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.
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
Is he still passing poo and wee ?
Sending vibes he will continue to improve.
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!
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