Hi, out for a walk with my dog a couple of days ago found a rabbit. A little albino guy flat out looking like he was breathing his last... nearby was a rusty cage and... a sandwich. I took him home and found he was completely crusted in urine and faeces. I tried to wash him... without stressing him too much. Remarkably he was tame and let me do it. I got lots of filth out of him... but his fur is extremely matted. he was keen to feed but didnt seem to have much bite. It's only when I took him to the vet that I realised he had massively impacted teeth. The vet clipped them back, gave him antibiotics and also clipped away some of the fur. Problem is I live in thailand, so its tricky to communicate effectively with the vet. He gave me oral antibiotics and pain killers... the rabbit has nasty sores on his feet and what looks like one hanging testicle. Today he is a little better... he comes out to feed. Hes a bit wobbly and very frail (he seems to box hisnfrom paws every now and then like his feed are stuck in carpet when there is nothing to stick to) but hes a fighter so I'm hoping he will recover. I have some questions maybe you all can help with to fill in the gaps from the vet..?
1. Hes struggling to eat timothy hay. I've got him eating pellets of fibrous rabbit food.. soften with water... which has made his stools harder/better. Is there anything I can give him to help him gain weight fast? He loves carrots and bok choi but I understand he shouldn't have too much of this.
2. His urine is worryingly cloudy... he seems to pee only a couple of times a day and randomly ( soiling his bed) should his pee be clear? Should he make his own toilet space like a rat does?
3. He has nastly scabs on all the parts of his body in contact with the floor.. It almost looks like hes been dropped on something scalding? Is there any cream i can put on this? Sudocreme? What about salt baths?
4. It's not important for me to be intimate with his privates! but I'm confused about his anatomy... he seems to have two openings and then a huge long veiny dangling 'apparatus' which I think must be a testicle? Is it common for rabbits to have only one? Could it be a hernia? It has a big scab on it too... because it's been on the ground. I will try to upload a photo.
5. Is there anyway I can tell how old he is?
6. His eyes and head are I pretty good shape. His ears move when he hears movement... buy the fur around his eyes is brush stiff from tears. How can I wash this to make it soft? I feel like it must be super uncomfortable for him.
7 hes a frail little bag of bones, but i can move his joints without him flinching so I dont think anything is broken... but he does seem to lean on one side more. And sleeps lying on his side like a dog... I wonder if there is a brain injury or infection. It almost like hes got invisible string around his feet... could this just be muscle wastage? I appreciate this is pretty difficult to diagnose. Maybe I can upload a clip?
Thanks so much for any info and an advice you can pass on. I'm invested in him now and I be gutted if he didnt pull through!
1. Hes struggling to eat timothy hay. I've got him eating pellets of fibrous rabbit food.. soften with water... which has made his stools harder/better. Is there anything I can give him to help him gain weight fast? He loves carrots and bok choi but I understand he shouldn't have too much of this.
2. His urine is worryingly cloudy... he seems to pee only a couple of times a day and randomly ( soiling his bed) should his pee be clear? Should he make his own toilet space like a rat does?
3. He has nastly scabs on all the parts of his body in contact with the floor.. It almost looks like hes been dropped on something scalding? Is there any cream i can put on this? Sudocreme? What about salt baths?
4. It's not important for me to be intimate with his privates! but I'm confused about his anatomy... he seems to have two openings and then a huge long veiny dangling 'apparatus' which I think must be a testicle? Is it common for rabbits to have only one? Could it be a hernia? It has a big scab on it too... because it's been on the ground. I will try to upload a photo.
5. Is there anyway I can tell how old he is?
6. His eyes and head are I pretty good shape. His ears move when he hears movement... buy the fur around his eyes is brush stiff from tears. How can I wash this to make it soft? I feel like it must be super uncomfortable for him.
7 hes a frail little bag of bones, but i can move his joints without him flinching so I dont think anything is broken... but he does seem to lean on one side more. And sleeps lying on his side like a dog... I wonder if there is a brain injury or infection. It almost like hes got invisible string around his feet... could this just be muscle wastage? I appreciate this is pretty difficult to diagnose. Maybe I can upload a clip?
Thanks so much for any info and an advice you can pass on. I'm invested in him now and I be gutted if he didnt pull through!