Dutchess smelly rear end

[cwebster]

Dropped Dutchess off at the vet. Great but puzzling news. He said the sludge in her bladder was gone, she was peeing fine, and he got a urine sample. He looked at her teeth. The molars were tall but not enough to trim. He does not see anything wrong with her lungs or spine on the X-ray. He did a rabbit blood panel. Her skin looks much better. He said her stomach looks full of food and she has small but evident poops on imaging. So am not sure what has been wrong or why she is better. He is ordering an appetite stimulant (cyproheptadine). Not sure why she had urine scald, and “severe“ sludge on X-ray, and wouldn’t eat or drink for the past several days. Will focus on increasing her water consumption and making her exercise. He said he could not justify sedating her and flushping her bladder or filing her teeth. So I hope all is well with her now. I hope all the hours she and I spent together this week (at all hours) forcing food and water (and cranberry juice) into her and making her run around more helped. Have my fingers crossed that she is well now as I am almost psychotically tired.

 

[Gallagher56]

So glad things seem better. Praying for her complete recovery. Sounds like you and the vet are doing a great job. When Roady was sick years ago I had to care for her around the clock too but it payed off. I ended up having many more years with her. It can be exhausting but definitely worth it. Get some well deserved rest. You are a great pet Mom! Your baby is so fortunate to have you. Blessings for you and Duchess, and many happy years.

 

[john.thorpe1952]

Glad she's improving,it's incredibly worrying when they're ill and you don't reallyknow why. If I might make an observation regarding the bladder sludge,which you might like to think about and see if anything I say applies to you.Apart from dogs' ear canals,a rabbit's bladder appears to be one of the worst natural designs! The exit opening is towards the top rather than the bottom,as I understand it(I'msure i'll be corrected if wrong),thus losing the benefit of weight and gravity to help expel material.this is why sludge gathers at the bottom,rather like sediment in a petrol tank.It might be worth looking at the diet to see if you've been feeding a lot of dandelion and kale,or other high calcium content foods.Dandelion is a great food,and a diuretic too,but in excess i believe it can cause calcium deposit problems.Just some thoughts and I'm not being critical of your care.Keep up the good work, I know how hard it can be on the nerves!

 

[cwebster]

Dutchess is staying very clean and pooping, with the metoproclamide. She is eating wheat grass, kale, and orchard grass. Had her run around a lot and held her, petted her gently. She licked my shirt. Won’t eat offered greens by hand. Vet offered to trim some molars that seem long but may wait because she is now eating and pooping and sitting on her side comfortably instead of sitting in one spot all hunched up. Put a willow ball and baby music toy in her cage, to keep her less bored. Am supposed to start cyproheptadine. Am unsure what to do. She still won’t drink water but her bladder problem seems resolved for now.

 

[Mileybun]

Good to hear she is doing better! They sure know how to make us worry!