Muffin injured leg (graphic photos warning)

[Moonlightbunny66]

Before going to the vet yesterday.

After the vet yesterday. They shaved and cleaned it up.
This morning. That is his tail on the bottom right, so you can see where exactly the wound is.

Tuesday morning, Muffin started limping. He was carrying his leg up and would put it down when he sits. He’s having a lot of trouble getting in and out of the litter box so he started pooping on the floor (very unlike him). We took him to the vet and got x rays (which were okay, only mild concerns with his bones). They also did blood work which came back yesterday all good.

He had loose pieces of fur on that leg on Tuesday but I thought it might be him shedding. I took a look and couldn’t see anything on his skin. I don’t know if his fur was too dense for me to see or if it hadn’t come up yet.

Yesterday morning I took a look because he was still biting it and licking it. The spot was all pus and scabs and red puffy skin. We went to the vet again and got it cleaned up and got germi-stat, enrofloxacin, and metacam. The enrofloxacin is for his chin issue because it’s starting up for the fourth time.

The vet said it looks like a wound that’s maybe a week old. I didn’t notice any signs before Tuesday. The vet said it could be from another animal or something he hit it against. I was thinking oh he wasn’t getting along very well with Pinky when we got home from the vet almost two weeks ago. I wouldn’t think Pinky would actually bite him, just some fur nips. Their main issue then was Muffin chasing him and mounting him, then Pinky mounted him a few days later. I don’t think Muffin would’ve chased him if his leg was hurting, unless it happened sometime after but I did separate them for a couple days. Pinky has been sniffing it because he knows he’s hurt, I separated them though so Muffin can get rest and not be bothered by Pinky’s nose. I was also thinking maybe he could’ve been poked by one of their chew sticks. Pinky bites them and makes them a bit sharp. Or if he scraped himself against the x pen but the metal isn’t that sharp.

Here are the photos. If anyone has any ideas on what this could’ve been from or if you have had this happen to your bunny before, I would appreciate some comments and support. It really really hurts my heart to see him like this and I keep crying over it because I feel so bad.

[DanaNM]

Poor Muffin 🙁

I’m a little confused by what I’m looking at, is that white area pus? Or a scab?

Since you’ve been to the vet I would just advise to keep doing what they recommend. He could have gotten poked by something when jumping down that caused a small infection. Or perhaps got a worse bite from Pinky than you realized (but that seems unlikely).

Don’t beat yourself, things happen! You took him to the vet as soon as you noticed and I’m sure he’ll be patched up in no time.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you DanaNM. I’m also a bit confused by it. You can see the broken skin around the white part, it’s like a crater. I’m not sure if the skin is growing on it, or if it’s pus on the flesh. I wasn’t able to go into the vet clinic because of covid, so I didn’t ask questions about the appearance because I couldn’t see it. I only saw the whole thing cleaned up like this when I got home last night and I was really surprised it looked like this. I was expecting it to be smaller and not as deep.

I can’t figure out what could’ve made a hole that big in his skin. Could it have started as a small poke then the skin got eaten away by infection? Or maybe when he was biting it the skin tore? I just don’t understand how this happened. I’m doing my best to help him heal quickly.

[Bam]

Could the hole have gotten bigger as a result of the vet cleaning it and maybe flushing it out? What instructions for wound care were you given?

With animals you often get a small entrance wound that conceals a bigger would underneath, were bacteria can thrive and pus form.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Bam that’s possible. For wound care I got the germi-stat, one small squeeze into two cups of water (I’ve been using warm) and using gauze to dip it in and clean it. The instructions I got were to do it once or twice daily. I’m doing morning and night with his meds. I’ve been using cotton rounds because I thought it was the same thing but I just looked it up and it says actual gauze will work better because cotton can leave bits behind. Oops. ): I’ll get some actual gauze for tonight. I’ve been gently pressing it on the wound and wiping it a bit (very gently) to clean it.

And 1.3 ml of metacam every 24 hours. I’ve only given it once so far, and he’ll have it again tonight. This will help with pain, right?

Yeah, maybe it was the cleaning from the vet, thank you for the information.

It just really hurts me because he’s a sweet gentle bunny. No animal deserves to be hurt. ): I love him a lot and I hope this will heal soon. I just really can’t get over this. My poor Muffin.

[Moonlightbunny66]

He left some cecotropes on the floor. Maybe it’s just difficult for him to eat them right now? Is this concerning or normal for a rabbit with an injury? He’s spent most of the day laying in the hidey house. Oh sometimes when he poops on the floor now he will eat them (normal poops). He’s done it a couple times a long time ago but started doing it again when he started limping and still has trouble getting in the litter box. I know they do that sometimes but does it mean something?

[DanaNM]

Metacam is a pain med, so that should help. Some bunnies do better with the dose split and given every 12 hours, so if he seems to be in pain hours before his next dose, you might ask the vet about that (and/or ask for a stronger dose). You might want to have the vet call you tomorrow and ask a few more questions about the wound.

It’s possible he’s having trouble reaching his cecals. If it seems like he’s having trouble moving around without pain, I would put everything he needs within reach of his hide (so a pile of hay and a water bowl). I’ve seen people use a baking tray (like a jelly roll pan) in a pinch for a bun that is having issues getting in and out of a normal box, so that might be a good temp solution. Or even a cardboard box with a side cut out and pee-pad on the bottom.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you DanaNM. I agree he is having trouble moving around. Thank you for the help.

We had to bring him into an emergency vet last night because he refused to eat. We had him there overnight on Gi Stasis treatment. I’m just waiting for a call with an update on how he’s doing. It’s been a nightmare and I’m so stressed and I just want him to get better. We had to take him to a new vet about an hour and a half away. I’m so sad without him here but I know it will be better for his health to have him at the vet. They told me they’ll do syringe feeding, give him medicine to get his system moving, x rays, and IV fluids. I also gave them his meds I got from my vet on Wednesday.

I’m just hoping he’s feeling better now and starts eating on his own.

[Bam]

I’m sorry to hear this! Many many good vibes for (((((Muffin)))))

When you get to take him home you might want to ask for a higher dose of meloxicam. Pain can make rabbits stop eating. You should get dog meloxicam which has a strenght of 1.5 mg/ml, rabbits metabolize meloxicam very quickly.

 

[DanaNM]

Oh no, poor Muffin 🙁

Hoping he’s improving. Pain can def make a bunny stop eating, so hopefully they can get his pain med dialed in. He might even need a stronger med, as meloxicam is really like the bunny equivalent of ibuprofen.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you guys. Right now he’s on 1.3ml of metacam every 24 hours. I took him home yesterday evening and I’ve been giving him medicine and lettuce throughout the night. He won’t eat pellets, I saw him eat three pieces of hay during the night and two small pieces this morning. I called the vet back last night and they said I should bring him back in if he’s still not interested in hay. We just got him some oxbow Timothy hay, and a Timothy and orchard grass mix. He sniffed it but hasn’t eaten it yet. I’ll watch him for a while to see if he eats it but I’ll take him back to the vet if he’s not. I can ask about a higher dosage if we do have to.

They said he was eating some pellets and drinking some water at the vet so I don’t know what happened. They also said he ate some hay. I haven’t seen him drink water yet, but I assume he’s getting fluid from the meds and the lettuce I’ve been giving him.

When I tried giving him pellets he didn’t take it, so I put it in a bowl and he kept trying to dump it out. He did the same thing with his food before I took him to the emergency vet.

[LBJ10]

Oh no, I’m sorry Muffin isn’t doing well. Will he eat critical care? Sometimes they will eat it on their own if you make it more of a paste and put it on a plate. I’ve also had good luck with dried willow leaves when they didn’t feel like eating hay. Some food is better than no food, so I would try anything and everything.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thanks LBJ10. We picked up some critical care from a vet closer to us today because the emergency vet advised me to. I started giving it at 5pm and it’s been a struggle getting it in his mouth because it’s only a little at a time. I just stopped trying and it’s 6:20pm… Maybe I watered it down too much because there’s still a lot left. He ate a few pellets from my hand and a banana slice. He’s been occasionally eating a few pieces of hay at a time.

I’m still thinking of taking him back to the vet for overnight. I missed him so much the other night. I might take him to a vet closer to us that’s 30 minutes away if they have their exotics vet in tonight. I just don’t know if the stress of being in the car and being in a different place is making it take longer for him to recover. I’ll keep watching him.

He left three piles of these poops. What does this mean? Are they cecotropes? The photo is the first pile and he did the other two while I was getting the critical care. They’re wet, I think they’re cecotropes but is that bad?

[DanaNM]

As long as there is poop happening, I wouldn’t worry about what it looks like. Medication can cause weird poops, plus he is prob having trouble eating his cecals still (yes it looks like there are cecals mixed in).

I honestly wouldn’t keep rushing him to the vet, I think he needs gentle supportive care at this point (especially since he is eating a little and pooping), and the stress could be hard on him. Keep syringe feeding him, you will get better at it! I usually try to do 12 cc’s at a time. And keep offering his fav foods (but not too much sugar, as that can upset things more). You might try mixing some banana into some critical care and seeing if he will eat it willingly that way.

This video has some of the best instruction I’ve found on how to syringe feed (the bunny even looks a bit like Muffin):

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Dana is right, meds and “non-typical” foods can cause weird poops. They look like regular poops with cecotropes mixed in. Definitely keep trying with the critical care. Mixing it with something to give a little flavor might help. In the spirit of offering anything and everything, you could try some fragrant herbs as well (fresh or dried).

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you guys. He’s been licking the critical care from the syringe which is really good, I hope he keeps doing that. I’ll be giving him more at 1am with his meds, 3am, and 6:30am with his meds. I’ll watch how he’s doing tomorrow and see if he’s eating better. I’ll probably have to pick up more critical care, though. I’ve been giving 1.5tbsp of the critical care mixed with 4 or more tbsp of water. I’ve been letting him take a break for a few minutes when he doesn’t want any more, then trying again.

When he was weighed last time he was 3.9kg I believe.

[Moonlightbunny66]

At 6:30am he gets enrofloxacin with food, I give him lettuce and offer pellets. Should I still give him critical care with this? Maybe a little?

[LBJ10]

I don’t see why not.

[Bam]

I agree you should keep up the CC. It is important that he has food in his tummy and that he gets the nutrients he needs for the wound to heal. Hopefully he will soon perk up enough to be interested in nibbling on his own.

Recovery from a bout of stasis can be slow, it can take more than a week, sometimes even longer.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you guys. I’ll give him some more.

[Moonlightbunny66]

It’s been taking a long time to get one full dose of critical care in him. I woke up at 6:20am for his 6:30 meds, then started the critical care and I’m still working on finishing the critical care and it’s 9:30am. I give him a few breaks during one dose when he stops licking the syringe. I aim to get 1.5tbsp of the powder mixed with water in him.

Is this good that I’m giving it over a long period constantly? Or would it be better if I could get it in quicker?

I give it again three hours from when I stopped giving the last dose.

I use 1ml syringes because they haven’t been getting stuck as much as the bigger syringes. And I can give just a little at a time so he can swallow.

[Bam]

It’s not problematic that you give him a little at a time now -but you should aim for more food less often. Handling him all the time is a bit stressful for a rabbit (but its far worse for a bun to not get food in its tummy, so whatever way you feed him is better than no feeding). Since he is fairly big, 20 or even 30 ml every 4 hours (except during the night) would be good, if he eats a bit on his own.

If you have simethicone baby gas drops  you can use it to lubricate stiff syringes. Baby gasdrops are fine for rabbits to have, so it wont do any harm.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Bam thank you. Luckily I don’t have to handle him at all for the critical care. I can sit in front of him and hold out the syringe and he licks it and I squeeze it into his mouth. I have to push the medicine in his mouth, though.

Why not during the night?

Thank you.

[Moonlightbunny66]

He hopped out of the pen a few minutes ago for the first time since we brought him home. He’s sitting in a sun beam. He was limping really bad looking like he was going to fall over. But he’s sitting there now. I just cleaned his wound and it looks like it’s close to closing up.

[Bam]

Oh, that sounds great! 😍

If you dont have to hold him for the CC, you can give him the CC as often as you like, because getting a “healthy treat” isn’t stressful.

By not feeding during the night, I meant you dont have to feed him every 4 hours around the clock. Rabbits, as well as the rabbit’s human,  need their good night’s rest. My rabbit savvy vet told me this when my rabbit was very ill and needed all his food in the form of CC for quite some time. I was fully prepared to set the alarm for nightly feedings, but I was told not to.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you Bam. I wasn’t told not to feed him critical care at night. I was told to follow the instructions on the package. It worries me thinking he’s not eating while I’m asleep. He gets meds at 11pm, 1am, and 6:30am with food. I’ll still be giving him critical care at night but I’ll try not to do it for too long.

The metacam is supposed to be for just seven days. The seventh day would be Tuesday. I’m thinking I should call my vet and update them on everything that happened and maybe see if he should be getting more metacam?

I just gave him a bit of critical care and he ate a few pieces of hay and made a little pile of small dry poops. Right now I have four litter boxes down. One is their normal litter box and the other three are plastic boot trays. He still seems to be pooping on the floor but I understand. There were also two pee spots on the rug and I’m thinking at least one of them was him because he was sitting in that spot. I just want him to be pooping and peeing even if he has to go on the floor.

I think he’s making some good progress. He’s moving around a little bit more and grooming himself a bit. They were also grooming each other this morning.

[Moonlightbunny66]

(The only medicine he gets with food is the Enrofloxacin at 6:30am and 6:30pm) I don’t think I was clear on that oops.

[Moonlightbunny66]

They didn’t have any oxbow critical care left but they have Emeraid herbivore. Is this okay? It says to feed within 30 minutes of preparing it. It has this warning:

Emeraid has been scientifically designed for extremely high digestibility. Avoid contamination. Handle product carefully. Keep dry. Use a clean, dry scoop. Do not cross contaminate with scoops used with non-EmerAid foods. Contamination can cause harmful bacterial growth.

[Bam]

I have never used Emeraid myself, but I know some of our members have. I looked it up and it has 32% fiber and its pretty high in protein and fat.

I dont know why it would be more sensitive to bacterial growth than f ex Critical Care is, but since it says on the package to be extra careful, it’s best to stick to those recommendations.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you Bam. This is all just really stressful because I’m constantly worried about him. All I want is for him to be healthy again.

[Bam]

I think you are doing great. It is very stressful to care for a poorly rabbit. When my bun was very poorly last fall I was so worried I couldnt think straight. Thankfully I could reach out to other bun owners for support. And that is what these forums are about!

The Emeraid does sound like good stuff. I hope he will like it!

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you Bam. I am grateful for the support on here. It is really heartbreaking to see Muffin going through this. I hope he likes the Emeraid too. Thank you for your help.

[Moonlightbunny66]

I just gave him some of the Emeraid. 2tsp of the powder for the first feeding. Am I able to go back to the oxbow critical care tonight if he’s having issues taking the Emeraid? Or is switching between critical care types bad? He didn’t take it as easily as the Oxbow. I had to keep putting the syringe in his mouth and he was turning away. Maybe it’s just that he still feels a bit full from the lettuce and pellets he had with the Enrofloxacin. Or maybe he just needs to get used to the new one.

I still have a little less than half the bag of oxbow critical care. Just needed to see if he would take the new kind or if we would have to find more of the oxbow anise flavour somewhere else. The oxbow has fibre from Timothy hay, I’m not sure where it comes from in the Emeraid.

[DanaNM]

My bunnies def have preferences for different types of recovery foods. The most popular is the Oxbow apple banana, but some of my buns like the sherwood recovery food more. And of course some buns hate them all!  My stance is that which ever one is the easiest to get into them is the way to go (assuming you can get ahold of it). I wouldn’t worry too much about switching between them. If he ate some lettuce and pellets that’s great.

It looks like there are different versions of Emeraid Herbivore, one (the “sustain” version) has timothy hay as the top ingredient, the other just has cellulose (the “intensive care” version). Do you know which kind you have?

 

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

Some buns also like recovery food more if it’s mixed with some canned (unsweetened) pumpkin, so you could give that a shot as well.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you DanaNM. I have the intensive care version.

[Moonlightbunny66]

I think I accidentally missed 0.1 ml of the cisapride from his mouth out of the 0.2ml he gets. I tried to wipe it off his chin and he licked a tiny bit off my finger. Is this okay? I have more the vet pre syringed for me but I’d want everything to be a full dose.

I chose to give him some oxbow critical care this dose. He’s been licking it but now wants a little break. He ate a piece or two of hay as well.

[Bam]

I dont think you need to do anything, just give him the full dose next time. How dors his poop look now?

I entirely missed that Emeraid comes in two herbivore versions. My guess is that the intensive care one is an excellent growth mediun for microbes, much like the agar-agar in petri dishes. This does not pose a problem if you feed it straight away after mixing. In the bun’s tummy you want the food to be excellent food for the already present gut bacteria and yeasts (buns have natural yeast in their normal gut microbiome), so that is a good thing.

 

 

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thanks Bam. I haven’t noticed any new poops since during the night. But those ones are dry and tiny, not perfectly sphere like. He had another wet one last night that was like a little sphere with a string coming out. I investigated and there was a bit of fur in it. It looked like he was peeing twice during the night but I felt the spot and didn’t feel any wetness. And didn’t see new poops.

Thank you for the info. I’ve been giving the oxbow critical care again, still taking a while to get it all in him. But this one says to use within 24 hours of mixing I think. I’ve been giving him breaks because he wants to lay down and rest. He’s been resisting more but still licking it sometimes. Still taking me an hour or over an hour with a few minute breaks to get 2tsp or 1tbsp of the powder in him. I keep mixing it with more warm water to keep it a bit thinner. Maybe I should try a bigger syringe again. I can try the Emeraid again as well and see if it works better.

He’s still not drinking on his own. I dipped my fingers in the water bowl and got him to lick some water off. I brought him a shorter water bowl but no luck yet with that.

[Moonlightbunny66]

I found a wet spot where he was sitting recently so I think he peed while I was mixing critical care. There were also dry poops around there but I’m not sure if they’re from this morning or during the night. I got almost 2tsp of powder and however much water I used in him. I think I’ll wait 2 and a half hours or three hours then try some Emeraid again.

[Bam]

Good that you see pee! Sometimes when a bun is in pain, it will not pee, which obviously isnt good.

The small dry poops mean he isnt getting enough fiber. It is not totally alarming since you are feeding him regularly, and poop is passing through. It’s obviously not ideal, but it is not abnormal given the circumstances.

I use a 10 ml syringe for my bun. I mix the CC to a somewhat runny consistency and load the syringe from the back end. (My bun has a chronic dental problem and needs support feeding with CC every evening to keep a good weight on. He comes running for his CC, so my guess is he rather likes it).

CC mixed with water can be used within 24 hours if kept in the fridge. As Dana says, mixing in some plain canned pumpkin or baby veggie puree can make the bun more interested.

If you have simethicone baby gas drops, you can give him that. 0.5-1 ml of 40 ml/mg strenght is a very safe dose for a rabbit. It can be given every hour for 3 hours  then more sparingly. It’s efficacy in rabbits hasn’t been fully scientifically explored, but it is widely used in the rabbit community and it is harmless to give. It can make quite a difference for a bun that has tummy trouble. Rabbits can’t burp like babies can, but they can fart 😬😃

You are doing great.

 

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you for your help Bam. I’m doing my best. I think the Emeraid has more fiber than the Oxbow critical care so maybe that will help. He’s slowly eating more hay. I’ve been using applesauce to try to get him to like his medicine more, because that’s what they did they the emergency vet. It hasn’t been working very well for me.

I’ve given Pinky some Simethicone drops before so I still have some. It just makes me nervous because he’s on three different meds right now and I don’t want to mess with them.

Thank you for telling me the meaning of the small dry poops. I do see some hay in them but he could really use more. I can see if I have a 10ml syringe for the next feeding.

Today is a holiday and I don’t think my regular vet is open. I’ve called three times and there’s no answer. I’m trying to get more metacam for him, I have enough for tonight’s dose, but I don’t think there’s enough for tomorrow. I think some of it leaked in the car going to and from the emergency vet. I’m going to call them tomorrow and see if they can ship same day or maybe fax a prescription to our cat and dog vet, maybe they would fill it out and we could get it quicker. I’m hoping he can get more for at least a week if the vet thinks that’s a good idea. I think the reason he’s having trouble eating is the pain from his wound.

I tried calling the emergency vet to see if they would give us more but they said they can’t because they haven’t prescribed it for him before. They said he would need to come in for a consult, which is an almost two hour drive and around $100 to get him in. I want to avoid having him in the car again unless I have to for now because the stress will not help his appetite. I could maybe do the same thing with a vet closer to us if they would get us in today or tomorrow, but still it would be a 30 minute drive there and 30 minutes back.

[Moonlightbunny66]

He has a yellow staining around his nostrils now. What could that be from? I just had to force the Emeraid in his mouth which wasn’t too difficult. This one is easier to work with than the Oxbow because it’s a lot smoother and doesn’t suck up as many air bubbles. Although, it still took me about an hour to get it done, including preparing 1 tsp of powder at a time. I gave him 4tsp of the powder. He did want to get away a few times but at least I got it all in him. I feel bad for stressing him out though.

[Moonlightbunny66]

Oh and I used a 1ml syringe again because I’m scared of getting too much in his mouth.

[Moonlightbunny66]

He’s laying down with all four paws on the ground but his head on the side. He’s never just layed like that before. Is this because he’s just not feeling good or is it more concerning?

[DanaNM]

Sometimes Bun Jovi will drift off to sleep and end up in that position (it did alarm me the first time I saw it). Maybe he’s not comfortable in his normal sleeping positions so he ended up there?  If you go give him a nose rub does he wake up?

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

Also just want to second that you are doing a great job!

Another thought, if you have fresh grass in your area, that might be something to try if you can collect it from a clean area. It can be really good when a bun is poorly because it’s got water and lots of fiber. My buns always go crazy from fresh grass and it has saved me a few times with sick bunnies.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you DanaNM. I really appreciate it. His eyes were open when he was laying like that and when I pet him he still stayed like that. I don’t think I’ll be able to get grass because the ground is covered in snow. You might be right, he has been uncomfortable with the positions he’s been sitting in. He tried to wash his paw with the sore leg last night but he couldn’t stretch it out. He kept putting his head down to try to reach it but he couldn’t. He’s still limping.

[DanaNM]

Poor guy 🙁

Bummer about the snow, I wasn’t sure where you were. In CA the grass is starting to come up now that we’ve had some rain.

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

I do wonder about his antibiotic… Does the vet think it was an abscess that ruptured? He might need a stronger antibiotic if things don’t resolve with the current one. With the wound closing up an abscess could form after the fact as well.  I know Enrofloxacin usually doesn’t do anything for abscesses, typically penicillin injections are the way to go. Rabbits can’t have penicillin orally, but it can be injected.

Have you noticed any improvement at all in his mobility?

. . . 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.  

[Bam]

Eyes open doesn’t always mean the rabbit is awake. They can sleep with their eyes open, with the third eyelid as a translucent barrier that protects  against dehydration of the eyes. It looks scary, but it’s fully normal.

He may be laying in an unusual position due to pain or discomfort. If a bun has gas, you often see pressing of the tummy against the floor.

Simethicone baby gas drops are not absorbed into the body. They stay in the GI canal and get pooped out. They do not interact with other meds. My bun Vilde was prescribed  metoclopramide, metronidazole,  ranitidine, metacam and simethicon gas drops when he was very ill with stasis. It seemed like a huge number of meds, but he got well.

You can absolutely use whichever syringe size is comfortable for you.

I hope you’ll be able to get more meloxicam (metacam or other brand) for him, since pain meds are so important for rabbits.

 

[Moonlightbunny66]

DDanaNM The Enrofloxacin is for the staphylococcus aureus on his chin. The vet thought it was from another animal or something he hit it against that broke the skin. He was moving around more before the Gi Stasis. But after that, once he hopped in the pen after being at the emergency vet, he barely moved that night. Yesterday I believe was when he hopped out of the pen and has been around the same little area since. He has moved positions and where he’s laying, but very little distance between. He has hopped a few steps away when I’ve given medicine which he didn’t do the first night home. He will also slowly hop over to me when I’m getting pellets. They did want him to come back in a couple weeks after to check on the wound so I hope they will catch if there is an abscess, and I will bring it up.

Bam yeah I was thinking that could be it but it still makes me sad seeing him like that even if he was asleep. He has mostly been laying hunched or with his head down. He used to be only laying on his right side before the Gi Stasis (his wound is on his left leg). But now won’t lay on his side at all.

Thank you, right now I’m just comfortable with the 1ml syringes because I have more control. I read someone saying they only give 0.1ml at a time and let them chew and swallow so I just started doing that to be safe. His nose was a little wet when I touched it and it’s still stained yellow. I’m afraid of aspiration. I’m just sitting beside him then giving the meds on the opposite side so I can lean over and slightly pull up his cheek to see his mouth, then put the syringe in from the side a bit and squeeze. Does this sound right?

Thanks, it’s really worrying me about being able to get more metacam quickly. I’m glad your bunny got well, I’m hoping Muffin will start eating more and drinking more on his own.

[DanaNM]

I wouldn’t be worried about staining, it’s probably from all the meds and syringe feeding. Your technique sounds great to me (I aim for the pocket between the incisors and molars), but I don’t think you need to give just .1 mL at a time… that seems like a tiny tiny amount to me. If it is working for you, great, but don’t feel like you need to give such tiny increments. When my vet demonstrated to me they used a 6 cc syringe and prob gave half a mL per mouthful. The bun does spit a lot out though, so maybe your method prevents that?

Encouraging gentle movement can help with stasis too. It’s a bit complicated with the injury, but if he hops around when he hears the pellets, that’s a very good sign (and you might prolong that a bit to encourage extra movement). Tummy rubs are very good as well.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

DanaNM Thanks, I’ve been worried every time I look at his nose while syringe feeding him. Yeah it is a very small amount but it makes me feel better. I also squeeze some on his chin accidentally a few times when doing it, so it prevents a bit of waste.

I could let him hop all the way over to me when I feed him soon. It just makes me feel bad because he’s limping and sore. I tried doing tummy rubs a couple times but it was making him freak out, probably because he was picked up a few times at the vet. When I touch his tummy I don’t feel much. I feel some squishy skin and his bones. Pinky’s tummy is usually more firm.

He was just laying on the small section of my room with no rug, just hardwood floor (in front of my door). He had his left paw under him and sticking out his right side so I got him to move a bit to make sure he’s okay.

Also, do you guys have any tips on how to cope with this emotionally? It’s been really hard because I’m so worried about him all the time, feeling so bad that he’s hurt. I love him so much and I just keep waiting for him to feel better. It seems like it’s happening slowly. All I want is for him to get better.

[DanaNM]

It is so so stressful caring for a sick bunny. I have found it helps to focus on the routine, and have my little checks at regular intervals to make sure things are stable or improving (like eating and pooping, grooming, other activity, etc.). It can help to keep notes, because it’s easy to lose track of gradual improvements.

So for example, with Muffin, you could write down that he hops over for a treat, is eating a bit (you could specify what he will eat willingly and the amounts), and is producing some poops. You could also record any negative things you notice (signs of pain, etc.). Knowing that he is eating a bit on his own and pooping a bit should be comforting, because you know he is stable (even if he is still somewhat uncomfortable). I try not to hover too much if I know it is a time when the bun normally sleeps, because rest is important for healing as well.

Rabbits are fragile in some ways, but they are also far more resilient than people give them credit for. You caught his issues early and he is getting great care, whereas some people don’t notice anything wrong until it’s too late. I think you are doing a great job, so try not to worry too much!

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you a lot DanaNM. I think I will try to take those notes. I do notice the positive changes, so I will try to remind myself. I got him to lick the Emeraid from a spoon a few times. I’ve been giving him 6tsp of the powder now to try to get more water in him, and the nutrients.

That makes me feel a bit better, thank you.

[Moonlightbunny66]

I just gave him his lettuce and pellets and he wouldn’t hop over to me. He did it last night and yesterday morning. I’m really worried now. He only ate the lettuce and left the pellets. It took him a few seconds and he tried to crawl a few steps with his right foot tucked under him and using his chin a bit. He’s still laying crouched with his head on the side.

[Moonlightbunny66]

He just ate a couple pieces of hay, took a small sip of water (the first time I’ve seen since he got home from the emergency vet). He licked Pinky a couple times too. Maybe he’s just tired or I gave him too much Emeraid. I’m still really worried with how he’s moving and laying down.

[DanaNM]

Hmmm, that’s tough. Can you give his primary vet a call? Maybe they could do a video conference where you film how he’s moving?

I’m concerned he might have an infection that his current antibiotics are not treating. It would also be helpful to take his temperature if you can.

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

DanaNM you were right. I’m not comfortable sharing everything that happened right now because it hurts me so deeply and I’m so stressed. He’s in the ICU right now.

[DanaNM]

Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. 🙁

Sending lots of (((Vibes for Muffin))) and hugs to you and Pinky. Hang in there. <3

. . . 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.  

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you, I appreciate it. <3

[LBJ10]

Oh no! I hope Muffin is OK. Poor little guy. 🙁

[Bam]

(((((Muffin)))))

Please get well!

 

[Moonlightbunny66]

Thank you guys. I really need the support. <3

[Susanne]

I’m so sorry this happened,  my thoughts are with Muffin and hoping he is OK.

[Author]

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