Chance Update

[Brandy456]

i've never herd of a buny ultra-sound. Hope hes okay and everything come good.

Its noon right now so your probably on the road....Hope you beat the traffic later on tonight...

 

[lalena2148]

Here's hoping everything is ok. ray:

I also did some research, and I didn't know if you had already looked at this stuff too, but here you go:


Rabbits
Rabbits may develop several different types of renal disease.

Rabbits are prone to developing uroliths, especially if they havelimited exercise, are fed pellets and alfalfa free-choice, have beenover-supplemented with vitamins or minerals, or are obese. Rabbits withuroliths have the typical signs of kidney disease but may also havedifficulty urinating,bloodin the urine, and may show pain through a hunchedposture and grinding of their teeth. Aurinaryobstruction is a medical emergency and the rabbitshould be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Kidney failure can occur in rabbits, and be due to many causes including:

• 
  Infections including pyelonephritis, an inflammation of the kidney, often due to a bacterial infection
  
  
• 
  High blood calcium levels, often due to poor diet
  
  
• 
  Calcification ofthe kidney, resulting from excessive levels of vitamin D
  
  
• 
  Fatty degeneration in overweight rabbits
  
  
• 
  Cancer,especially lymphosarcoma

Rabbits with chronic renal failure often developanemia.

Encephalitozooncuniculi is a parasite that is transmitted through the urine, isingested, and moves from the intestines to the kidneys, brain, andother organs. It most commonly causes neurological signs such as aheadtilt orparalysis, but itcan also cause chronic renal disease. There is a blood test forantibodies to E. cuniculi that can determine whether a rabbithas been exposed. Unfortunately, a positive test is not diagnosticsince many (up to 80%) of rabbits may test positive for this parasite.There is no specific treatment for infection with E. cuniculi.In addition to supportive care,corticosteroidsmay be given to reduce inflammation.

Some drugs, especially certainantibiotics suchasgentamicin,can cause renal toxicity in rabbits, with the typical signs of kidneydisease.

Renal cysts are an inherited condition in rabbits, but usually do not cause illness.
Source:http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=18&cat=1799&articleid=3318


Other sources:
http://www.petmedicinechest.com/rabbit/kidney.asp
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/chronic_renal_failure.html
http://courses.vetmed.wsu.edu/vm552/urogenital/crf.htm
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/cfr-rabbits/

 

[binkies]

That is amazing! It sounds exactly like Chance!

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Back. And all I can say is wow. I must'vethanked this vet and shook his hand a hundred times. This vet was themost knowledgeable, nicest, and most wonderful vet I have ever cameacross. He knew rabbits inside and out.

We spent 45 minutes in the room, and he did the ultrasound and it tooklike 25 minutesbecause he kept stopping to explain EVERYTHINGto me. Then he did a thorough examination of Chance, thorough as inlike 10 minutes! Checked his eyes, ears, teeth, pressed and poked allover, took a temp, weighed him, ect. Then, he looked over the bloodwork from my vet and explained every single thing. What this was, whatit was supposed to be, what causes this and that to go up, ect. Sowonderful.

Anyways, he said Chance's left kidney is a little swollen, a bitinflammed, but there are no stones or signs of *serious* infection. Onething we found, that we weren't even looking for, is that his cecalopening is a little narrow, and his gut is a little slow moving. Hethinks he may be a little constipated, and just to give a tiny bit ofLaxatone.

Anyways, he knew everything about rabbits. Oxbow, how to handle them,no alfalfa, and was going very in depth on all types of subjects. Hesaid Chance should've never been on Uroeze acidfier, and explained veryin depth why, he said his Baytril dosage was wayyyy too low,and that my vet should've allowed me to change his food over from day1. He thinks the food, the alfalfa and high calcium, is adding to hisproblems.

So anyways, Chance is off the acidifier, on a higher Baytril dosage,he's having his food switched to timothy based, and he's having hisfood cut down. (He explained as, low-fat cookies are great, but if youeat enough, they are still fattening. Same with timothy based pellets.If you eat enough when free-fed, you still get high amounts ofcalcium). I also told the vet, given all his knowledgle (and incrediblebedside manner -- more about that in a minute) that I want Chance'scare switched over to him. He said great, and we're due back on April2nd for a Urinalysis.

This guy's bedside manner, and his assistant's, was so awesome. He kepttalking to Chance like he was human! "Chance, are you having a goodday? I have a bunny like you, let me tell you about him. His nameis..." and he just went on and on. He kept asking Chance "Are you comfyChance?" "Would youlike a hot towel Chance?" "Want a treatChance?"And he kept hugging on him, petting him. This guy was awesome.

I really liked this guy, and I feel so much better to be seeing someonewho is so knowledgeable in rabbits and exotics. He was telling me thestory of how last night, he had a gerbil emergency at 2am. Someonecalled him and they had accidentally broken their gerbils tail. So hegoes, "Yeah, so if I'm a bit tired, it's cause I was mending a brokengerbil tail till wee hours of the morning. Aww, but you gotta lovethose little pocket fluff balls!"

 

[TinysMom]

I want your vet.....

Can he move here? I'll help him pack!:colors::colors::colors:

Peg

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

OMG-that's incredible. That's awesomehow he was talking to Chance-so cool. I'm sooooooooo happyfor you guys. Looks as though Chance is in super handsnow. YAY!:elephant::bunnydance::elephant:

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Peg, I was giddy the whole way home, and I am feeled with hope all over again about this whole situation with Chance.

This guy has been around for a good while. They are located on a veryrich side of town, in a fancy building (you know, marble floors andwaterfalls), and so I was always a bit unknowing about bringing anyanimals there, because I knew how expensive they were and it was a bitintimidating. (Not quite as expensive as I imagined though!).

Here's their website: http://allpetshospital.com/

 

[gentle giants]

Move here??? Are you kidding me?! What I want to know is, IS HE SINGLE!!!!

 

[MyBoyHarper]

ROFL GG! Sorry, you're outta luck. Website says he's married with 6 whippets and a rescued boxer.

 

[ahri22]

Wow! What a fantastic vet!! I'm so pleased thatyou found a vet that really understands rabbits, and who can clearlyexplain to you what all Chance's test results mean!!

Sounds like things are looking up for Chance

Fiona

 

[TinysMom]

I just have to tell you that I've been on aself-imposed deadline all day for my book - and I had to keep takingbreaks to check on this and see how Chance was and how the vet appt.went....

.....I'm so glad it went well .. now I suppose I best get back to that book proposal...

Peg

 

[JadeIcing]

TinysMom wrote:

I just have to tell you that I've been on a self-imposeddeadline all day for my book - and I had to keep taking breaks to checkon this and see how Chance was and how the vet appt. went....

.....I'm so glad it went well .. now I suppose I best get back to that book proposal...

Peg

*kick*

What! She told me to!

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Thanks guys! Chance had to have his belly shavedfor the ultrasound -- I'll go take a couple pics in a minute of hisbald patched little belly.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I saw those binkies he was doing in theyard! I think he's feelin' good! Way to goDanielle! You know, you must pat yourself on the backtoo!:great:

 

[MyBoyHarper]

I know, I am so proud of him! I really mustshare two things. First, today at the vet's office, the vet was tellingme that for all the problems he's been having, and for me to spend theamount of money and time that has been spent on him, that I must be oneheck of a bunny owner and that he can tell Chance is so spoiled. Thatmade made feel so good, I was blushing!

Also, this morning before I left for the vets, my mom called to seewhat time the appointment was. I told her, and was explaining aboutneeding to get a few things together. She asked me, "If you had knownthen, what you know about as far as the problems and time and stressthat he requires, would you have gotten him or handed him off to Wendy(from the rescue)?" I said, "I still would've taken him." She goes,"Why? It's like me going to get a dog from a shelter, and the next dayhaving to spend hundreds on this new animal." (My mom means well, sheloves Chance, but sometimes people only see that type of money beingspent on dogs and cats.) I said, "Well, let me put it this way. If Ihadn't taken him, no one would've. Then he would sat at that shelterand died a slow miserable death." And she agreed, and said she was veryproud and glad that I had taken him. So am I!

But what I said was true. He would've never beena dopted. We're theonly rescue in the state, and right now we have nearly 30 beautiful,healthy, spayed/neutered bunnies that no one wants. Only a few aregetting adopted out at a time. No one would've taken (at least in time)somebunny like Chance who was so sick, unneutered, and needed thisamount of time and vet care. It just wasn't happening in this part ofthe state.

So yeah, I don't regret taking him, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Everytime I see him binky, or give me kisses, or DBF out amongstthe flowers in the yard, or when I watch him play with the dog andchase the cat, I know I did the right thing.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

You really did. No one would ever havedone for him what you have-period. Continue to pat yourselfon the back, I for one, am so proud of you for what you have done andgone through. That is truely, truely commendable.(He's still on my desktop!:kiss

 

[LuvaBun]

WooHoo! Sounds like an awesome vet.What a great day - at last things are looking up for Chance. Well doneto you

Jan

 

[HoneyPot]

YAY!! This is like a weight lifted offmy heart, I can only imagine what it's like for you. I don'tknow why, but I just picture Chance as Charlie and what I would gothrough for him.

That new vet sounds incredible! So glad you found him -remember to put him up in the rabbit savvy vets if he's not therealready! I feel like Chance has a ... chance now.

__________
Nadia

 

[Crystalballl]

Oh that's such wonderful news. What awonderful vet. I wish most were even half as nice asthat!! I'm so happy for you and Chance!!

Crystal (Bandit & Holly)

 

[Bassetluv]

Oh, what a great thing to read today! Hooray for this new vet, and :hug:to you MBH, for the lengths you have gone for your boy.

Now, do you think this vet could be cloned and shipped to Ottawa?? HowI'd love to have one like that for Raph and the others. My vet'sreaction to Raph, once he'd lost the use of his hind legs, was tosuggest euthanizing him. And on the night a while agowhenRaph had to be rushed across town becausehe'dbeen choking and inhaled some food, the vet there (supposed to be oneof the better ones in the city) also felt that becausehe wasdisabledRaph should be put down. They give up so easily onanimals, I find...:?You're very blessed to have found arabbit-savvy vet with as much compassion and caring as this one, andChance is very fortunate to have found you!