Willow had a wet and slightly red back leg about 10 days ago. I took her to the vets and saw a vet I hadn’t seen before. She checked her over, teeth included and concluded there wasn’t anything obviously wrong, other than perhaps being a bit overweight (my fault, I’m used to elderly bunnies who struggle to keep weight on in the winter) and that the best course of action was to monitor her. She thought about prescribing some antiseptic cream for the raw areas on her leg but decided against it. I wasn’t overly impressed with the vet, but I know there’s a push not to prescribe antibiotics unless essential, so okay.
I bought some antiseptic cream suitable for animals myself and made sure that she kept as dry as possible and put the cream on once a day. Last weekend it was looking dry and the skin looked a normal colour.
I came home from work tonight and as I swept out the run, Willow hopped out of the way and I noticed her leg was wet again. I phoned the vets and explained and said that she wasn’t her usual self and hadn’t come in to eat her tea, so I hadn’t seen her eat since this morning. They said to bring her straight in (it was at the time where they are usually switching over to their own out of hours staff), so I knew there might be an extra charge, but that wasn’t an issue, she needed seeing.
So, we saw the same vet. I explained what had happened, that she wasn’t her normal self and I hadn’t seen her eat. She looked at her legs and noted there was significant urine scald. She also felt her stomach in great detail then declared that she couldn’t find any evidence of bladder stones and that we should try a few days of antibiotics. I asked about pain relief and she said she’d give her an anti inflammatory injection. She didn’t check her teeth again, listen to her lungs or intestine or take her temperature. She checked her weight which was the same as 10 days ago. I’m assuming that as Willow was trying to get away from her that she thought she was okay and not an “ill” rabbit. She gave her the injection and said she’d prescribe antibiotic drops. I asked about ongoing pain relief, given that I hadn’t seen her eat (and if I had sore legs and a urine infection I’d want some painkillers). She agreed to prescribe some loxicom. She said to try the antibiotics for 7-10 days and come back if it hadn’t settled and they could look at doing bloods. She didn’t mention anything about the importance of eating for rabbits or suggest critical care or anything like that.
At reception, the nurse came round and said that they didn’t have any 10ml bottles of loxicom, only 32mls which would obviously cost more. She’d spoken to the vet who said it probably wasn’t worth the cost as she probably wouldn’t need pain relief and I could always take her back for another injection if needed. I said I’d rather pay the extra cost and have it if needed and that it lasts a while when open (thinking that the boys will be neutered in a couple of months, so they can use it). The receptionist said, it only lasts 28 days once open. I couldn’t be bothered to challenge her (I had heard the nurse tell another patient when I took the boys for the vaccinations that it lasts 6 months, which matched my memory).
So, I got back home with them tonight. Willow has sulfatrim drops 0.4mls twice a day. A new bottle with no details of how long to give it for (other than the verbal 4-7 days). She also has dog loxicom ie 1.5mg/ml. The instructions say to give 0.18kg once a day. They usually give me a separate syringe and mls rather than kg measurements. The smallest syringe is up to 15kg and the smallest measurement is 0.5kg. Very helpful. I have a spare 1ml syringe. Anyone know what the dose on that should be? Willow is about 2kg in weight if that helps.
Really not impressed with the vet. Sadly it’s a big practice so they have lots of different vets. Might have to ask which vet any appointments are with and suddenly be unable to make those appointments if it’s with that vet.
I bought some antiseptic cream suitable for animals myself and made sure that she kept as dry as possible and put the cream on once a day. Last weekend it was looking dry and the skin looked a normal colour.
I came home from work tonight and as I swept out the run, Willow hopped out of the way and I noticed her leg was wet again. I phoned the vets and explained and said that she wasn’t her usual self and hadn’t come in to eat her tea, so I hadn’t seen her eat since this morning. They said to bring her straight in (it was at the time where they are usually switching over to their own out of hours staff), so I knew there might be an extra charge, but that wasn’t an issue, she needed seeing.
So, we saw the same vet. I explained what had happened, that she wasn’t her normal self and I hadn’t seen her eat. She looked at her legs and noted there was significant urine scald. She also felt her stomach in great detail then declared that she couldn’t find any evidence of bladder stones and that we should try a few days of antibiotics. I asked about pain relief and she said she’d give her an anti inflammatory injection. She didn’t check her teeth again, listen to her lungs or intestine or take her temperature. She checked her weight which was the same as 10 days ago. I’m assuming that as Willow was trying to get away from her that she thought she was okay and not an “ill” rabbit. She gave her the injection and said she’d prescribe antibiotic drops. I asked about ongoing pain relief, given that I hadn’t seen her eat (and if I had sore legs and a urine infection I’d want some painkillers). She agreed to prescribe some loxicom. She said to try the antibiotics for 7-10 days and come back if it hadn’t settled and they could look at doing bloods. She didn’t mention anything about the importance of eating for rabbits or suggest critical care or anything like that.
At reception, the nurse came round and said that they didn’t have any 10ml bottles of loxicom, only 32mls which would obviously cost more. She’d spoken to the vet who said it probably wasn’t worth the cost as she probably wouldn’t need pain relief and I could always take her back for another injection if needed. I said I’d rather pay the extra cost and have it if needed and that it lasts a while when open (thinking that the boys will be neutered in a couple of months, so they can use it). The receptionist said, it only lasts 28 days once open. I couldn’t be bothered to challenge her (I had heard the nurse tell another patient when I took the boys for the vaccinations that it lasts 6 months, which matched my memory).
So, I got back home with them tonight. Willow has sulfatrim drops 0.4mls twice a day. A new bottle with no details of how long to give it for (other than the verbal 4-7 days). She also has dog loxicom ie 1.5mg/ml. The instructions say to give 0.18kg once a day. They usually give me a separate syringe and mls rather than kg measurements. The smallest syringe is up to 15kg and the smallest measurement is 0.5kg. Very helpful. I have a spare 1ml syringe. Anyone know what the dose on that should be? Willow is about 2kg in weight if that helps.
Really not impressed with the vet. Sadly it’s a big practice so they have lots of different vets. Might have to ask which vet any appointments are with and suddenly be unable to make those appointments if it’s with that vet.