LOL @ Susan
I know, i have hardly been around here for so long, just checking in on the occassional post, mostly due in fact, to Shadow.
He has ongoing problems, which means that I spend most of my time after looking after him or cleaning up after him (washing the bunny room floor several times a day and steam cleaning carpets every day). By the time I'm done I'm too worn out for much else.
We discovered that he has arthritis in his spine and hip, which makes him wobbly when he tries to groom himself. He is on pain meds twice a day (metacam and Gabapentin) and also has acupuncture, which he loves. He has 16 needles put down his spine, one in his forehead and one in his tail, and lays there for 20 minutes. I stay with him and the vet gives him some hay, and he is happy just to lay there and chill. It really works too, as he has twice lost the use of his back legs, yet after acupuncture can race around like a mad thing.
he is losing a lot of weight though
. He can eat whenever and whatever he wants (within reason), and is having Critical Care to supplement his meals but is still losing. The vet did some blood tests to check his hormones. The only place that does this test on rabbits is in Tennessee, so the blood had to be shipped there. They showed that his Testosterone and Progesterone were all over the plavce, way higher than normal. It could be caused by a tumour on his adrenal gland or adrenal disease. We were going to do an ultrasound to find out but decided against it as the vet said it is a highly invasive operation, with a high mortality rate in mammals. Instead we are going to try him on a drug that is given to humans for prostate cancer, and is used in ferrets. She is researching the drug and dosage.
I have to say that my vets (Dr Steele and Dr Simmons) have been awesome. They have spent a lot of time researching online what could be causing the problems. Unfortunately, it is costing a lot (around $1500 in the past few months), but he is my boy, and I love him.
Luckily, the other 3 buns are doing great, and passed their vet checks with flying colours. In January, Jester and I appeared on the Edmonton Humane Society live 'Pawdcast'. Every month, they do a success story on an animal adoption, and Stan (Pet_Bunny) put my name forward. The interview went really well and Jester was very well behaved and didn't even get starstruck
. I've enclosed the link if anyone wants to see it (we are on at 8 minutes and 50 seconds)[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/CU9qgP_sD3o#yeg%20#yegpets&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]
So that's about it. I do have some new photos, but I will have to upload them later and post them then.
Thanks for asking, Susan
Jan