Elderly care

[GlennTheLionhead]

Hi all!

I was wondering if anyone has any advice for navigating all the additional care needs that come with caring for a senior, including having to help them more with additional grooming and cleaning, medications and handling. Specifically helping to reduce handling stress for a bunny that can’t stand handling but now needs extra help. Nellie is happy but declining in her health and is on multiple medications twice daily. Medicating twice daily is already stressful enough for her but now the medicine residue has began sticking to her fur making her mouth messy and she doesn’t seem to be able to groom it off herself so I am needing the clean around her mouth with a damp cloth and her eye crusts are building up too because she has gorgeous teddy fur that it constantly picking up all the dirt and debris. Are there any tips or ways on making these processes quicker and less stressful? It’s is likely only a matter of time before she potentially needs help cleaning her hind from time to time as well but just cleaning her mouth and medicating this morning has her shaking :(.

She also won’t take meds from any apple or carrot mashes to make it easier, the volume of meds she is on is not crazy but not easy to hide in foods etc.

Any thoughts or shared experiences, simple or creative would be really helpful, thanks!

[LBJ10]

How are you handling her when administering the meds? I found it so much easier and less stressful to “sit” on them. I would sit on my knees and tuck them between my legs. Perhaps my buns just preferred having all 4 feet on the floor, but there was way less struggling compared to trying to do a burrito.

As for butt washing, I only had to do that at the very end of one bunny’s life. I placed a towel in the bathtub, supported his body with one hand and had his back feet on the towel, then used the handheld shower head to gently spray his rear.

[GlennTheLionhead]

Thank you, that’s really good advice!

So usually I would pick her up and set her on my lap on a large cushion while on the sofa and medicate there. Perhaps you are right and maybe the whole sofa and pillow are not making her feel secure! I tried floor medicating today and it actually went better, she was able to move away for a quick break couple times and fully swallow everything which is good considering it’s 4 syringes of meds! Usually by the 3rd she’s becoming very reluctant to swallow. I think that in itself made it less stressful and being study definitely helped! The only problem was there was still a lot stress from the chase as I usually use a blanket drop and scoop method but this time went straight for the ‘sit’.

So I think I will try a best of both world approach, blanket drop and scoop to eliminate the chase but rather than take her high up I will simply move her to the lounge (she’s familiar with the lounge but doesn’t voluntarily use the sofa) then do floor meds there where she can’t escape back into hides part way through.

Thanks 🙂

[LBJ10]

I’m so glad to hear that worked better! I always had luck with it, so I figured it was worth a shot. And yes, they would actually swallow instead of letting it ooze out of their mouths. So much better than trying to burrito them!

 

[Wick & Fable]

It sounds mean, but teaching them to sort of “give in” to the select medication/grooming windows is important. It’s actually not bad that bribing with food doesn’t work because when owners become dependent on that, they run into difficulty when it no longer works!

Whatever method you use, make sure you are committed and follow through. I recommend doing the same routine in terms of visual/location cues as well, so it’s clear when it’s “Game on, time to do this” vs. you just interacting normally.

I recommend picking up or solid floor for medication– cushiony surfaces are unstable (imagine walking on a mattress) and can make it more difficult to have a secure hold and this the rabbit feels less secure too.

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.

[mia]

I made it a routine. Meds with all the cleaning done on the bathroom countertop; no bun is familiar with the countertop so it’s always been easier for me to bring bun there for serious issues as they do not move as much.

And then additional meds, mixed with pellet mush or critical care (and/or something bun actually likes to eat) are given after the ordeal in the the normal feeding area.

I eventually needed to cleaned my oldest bun 1-2x daily for weepy eye, messy mouth eating the mush, and losing bathroom habits. I’m sure you already know but just as gently as possible and sometimes leaving it partially messy instead of finishing if needed.

[GlennTheLionhead]

Sorry just seen these replies! Thank you for all the advice. The routine has been going well! We are committed to following through as she very much needs her medication, she’s been quite up and down lately unfortunately. She is on an aggressive pain management plan with 3 pain meds + a stomach protectant with mild stimulation properties, so it’s no easy feat but we have a small solid laptop type desk that she sits on while we medicate so she can be grounded and have free movement but also secure and easy to medicate. It’s working well and she’s grown used to the routine and typically takes them very smoothly now from the syringe. She is of course stressed for that short window of time but she recovers fast and relaxes till the next dose.

The new meds have been helping a lot so she is actually still cleaning well and now is able to clean all the gunk off herself efficiently so the cleaning care has become less of a worry for now – it seems when she was more sore she wouldnt clean properly but luckily the additional meds have turned this around for now.

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