Barrie and Chibbs update U/D post 8

[keletkezes]

Barrie is pootling along fine. He's not lost any further weight, he seems to be coping really well with life.

He gets oats in baby food every morning, in a ball (like those fancy protein balls, or a truffle ;P), and he scoffs that down. He likes the mixed fruit&veg baby food best. Chibbs sometimes tries to get hold of it but she knows she won't if one of us is around. She gets 'crisps' (dried apple leaves in a paper bag) instead.

Chibbs' eye issue has fixed itself over winter: I haven't seen any discharge since January. We're keeping an eye on it but nothing untoward is happening yet.

We need to get them a new run, but Matt suggests we wait until this one disintegrates and then reseed the lawn while we're waiting for the new one. They can cope with just the run on the concrete and an extra extension and we can let them out into the concrete bit for six weeks or so! If they're still with us by that point, of course

 

[Omi]

Thanks for the update. It sounds as though they are both doing well

 

[bunny momma]

Good news on Chibb's eye not having discharge since January, and Barre's weight being stable thanks to his baby food treat.
Sending them lots of stay well vibes.

 

[a reader of books]

I was just wondering yesterday how Barrie was doing when I saw your name somewhere on the forum, so I'm happy to read your update and hear that Barrie's doing well and enjoying his fancy baby food balls. That's really great that Chibbs' eye issue has fixed itself, too, yay.

 

[joey&boo]

Awww what a nice update. Pleased to hear Chibb's eye weeping resolved. I love that she gets a bag of apple crisps while barrie gets his protein ball

 

[KCG]

A very lovely update 🩷🩷🩷

 

[keletkezes]

Thought I'd update everyone on my elderly idiots.

They're in good general health. Barrie has stopped having porridge in a trial to see if he needs it over summer: current results indicate not. I'm disinclined to feed him extras if he doesn't need it, as Chibbs is less easy to distract with dried apple leaves in summer.

Chibbs was having difficulty jumping up on the windowsill from about May, sometime after we came back from holiday. She would take ages to evaluate and then make the jump fine, and her movement etc. all seemed fine, so we suspected sight issues. I put a different stool in that Lopsy used to use to see if that would make things easier, but she wouldn't use it. Now we've put steps made of bricks in, because she uses those all the time outside, and that's working better but still not perfect. I got a good look at her face the other day: her right eye is super cloudy, but not irritated, not bulging, just cloudy so I suspect a cataract. She's certainly not favouring it or pawing at it, so it's not bothering her but she has obviously lost her ability to judge distance. She saw me wave at her from it, so has a little vision still, I think around rather than straight through the pupil (the opposite to tunnel vision). We're inclined to make things easier for her while we can and leave it: she's 10, she's in good health, she doesn't neeed me poking her about.

It's the opposite eye to her weepy one. That has started weeping occasionally again (seems to be pollen related, so producing more tears in high pollen, perhaps?) but not enough for me to even need to clean it: Barrie's got that sorted now, good boy. Chibbs is much happier with this situation even if she spends most of her time in a totally different area to Barrie XD

So, we're just keeping them as happy as possible for as long as possible. They seem to be enjoying life: when we let them out onto the lawn we still get binkies and zoomies, and Chibbs can still reach a good 18" into the air in a normal binky (24" to get onto the windowsill from a standing start) without worrying herself. Barrie is still the excitable idiot who realises there's food, gets distracted and then gets excited again.

 

[keletkezes]

We've had a couple of incidents with Chibbs having a dirty backside. The first was September/October, a proper big lump around her bum but loose, so relatively easy to snip off. She managed to keep herself nice and clean until I noticed a lump of dried poo on her tail this last week, so we tried to cut it off today. Poor kiddo, it was so tight on her tail where she'd sat back on it, Matt nicked her a couple of times. No blood, just the barest little cut, and she was so good really (she struggled and kicked, but that was all). We got it off and she was fine once back on her feet, but we'd noticed other things I'm not sure should be there: poo stuck in the folds of her anus, her anus seemed enlarged too, but she was actively pooing so maybe that was actually normal (it wasn't red or inflamed or anything). I'll book her into the vets tomorrow on my way to/from work so she's seen soon, but it's far from urgent: certainly we've got rid of the flystrike risk and she's lovely and clean where she had everything stuck last time

She is blind now: she can perceive light and dark but nothing else. It hasn't stopped her, but we make sure we make noise when we want her to do something

Barrie is still a loveable idiot

 

[bunny momma]

I am sorry to here Chibbs is blind and having issues with poo on her backside. Are you sure it is poo in the folds near her anus? It may be a residue from her scent glands that are in that area that can be carefully cleaned by you or vet. Perhaps vet can trim the fur short near her bum to make cleaning her easier in the future.

Barrie sounds lovely!

 

[keletkezes]

Brief update: Chibbs is fine, just old: those folds were just where she was actively pooing We've started her on metacam as a maintenance thing to see if it helps and, yes, as bunny momma suggested, keeping her bum fur short is worthwhile. I gave her her first dose this morning, tried it straight from the syringe by just poking it into her sleepy face: she seemed to like it so she got the rest, and hopefully she associates the syringe with nice things so I can medicate her as easily as my friend's guinea pig Makes everyone's lives easier.

 

[Omi]

That's good news about Chibbs. Sadly lots of bodily changes happen along with getting older and none of them are beneficial

Glad she approves of the Metacam and yes sweet-flavoured medicine makes everyone's life easier.

 

[bunny momma]

It is good to hear she is fine and getting Metacam. I had a couple take it from syringe! Some came running to me and I felt like their drug dealer

 

[joey&boo]

Brief update: Chibbs is fine, just old: those folds were just where she was actively pooing We've started her on metacam as a maintenance thing to see if it helps and, yes, as bunny momma suggested, keeping her bum fur short is worthwhile. I gave her her first dose this morning, tried it straight from the syringe by just poking it into her sleepy face: she seemed to like it so she got the rest, and hopefully she associates the syringe with nice things so I can medicate her as easily as my friend's guinea pig Makes everyone's lives easier.

glad Chibbs has secured herself some honey drugs & hope they help.

Soz, couldn't resist. If you click on the image it takes you to Imgur & Boobly's instructional vid about how to take meds

https://imgur.com/qFNUrjL

 

[Pets mum]

Oh my goodness that's is so sweet, beautiful Boobly

 

[keletkezes]

@joey&boo you never have to apologise for sharing Boobly goodness <3 I'l show Matt later so he knows when to whip the syringe away from chompy Chibbs.

 

[bunny momma]

glad Chibbs has secured herself some honey drugs & hope they help.

Soz, couldn't resist. If you click on the image it takes you to Imgur & Boobly's instructional vid about how to take meds

https://imgur.com/qFNUrjL

Boobly was sooo cute! I like how she seems to go right back to sleep after she finishes the meds!

 

[bunny momma]

@joey&boo you never have to apologise for sharing Boobly goodness <3 I'l show Matt later so he knows when to whip the syringe away from chompy Chibbs.

It is as so yummy some bunnies want to get every drop. Though it is great to not need to struggle when giving meds. Too bad all meds could not taste that good.

 

[tulsi]

Snowflake (12) is also on daily metacam and adores it. He also needs regular cleans but has to go to the vet as I cant hold him and clean him at the same time.

 

[bunny momma]

Snowflake (12) is also on daily metacam and adores it. He also needs regular cleans but has to go to the vet as I cant hold him and clean him at the same time.

Even with my smaller bunnies it can sometimes take two people to safely clean a bunny. The vet can safely shave the fur too. I hope the Medicam is helping Snowflake.

 

[tulsi]

The metacam is a wonder drug. He is sooo much more agile since taking it. Doesnt love his shaving sessions at the vets but needs must.