KandTheBuns
New Kit
Not really sure what I want from this stream of consciousness (apologies for how long it is) but non-bun folk don’t want to listen to me wittering on about our ill boy so thought I’d post it here and would be grateful for a positive thoughts and vibes.
Our big boy Gandalf (rescue french lop we’ve only had for 6 months) is a really poorly boy.
He’s about 5 yrs old and always been a little snuffly and sounded a little like he was snoring when he slept deeply which I suspected was a result of a previously untreated respiratory infection.
Quite suddenly over the weekend his breathing got so awful. By Sunday night every breath was rattling loudly enough to hear from the next room and it was such a horrible night. He was eating still but he was clearly struggling so much to catch his breath. Mouth breathing by Monday morning. We rushed him to our local vet and they gave him immediate pain relief and oxygen. They said though that the oxygen wasn’t particularly helping and that really they need an X-ray of his lungs and head to work out what the blockage is but that his breathing needed to he stable for anaesthetic so we’d just have to wait and hope the respiratory infection improved. They send us home with baytril and metacam.
Fast forward to Tuesday morning and although his breathing has marginally improved (no more mouth breathing and nostrils flaring a little less) he has now not drunk any water since Sunday morning!! I should say he’s been eating constantly since it began, with no real sign of slowing down, but he usually drinks almost a full dish of water a day (he’s a 5kg lad so big quantities of everything!). We’d supplemented with wet greens and fruit but contacted an exotic vet a little further away and took him for a second opinion Tuesday afternoon as obviously not drinking is a massive concern. He’d also begun to look thinner despite eating well still. The vet was great and very thorough. Said she could hear tooth grinding and he wouldn’t let her near her teeth, so she suspects it’s a tooth root infection that’s caused a nasal infection and possibly also an eye infection (she tried to flush his tear duct on his right eye but it was completely blocked). Strange that he would continue to eat if it were dental but she’s very rabbit savy so felt safe in her hands! She also upped the antibiotics.
Again he ultimately needs xrays and they’re just not possible right now, but she was also concerned at how much weight he’s lost in such a short time.
It’s now Thursday and he STILL hasn’t drunk any water. We’re now syringe feeding him water as well as the wet greens, cucumber, fruit etc which he’s eating well. He is still eating plenty (we’re near enough free-feeding pellets and he’s picking at hay) but he looks like he’s lost even more weight, and he’s very low energy. His breathing is gradually getting better though so that’s a little hopeful.
I know the farm he spent the first 5 years of his life at and I just feel so angry at them. The last 5 months we’ve spent huge amounts of time and money correcting all the problems he’s had as a result of their terrible treatment of him. A skin infection, mites, eye absess, matted fur, no vaccinations or neutering. He’s the friendliest and happiest boy who deserved so much more than the filthy damp shed they kept him in.
I just feel so worried about him how can he be losing so much weight so quickly when he is eating the same quantity as always? There’s a sharp dip after his last rib and his hips are now very visible. and how damaged are his lungs going to be after such a bad infection? And why the heck is he no longer drinking water?? Going to contact the vet tomorrow with an update and they may give him more subq fluids, but we just have to wait really and see whether he gets well enough to investigate further.
Sorry for the rambling but figured if anyone would have any sympathy it would be you guys!
Our big boy Gandalf (rescue french lop we’ve only had for 6 months) is a really poorly boy.
He’s about 5 yrs old and always been a little snuffly and sounded a little like he was snoring when he slept deeply which I suspected was a result of a previously untreated respiratory infection.
Quite suddenly over the weekend his breathing got so awful. By Sunday night every breath was rattling loudly enough to hear from the next room and it was such a horrible night. He was eating still but he was clearly struggling so much to catch his breath. Mouth breathing by Monday morning. We rushed him to our local vet and they gave him immediate pain relief and oxygen. They said though that the oxygen wasn’t particularly helping and that really they need an X-ray of his lungs and head to work out what the blockage is but that his breathing needed to he stable for anaesthetic so we’d just have to wait and hope the respiratory infection improved. They send us home with baytril and metacam.
Fast forward to Tuesday morning and although his breathing has marginally improved (no more mouth breathing and nostrils flaring a little less) he has now not drunk any water since Sunday morning!! I should say he’s been eating constantly since it began, with no real sign of slowing down, but he usually drinks almost a full dish of water a day (he’s a 5kg lad so big quantities of everything!). We’d supplemented with wet greens and fruit but contacted an exotic vet a little further away and took him for a second opinion Tuesday afternoon as obviously not drinking is a massive concern. He’d also begun to look thinner despite eating well still. The vet was great and very thorough. Said she could hear tooth grinding and he wouldn’t let her near her teeth, so she suspects it’s a tooth root infection that’s caused a nasal infection and possibly also an eye infection (she tried to flush his tear duct on his right eye but it was completely blocked). Strange that he would continue to eat if it were dental but she’s very rabbit savy so felt safe in her hands! She also upped the antibiotics.
Again he ultimately needs xrays and they’re just not possible right now, but she was also concerned at how much weight he’s lost in such a short time.
It’s now Thursday and he STILL hasn’t drunk any water. We’re now syringe feeding him water as well as the wet greens, cucumber, fruit etc which he’s eating well. He is still eating plenty (we’re near enough free-feeding pellets and he’s picking at hay) but he looks like he’s lost even more weight, and he’s very low energy. His breathing is gradually getting better though so that’s a little hopeful.
I know the farm he spent the first 5 years of his life at and I just feel so angry at them. The last 5 months we’ve spent huge amounts of time and money correcting all the problems he’s had as a result of their terrible treatment of him. A skin infection, mites, eye absess, matted fur, no vaccinations or neutering. He’s the friendliest and happiest boy who deserved so much more than the filthy damp shed they kept him in.
I just feel so worried about him
how can he be losing so much weight so quickly when he is eating the same quantity as always? There’s a sharp dip after his last rib and his hips are now very visible. and how damaged are his lungs going to be after such a bad infection? And why the heck is he no longer drinking water?? Going to contact the vet tomorrow with an update and they may give him more subq fluids, but we just have to wait really and see whether he gets well enough to investigate further. Sorry for the rambling but figured if anyone would have any sympathy it would be you guys!
