It never ends: Bindi lost more weight

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m so worried, I want to break down and cry. Mere days after finding out that Bindi’s ear infection is cured, I find out he is still losing weight. I last weighed him on November 22, he was 4lbs 8 oz. That was the day before he stopped the Baytril so I figured he would start gaining weight. I weighed him tonight and he’s at 4lbs 4 oz. I’m so annoyed because the vet always weighs him but she didn’t on Wednesday so she didn’t know about the weight lose. What am I gonnna do? He’s so bony when I pet him. He’s off the antibiotics but still losing weight!!! I want to call the vet tommorow but I just know she’s going to think I’m a paranoid hypochondriac, but this seems like a lot of weight. Should I call? He should be gaining since he’s off the meds or at least maintaning.

I’m so upset. I love this little guy so much, he’s the sweetest bunny in the world. What should I do? Any ideas why he’s still losing weight now that he’s off the meds? I increased his pellets by a very small amount since he started losing, he’s getting about 1/4 cup daily now, should I increase further? What about critical care, I tried when he first was losing and on the meds but it was absolutely impossible to get him to take it. Should I be as worried as I am? Because I feel like I’m gonna break down, this is sort of added to a bunch of other life stuff happening right now. There is absolutely nothing worse for me than worrying about my animals.

[rabbitsmba]

Awww Puffy, take a deep breath, Bindi is going to be okay. Perhaps your scale is slightly different that the vet’s scale and it’s off by a few ounces? Four ounces, even for a bunny, isn’t too critical.

Try upping his pellets – are you feeding him timothy or alfalfa pellets? If you are feeding timothy, try changing to alfalfa. You can also switch to alfalfa hay as well. You can try the critical care again too, but mix it with some yummy babyfood or pineapple juice and see if he will eat it off a plate on his own – don’t force feed. Also, pumpkin puree is good – not the pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin puree.

Keep us updated on his progress.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m feeding Timothy pellets and timothy hay. I’ll pick up some Alfalfa hay and start introducing him to that. That needs to be introduced really slowly?

If I start the critical care how long should I use it for? Is it bad to do it for too long?

 

I forgot to add, before this whole month long ear drama began, he was about 4lb 12 oz and last time he was weighed at the vet, my scale weight matched hers.

[jerseygirl]

LPT, hope he is ok! (((Bindi)))

[rabbitsmba]

I don’t think you need to switch it over gradually – alfalfa usually tastes better so they don’t have a problem with it – it is usually after when you try to switch them back to timothy that you may have to mix the hay up a bit and gradually switch back over. Same with the pellets. But if Bindi doesn’t go for it, then mix the two and slowly switch to alfalfa. Rabbit farmers feed alfalfa exclusively to their bunns to fatten them up for, well, for selling…

The critical care shouldn’t be a problem either. If he likes it and eats it, great. It will help put some weight on. Then once he gains some weight, I would stop.

[BunnyMuffin]

Would it throw off their digestion to all of a sudden switch from timothy to alfalfa? Kinda like how if you switch pellet brands you’re supposed to do it gradually, even if they’re both timothy based pellets. Or gradually introducing new veggies. Especially since alfalfa is more rich than timothy, I might mix them at first just to prevent too much of a shock to the system and any potential poopy butt that might result. Not sure. :-/ I’ve been bad and switched pellet brands without gradual mixing for both of my bunnies without any problems (I don’t even know what Wally was eating before I got him, he might have even been on alfalfa, I’m not sure!), so it might be okay – probably depends on the bun a bit. I’d just hate for Bindi to get an upset tummy on top of everything else – poor little guy.

[Sarita]

Yes, I would just up the pellets and add some fresh alfalfa hay with the timothy hay. You might also add a tiny bit of rolled oats to his pellets as well.

How old is Bindi?

[Beka27]

my thought on this is to give it some time… continue to monitor and weigh him, but don’t go changing everything around on him. if after a little bit of feeding his normal healthy diet (maybe 2-3 weeks) you’re not seeing a stabilization in his weight, then i’d contact the vet…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Great suggestions!!

rolled oats (sure you know where to find those Puffy )

Alfalfa hay (you don’t need to intro to slowly but I would start with maybe a handful a day)

Fattening veggies-how bout some carrots!!

You can do some babyfood too if he’ll eat it without being syringe fed? Maybe pumpkin?

Vibes for your Sanity Puffy and some {{ GET FAT }} ones for Bindi *hugs*

[LittlePuffyTail]

I went to the store today to buys some alfalfa hay but they were out so I bought instead some alfalfa based pellets of the same brand I’m feeding now, except I feed the Timothy Less Active Pellets. I was thinking about maybe switching him to 1/2 alfalfa pellets and 1/2 timothy pellets. What do you think of that? I’ll buy some alfalfa hay next time they get a new shipment. I think I’ll just start by using the alfalfa/timothy pellet mix as Beka27 said, I don’t want to confuse his system too much by changing everything. I’m going to weigh him the same day in a week and if he lost more, I’ll call my vet.

Bindi is 2 years old. Thanks for the “fatty bunny vibes”

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yup I think feeding alfalfa pellets are totally fine especially given that you want to get his weight up!

Weight him every day, but don’t get yourself sick over it; Plot it on a graph so you can watch the trend rather then the numbers. *hugs*

[LittlePuffyTail]

Okay, Ill start the gradual addition of Alfalfa pellets to his twice daily feed. I’ll let you know how it goes!

[MimzMum]

If I can put in my two cents…
Try not to let those 4 oz gnaw at your brain. It may just be that he is slow to gain. Perhaps the Baytril affected his absorption a bit and it’s just taking awhile to get the intestinal flora back up to snuff?
For my bunnies, wheat or oat hay usually tends to round them out. But once you introduce it, it’s hard to get bunny off it. They rather like it better than timothy and we don’t want Bindi to have gut issues as a result of not eating enough timothy. (Or to swing WAY over the other way on the scale either.)
I didn’t see anything saying how Bindi is eating now. Is he turning his nose up at food? If he’s not refusing it, perhaps he is just at a weight he’s going to stay at for awhile. As long as he doesn’t lose pounds all at once, won’t he be okay at around 4 lbs? I think Mimzy is about 6 lbs and I think he’s a little on the heavy side for a lop. 0_o

Too bad bunnies can’t indulge in all the treats we have to try to keep from eating during the holidays. That would get one plump in no time, eh? ^_^
I’ll keep prayers going for sweet little Bindi. It is so apparent how much you love him and he has a good bunny mum there to take care of him. And I am glad to hear his ear infection has finally gone away!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Thanks, Mimzmum

GRRRR…. He is being a fussy little bunny. I gave him his regular pellets this morning and added like 10 alfalfa pellets and the little bugger ate every single pellet except the alfalfa ones! I even tried hand feeding him one and he just turned his nose up! They look and smell almost exact same, how can he even tell?

I’m gonna keep trying to add some everytime I feed him and hopefully he will start eating them. I thought buns usually preferred the alfalfa.

[BunnyMuffin]

Oh no – maybe he thinks he’s on a diet! “No Mom, those will make me fat – can’t you see I’m trying to maintain my boyish figure?!”

[Sarita]

I would add more of the timothy pellets if he won’t eat the alfalfa pellets and just eliminated the alfalfa pellets. He’ll gain weight soon enough. I might also increase his veggies by giving him more of what he likes.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yes definitely and carrots! Does he have a sensitive tummy? Carrots are pretty fattening you could give him a couple of small ones a day or even half a large one if it wont’ upset his tummy.

[LittlePuffyTail]

He’s actually the first rabbit I have ever met who isn’t that crazy about carrots. Most of the time he will eat carrot but it takes him a minute to think about it. Olivia and Storm LOVE carrots. Maybe Bindi wants to end the rabbit/carrot stereotype?

[MimzMum]

Geez, LPT, be GLAD he doesn’t jones for carrots. >.< I wish Mimzy didn't have the sweet tooth he has for them. I can't eat them myself around him or that desperate little nose and bunny lips and tongue come charging through the cage bars at me. It's like Attack of the Blob…with bunny teeth. 0_o

The juggling act is getting him rounded back out without upturning his digestive system and causing other problems he’d have to go back to the vet for. But I agree, if he even gets more timothy pellets, he’ll be back to the plump little turkey we have all grown to know and love soon enough. ^_^

lolz…I just have to chuckle at his dodging the alfalfa pellets…kind of like how my dog will eat all the way around any pill type medicine I try to ‘hide’ in his food. With all the meds he’s had to go through so far, Bindi probably thought this was more of the same and he was going to show you he was no dummy about it! ^_^ What a card!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

How goes the battle LPT? The only other thing I can think of is maybe apple if he can tolerate it?

[LittlePuffyTail]

HE GAINED 4 OZ!!!! I was so happy! I weighed him last night and he gained that since last week so I think the increased pellets and the addition of alfalfa pellets was a good idea. Also I’ve been giving him more treats too

[rabbitsmba]

Hop Hop Hooray! YAY for Bindi! Good job LPT!

[Beka27]

awesome! as he nears his former weight, will you start tapering off the alfalfa? you don’t want to go too far and have a chunky monkey… lol.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yup. The goal is to get back to 4 lb 12 oz. I’m not giving him very much of the alfalfa but I will stop feeding it when we reach his former weight.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

That’s great news!!!

[MimzMum]

Oh Puffy I’m so glad! *claps hands!* Yay Bindi! You go bunny boy!

[BinkyBunny]

OH whew!! Good News!

[KatnipCrzy]

Yeah Bindi!!

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