Please Note - Medical Advice
Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
...has lost a lot of weight. Everything about him is otherwise ok (eating well, clean butt, full of energy etc.)
He's booked in for a blood test tomorrow.
...has lost a lot of weight. Everything about him is otherwise ok (eating well, clean butt, full of energy etc.)
He's booked in for a blood test tomorrow.
I wish this was a better update. But there's no miracles in sight for this poor lad of mine.
Erasmus Chipper is not long for this world.
He is a slip of his former self, just under 1.4kg. (He should be around 2kg.) Our poor vet tried her hardest in multiple ways, but simply couldn't draw blood from the little lad. It could be dehydration, but more likely low blood pressure. The other exotic vet at the practice had noted that 'Mus presented as older than his alleged age. That was nearly a year ago, now.
Our best guesses? Either some kind of organ failure (or multiple organ failure), cancer, or a combination of the above. Whatever the cause, it is related to age. As we have no reference pointing in one way or another, it is literally guesswork.
She left the catheter in to give us the option of euthanasia there and then. He is that poorly.
I declined. I can't say if that is selfishness on my part or no. The problem is, he still presents as his usual energetic, cheerful self. He still eats like a horse. He still drinks. He still charges around. He's thick as thieves with Neo, and loves his girls. He was less stressed at the vets than Athena was today. As soon as he was back in the crate, he was eating hay again.
So, we are literally just monitoring his condition day by day. It's all we can do. He's a little old fellow. How old, we don't know. Either he'll take himself away in the comfort of his gang. Or, if the time comes, and he lets us know, we know where our vet is.
It's only been 2 weeks to the day since we lost Elphie. And I'm having to face up to the loss of such a wonderful bunny again, so soon after that devastating loss.
This is so, so hard to watch. But as long as he is being well, chipper, I don't want to let Erasmus go. HE doesn't know he's terminal. That's something I have to face for him.