Skinny bunny finished his medicine and is now lethargic?

[BubbbleBrains.]

Bengi is a seven year old Holland Lop. He has always been a small bunny, but over the past couple of months I noticed he seemed to be getting skinnier than usual. I thought he might just be looking small because he was shedding his summer coat before growing in his winter one, but he still felt skinny after his winter coat came in. I gave him some alfalfa hay to fatten him up a little and a few days later his eyes started to water and the fur under his eyes crusted a little. I thought it might be from dust in the hay, so I took the hay away and washed off his eyes.

I was hesitant to take him to the vet because I don’t know of any incredibly rabbit-savvy vets where I live, but then his eyes crusted more and started to ooze white, fishy smelling pus under the tear ducts. AND his upper teeth looked too small, like they had been worn down or something. He was still eating his pellet food, the hay when I gave it to him, and the occasional banana or apple for a treat.

So I took him to my vet (he treats my dogs and cats, I haven’t taken a bunny there before), and he said that Bengi had an upper respiratory infection. I told him that Bengis teeth looked worn down and he dismissed me saying that every rabbits teeth look different. I told him that Bengis teeth haven’t always looked this way, they seem to have worn down recently, but he still wasn’t concerned. Bengi got a steroid shot, an antibiotic shot, and some liquid antibiotic that I gave him twice a day for ten days. I brought him inside (he and my other two bunnies live outside in separate cages right next to eachother) because it is getting pretty cold outside, and I wanted to be able to keep a closer eye on him. I soaked his food in water at first to make a kind of mush in case he was having trouble eating with his teeth, but the food swelled up so much with the water I was afraid he would end up eating less food because he felt fuller faster. He didn’t seem to have trouble with the dry food, and I had to take away his toys a couple of times because he was having too much fun being loud while I was trying to sleep. But now that he has been off his anti-biotic three days he is very lethargic, and barely eating. He is even skinnier than when I took him to the vet. I blended his food with some apple to make a sweeter mush to tempt him to eat more. He is eating it but only a tiny bit.

I don’t know what to do for him. From the research I’ve done online it could be a million things, I’m really worried.

If anybody could give me any advice I would really appreciate it!

Thanks.

[Sarita]

I definitely think you need another vet – it sure sound like dental problems to me which is common for rabbits this age and even more common for Holland Lops. Many times it is difficult to even see dental problems with an otoscope even by the most experienced rabbit vets so putting your rabbit under anesthesia for a more thorough dental may have to be an option.

Also the fact that this vet gave him a steroid shot means that he has no idea that rabbits are very sensitive to steroids and most vet only give steroids as a very last resort.

Lastly, is it at all possible for you to bring all your rabbits inside where it is safe and warm?

[BubbbleBrains.]

Okay, thank you. I will take him to another vet and make sure they look at his teeth. Is there anything that I can do to get some food into him until then? I’m really worried that he is starving because he has practically eaten nothing yesterday and today.

[BubbbleBrains.]

I could bring the other bunnies inside if I had to, but their outside cages are much larger than their inside cages could be. They are both healthy weights and have healthy, thick winter coats. I have had rabbits for years and they have always done well outside (I make sure to put tarps around the sides of the cages if it is windy, or raining or snowing to keep them dry). It doesn’t get incredibly cold where I live, I was just worried about bengi being outside because he is so skinny.

[Sarita]

Do you have Critical Care at home?

[BubbbleBrains.]

I don’t have any right now, I’m not sure where to buy it but I might be able to find it for sale somewhere. Is there any way I could make a home made version of it?

[Sarita]

You can grind some pellets up and mix it with water and hand feed him.

[BubbbleBrains.]

I just read online that you should not hand feed a rabbit unless you are sure that he does not have a blockage. He has an appointment in an hour though, so I think I’ll just wait and see what this new vet says. Thank you for your help!

[Sarita]

Let us know what the new vet says. I don’t really understand the statement though about not handfeeding unless they have a blockage – that does not make sense at all to me…one doesn’t have to do with the other.

[BinkyBunny]

Sarita, I am thinking this is where the info came from about being careful with force feeding if there is a full-blown blockage — From Dana Krempels Gi Stasis page. http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

This is the excerpt that pertains to it. 

B. Force feeding.

Anorexia can cause gastric ulcers and hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) relatively rapidly in rabbits. Even 12 hours without eating is cause for concern. As long as your vet has determined that there is no actual blockage, and that there is enough slow movement of the GI to keep the stomach from becoming overly full, keep the bunny eating!

And this one regarding motility drugs

If a true intestinal obstruction (almost always accompanied by severe bloating and acute pain) is present, the use of intestinal motility drugs (described later) could make the situation worse by pushing the blockage into a narrow area where it completely obstructs the intestine. However, if the mass is not causing an acute, complete blockage, medical alternatives to surgery should be considered first. …….”

__________________________________

I think it has to do with full-blown blockage.  So a blockage is different than a slow down/stop of movement — not sure how that is determined for sure without a vet, but Dana does mention that a true blockage is usually accompanied by severe bloating and pain.   

Any update? 

[Sarita]

Oh okay – I was more confused too because he was diagnosed with a URI not a blockage so the statement didn’t make sense to me.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Bubbles-any update? I’m just catching this thread now and hoping you’ve been able to see another vet who was able to help! Please let us know! Sending healing vibes

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