Critical Care – and anything else you need to have at home

[Karla]

So I just learned something new from another thread: every bunny owner should have Critical Care at home.

I just looked it up and found that I can get it from The Hay Experts. But they have two sorts:

• Critical Care (singles)
• Critical Care Fine Grind

Should I get both? What do you guys have?

And what else should I stock up? I  know I should have FibrePlex on hand (got to buy some more on Friday), but I also recall something about activated charcoal in case the bunny eats something poisonous? 

Here are my suggestions so far:

• Activated charcoal (can be bought at the pharmacy or vitamin shop. Expensive, but effective) – if your rabbit eats something poisonous. Stops the poison from being being absorbed and further ingested.
• FibrePlex – beneficial microorganisms to rapidly populate the gastrointestinal tract and prebiotics to synergistically enhance the growth and colonisation of beneficial microorganisms.Tastes of carrot and is a real treat for a bunny.
• Vetbed Original - Perfect bedding in times of illness or recovery. The hygienic and draining surface helps to keep your little one dry when the littler tray is just too far to manage. The thicker pile of Vetbed® also ensures good heat retention.
• Echinacea – herbal extract that is said to be an immunostimulator (no documented evidence though)
• Critical Care – designed to help in the recovery of a sick animal.Timothy grass hay, the main component in Critical Care, provides the proper balance of forage based fibre and soluble carbohydrates needed to support the natural microbial population in the digestive system of small herbivores
• Syringes
• Simethicone – to relieve gas problems
• Thermometer

 

 

 

[Monkeybun]

I need to get a bunny emergency kit put together myself… i’d hate for somethign to happen and not have the stuff on hand

[Karla]

MB, what kind of things do you plan to put in the emergency kit?

[Monkeybun]

Oh heck I have no idea…. I need to go hunting for a list. I’ll post what I find

[Karla]

Yeah, do that! I will do some googling as well and then I can edit my first post, so we can list it all there.

[Monkeybun]

I found this thread on BB… binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aff/2…fault.aspx

[Karla]

Thanks. Good point about the Echinacea in that thread – I drink it myself when I am ill. But it tastes so horribly that I don’t think I can get the bunnies to drink it.

I still need to know the difference between the two types of critical care. I guess the fine one may be for bunnies that are unable to eat on their own and need to be force-fed? But in that case, I think I would go to the vet and not play nurse at home.

[Monkeybun]

I looked ont he oxbow site.. the fine grind is for use through feeding tubes, the normal stuff you dont need a feeding tube to use it. So the normal critical care is generally what you’d be using except for drastic times, in which you’d want it from a vet anyway.

[Sarita]

A heating pad!

A thermometer and knowing how to use it – ask your vet to show you.

[peepi&warri]

Simethicone!

[Karla]

Which is?

[peepi&warri]

Simethicone is for gas. I buy the infant gas drops, which is fruit flavored.

[Karla]

Do you buy it from the vet or from a drugstore?

[peepi&warri]

Drugstore. It should either be in the digestive health section or in the baby section.

This link has a lot of the name brands that it’s sold under. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone

[Elrohwen]

Simethicone can be found in the drugstore in the baby section (or in the stomach troubles section). It’s just gas meds for babies. Check the ingredient list and get one with only simethicone as the active ingredient.

[Karla]

Thank you guys! These tips are so great ’cause it is not always easy to drop by a vet.

[KatnipCrzy]

I am not convinced about the activated charcoal to have at home to give.  Pets do NOT like it- and they need a large volume based on their weight to be effective.  And I would worry about the bunny aspirating it into their lungs in the middle of the long struggle to get the bunny to swallow all of it.

Rabbits cannot vomit- so that won’t work to get rid of toxic ingested substances.  But a vet could sedate them- pass a stomach tube- and admin the charcoal that way.  And depending on the substance ingested- vet care might be needed regardless.  Especially if it is unknown when the rabbit ate the toxic substance- blood values may need to be checked and monitored and additional meds might be necessary.

 

[RabbitPam]

I don’t have a medical emergency box, though I did stock up on simethicone, syringes, and a few other items, but I have kept a hurricane bag ready for the bunny for several years now. It’s a travel gym bag with a supply of bunny stuff that I can grab and go with during hurricane season. My travel box can act as a cage now that I have a new one with food and water dishes built in.

[Monkeybun]

With me living on the west coast, in earthquake territory, I want to have a good kit made up just in case. I’m also shopping around for a large carrier for the 2 so that if I do haev to grab them and run, they can have a bit of space to flop int he carrier and dotn ahev to be scrunched in it.

[MimzMum]

That’s an idea I’m contemplating too, MB…but bunnies must be bonded first. >.<
So for now, they are each going to have to go in separate carriers…plus three more for the cats. 0_o

I keep small batches together of simethicone, Benebac, papaya tablets, styptic q-tips, and I also keep children’s Benadryl for nasal issues, but that’s not an ER item.
I only recently got some Critical Care after Mimzy’s dental, but that’s in the freezer. The other stuff I keep near the buns in a plastic (bun-proof) container for easy access.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

My bunny-now ‘pet’ emergency kit contains-

Peroxide (santizing and a vomiting agent for dogs-feed three tbs to a dog who has eaten something poisonous but not caustic and they will throw up)
neo and polysporin
vet wrap
Cortozon (sp?)
Vet wrap
thermometer
critcal care
baby food/pedialyte
metacam
styptic

Fibreplex if I am able to get some is on my list-still looking.

That’s somethign I’ve wanted to look into-producing a bunny first aid kit-my dad will sponsor it so long as I research what needs to be in it and costs etc. But there just isn’t one on the market and you figure what you need=it’s quite expensive. Wish there was one-looking into making one

[Lunar~Atticus]

ok i live in ontario canada, and i cannot find this critcal care and WOULD like to have some in my first aid kit…which is HUGE, but i just cant find the critical care…please someone tell me where to get it or does it have to come from a vet??

[Monkeybun]

You pretty much have to get it from a vet. That’s where I got mine, when Moosie was in stasis

[jerseygirl]

Yes, I think it’s only available thru vets. It’s an Oxbow product, part of their Professional line. Meanwhile, something like baby food or canned pumpkin is good to have on hand.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Naw critical care you can order strait from Oxbow or get on ebay http://pet-supplies.shop.ebay.com/Pet-Supplies-/1281/i.html?_nkw=critical+care&_catref=1&_fln=1&_sac=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282 -it’s not medication. And you don’t need a prescrip to get it from your vet-you get it from the vet-just phone and ask for some! It’s just pretty much crushed pellets

BUT it is absolutely something I would not live without. -even if you throw it out after it expires without using it-something to pick up  And easiest-ask your vet-most offices have some  

[Beka27]

Because of the expiration date (I think it’s only good for a year frozen), you might want to hold off on getting it until you actually need it. Vets offices have it available, so if it gets to the point you’re needing to force feed, your bun would have been evaluated by a vet ALREADY anyway. You’d never want to force feed a rabbit simply b/c they are not eating WITHOUT getting a doctor’s okay… b/c there may be a blockage and force feeding would make issues worse.

More experienced bunny people who have been around the block with various rabbit health issues, are going to know better when they can safely force feed and when they cannot. For you Lunar-Atticus (and me and many others who haven’t been thru these same issues), we’d be closely following our vet’s advice on when and how to feed.

[Andi]

This is a “First Aid” type list a few rescue Volunteers and i put together, some have already been mentioned, but I thought I’d post it anyways. (Some brand names differ)

 

A large enough case for all supplies
Nail Clippers
Quick-Stop
Ovol
Critical Care
Polysporn (Ointment Original Only)
Gauze
Medical wrap
Syringes – Feeding, Water & medical (no needles)
Q-tips
Mineral oil/ Baby oil (Hypoallergenic)
Small scissors
Papaya tablets
Gloves
Antibacterial hand wash / gel / wipes
Heating pad/Hot water bottle
Towel/Blanket
E-Collar
Vet’s number and address (& after-hours & alternatives)
Baby food / Canned pumpkin
Pedialite
Treats
Tweezers
Rescue remedy
Emergency contact list
Money for emergency vet visit – vet’s number and address (& after-hours & alternatives)
Baby food / canned pumpkin
Feeding syringe (just to be specific)
Water syringe
Medical syringe (good for giving ovol for example)
(all above with out needles)
Pedialite
Treats
Tweezers
Rescue remedy

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