Sick bunny :,(

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 10sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 6 months ago by DanaNM.

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- 07/22/2020 at 6:56 AM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Hi guys,
  
  Sorry if this is so long, I don’t know what to do anymore. My bunny Cocoa hasn’t been the same for about 3 weeks now. I took him to the vet bc he wasn’t being as active as he usually is and he started developing a head tilt when he would lay down or eat. He ended up having a middle ear infection and a sore hock, the vet noticed his walking was unusual. The vet also suspected EC since his eye looked a little cloudy, but he said he would wait and see how Cocoa would feel in two weeks. They gave me ear drops for the infection and an antibiotic for the sore hock. Cocoa was still eating normal before the vet visit, lots of hay and his favorite greens and treats here and there. When we got back home and I gave him the antibiotic he stopped eating his hay completely. The vet said to stop the antibiotic, maybe that was causing him to lose his appetite, and to put calendula ointment in the sore hock instead but to continue with the ear drops. They also gave me a probiotic and two other medicines to help him with his eating and gut movement. He was pooping small droppings but there were still a lot. He also stopped using his litter or going in his cage 🙁 so he’s going to the bathroom all over the place. After the two week check up the vet decided to do some blood work to check for the parasite EC. The tests came back and it seems like he does have it, but he said everything else was normal. They gave me Panacur for 6 weeks and I gave it to him at night. The morning after I noticed that his poop was completely off and it looked like diarrhea. After some research I don’t think it’s not that, but intermittent soft cecotropes. Cocoa is still not eating any hay but will have some greens, I’ve tried everything, changing the hay, putting it in toilet paper rolls, nothing seems to work so I’m just giving him critical care. He hates being picked up and I know the vet visits just make him more stressed out so I really don’t want to take another trip to the vet. Has anyone ever experienced this? How do I get him to eat hay again, I feel like that would help him immensely:(
- 07/22/2020 at 8:01 AM
  Pwincess
  Participant
  3 posts
  Im sorry to hear Cocoa isn’t doing well:( I had an EC bun who basically did the same thing. Maybe to entice Cocoa to eat more hay you could mix in some alfalfa. If he’s not going for that what really helped my bun was taking him out in the yard to graze. You could also try putting baby food with mostly veggies in it on his greens if he’s not eating those.
  
  Just from my experience I think you should talk to the vet again bc my buns EC got worse very fast.
  
  Also this is minor but if he’s not going in his cage you might want to get him a little bed to keep him stable/comfy bc EC sometimes causes buns to feel dizzy.
  
  Good luck and I hope something in here helps!
- 07/22/2020 at 9:56 AM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Thank you Pwincess 🙂 I’m wish I could take him out but I live in an apartment and the outside isn’t too safe for him but I’ll try the baby food. I contacted the vet and left a message bc he’s not there today so hopefully he gets back to me ASAP. Thanks again!
- 07/22/2020 at 10:23 AM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  I’m sorry I don’t have much EC experience, but hoping some other members will chime in because I know several of them have dealt with this.
  
  It can take a while for Panacur to work, so it’s important to keep up whatever supportive care is needed until the treatments kick in.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 07/22/2020 at 10:25 AM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5834 posts
  It sounds like you just started Panacur treatment, correct? If so, remember it will take some time for recovery and he’s been through a lot of stress — it’s not surprising that his poop may be abnormal, especially with a recent dive into an antibiotic. His gut biome may be feeling a bit ‘funky’.. Critical Care is packed with nutrients since it’s meant to be a complete substitute for food in recovering rabbits, so if that’s his primary source of food, the excess cecotropes may be coming from there. In addition, being fed Critical Care can also reduce hay-appetite, since he’s getting food elsewhere. That being said, it is absolutely important for him to get food so he can recover, so it’s good to continue CC if you notice he’s not willing to eat anything else.
  
  Hay is probably the most taxing thing a rabbit eats. They need to really chew and grind at it to get it down, so unsurprisingly, it can be the first food to be ignored when a rabbit isn’t feeling too good. Ideally, as he recovers, he will regain his hay appetite.
  
  I do not have any experience with EC, but I know other active BB users will have valuable information to share with you specifically!
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 07/22/2020 at 2:42 PM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Thank you so much guys. He has been through a lot of stress lately, I feel so bad, that’s why I didn’t wanna take another trip to the vet if I didn’t have to. The vet called me today and told me the same thing you are telling me Wick, hopefully his poop is back to normal and eventually he starts eating normal again. I just got back from work and his poop looks regular now 🤞🏽🤞🏽.
- 08/10/2020 at 12:10 PM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Hi guys,
  
  Cocoa has been on Panacur for 3 weeks now and he doesn’t seem to be getting better :(. It’s been over a month since he hasn’t been the same. He still doesn’t want any hay or his food but will go for greens and fruit even though I barely give him any fruit, it’s just so hard seeing him get excited for it and not be able give him any. I can tell he’s in pain tough, I hear his stomach making growling noises and sometimes the sounds are loud. He also started grinding his teeth which is how I know he might be in pain. It’s so hard to see him like that. He used to have a routine, he was amazing with time and knew when I would wake up and go to sleep so that he could get his veggies and treats, he was so good with not chewing things he’s not supposed to and using his litter box and now I feel like he’s a different bunny. He has been chewing on our all furniture even though I bought him several hay toys. Sometimes when I’m petting him I notice that he puts his head up and just stares as if he’s out of it and then comes back and goes again. Idk maybe it’s hard to describe but I know it’s not normal. I spoke to the vet and he said by now we should’ve seen some progress and that he doesn’t know what else to give me. The parasite might’ve gotten to his immune system and that’s why Cocoa can’t recover from it. He left it at that but he didn’t sound too confident:( I feel so bad for my baby, idk if maybe the parasite got to his brain or if that is even possible. There isn’t much detailed information on EC online. At times my husband says that maybe it’s time we let him rest and put him to sleep but I feel like he still has some energy and life in him. I don’t want to let him go if this is just part of the illness and maybe he’ll get better once the 6 weeks treatment is done. But then I see him hunched with his head tilted and grinding his teeth and I feel like I’m being selfish for wanting to keep him longer with me. Idk what to do.
- 08/10/2020 at 2:49 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  So sorry he isn’t doing well 🙁 @Asriel and Bombur has had a lot of EC experience, hopefully she will chime in here. Buns definitely can and do recover from EC, even when a prolonged treatment is needed.
  
  I know Panacur can sometimes take 2 full rounds. Are you also giving supportive care for the gut and pain? Such as syringe feeding, pain meds, and even motility meds?
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 08/10/2020 at 8:06 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17228 posts
  I agree with Dana. It sounds like he needs some more time. During that time though, he should have some supportive care.
- 08/11/2020 at 6:28 AM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Thank you guys. The only thing the vet told me to give him was critical care, which I have to syringe feed since he won’t eat it on its own. Should I ask the vet for those type of medications you suggested Dana?
- 08/11/2020 at 12:09 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  You could for sure ask about metacam (which is a commonly used anti-inflammatory pain med, similar to ibuprofen), especially since you are seeing signs of pain.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
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