Tips to help a very stressed out bun with travelling / vet visits :(

[treacletrim]

Hi everyone,

bit of a conundrum with my girly bun Patsy I hope someone may be able to help with!

I am posting on another thread re: Conker her partner, who is going through some abscess woes at the moment. However this is about her!

I just wondered if anyone had any tips to help Patsy cope with the travelling / vet visit aspect, as she is very stressed by it all she is a very sensitive and intelligent girl, but quite a stress head who likes a routine. I know all buns get upset by travelling / vet visits, but she really does get stressed when accompanying Conker too. She is stasis prone, and this morning is off her food after they were out at the vets all day yesterday. I've medicated her under the vets guidance with metacam / emeprid so hoping she will come around, but I really feel bad inflicting the extra stress on her.

Conker's visits to the vet are going to become more frequent in the coming weeks, and I know how important it is to keep them together on such trips. My husband had suggested we should just take Conker on his own to spare Patsy the upset but I'd rather not. They had a long and difficult bond that took over 6 months, and Patsy also gets unsettled when Conker isn't there. He tends to go off exploring round the house, and when he does she paces round looking for him.

At the moment whenever they have appointments / have to travel I spray pet remedy onto a blanket in the carrier, but does anyone have any other suggestions for how I can help her cope with it all? A lot of focus is on him at the moment but I don't want to do anything to make her ill either.

It's such a difficult balance to strike!

Many thanks x

 

[tonibun]

I've always only taken the sick bunny and left the other one at home and there has never been a problem, but if you don't feel happy about doing it this way then I personally don't feel it's fair on the well bunny, especially as it is going to be so frequent.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Hi everyone,

bit of a conundrum with my girly bun Patsy I hope someone may be able to help with!

I am posting on another thread re: Conker her partner, who is going through some abscess woes at the moment. However this is about her!

I just wondered if anyone had any tips to help Patsy cope with the travelling / vet visit aspect, as she is very stressed by it all she is a very sensitive and intelligent girl, but quite a stress head who likes a routine. I know all buns get upset by travelling / vet visits, but she really does get stressed when accompanying Conker too. She is stasis prone, and this morning is off her food after they were out at the vets all day yesterday. I've medicated her under the vets guidance with metacam / emeprid so hoping she will come around, but I really feel bad inflicting the extra stress on her.

Conker's visits to the vet are going to become more frequent in the coming weeks, and I know how important it is to keep them together on such trips. My husband had suggested we should just take Conker on his own to spare Patsy the upset but I'd rather not. They had a long and difficult bond that took over 6 months, and Patsy also gets unsettled when Conker isn't there. He tends to go off exploring round the house, and when he does she paces round looking for him.

At the moment whenever they have appointments / have to travel I spray pet remedy onto a blanket in the carrier, but does anyone have any other suggestions for how I can help her cope with it all? A lot of focus is on him at the moment but I don't want to do anything to make her ill either.

It's such a difficult balance to strike!

Many thanks x

I agree with Tonibun and personally I would leave Patsy at home. If she is that distressed by travelling then she is unlikely to be a calming influence to Conker and if she makes herself poorly from stress then that is obviously the last thing either of you need.

In similar circumstances I have always left the 'stress head' Bunny at home if their partner needs to go to the Vet and like Tonibun, I have never had a problem with getting the Buns back together x

 

[MightyMax]

Hi everyone,

bit of a conundrum with my girly bun Patsy I hope someone may be able to help with!

I am posting on another thread re: Conker her partner, who is going through some abscess woes at the moment. However this is about her!

I just wondered if anyone had any tips to help Patsy cope with the travelling / vet visit aspect, as she is very stressed by it all she is a very sensitive and intelligent girl, but quite a stress head who likes a routine. I know all buns get upset by travelling / vet visits, but she really does get stressed when accompanying Conker too. She is stasis prone, and this morning is off her food after they were out at the vets all day yesterday. I've medicated her under the vets guidance with metacam / emeprid so hoping she will come around, but I really feel bad inflicting the extra stress on her.

Conker's visits to the vet are going to become more frequent in the coming weeks, and I know how important it is to keep them together on such trips. My husband had suggested we should just take Conker on his own to spare Patsy the upset but I'd rather not. They had a long and difficult bond that took over 6 months, and Patsy also gets unsettled when Conker isn't there. He tends to go off exploring round the house, and when he does she paces round looking for him.

At the moment whenever they have appointments / have to travel I spray pet remedy onto a blanket in the carrier, but does anyone have any other suggestions for how I can help her cope with it all? A lot of focus is on him at the moment but I don't want to do anything to make her ill either.

It's such a difficult balance to strike!

Many thanks x

It is difficult. If the partner bun is a really stressy bunny then I leave them behind. It's not nice for either of them, but some buns just don't do well travelling.

Some people have used Rescue Remedy to help with travelling. You can dab it on the back of their necks or give it in water/syringe.

 

[Scrappy's Little Helper]

I agree with what others have posted, that there are occasions when it's better to break the rule of keeping buns together for vet trips.
I have a bun who gets very stressed going to the vets. She doesn't normally make herself ill but her stress really aggravates her companion bun to the extent they bicker when they come home. It was so bad once that it exploded into an all out fight. I take them separately for vet appointments now and there have been no falling outs since.


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[treacletrim]

Hi everyone,

wowzer, thanks for that. I'd always been told 100% keep them together so was quite taken aback by everyone's replies. I've also consulted some trusted bunny friends and most have said they would be inclined to send him on his own, although acknowledge it's a very difficult decision which is going to be worrying in either scenario.

Patsy doesn't like travelling at all, but on Monday accompanied Conker to a short consultation. I wanted to get her teeth checked to make sure her going off her food wasn't teeth related (she is a dental bun), but her teeth were fine. Although she wasn't happy of course, she did recover quickly after after a short sulk and nap at home. I have tried Pet Remedy and Galen's Garden calming drops with her to no avail. I think she can cope with short appointments ok (and of course she will have to go to her own in any case) but with her being sensitive and stasis prone, I know she won't eat all day on Friday when Conker goes in for surgery, which I don't want after her recent bout. So I think for quick visits I will take her along, but hink about leaving her at home for full days.

I'm in a completely different head space with this now, I didn't realise the 'rule' was so often broken. Does anyone have any tips for ensuring that they quickly rebond when Conker comes home? He should just be in for the day.

Thanks guys, feeling very nervous about this x

 

[tonibun]

It usually works fine for me. I think the problem could be if the rabbit coming home smells different that could upset Patsy but if rub your hands in their litter then run your hands over Conker, then he should smell ok.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Hi everyone,

wowzer, thanks for that. I'd always been told 100% keep them together so was quite taken aback by everyone's replies. I've also consulted some trusted bunny friends and most have said they would be inclined to send him on his own, although acknowledge it's a very difficult decision which is going to be worrying in either scenario.

Patsy doesn't like travelling at all, but on Monday accompanied Conker to a short consultation. I wanted to get her teeth checked to make sure her going off her food wasn't teeth related (she is a dental bun), but her teeth were fine. Although she wasn't happy of course, she did recover quickly after after a short sulk and nap at home. I have tried Pet Remedy and Galen's Garden calming drops with her to no avail. I think she can cope with short appointments ok (and of course she will have to go to her own in any case) but with her being sensitive and stasis prone, I know she won't eat all day on Friday when Conker goes in for surgery, which I don't want after her recent bout. So I think for quick visits I will take her along, but hink about leaving her at home for full days.

I'm in a completely different head space with this now, I didn't realise the 'rule' was so often broken. Does anyone have any tips for ensuring that they quickly rebond when Conker comes home? He should just be in for the day.

Thanks guys, feeling very nervous about this x

What I do is put the 'stay at home Bunny' into a Pet Carrier for about 10-15 minutes whilst settling 'been at the Vets' Bunny back into their usual accommodation. I then put stay at home Bunny, still in carrier, into the accommodation that been at the Vets Bunny is already in. I usually scatter some food about too. I then open up the Pet carrier and monitor them as they meet up. Most just have a quick sniff at each other and then get on with the more important issue of eating ! So far (20 + years of experience) this method has never failed.

 

[MightyMax]

Hi everyone,

wowzer, thanks for that. I'd always been told 100% keep them together so was quite taken aback by everyone's replies. I've also consulted some trusted bunny friends and most have said they would be inclined to send him on his own, although acknowledge it's a very difficult decision which is going to be worrying in either scenario.

Patsy doesn't like travelling at all, but on Monday accompanied Conker to a short consultation. I wanted to get her teeth checked to make sure her going off her food wasn't teeth related (she is a dental bun), but her teeth were fine. Although she wasn't happy of course, she did recover quickly after after a short sulk and nap at home. I have tried Pet Remedy and Galen's Garden calming drops with her to no avail. I think she can cope with short appointments ok (and of course she will have to go to her own in any case) but with her being sensitive and stasis prone, I know she won't eat all day on Friday when Conker goes in for surgery, which I don't want after her recent bout. So I think for quick visits I will take her along, but hink about leaving her at home for full days.

I'm in a completely different head space with this now, I didn't realise the 'rule' was so often broken. Does anyone have any tips for ensuring that they quickly rebond when Conker comes home? He should just be in for the day.

Thanks guys, feeling very nervous about this x

Rules are only there to be broken :lol:

I find that I don't have to do anything special to help them be OK together once home .. A quick sniff usually sorts it (them, not me!)

 

[Amy104]

I find that I don't have to do anything special to help them be OK together once home .. A quick sniff usually sorts it (them, not me!)

Me too. The only time mine travel together is if its a new bond I've just started. Other than that I've never kept them together for vet visits, regardless of whether pairs/group etc.

I always think its good advice to give new owners that they should be kept together, especially as the buns bond history is unknown, owners may not be savvy behaviour wise etc but once you have had bunnies for a while you tend to know your individual rabbits and are more able to make an educated decision on whether its necessary or not.

 

[nickybunny1]

I had a quad and if only one bun needed to go I just took one bu also. When I only had a pair I just took one bun also no problems on return. You could put Patsy in a large dog pen while you are away with Conker so she has less areas to scent when he is away. Just an idea. X

 

[treacletrim]

Hi all,

just to let you know I took the plunge and sent Conker on his own for surgery yesterday. Thankfully Patsy slept all day and didn't fret.

When Conker came home I rubbed him with a blanket I'd been rubbing on him the days before, and a little litter tray hay.

It was uneventful and no issues at all so far touch wood. I imagine it would have happened by now if they were going to fall out.....they have been happily snuggled

Thank you for the reassurance and tips! xxx

 

[tonibun]

Glad it all went smoothly. Thanks for the up-date.