Cat attack on my poor BK

[ra7751]

You are on a fast learning curve and you are doing a fantastic job. And don't be surprised what that TLC can do. You are giving him a reason to live. Keep it up!

Randy

 

[SOOOSKA]

Oh lemonaxis, I'm so glad to hear BK is feeling a little better.

This forum has some truly amazing people on it that give such great advice when asked.

I will say a prayer for BK for a quick and complete recovery and one for you to keep being strong. You are doing such a wonderful job.

Susan:sickbunny:

 

[JimD]

If I could do a binky I would!!!!

In all manners, you are "one of us"......... and you belong with our herd!!!

Continuing to send prayers and good thoughts.

BK may have gone into a form of Neurogenic shock from the trauma to his head and neck....possibly affecting his spinal cord. That might explain the diminished motor reflexes.

 

[Flashy]

Wow, what a fighter!

You certainly have a strong bunny on your hands. i'm glad things improved Keep us updated on the little guy.

 

[lemonaxis]

Have posted a few pics under bunny blogs. If you are interested, my BK is there, although not very good pics of him.
This evening he is resting on a hot water bottle, he loves it and has had 40ml of pureed food and some water and painkillers. The night ahead looks promising but he will need very frequent check ups and re-hydration.

 

[JimD]

I just got up.
You must be getting ready for the night?

Hang in there....BOTH of you.
You've got a lot of people pulling for you!

Keeping you in our thoughts!

....***off to look at the pics now...***

~Jim

 

[Bunnicula]

:bunnydance:Hooray...a small victory for BK!

Way to go, lemonaxis! Your dedication to his recovery is remarkable. I've had bunnies for less than 5 years, and I feel like a novice, too. You are doing a marvelous job. I am amazed that someone with a 5 month old (along with 2 others) has found the energy needed to persevere with a sick bunny. After this is all settled, you will deserve a rest!

Keep us posted whenever you can. We're all here for you & BK & the rest of your family!:groupparty:

 

[Maureen Las]

Wow....I am really happy that BK is doing as well as you are describing.

I thought for sure when I last read this that he may not make it.
Keep up the good work (without making your self sick ) and we're allcheering for you here on the other side of the world.

The attitiude about rabbits in New Zealand may be related to the problem that occurred in Australia where rabbits over ran the country destroying the crops. Unfortunately the bacteria creatingmyxamatosis was introduced into the rabbit population thus killing off the population of rabbits but also creating a problem for pet and domestic rabbits in both the UK,Australia and also in some parts of the US.

Even in many part os the US rabbits are given no respect so it is still worthwhile poining a forum like this for friendship, knowledge and support.

 

[lemonaxis]

Luckily my 11year old daughter is an adoring animal lover and a huge help to me. At the vets, she watched the baby for me. At home she has taken turns with BK, syringe feeding him, holding and massaging him and getting his hot water bottles etc. My partner has been on meal duty and my five year old has also been entertaining baby while I am busy. Around the time this ordeal began, my small baby began sleeping through the night from 10pmish to 4am, freeing up those hours, normally spent feeding baby to looking after bunny.
My children are always my priority and thankfully they get so much of my time and attention that experiences like this do not leave them feeling left out because they just chip in and make it a family affair.
My moods have been a little frayed at the edges but mostly been calm and ok.
I have to say though, my house is a tip!!:shock:
I have been to bed with my clothes still on and just continued on the next day!!

Been through a bottle of antibacterial soap as handling bunny to baby and baby to bunny has to be a clean exchange.
I feed baby myself so thankfully no sterilizing bottles, warmers etc etc required and my partner has also been taking her for walks in sling and pram when I need the time to hold BK.
BK is doing well and this morning ate his first solid food, some greens.
Complacency however, is the worst possible action right now as BK is loaded on antibiotics and painkillers so his health and my household are still on red alert.
He has his next vet appt is Tuesday morning as my vet is in surgery on Mondays.

Pics are up on my blog... Thank you JimD for the link.

 

[Brandy456]

JimD wrote:

lemonaxis wrote:

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.

I'm just catching up on this.

I'm wondering if honey could have been used in a situation like this. It has wonderful antibacterial properties.

She alredy has a sick bun now a sticky one...my heart goes out to you. JimD i was not making fum of your post but it gave me a chuckle

 

[cmh9023]

Yay, BK!!! It never ceases to amaze me how tough these little ones can be. I know he's not completely out of the woods yet, but it seems like everything is going in the right direction.

About the limp and lifenesses between 12 and 3am....My mom had a real small terrier and one day when they were out for a walk a very large dog was loose and bit my mom's dog around the head. He didn't break any skin. My mom said the big dog wasn't vicious, it was more likethedogthought Emma was a toy. Anyway...the white's of Emma's eyes turned pure red and she went limp and lifeless for quite a while. Probably not three hours, but at least one hour. We figured it must have been a defense mechanism...like she was playing dead and was also probably in shock. MaybeBK was doing something similar?? Just a thought since it sounds a bit similar.

How did BK get his name?

 

[Bunnicula]

lemonaxis wrote:

Luckily my 11year old daughter is an adoring animal lover and a huge help to me. At the vets, she watched the baby for me. At home she has taken turns with BK, syringe feeding him, holding and massaging him and getting his hot water bottles etc. My partner has been on meal duty and my five year old has also been entertaining baby while I am busy. Around the time this ordeal began, my small baby began sleeping through the night from 10pmish to 4am, freeing up those hours, normally spent feeding baby to looking after bunny.

You are raising a little veterinarian there . How wonderful that she has the love and understanding to be so helpful.

My children are always my priority and thankfully they get so much of my time and attention that experiences like this do not leave them feeling left out because they just chip in and make it a family affair.

That's how it should work...the family sharing in this. Working through challenging situations together can help you all grow closer...and you get to teach your children coping skills with real-life examples. I admire your family!

My moods have been a little frayed at the edges but mostly been calm and ok.
I have to say though, my house is a tip!!:shock:
I have been to bed with my clothes still on and just continued on the next day!!

Any of us who've hada sick pet (or family member) have been there. But who cares about the house and what you're sleeping in? Housework will be there when everything is back on an even keel. What matters is your little BK and your family...and you are putting those things first.

I am so glad to know BK has been eating. Sounds like he's making improvements little by little. Congratulations! inkbouce:

-Mary Ellen

 

[lemonaxis]

Thank you Bunnicula! Yep, my eldest daughter did want to be a vet but she knows she coould not cope with the heartache that would go with it.

Here is a pic of BK snuggled up like he has been for days. He does not really want to walk around and has been grunting a lot for cuddles. He settles down when huddled in a hold.This evening I had the terrible duty of picking open his wounds to prevent abcesses forming, flushing them out etc....aaghhh!! horrible job, poor BK. Hope he realises I am not trying to hurt him. Hope he trusts me.
I have some detailed pics of his wounds but do not think RO is the place for this, migth upset some people, and fair enough too.
But here is one of little BK getting snuggled and calmed after having his wounds flushed.

Here are a couple of links to follow ONLY if you have the stomach for open wounds!!
And NO , I do not think it was cruel or thoughtless to take these pics, I am also a photogragher as a small part of my home business and I personally wanted a bunny diary for BK. These pics were also taken and sent to vets to gain insight into BK's treatment.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z208/lemonaxis/DSCF4163.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z208/lemonaxis/DSCF4168.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z208/lemonaxis/DSCF4169.jpg

Hopefully I will not receive to many objections for posting pics under the infirmary forum, or for posting links. I am new to RO so please let me know if I have over stepped my privileges

 

[Flashy]

I've really been routing for BK, and it's great he is still good.

I think taking pictures is actually very sensible on many levels, for your use, to show the vet, if you wanted to take further action with the cat, they would be useful there too.

We have also had some gruesome things posted before, in exactly the way you have. I haven't looked yet because I'm eating, but you have posted a warning, and I think that's fine

I sure hope after this huge battle he keeps fighting through. He is really special.

 

[Flashy]

I put my food aside for the minute to look at the pics.

Poor BK really has suffered. It's a testiment to his fight and you, as a family, fighting with him, that he is still with you.

Those injuries are really nasty, but the pictures themselves are not as gruesome as I thought they would be. I can't see a reason not to have the links there.

 

[lemonaxis]

If anyone has looked at the links, note how clear and clean the wounds are. The last thing BK needs now is bacteria build under the skin leading to the ever frightful abcess. An abcess will just send him over the egde I believe as he has so much pain and depression to deal with.
I have over the last few days discovered as many as 20 or so cat claw scratch marks on BK, around his wounds and everywhere from his hind legs to his face. That @#!!@*!! cat really had a go at him, it would seem to me, it just kept trying to get a good grip!! I am still mad at myself, I know this was a freak accident but man, I wish I was there to save him from this. He is only 11 months old and used to such a cushy lifestyle.

I worry he will become distant and nervous through this experience.

Questions:

Is it necessary to open up and flush out shallower wounds as well?
They seem to be healing well and I wonder what the chances are of abcesses forming.

BK does not want his hot water bottle and prefers to lie on cooler surfaces, probably for comfort. Should I really be trying to keep him warm when he has a temperature?
His temperature is 39 degrees.

Got any insight, drop us a line.

 

[lemonaxis]

Good, I agree the photos are not too bad.
Just being cautious....

 

[Flashy]

I don't know about the flushing, but here is my insight on the hot water bottle.

Maybe provide him with it, but also a space where he can lie that is cooler if he wants to, so that he has the choice. In my experience, cool bunnies will know when they want warmth, and if he knows it is there, he will use it when he needs it.

My bucks just had a neuter, and we used a warm, rice filled sock under part of their blankets, but let the the part at room temperature so that they were able to choose what they wanted.

I was going to make a silly joke about dropping a line, but I feel it's inappropriate, so I'll just say, 'I hope this helps'

 

[lemonaxis]

lol Its okay, once you get to know me better , you will realise I have a very warped sense of humour, will try to keep it under control and also I am kinda hard to offend.

Like today, was telling some half wit at the school about BK. I got strange looks and comments from a small circle of Mums along the lines of..."ohh well, make rabbit soup", "I love a rabbit fur" or my favourite " just put him down, not worth the expletive effort!"
Comments born of ignorance, I hardly flinched as I knew there was little point...can't change the world sometimes.

About that cat, I have a SPCA cage ready for it, a sample of its fur to prove its the one and am just waiting for my opportunity. Its owner is a complete loser, he is hardly ever home, lets it run wild and I have found out through this incident that the cat has killed a chicken and attacked other cats in the neighbourhood, leaving them with horrendous wounds.
I never knew of its exsistence before now as I strictly keep to myself and my property is tucked away.

 

[Flashy]

It's good you have a plan for the cat, you need your neighbour hood to be safe. It sounds like it is volatile and could possibly attack people.

I hope also that the owner gets prosecuted. Hopefully it will make him think twice about owning animals and how to treat them.

Please don't feel guilty about what happened. Like you said, it was a freak accident. Even if it had been your fault, what you have been doing to save him and keep him fighting has far outweighted any bad. Carrying guilt around won't help you, nor BK, just try to focus on the good you are doing, because that is far more important.