Collagen Deficiency

I have just had a bunny dignosed with this.

Does any one know anything about it or how to manage it any help or advise would be gratefully recieved.

Thank you in advance.

Hiya Tracy Gal!

Slightly off the Thread but what are the symptoms of this - I've never heard of this - is it rare or something us relative novice bunny mums should watch out for?

Cagney sends a bunny hug to her Aunt Tracy - Don't tell that Adele though - shes a bit on the Jealous side :lol: :lol: :lol:

Did they give a clue where the deficiency is coming from cos I would have thought that there would be a number of reasons for it - diet wise especially.

What symptons do they have (might give clues)

Could it be anything like Floppy Bunny Syndrome?

Hi Lany
Please thank Cagney for her special bunny hug and tell her I won't tell Adele.

The rabbit in question looks a little like her.

He came in as a flystrike case from a vets in my area after the owners had let the vets work all day on him and then asked for a pts.
He is only 2years old but looks and acts like a little old man.
He has large eyebrows and very tight skin with no elasticity in it so it won't tent when pinched. It also feels very wrinkly to the touch.
When you pick him up his back legs go into spasm he also has very short chunky front legs.

Despite all this he is very friendly and eats like a horse.

So as the vets have told me there is nothing that can be done to cure him I'm looking for anything that could maybe help him.

Have you had a look on Morfz? There may be some info there, although I must admit I haven't heard of this deficiency before.

Wow! :shock:

never heard of that one before.... I'd suspect a genetic disorder, of the one-in-a-million kind!

Something rings a bell with me... isn't there a human genetic thing like this?

I know this is for people but it sound like what the guy has:

Human progeria syndromes: common symptoms and signs.

Clinical and instrumental diagnostic.
In all syndromes of human premature aging common features are, in addition to premature, progressive and accelerated aging with failure to thrive, severe growth failure and even dwarfism, with immaturity in the childhood, in addition to early aged appearance of skin and hair that give to patients affected by any of human progeria syndromes their characteristic senescent aspect. Clinical phenomena consequent to aging are present at dermal, skeletal, cardiovascular, renal and cerebral levels. The skin of these subjects is usually very thin, inelastic, wrinkled and atrophic with sclerodermal or hyperpigmented areas and prominent veins with thin walls. Skeletal abormalities are only partially degenerative in nature, and in these cases are usually considered as a consequence of early aging: stiffened joints, pathological fractures and arthrosis are often seen. However, disorders of bone and joints not degenerative in nature are also typical features of diverse progeria syndromes, between others asymmetrical hypoplasia of arms and legs, expecially in very early presenting progerias, pronounced scoliosis associated to coxa valga and vertebral anomalies, prominent joints and osteolysis of the clavicle.



The shaking thing sounds like muscle weakness to me, when your standing its like your bracing the muscle and when the weights lifted it moves about and shakes.

I've never heard of it before and would be fascinated to find out more about this little man - poor little fellow
Has the vet said what is best to help the bun? Is he on any type of treatment?
Give him a large and gentle cuddle from me - he sounds so lovely.

thanks for the info and good wishes.

I have put him on vit E to see if it does any good.
My vet says that there is nothing we can do but when I asked about the vit e
he did say give it a go and let me know if it makes a difference.
So we will have to wait and see.

If any one can think of anything else then please let me know.

the human condition Progeria isnt a collagen deficiency.. its an advanced ageing process. Although the ageing process of the skin is due to a reduction in the amount of collagen you have.
Humans can have collagen injections, take collagen supplements but no idea about what rabbits can do.
I'll keep searching the internet.

Chris

You can can get collagen tablets from health food shops. Not sure if that would actually alleviate his problems though. It depends on the cause of his illness. You could maybe try crushing one of the tablets and sprinkling it over his food and see how it goes. Don't know if they're a safe tablet for a bunny to take though. Probably best to check with your vet. :?

Hi Tracy

Silcon

Try these sites, although they are intended for humans the first is interesting with reference to natural sources of supplements, and the symtoms sound just like your bunny's.

on some sites that i went on suggestions were made regarding Magnesium

Hope they help a bit or might be totally useless :?

http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=2067
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2003/apr2003_report_silicon_01.html

You could try arnica on the swollen joints?

Awwwwww - poor little fella

I'll keep fingers and paws crossed that maybe one of the possible remedies on her might help this little bunny.

Good luck Tracy.