabbit without GA and he's too weak to risk it. So without an obvious cause the doc is giving him steroid injections once a week for 3 weeks, I think to give him a boost and see if it improves him somewhat. It's all a blur because I've been so upset.
So we brought him home last night and I've been with him all night downstairs, he ate everything excitedly (if a little slower than usual) but isn't very interested in his Timothy hay which he usually digs into (he's had little bits but not enough in my opinion). He also is not interested in his water. Now, my plan for the water issue was to give him his leafy greens after soaking them in water for his dinner, but this morning there was a big pile of mushy and very unpleasant poop (NOT CECALS) and so now I'm at a loss because I don't want to irritate his tummy further. Thinking this could just be too much veg at the vets because he's a mini lop he does have a sensitive stomach and his diet was finely tuned to keep his tum working just right, and perhaps the vets just over did it with the veg to get him to eat.
Another important thing to mention is that he keeps trying to flatten his stomach onto the ground and kind of pawing with his front feet. I presume this is discomfort in his stomach or gas? I've done a gentle massage on his belly (kept him all paws down as I didn't want to stress him further) and tried to encourage him to have water (bottle and a bowl) but he's just not having it . Could this be because he was on the drip so he doesn't actually need any right now?? Maybe I'm over panicking!
So basically I know there could be something more sinister going on but I just have no idea. Because of the tiny poops do I assume there's a stomach issue, which the vet didn't seem to mention gi stasis or anything because of his appetite being okay. Or do I assume it's a disease or something(the big c ??) or could it be a parasite?
The vets were the best I could find in the area (birmingham uk manor vets -exotic specialist branch edgbaston) but I just don't know what to do. I'll follow vet advice and he can have the injections.
Has anyone got any advice? Even if it's just how to get him to drink, what to do with his diet (he usually has small amount of pellets in the morning with a huge handful of good quality Timothy hay, then in the evening leafy greens and hay again. Sometimes I give him a small amount of broccoli, parsley or kale. And his treats are very limited - sometimes a bit of carrot or banana or other fruit and I never give him processed rubbish). This diet has kept him at an optimum weight for all his life so far so I dont know what to do.
I'm so upset seeing him like this, it happened so quickly and I won't leave his side at the moment. I'm at a loss of how to help him. hes otherwise quite content, enjoying food and occasionally getting up to play, but just so so skinny!
ANY ADVICE would be so much appreciated. Sorry this is a really long post I didn't want to leave anything important out. Thanks xxx
She kept him in and did blood tests, and we went home without him. Needless to say I cried all night and phoned them up 1st thing - he'd been eating loads, drinking and pooping all night. He'd been on a drip to re-hydrate too.
Vet called later and was told he has non regenerative anaemia and low red and white blood cells, I think they said 13 or something. And mentioned his bone marrow and a word beginning with m that I can't remember (why do I not carry a pen round with me?!). The rest of the bloods were ok (liver etc) and as the NRA could have many causes the only way to find this out is to x ray him. The vets and myself are very reluctant to do that because they are saying they won't x ray a rabbit without GA and he's too weak to risk it. So without an obvious cause the doc is giving him steroid injections once a week for 3 weeks, I think to give him a boost and see if it improves him somewhat. It's all a blur because I've been so upset.
So we brought him home last night and I've been with him all night downstairs, he ate everything excitedly (if a little slower than usual) but isn't very interested in his Timothy hay which he usually digs into (he's had little bits but not enough in my opinion). He also is not interested in his water. Now, my plan for the water issue was to give him his leafy greens after soaking them in water for his dinner, but this morning there was a big pile of mushy and very unpleasant poop (NOT CECALS) and so now I'm at a loss because I don't want to irritate his tummy further. Thinking this could just be too much veg at the vets because he's a mini lop he does have a sensitive stomach and his diet was finely tuned to keep his tum working just right, and perhaps the vets just over did it with the veg to get him to eat.
Another important thing to mention is that he keeps trying to flatten his stomach onto the ground and kind of pawing with his front feet. I presume this is discomfort in his stomach or gas? I've done a gentle massage on his belly (kept him all paws down as I didn't want to stress him further) and tried to encourage him to have water (bottle and a bowl) but he's just not having it . Could this be because he was on the drip so he doesn't actually need any right now?? Maybe I'm over panicking!
So basically I know there could be something more sinister going on but I just have no idea. Because of the tiny poops do I assume there's a stomach issue, which the vet didn't seem to mention gi stasis or anything because of his appetite being okay. Or do I assume it's a disease or something(the big c ??) or could it be a parasite?
The vets were the best I could find in the area (birmingham uk manor vets -exotic specialist branch edgbaston) but I just don't know what to do. I'll follow vet advice and he can have the injections.
Has anyone got any advice? Even if it's just how to get him to drink, what to do with his diet (he usually has small amount of pellets in the morning with a huge handful of good quality Timothy hay, then in the evening leafy greens and hay again. Sometimes I give him a small amount of broccoli, parsley or kale. And his treats are very limited - sometimes a bit of carrot or banana or other fruit and I never give him processed rubbish). This diet has kept him at an optimum weight for all his life so far so I dont know what to do.
I'm so upset seeing him like this, it happened so quickly and I won't leave his side at the moment. I'm at a loss of how to help him. hes otherwise quite content, enjoying food and occasionally getting up to play, but just so so skinny!
ANY ADVICE would be so much appreciated. Sorry this is a really long post I didn't want to leave anything important out. Thanks xxx
Glad to see you posted on here. I hope the good RU folk can help you out! 
