Twizzler is leaking

[Sarita]

My rabbit Twizzler’s bladder sludge has gone from bad to very bad.

Basically her bladder is leaking – she cannot control herself and she has severe urine scald all over her stomach and on her feet which are starting to blister.

Tomorrow the vet is going to do a urohydropopulsion which is basically a bladder flush while she is sedated.  I’m a little afraid to do this but I’m not sure what other choices Twizzler has at this point as her quality of life seems worse.  I know she is leaking on herself because her sister’s fur is not scalded (I’m taking Toffee tomorrow for moral support and since the vet wants to keep her overnight).  She said sedating her will also make it easier to shave her urine scalded areas and around her tail which is always wet.

She wants to change her diet but reallly there isn’t anything to change – she doesn’t get pellets only hay and veggies – she does want me to cut out spinach, romaine, and parsley – I don’t feed them spinach or romaine anyway.  She gave me an article which I’ve alread read too – sludge is really just a mystery to vets because not all rabbits get this and some metabolise calcium differently – I asked her about metabolic bone disease (I always ask this too) and she doesn’t see any bone problems.  Apparently there have been studies done on this according to the article she gave me that dietary changes ALONE will not reduce the formation of stones or sludge in rabbits prone to this condition.  The rabbits were fed huge amounts of digestible calcium for months (far more than a rabbit would get on a completelty commercial diet – I guess they mean pellets) and these rabbits failed to get bladder stones or sludge…I’ll have to see if I can locate this study.

I think part of the problem with Twizzler is that she is not active, she is older, she is overweight now, and all the sludge has expanded her bladder and she is obviously not an upright animal where the sludge could flow out.  I know that human women can get their bladder lifted to help with leakage but I’ve never heard of this for rabbits and I don’t think it would help anyway since the sludge stays in the bladder and doesn’t flow out as easily since she’s not on 2 legs and the sludge doesn’t flow down as easily to the uretha.

I did the bladder flush on Jingles too and a week later he had renal failure – I’m not sure that it was related to the bladder flush, it probably was just a coincidence.

She also suggested giving them distilled water which has no calcium in it – so for those of you who have sludge rabbits this is something to consider doing as well.

[Beka27]

Oh Sarita! I really hope everything goes well with the flush. Of course, keep us posted. That’s an interesting idea about the distilled water. Do your rabbits get regular tap right now or is it additionally filtered somehow?

((((((((((Twizzler!))))))))))

Hugs to you!

[Sarita]

It’s just regular tap water – the vet said even the filtered water had calcium in it.

Someone on another list gave me a list of minerals to try too…going to take a look at those.

[wendyzski]

Poor baby!

I remember reading that magnesium can help with calcium issues, and that walnuts are high in magnesium

[Sarita]

Thanks Wendyzski – I am going to buy some raw walnuts for her to eat – someone on one of my lists said that since my rabbits don’t have pellets that supplementing with nuts (she mentioned a peanut or a teaspoon of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds as a supplement to their diet…) so I think that some raw walnuts to top off her diet would help too.

[kralspace]

oh no, I hope Twizzler does ok, Sarita. He couldn’t be in better hands than yours.

{{{{hugs and prayers for you both}}}}}

Kathy and the furballs

[bunnytowne]

OH my Sarita.  May everything work out for the best.    

There was 2 articles that someone had put in a post about bladder sludge.  That vets are finding that diets with high calcium greens really aren’t the problem.   Personally I am not sure for I had a bun with bladder sludge and did take out high calcium greens and he was fine after that.

Then again I am not a vet.  Renal failure oh poor bunny..  May your girl come out with no more problems vibes.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Sarita!! That’s such sad news!!

OK generally I think breeders feed weird food, but in this case, where your looking to supplement with seeds:
A breeder I know (the one I got Kahlua from, she has Angora’s etc who have special nutritional needs) feeds “Sweet Feed” Which is oats with corn and stuff in it, it’s sold for horses (just ask for sweet feed) and black sunflower seeds-which are apparently great for coat and calories-
of course I know you’d run them by your vet but those may be options? I wouldn’t feed them for no reason, but she does and has no problem so that may be an option!

{{Twizzler}}

[kralspace]

How is Twizzler today?

[Sarita]

Hi Kathy, thank you for asking – she’s the same – she and Toffee are at the vet’s right now and I haven’t heard anything yet – probably will be later this afternoon….I’ll let you know. I think she is staying overnight.

[sharper]

aw no! i hope everything works out okay!

[jerseygirl]

(((Twizzler))) This sludge is certainly a bane!

Sarita, have you ever read anything regarding vitamin deficiencies regarding bladder sludge? I know in humans that Vit C helps uptake of other vitamins & minerals and there is also a correlation between Vitamin D and Calcium. Just some thoughts.

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Aw, Sarita I hope things improve! I don’t know how you handle all those bunnies, especially in these kinds of situations!

[skunklionshow]

I was thinking Magnesium and Vit D as well since that are the ones that are recommended for humans to help facilitate the calcium intake process, that’s why you often see those added to calcium pills.  I’m looking forward to getting some additional updates.  I hope all the best for you all.

[BinkyBunny]

I am so sorry. How difficult.

Let us know how the bladder flush turned out and if is helping now.

[Author]

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