Cat attack on my poor BK

[lemonaxis]

My poor bunny was attacked in my garden by the %$#@!! cat from next door, an evil ginger tom who attacks anything it sees. BK has 4 puncture wounds, two deep ones at base of skull and around neck. At first initial shock, I gave him a 10% chance of survival, he just lay in my arms for two hours. Since then he actually walked across the kitchen before. No sleep for 27 hours, been looking after him from home as cannot take him to vet, he won't make the trip out. Luckily I have spoken to some very experienced vets who all agreed that the treatment he is getting from home is most likely the best he can get
He is on 25mg baytril (antibiotic) for first day then 10mg per day following that as he weighs 2.1kg. He has had a one off dose of metacam (painkiller and anti inflammatory)and has salt rubbed into the punctures every 3 hours. I have fed him via syringe, sugar water and pureed veges and timothy hay. His is on a hot water bottle in a small enclosed wooden box. If anyone knows of anything else I can do for him besides cuddles and prayers, please let me know as BK really is my baby....sadly I just will be such a wreck if he dies. I currently rate his chances at 50%.

 

[Bunnicula]

Oh my, no! So sorry to hear about this. We have 10 cats in our household and they respect our bunnies...even love them.

I don't have any advice but will PM someone on the forum who I think may be able to add insight as he does a great deal of wildlife rescue & has seen about everything.

Our entire house is pulling for your little guy. ray: Keep us updated.

-Mary Ellen

 

[Haley]

0h wow, Im so sorry to hear about your little guy.

I know that cat saliva can be very poisonous to bunnies. I really dont have any advice other than what youre doing. I would assume it would be helpful to get him to a vet though.

Hopefully someone else will have some advice. Is he eating/drinking/pooping?

 

[JimD]

I just sent a PM to Randy.

He works with a wildlife rescue and knows tons about the care of rabbits.
Hopefully he'll pop in soon with some advice.

It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff.

Sending prayers and good thoughts.

~Jim

 

[Flashy]

Aw bless you both. I lost a bunny to a cat attack so I REALLY feel your pain.

I don't have much advice on what to do at the moment, but it really sounds like you are doing a great job.

Hopefully you are managing to get fluids and food intoBK, and like Haley says, is he pooing and weeing?

I'm not sure how it happened, freak accident or whatever. Hopefully you know how it happened so that it is preventable another time.

My heart really goes out to you both, and I will be thinking about you.

Hang in there

 

[Bunnicula]

JimD wrote:

I just sent a PM to Randy.

He works with a wildlife rescue and knows tons about the care of rabbits.
Hopefully he'll pop in soon with some advice.

It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff.

Sending prayers and good thoughts.

~Jim

I did that, too. Great minds think alike! He's certain to have some sound advice.

-Mary Ellen

 

[browneyedgal]

I'm sorry to hear what happened. You must be doing the right thing for him. He is a lucky boy ... his mommy taking care of him without ceasing.

hang in there BK. our prayers go out to you.

browneyedgal, MiMi and NiuNiu with love

 

[naturestee]

I'm so sorry. I hope the little guy pulls through!

Out of curiousity, why are you rubbing salt in the wounds? Did the vet instruct you to do that to clean them? Usually they say to flush the wounds with sterile saline, which I think would be better and would hurt less.

Do you feed him pellets regularly? If so, you can make them into a mush by crushing or grinding them and letting them soak in water for a while. You can add a bit of veggies for flavoring too. He might like this better because it will taste more like his normal food and it will provide more complete nutrition. Or you could ask your vet about getting Critical Care, which is a pre-made powder for syringe feeding to ill animals. It's similar to the mushy pellets but with some additions that are good for sickly bunnies. It's made by Oxbow.

ray:

 

[lemonaxis]

Thank you so much to all who have responded to our plight!! I am overwhelmed by the support, it made me cry, BK is wrapped and waiting...we are on our way out the door to the vet. Be back in a couple of hours.

 

[Flashy]

Good luck.

Please let us know what happens.

 

[sarahsop]

Good Luck........fingers crossed!

 

[luvthempigs]

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your bun.

~~~Sending Positive Healing Thoughts Your Way~~~

ray:

 

[TK Bunnies]

I hope evrything goes well.

Keep us posted,

-TK

 

[Maureen Las]

I know that a cat bite is particularly dangerous to a rabbit because there is so much bacteria in a cat's mouth and the wounds are deep. I would guess the salt is a primitiveway to clean out the bacteria but I would think that it borders on cruelty to do that and I would think that one could use a weak betadine solution or something instead (don't do this because I'm not a vet)
I hope the rabbit makes it but I would guess BK is lucky if he does.

 

[Haley]

yeah I would maybe switch to sterile saline instead of salt.

 

[lemonaxis]

Replies to your postings....
Yes salt rubbed into a wound is cruel! I feel like a fool for packing the wounds with straight salt! However I immediately sort advice, flushed out the salt and dressed the wounds with Betadine Iodine that I got from the pharmacy. The only good thing the salt might have done was combat the bacteria from the cats tooth but admittedly it was crued first aid.

Vet visit...
We have just arrived home form a long drive out to the vets (I live rurally). BK cuddled me from his cage and a long story made short, he has roughly a 50% chance of survival. A lovely vet gave him penicillin and has given me 3 doses of liquid baytril to inject subcutaneously over next 3 days. I have a gut mobility mixture to give him too. This is isn't about me but I have to be honest and say that after an ehausting 48 hours, hearing the vet say that she thought I was the most dedicated animal lover she had met, made me feel really good. BK would have been dead by now without the round the clock feedings, dressing, re-hydration and cuddles. Enough of that...onto BK...

 

[Haley]

Yes, he is lucky to have such a dedicated and loving mommy. He wouldnt still be around without you.

As for the penicillin, injectible, right? Just checking. Sounds like with the attentive and loving care hehas achance topull through.

I'll be keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[lemonaxis]

Diagnosis
Bk has a temperature of 40 degrees C, he is sluggish but appears hydrated. He has lost 200grams of weight and the wound to the top back of his head appears deep and is likely the worst of his wounds. They shaved his head so I could keep the area as clean as possible. The bite to his neck is less deep as te cat tooth got mostly the skin flaps. His limp, as I guessed, seems to be caused by him attepmting to claw the soil in a frantic effort to escape the cat...poor baby. I just hate to find myself visualising his ordeal.
Prognosis
With the antibiotics, 2 hourly force feeds and watering, warmth and a quiet recovery area BK 'may' be lucky enough to survive. However this is not the end of it. There is a chance he may have suffered damage to brain tissue and the vet will really take it one step at a time. He is so special, I cannot find the words to tell you how much I adore this little animal.
Well thats it, until Tues, then he goes back for his first of many follow ups. Recovery could take many weeks.

 

[lemonaxis]

Excellent idea about letting the pellets get mushy in water, thank you. Have mixed them up with mashed banana. He has a few tiny pieces of pineapple and apple on standby but sadly he cannot actually chew at the moment as he likely has a massive migraine. He is storing food in his mouth and I need to flush it down or fish it out.

 

[Maureen Las]

I have heard to dilute the betadine and make a very weak solution of it. I have read not to use it straight but can't remember where I learned this.

I really feel bad for you and your bunny..what a terrible thing to happen.

I really hope that he makes it.