Abscess and fly strike

[mikenyny]

well the main reason is because they can flip themselves in the normal position and hurt themselves
The second, while on the back, they are in trans and have no control over anything which is kind of stressful for them.
Its not recommended to place them on the back by a novice owner.
I have to use kitchen hose (small shower) to wash her privates and there is nobody to help me with that. I have to hold her (on her back) with one arm while another hand is holding the shower. While doing this, I try to get her wet minimally.

I have posted this (procedure) a couple of times:
1. Plastic garden table, plastic garden chair, small round plastic bowl, container of washing up liquid. Pair of small, rounded scissors. 2 x 5 litre containers with warm water. Some old towels.
2. Have the table to the left of the chair - if you are right-handed.
3. 1/3 fill the bowl with soapy water.
4. Capture your rabbit, sit on the chair and place her on your lap - on an old towel.
5. Lift her up to your chest and move the bowl of water onto your lap.
6. Gently lower the rabbit's REAR END (only) into the water - so that she can have her front legs on the side of the bowl to support her.
7. With your right hand, gently wash/splash water onto her rear. Dip your fingers into the washing up liquid to clean her and continue splashing her rear with the water.
8. To change the water, lift her up to your chest and (with your right hand) empty the water and replace clean water from one of the 5 litre bottles.
9. Continue until she is clean.
10. Lift her up to your chest, remove the bowl and place 1 towel under her and dry her rear with another towel. (Takes 10 mins to dry my rabbit).

 

[Thumperina]

We went to the vet today.
The outside of the wound is healing very well but she has a cavity that didn't get any smaller since the last visit a week ago.... I actually discovered it only this morning when I was using cotton swab with manuka and suddenly fell thru an opening. It's basically a hole... empty hole, no pus, maybe it's her original punctured wound that caused fly strike. it's hard to say.
The vet said that I can let her out a little bit so she can eat grass. This is what she was doing today. We had huge storm and heat cooled down.
We are also taking a break from all oral medicine. He said that its important that she catches up with her digestive health

 

[Thumperina]

mikenyny - thanks!
I don't use any soap.

 

[Azerane]

I'm glad to hear that she is doing well. I hope that she continues to improve

 

[Thumperina]

thank you Azerane and everybody/
I let her out twice a day and apply manuka honey twice a day. Its very hot where we are.
Her stool improved a lot since she goes outside. I don't see much improvement with her wound but it doesn't get worse. The vet says if it doesn't heal in a month, he will want to surgically level that area (remove cavity inside her body)

I am thinking how she got cavity inside her (it reminds me human vagina, sorry for comparison). Can it be prolapse?

Could someone else comment on placement bunny in her back please? Is it harming a rabbit in any way, except for the risk that she can break her spine if reverse unsuccessfully?

 

[RavenousDragon]

I know I stated it already, but I've always placed my rabbits on their backs (only AFTER they trust me, of course). So long as they aren't going into a trance where they are super still and quiet (this indicates EXTREME FEAR), and you can old her so she doesn't break her back, I think it's totally fine. My baby Brandy literally doesn't care anymore if she's on her back. Probably because she knows treats happen when she's on her back. Whiskey, my other kid, still hates being on his back, so we are working on practicing that with him so it becomes less scary.

In terms of the cavity- since it's basically missing tissue, it cannot prolapse (unlike our natural openings, which have enough tissue to do so.

 

[Thumperina]

they DO go into trans when on their back. My rabbit is in trans when I do it. But it's the only way I found to have her treated. I tried to put her on the kitchen counter kind of on the side, but she tries to reverse. The only way for me to have a control is holding her on my bent arm, like people hold babies

 

[Thumperina]

I would like to report that Manuka Honey seems to work (fingers crossed)!
She is not on any medication except the honey, goes outside twice a day, poops much better, has good appetite, and her internal cavity seems to be shrinking. At least my Q tip doesn't fall thru like it used to. I can hardly insert it now.

You only need a good certified honey. I am using Manuka Health MGO 400+