What’s going on with Hareiette

[Gravehearted]

I haven’t been around so much in the past week, since our bunny princess hasn’t been feeling well.

We were also pet sitting for our bunny rescue friends who have 15 bunniesuntil Thursday!  We were only watching 12 of the bunnies, plus one hamster. Talk about a lot of poop and cleaning! phew!

So, on  Sunday night (Dec 30th) Hareiette didn’t want to eat her veggies.  All her pellets from the morning were gone though. She was still pooping, but they were small and some misshapen.  I gave her some simethecone and a belly rub. It seemed like the start of a stasis episode.

Monday morning (aka NYE) she still wasn’t interested in eating, so we ran her over to urgent care and she saw one of the bunny specialist.  The doctor felt like it was also the start of stasis and sent us home with reglan, cisapride (both for gut motility) and metacam (for pain).  We also added some simethecone, which helps with gas.

Since it was New Year’s Eve, stuff closed early. We got some clear pedialyte  to help keep her hydrated and a heating pad to keep her warm. Well the only kind they had turns itself off after about an hour or so. Hareiette would scratch at it when it went off or was too hot.  Hareiette wants her own controls, please!

So, we’ve been giving her the meds and her eating was spotty at best.  The only thing she really wants to eat are her greens.  We’ve been force feeding critical care to supplement her diet and ensure her system is still moving.  I like to make it with the clear pedialyte to give her the electrolytes. Her ears have been consistently warm, she’s bright, alert and not posturing or grinding her teeth like she’s in pain. She’s pooping well and still drinking.

I’ve tried several kinds of pumpkin mush, sprinkling her veggies with the critical care, but shes too clever to eat any of it. Basically she’s difficult and willful; force feeding her is no easy feat. I’m starting to wonder if it’s a tooth problem, since she seems to be eating a lot more in the evenings after her meds.  The vet’s office had given a cursory look at her teeth, but looking back, they should have scoped to see if that was the problem.

Sunday morning (1/6) I started to feel panicked again, since she still isn’t much interested in eating. We take her to the vet again, after waiting for 1 1/2 hours and I’m not sure about the 2 possible vets she might be able to see.  I was very thankful to Osprey and another Rabbit Haven friend for their calm advice and suggestions.  Since neither of the vets on were rabbit experts, we decided to take her home and wait to get in to see one of the bunny vets.

I spoke with my dear friend Linda, who was Hareiette’s first foster mom and handles many of the medical cases.  She really suggested waiting and going to see Dr Harvey later this week.  We are very blessed to have one of the foremost bunny experts in the area. So, I was able to make an appointment for Friday.

We’ll continue with the meds and critical care until then.  Hareiette has been a trooper, even though she’s grumpy and angry about getting the meds and fed.  She usually comes back 5 minutes later for pets or nudges us.  I’m just glad she’s not holding a grudge.

I don’t do very well when my kids are sick 🙁  It kinda saps up all my energy, and I wake up a lot in the middle of the night with anxiety.  So, I am really looking forward to getting my bunny girl feeling MUCH better soon.

Just wanted to share what’s going on with everyone.

[charlie82]

Oh I’m so sorry to hear about Hareiette, my bunny is going through the same thing.

I would definitely have them check out her molars to ensure there isn’t something else going on. I hope she gets better soon, she certainly sounds bright enough so fingers crossed!

[Sarita]

Gravehearted, what about teeth as Angela mentioned and you mentioned.

Your so lucky to have Dr. Harvey as a vet!

Healing vibes to Harieitte and please let us know what Dr. Harvey says.

[Beka27]

(((((((((feel better Hareiette!)))))))))

[babybunsmum]

she’s so lucky to have you looking out for her!  hope she gets better soon & you get a nice restful sleep.  (((hareiette)))

[xnovalentine]

healing vibes to you hand Hareiette! Get well soon little one!!!

[JK]

Poor baby girl.  Get well soon!

[MooBunnay]

All my bunnies send healing vibes to Hareiette, and even offer some of their cilantro if she’d like it They said to break it in half so that she gets a good whiff – they can’t pass it up!

I hope she’s feeling better soon, if she is OK enough to nudge you for pets, and demand her own heating pad controls, she must be feeling at least OK, even if not in tip-top shape now, I’m sure she will be soon!

[Lisa_43]

Big healing vibes all the way from the land down under.

((((((((((((((((((Hareiette)))))))))))))))))

[Gravehearted]

thanks everyone for all the kind thoughts and good wishes, you’re all so sweet! 🙂

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh Hareiette gurl get yourself better your mum is worried sick about you!

[LittlePuffyTail]

**Hugs to Harriette** from Stormy and Bindi.

[osprey]

{{{Hareiette}}}

{{{Gravehearted}}}

Dr. Harvey is Auntie Heather’s favorite vet, so I think you are getting her the best care possible.  I am glad that I was able to help you with your decision making on Sunday; I have been in that waiting room at Adobe with a sick bunny several times and I know how isolated and vulnerable you can feel there.  I guess you’ll be off to Hayward on Friday.  Good luck and let us know how her highness is doing!

 

[Gravehearted]

Osprey – I really appreciated your helpful advice on Sunday, it is really isolated there waiting. The longer the  wait, the more panicked I seem to get.

Currently her highness is being a royal pain in the butt. I have never met a more willful or strongly opinionated bunny as Hareiette!  She’s taking her meds pretty much ok, but it REALLY fighting getting pedialyte and being force fed.

I’ve tried all the tricks I know…

adding some natural apple juice to the pedialyte and she still fought drinking it. I’ve been changing around what we’re force feeding her, by adding some pumpkin and even banana to the critical care and she’s still being a total hellion. I’ve tried sprinkling the critical care on her veggies, which she doesn’t approve of either.

I’ve been trancing her before we start to calm her down. She just gets herself SO worked up that I’m starting to worry she’s going to give herself a heart attack! Even before we start the feeding her breathing is all hyper and last night she was grunting (or barking) her disapproval. She seems to do better if her eyes are covered during the feedings. She’s very strong and just keeps working herself down in the towel burrito to escape the horrors. We’ve tried feeding her on the couch, the floor, kitchen counter.  Last night I was thinking we might try switching to a smaller syringe.

I think her biggest issue is that she doesn’t like anything that wasn’t her own idea!
She’s still eating some hay and veggies on her own, but I just feel better knowing we’re getting at least some critical care in her.

[babybunsmum]

oh hareiette!  you stubborn bun you!  baby bun was similarily feisty when i had to give her meds after her surgery.  actually at first she was great & then got progressively feistier & feistier – which i took to be a good sign.  i hope hareiette’s feistiness reflects that her sickness is passing.  so nice that you had a familiar bunny friend with you on sunday!  ((((((hareiette))))))

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh no, Hareiette, would you stop giving your mum such a hard time already?

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