Poorly Rabbit

[BazingaBaby]

Hello, new here.

We bought two 7 week old rabbits from a shop and they're both now nearly 4 months. We noticed them scrapping and one had seemed to have injured himself and also now had testicles so we took him in to be seen at the vets within the shop. We were told he needed to be castrated and a wound on his leg sorted. He went in for surgery yesterday and came home about 4pm.

Since then he's been so down and has a cone on to stop him biting himself where he's got stitches. Both rabbits are now separated as they clearly hurt each other but had to take poorly one in again to the vets as he had another cut on his other leg.

We've now been told he has developed gangrene in both legs but that since he's so fluffy it wasn't obvious until he was shaved. Vet suggested euthanising h today but have brought him home with more antibiotics and arnica cream for his wounds as a last ditch attempt. He's perked up loads but still subdued and I'm so worried there's no making him better.

Don't really know what I'm hoping for posting on here but maybe some tips or other people's experiences?

My poor little bunny ð??­

Hmmm, bunnies are difficult. Sometimes they bounce back from something major like this, other times something relatively insignificant can kill them. Its very difficult to know. If he stops eating and drinking take him straight back to the vets. If he is sitting still and not being his normal self this could be indicative of him being in pain. In this case, give him painkillers if you have them (bunny ones obvs), if he doesn't seem better, back to the vets.

I would suggest drawing a limit under how long you will try to nurse him otherwise you will end up prolonging his suffering and costing yourself a fortune in the process.

As puds11 has said, rabbits are tricky because, being prey animals, they tend to hide symptoms until situation is serious.

The vet's advice is very concerning but it's good that he has perked up loads! He may just need a little more time to get over the operation (although, don't want to depress you, but think the vet would have said that if it was the case). My two female rabbits were neuteured fairly recently and it took them four or five days to recover from the op.

If he is sitting still, and is cold, with ears flopping (it's very obvious when a rabbit is out of sorts) I agree that he may be in pain and in need of some more medication.

He will need to see the vet again urgently if he:

• does NOT eat or drink for a prolonged period of time. (It is very important that rabbits eat continually or else they can get statis of the stomach which leads to further serious complications.) They can also dehydrate quickly.
• is NOT passing droppings or his faeces are watery

-is mouth breathing or (is having difficulty breathing) or his tongue or lips are blue

• he is floppy

All vets have a 24hr emergency service so don't feel worried about calling them on a Sunday if necessary.

I think I would continue to keep him separated from his companion, in a calm, slightly dark warm space with lots of hay with access to food and water (maybe a cardboard box full of hay which he can retreat in to), where you can easily monitor him and his input and output of food, drink droppings etc, and leave him to recover but keep checking on him every 30 mins.

If things haven't improved over 24 hrs then I'd go back to the vet.

Once healthy, you may need to focus on the dynamic between him and other rabbit ie if two rabbits hate one another then the health of the submissive one may suffer. It might be necessary to organise a swap. Or to get the companion castrated/neuteured (depending on gender) and then perhaps to separate and re-introduce.

The Rabbit Welfare Society has loads of advice and information available here. Look under 'advice' and have a look at info leaflets in pdf format.

Good luck! It is so worrying when one of your furries is ill!

Sorry, just realised I have contradicted myself. It is and it isn't obvious sometimes when a rabbit is ill! That's what makes them so tricky! They can really mask the seriousness of a condition very easily. And it's less easy to tell if you have only kept them for a short time.

Good luck!

Thankyou so much.

He is in a snuggly box in my kitchen at the mo as its cold out and this way I can keep an eye on him too. He has a pre-booked appt at the vets at 4:30 tomorrow so will be back anyway. Am just trying to get him to drink lots, he's happily munching hay and snuggling in his tune that I put in so he feels like he can hide. He's going off his water though which worries me. Any ideas how to get him drinking, bottle has been refused as has a bowl, he has had some but I'm worrying it's not enough. Am thinking syringe? If he'll take it.

It's absolutely essential that you see a specialist rabbit vet. Normal vets just aren't experienced or equipped to deal with rabbit care and it could be the difference between his life and death. He needs hospitalisation if he has gangrene, probably IV fluids and maybe an incubator. He will need pain medication and possibly gut motility medication too.

The Rabbit Welfare Association has details on their website about how to find a rabbit savvy vet, but if you let me know what area you are in I can ask around and find one for you.

The situation you describe re fighting at that age etc is not unusual, the pet shop should have explained this to you. Please consider complaining and they may be liable for vets fees.

Good luck at the vets today BazingaBaby!

It's good that he is eating OK!

Thanks all. His appt has been moved to 5:45 by the vet as she has a docs appt herself. He's been hoppy this morning but only for about five minutes. Have just given him anti bs and painkiller and about to do his arnica cream. I think it could go either way atthe mo as he's eating but not drinking much and is hoppy but not a lot at all. Will see how he goes. Ds has gone to school all emotional and I've had a couple of good cries about it all.

How is he now Bazing?

Hard to tell, he hates his cone. He's eating and drinking. At his appt the vet seemed happier that he was more hoppy so he still here with us. We bought him an indoor hutch so he can be more comfortable than in the box. She did say could still go either way but he seems to be a little fighter

Got another appt tomorrow at 6pm so will update again then. Thanks for the advice all, much appreciated xxxxx

Glad to hear he is more active and eating and drinking ok. Hope it all works out well!

Thankyou. He actually seems mile better than he was. Still has his cone mostly but can take it off while we supervise him so he doesn't bite his stitches or sore bits.

Now apparently we need to wait and keep going until the scabby nastiness on his legs comes off and hope there is healthy new skin underneath.

Ah the joys! Thanks for letting me moan on here ladies xx

Brilliant news Bazing !!!