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PLEASE HELP Dental problems and not eating:Vet suggested potential PTS

I've not tried grating, I'll give that a go! thank you! I've tried dandelion leaves and he's not interested :( but did nibble on a couple of dandelion heads.
 
Good luck with the vet tomorrow. It's really stressful and exhausting nursing a sick bun but you're doing a fantastic job.

Personally I think it's a bit premature to be thinking about PTS at this stage, especially considering Ian is still showing some feistiness (despite being doped up on opiates!) and has only really just started his current course of antibiotics. Plus they haven't tried him with the "big gun" antibiotics yet. Of course, the vet may know more than we do but it just doesn't feel like every avenue has been exhausted.
 
I hope that the Vet will feel that giving treatment more time is an appropriate course of action. If it does not feel right to you to have to let Ian go today then you do not have to consent to doing it. Hopefully you have a trusting relationship with the Vet, but if not you could seek a second opinion elsewhere.
 
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He is.making more poo and taking some recovery food and nibbling slowly. I call that improvement and him showing you he wants to continue trying. As long as he is comfortable, IME it would be premature to pts and hope he can improve with more time and perhaps a modification to his meds.
 
He is.making more poo and taking some recovery food and nibbling slowly. I call that improvement and him showing you he wants to continue trying. As long as he is comfortable, IME it would be premature to pts and hope he can improve with more time and perhaps a modification to his meds.

Thank you all! I called the vets and my vet isn't in today. I've booked him in with her for 9.15 tomorrow morning but wondering if I should get him in to see another vet today. I saw my vet (rabbit expert) on Friday and there was no talk of PTS and he was given painkillers and antibiotics. He went from nibbling bits to refusing food altogether so I took him in on Saturday and it was that vet that gave the vetergesic and said about PTS (though I don't know if it was on our notes from the other vet). The vet from saturday is in today so I could take him to see her to see if she sees and improvement and to get more fluids in him if she thinks he's still dehydrated but I want to minimise stressful trips to the vet. I could take him today and tomorrow or wait and see until the morning? not sure what to do. The vet on saturday said to bring him in today if there's been no improvement and I think there has been a little. I asked the receptionist if I was meant to bring him in either way and she said the notes said 'if no improvement'.

I am managing to get about 30ml of recovery and extra water into him now, which is an improvement also. We struggled to get 10ml in at a time at first. meaning we can leave him longer between feeds so hopefully that's making it all a bit less stressful
 
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Thank you all! I called the vets and my vet isn't in today. I've booked him in with her for 9.15 tomorrow morning but wondering if I should get him in to see another vet today. I saw my vet (rabbit expert) on Friday and there was no talk of PTS and he was given painkillers and antibiotics. He went from nibbling bits to refusing food altogether so I took him in on Saturday and it was that vet that gave the vetergesic and said about PTS (though I don't know if it was on our notes from the other vet). The vet from saturday is in today so I could take him to see her to see if she sees and improvement and to get more fluids in him if she thinks he's still dehydrated but I want to minimise stressful trips to the vet. I could take him today and tomorrow or wait and see until the morning? not sure what to do. The vet on saturday said to bring him in today if there's been no improvement and I think there has been a little. I asked the receptionist if I was meant to bring him in either way and she said the notes said 'if no improvement'.

I am managing to get about 30ml of recovery and extra water into him now, which is an improvement also. We struggled to get 10ml in at a time at first. meaning we can leave him longer between feeds so hopefully that's making it all a bit less stressful


Is he still passing poo and wee ?
 
Sounds like you could wait until tomorrow, assuming you have enough meds to see you through. Less stress all round. See if he starts to poo more with having more food intake.

Is he eating any more by himself yet? That is less of a worry right now if you are getting more food into him.
 
Is he still passing poo and wee ?

Yes he's done what looks like a pretty normal amount of wee and has done more poos this morning. They're small but there's quite a lot of them.

I have lots of metacam and the antibiotics and metachlopromide. I've now ran out of the vetergesic but perhaps that's a good thing? I asked on the phone if they could ask the vet about pain meds but the receptionist said on the notes it just says if no improvement so he can wait until the morning. Last week before he got worse our vet said his dose of metacam could go up if it needs to, but that was before he was given vetergesic by the other vet. I was thinking I could give him a higher dose of metacam this evening as the vetergesic will be out of his system (had his last dose at 8.30am). Or I can ring back at lunch time and get him in this afternoon. The vet we have is great but the practice make it really difficult to discuss anything with a vet without bringing them in :(
 
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Sorry, I replied to both comments in one. He's not eating much by himself. still just the occasional nibble :( but we are getting lots into him now so perhaps he's not as hungry?
 
I would wait until tomorrow for the vet appointment. He's got improved input and output, isn't deteriorating, and the vetergesic will wear off so may show further improvements by tomorrow. Seeing the PTS vet may be more stressful for you as well, and you've already had 'advice' today from the receptionist. Unless there's an emergency, I don't see what you have to gain by going in today.
 
Thank you, this is reassuring <3

Yes, he was clenching his jaw before whereas now he resists putting the syringe in but once the food is in his mouth and eats it and will keep going for longer. hes' also stamping his feet and grunting when I put him dow which I hope is a sign of fiestiness rather than growing stress.
 
I agree, I would hang fire if he's pooping weeing and nibbling, hopefully you'll see an improvement when the vetergesic wears off too.
 
Sending vibes he will continue to improve.

Thank you all so much! I'm glad I didn't take him this morning as he does seem to be perking up a bit now and with that stress he might not have. He's still turning his nose up at most things but has eaten some parsley, a small lettuce leaf, 2 puffed corn treats (picked out of some dandelion salad I put down for him) and has had another nibble on some banana. He is dropping small bits from his mouth while eating which might be an issue if that keeps going? Clearly not out of the woods yet but feeling a bit more hopeful than yesterday. <3
 
Hello all, just a quick update on Ian. He was quite annoyed this morning (was hiding from me and only took one tiny treat off me and turned his nose up at everything else) so I wasn't feeling hopeful when I went to the vets (I'm worried because the stress of force feeding feels cumulative). My vet said that PTS is still an option if we feel he's been through enough but that as she sees a route out of where he is now it wouldn't be wrong to keep trying. She said it can take 7 days to really see the effects of the antibiotics. She also said she was happy with his gut and he didnt show any discomfort while she was examining him. We're trying him with a small dose of tramadol to support the pain as the vetergesic was making him a bit dopey (I think) and upping the metacam. She's also recommended, now his poos are looking a little better, to give him a longer break overnight. I'm apprehensive about it but also think it could be what he needs to kick start his appetite and it does feel harsh waking him up in the night. Fingers and toes and everything crossed! The bad news is she is on leave from friday until June 13th. But has recommended other vets in the practice to see if we are concerned while she's away. Thank you all again, SO MUCH!
 
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Hello all, just a quick update on Ian. He was quite annoyed this morning (was hiding from me and only took one tiny treat off me and turned his nose up at everything else) so I wasn't feeling hopeful when I went to the vets (I'm worried because the stress of force feeding feels cumulative). My vet said that PTS is still an option if we feel he's been through enough but that as she sees a route out of where he is now it wouldn't be wrong to keep trying. She said it can take 7 days to really see the effects of the antibiotics. She also said she was happy with his gut and he didnt show any discomfort while she was examining him. We're trying him with a small dose of tramadol to support the pain as the vetergesic was making him a bit dopey (I think) and upping the metacam. She's also recommended, now his poos are looking a little better, to give him a longer break overnight. I'm apprehensive about it but also think it could be what he needs to kick start his appetite and it does feel harsh waking him up in the night. Fingers and toes and everything crossed! The bad news is she is on leave from friday until June 13th. But has recommended other vets in the practice to see if we are concerned while she's away. Thank you all again, SO MUCH!

Pleased to hear that the Vet is hopeful that Ian can recover. I hope you start to see somme more small improvements over the next few days x
 
Thanks for the update, and it sounds pretty positive. I'm glad he's got an alternative to the vetergesic, hopefully the meds will help him to recover without making him so drowsy. Sending lots of vibes for your boy xx
 
He wont eat anything today at all and is very subdued. I think it could be from the stress of the vets (we had to wait quite a while) and maybe either the tramadol making him subdued or it not working enough to help the pain. Feel at a bit of a loss of what to do but will keep going :(
 
He wont eat anything today at all and is very subdued. I think it could be from the stress of the vets (we had to wait quite a while) and maybe either the tramadol making him subdued or it not working enough to help the pain. Feel at a bit of a loss of what to do but will keep going :(

Poor lad. I do hope things improve soon x
 
Why is he on additional pain relief (ie tramadol or vetergesic)? I've only been given those after major jaw surgery. I usually get permission to increase the metacam for a few days.
Was he weighed again? It's useful to weigh weekly just to keep track of his general condition and food intake.
It's a long way off until your vet is on holiday. Fingers crossed Ian is feeling much better by then, even if you are still having to provide some additional support.
 
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