Hugo's Vet Visit (pics) Update

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 16sd replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 5 months ago by AbbyGirl.

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- 09/13/2010 at 10:30 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  OK. The vet said a few things I arleady knew. To get him down to 1 cup of pellets a day. He weighs 10.6 lbs but should weigh 13. She also said to get him to eat more hay. Which I am doing. She said he looks healthy and his stool sample was perfect.
  
  Her thought on the soft stool was that I am giving him too many veggies. She said he should only be getting 1 cup a day. I don’t know what to think about that. I go by the house rabbit guidlines. 2 cup min for 6 lbs. I give him around 4 cups a day.
  
  I guess I’ll try cutting him down on his veggies now. I think I’ll also start him with one veggie and see if it is a certain one I’ve been giving him. Maybe I’ll start with romaine. As for cutting back his pellets. Should I give him small amounts through the day, once a day or twice a day?
  
  Any thoughts about all this. I’m just happy to find out he’s healthy and nothing is wrong! Thanks for all your help. Hugo and I really appreciate it.
- 09/13/2010 at 10:39 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I think eventually he could get more veggies as well – it won’t hurt to cut back now and let him get used to one veggie at a time. But one cup a day, in my opinion, is not alot for a big boy ike Hugo.
  
  I’m thinking try the small amounts throughout the day just so he won’t feel cheated.
- 09/13/2010 at 10:47 AM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  I agree, just one veggie at a time, like lettuce one week, and add a new one every week (small amounts first so his belly can get used to it) after.
  
  I worried about my bunny starving when I cut her pellets down, but she got a ton of hay to fill up on.
  
  *Loves and vibes to Hugo*
- 09/13/2010 at 11:50 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks! Hopefully his tummy will start to feel better now.
  
  Should I cut him back to 1 cup of veggies until he isn’t having trouble with the soft stool and then increase the amount? She said he should only ever get 1 cup of veggies and no rabbit should have more than that. I could see that for a small rabbit…. but a big boy like him? Should I also hold back on the fruit for now?
  
  Thanks again for the help.
- 09/13/2010 at 7:04 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Should I also hold back on the fruit for now?
  
  Definately. Even more so than the veggies. The restriction in veggies might not be forever, just until his gut stabilises. He may be grump about the diet but it’s for the better. Some of his aggression may actually stem for his not feeling 100%. Hopefully, in the absence of fruits and all the veggies, he’ll develop a taste and appreciation for hay. That’s the best thing for him. Good luck!
- 09/13/2010 at 7:11 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks for the encouragement!
- 09/14/2010 at 7:12 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I’m glad he’s healthy!
  
  I’ve heard this equation before and it’s always made sense to me. This is regardless of size, breed, etc…The parts of the diet should be broken down as such:
  hay= 80%
  veggies= 15%
  pellets= 5%
  
  Eventually, *my thought* would be for him to get no more than a 1/2 cup pellets a day. And definitely more than 1 cup veggies a day. But I agree that you should basically start over on his diet. All rabbits are different and they tolerate food differently. So what works for one might not work for another.
  
  It makes sense for him to gain only 2 pounds. You said he lost 4 pounds before, so I’m guessing he was slightly overweight previously.
  
  If you don’t mind, keep us posted on what changes you make and how he reacts. I’m very interested to hear how he does and what works for him.
- 09/14/2010 at 10:06 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  I will keep you updated. I was never sure how much weight he lost. They did say he was just over 13 lbs when they got him, He’s up to 10 and the vet said he should be 13. She said she’d rather see him under weight that over weight though because of joint problems he could develop.
  
  He is not happy about his diet change. I am giving him 1/2 cup of food in the am, 1/2 cup in the pm and he has a ton on hay in his box. I am not giving him greens yet. I’m suppose to wait until his tummy stops grumbling before I reintroduce them.
  
  Poor thing. I feel like a bad bunny mom. No treats and no greens. Plus he’s mad at me for taking him in yesterday. Every time I go in the kitchen because I need to do something he chases me around the house begging for more food. He eventually gets tired of it and sticks his head in his hay.
  
  I did love seeing this for the first time last night!
  
  Had to throw this one in. It was too cute. He decided to lay on my pillow the other night. BEOFRE he was mad at me.
- 09/14/2010 at 11:55 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Awww…I know it’s hard because we want to give our bunnies treats. You can eventually, maybe look at some of the Oxbow treats for him. Hopefully he will calm down about the food and enjoy his hay. Still, tough love is so hard.
- 09/14/2010 at 12:12 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Aw, he’s so pretty. I love big white bunnies.
- 09/14/2010 at 12:43 PM
  GrumpyBun
  Participant
  643 posts
  Tough love is indeed hard – but you’re being a great bunny mom! Thanks for keeping us updated and I’m really pleased to hear it’s
  nothing major, I have something of a soft spot for Hugo.
- 09/14/2010 at 12:49 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks everyone. You would think with a 5 & 6 year old I’d be good at tough love! They don’t usually chance me around the house begging for food though. And how I do hate it when they don’t feel good.
  Does anyone have any thought on about how long it might be for his tummy to stop grumbling on just the hay and more limited pellets?
  Should I be able to hear or feel his tummy making noises at all? I wasn’t sure if a small amount is normal or not.
  Thanks again!
- 09/16/2010 at 6:50 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  So I got Hugo’s Oxbow hay yesterday and he seems to really enjoy it. He still begging for food but I see him eat it and he went through a lot of it last night. Yay! He’s been on only Timmy pellets and orchard hay since Monday morning. Today is the first day I did not have to clean up my carpet. His towel is still a little messy in the morning but not as bad as it was. I think this is an improvement. I also haven’t heard his tummy as loud. I at least can’t hear it across the room but I can hear it if I’m laying next to him.
  Is it possible that he has a noisy tummy naturally? Should you be able to hear his tummy?
- 09/16/2010 at 6:53 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I don’t think a loud stomach is normal if you can hear it unless you are putting your ear next to it like you are – I think we all have some tummy noises. It sure sounds like he is starting to get normal as far as his food.
- 09/16/2010 at 7:36 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks. I’ll keep you posted on our progress. I might have some questions about how to reintroduce the greens when we are ready.
- 09/17/2010 at 7:15 AM
  eyorelop
  Participant
  125 posts
  I have to say he is a beautiful bunny and that face omg. How big do they think he will get, I was just curious. The girl at HRS told me some flemish can weight as much as 24lbs, I can’t even imagine. At first I almost didn’t get Eyore bc he was a bigger bunny than I thought I would get but I love it that he is bigger, easier to grab. Also he can’t squeeze in as much spaces, although he tries sometimes.
- 09/17/2010 at 7:25 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Well, when he stretches out he’s about 30″ long and he needs to gain 3 lbs. So he’ll be about 13 lbs. That is on the slim side. The vet said because of joint problems they can develop she didn’t want him any larger than that. Flemish can get that large though. They say most males are around 13 lbs and females are usually a little bigger.
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