mastitis????

[pigs4]

hi I'm new to this forum.. needing help. have a white 2 yr rex. named Bugs. she is a porker..ha anyway she has nipple discharge off and on. never been spayed took her to the vet and they want to charge 375.00 for spaying and biopsy on the nipple.. just in case its something.. i cannot justify or afford spending that type of money..but if i take her other places to get another opinion it will just keep costing money. i have tried neosporin but the hair on her belly just keeps getting stuck on the niplle and i have to cut the hair. the vet says they cannot give her an antibiotic witout taking a biospy.. i have searched on the web for other things to do for her does anyone have any ideas........... i really didnt even want to spay her...... she has her own large cage and then she has a hugs pen to run in when its nice outside. in the winter she sleeps in the laundry room.. she is very spoiled......her favoirte thing to eat is Iams dogs biscuits....cause my 2 dogs like themm

 

[naturestee]

Welcome to the forum! Could you put your location in your profile? It can really help us when we recommend meds or other products, or talk about vets.

I do recommend calling other vets for price quotes.Not all are that expensive, although if you're in a big city then you will end up paying more. I live in a smaller city in Wisconsin and I only pay about $120 for a rabbit spay, although I don't know what a biopsy and the tests would cost. And if you only needed to spay her, some shelters offer low cost spay/neuter programs that include rabbits.

When she has discharge, does she act any differently? Does she pull fur out for a nest, is she more aggressive about her cage? I've heard that some does will lactate during false pregnancies so I'm hoping that's all this is.

What does her nipple look like? Does it appear swollen, or is it a different color than the rest of her skin? Does it feel unusually warm?

I really do recommend spaying just because of the high rate of uterine cancer. And please don't let her get any dog food, it's really unhealthy for her and I'm surprised it hasn't upset her stomach.

 

[pigs4]

really the dog biscuits are unhealthy?? no she doesnt act sick at all. plays still all the time.. the nipple looks red/pink sometimes milk comes out..she only gets a bisucit like twice a week...... should i stop that. i told the vet and she just laughed and said she had a rabbit that loved gaines burgers??????? hum. she had this last year and it went away but this time it hasnt... i am worried but 375.00 thats a lot

 

[naturestee]

Does her leaky nipple look different than her other nipples? If so, I'd worry.

If it was mastitis, they wouldn't need a biopsy. But they would need a biopsy if the vet suspects mammary cancer, which does occur in rabbits. I'd find a vet who is willing to try antibiotics first since you can't afford a biopsy and it sounds like there is no odd lump there.

Really, try calling around and ask for prices. And see if you can talk to a vet and explain that you can't afford a biopsy but you'd like to treat itfor mastitis, which would only need antibiotics.

Yup, dog biscuits are really unhealthy. Rabbits are herbivores and aren't designed to eat meat, so that's one cause of tummy upset. Plus if you look at the ingredients you'll see a lot of corn, rice, wheat, etc. that are very high in carbs, these are also prime culprits for upset bunny tummies. Not to mention the fat. Rabbits are set up to eat low-nutrition high-fiber foods like hay and leafy veggies, not fats and carbs and animal proteins.

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Hey there-

Welcome to the forum, I have had 2 does with a similar problem, however I need to know a bit more about her.

Is the area discolored at all?

Is it warm to the touch?

Is there a hard mass under the fur at all?

Really try to move the fur around and see the flesh underneath.. it should be a healthy pink. I especially need to know the color of the underlying skin if she has a mass..

Zin

 

[pigs4]

hi thanks for all of your concerns... it is a healthy pink underneath.. scares me that she may be in pain. one of her other nipples is a violet color..the vet said that anitbiotics are so dangerous in rabbits is this true? i heard on another forum that whitch hazel on the nipples sometimes helps but i'm afirad it would burn so im afriad to try it..there is no lump or mass..its odd as the hair gets mattted and if i dont keep cutting it away it covers the nipple and has a bad odor.. she doesnt feel feverish at all. how do post photo on here i will let you see her she is so funny. i live in st louis as someone had asked.

 

[pigs4]

i just tried to post a photo of bugs iwth my granddaughter..

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Honestly- sounds alot like mastitis..especially with the violet nipple.

Sounds like my 2 does..

Call a vet, lie a bit and tell them *You have other rabbits who have had Mastitis (pronounced Masss-teeee-sis), so you know what the signs are, you don't have the cash to bring her in, could you give her a course of injectable Baytril and anti inflammatory shots. You inject them in the rump muscle.. it ran me literally $45 a bunny to do it that way.

If you'd like, I can call them for you and so it's sounds like you know what your talking about..lol.

There is another course of treatment.. but I would rather discuss it on PM, as I don't advocate or advertise home medicating in the open forum...

Zin

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Also, in order for the vet to give the correct dosage, they are gonna need the correct weight.. not a guesstimate..

 

[pigs4]

okay i will call tommorrow.i know she needs spaying but i want her to just get over this for a while first.........thank you so much........

 

[pigs4]

she weighs 10.5

 

[GoinBackToCali]

I shot you a message here.. the link is above the *Today on RO* graphic..

 

[pigs4]

update on bugs got some meds so both of us are doing okay... i had a little procedure done today forgot about at the doc office so its bedtime..thanks

 

[juliew19673]

I hope it all goes wel for you and Bugs, sending up bun prayers for you both.