You have a much more complex social hierarchy there than I do, Cheryl, lol. My having only two bunnies who are brothers is a liitle easier for me to analyze,
I'll bet that Jack is a little frustrated with his situation and wants more attention. I know you give him lots, but he probably wants reciprocal treatment from everybunny!
Cheryl... we're here for you! We all know you want the best for your kids, so you won't get an judgement here. But truely, I'm the same way... worry, worry, worry, and then turn around and worry about what other people are thinking... I tell ya, it's enough to drive you nutz!
http://www.bachflower.com/
I remembered it's called rescue remedy... and you can get it at nutrition stores... where you'd normally get pills and powder etc for human consumption. But it's designed for both ppl and pets.
Cheryl, Nobody thinks your crazy for worrying so much that just goes to show how much you care for him.
I know Jack will his good and bad my girl did too. My girl for a gew days couldn't hop but has the days progressed she could. I know you my blog post of my girl. You should also look at some of my other post about my girl and you might see Jack is going through same things my girl was.
I am so sorry to hear about this. I just went through a very similar situation with my bunny Pepper, who I finally had put to sleep in March. Poor boy had what the vet describes as a "stairstep" in his spine for unknown reasons. He started out by hopping oddly which was when we had the x-rays done and got him on metacam. It was almost 2 years from that point until he passed on, and early on he did at times drag his feet behind him, but continued use of his hind legs until over a year later. It was so sad when I noticed he stopped binkying and standing up on his hind legs, but he still had a good life for quite a while. Just try to enjoy the time you spend with him each day ... all pets leave us sooner or later. I am a total worrier, too, especially about my pets!
Gordon,I don't know why Jack was doing that the other night...no idea at all...i think he just might be mad maybe
Sandra...thanks for that..i'm gonna go to the shopping centre on the weekend and i'm going to see if i can find it....or something else....i have never really thought about trying anything like that before...my worrying is just something that i have lived with..it drives me bonkers...a lot of the timesi worry bout the most littlist things.
Rebecca,I know you had a hard time with Monsters,it's just hard watching them go through something like this
BunnieKrissy,I'm so sorry bout your bunny...i do understand how very sad it is...and what a hard time it is also...it's Jack dragging his feet that makes mecry and he's trying so hard to try andhop
Update:Jack is having another bad day...he's dragging his legs....i don't like it!...it hurts my heart to see it...but there is nothing i can do to help but just show and tell him that i love him all the time...what if the metacam isn't strong enough..i know Jonathon said that the medicam will be enough...but we don't really know do we?....but i think if he was in pain he wouldn't be eating would he?...he's still eating fine and he can still sit up and clean himself,but even when he's sitting up i can see he is not steady....but i haven't seen him lay down for a few days...he just sits like a hen...oh my poor boy
Awww look at his smooshie little face!!!! Gosh he's a handsome boy! I wish I could just reach thru the screen and kiss him all over. Does he like to be held? Maybe you can lay him flat on your tummy if he does, so he can enjoy a lay down... if he's not able to get that way on his own.
What a cutie pie! In four years, I have seen Peter or Bugs sprawled out fewer times than I have fingers. They just don't do that. I actually was worried one afternoon, recently, when I saw Peter in the most relaxed way I'd ever seen him! His brother, Bugs, was sittng next to him, and I thought Peter was sick! I laid down on the floor and asked him if he was ok, and he promptly sat up, and looked at me as if to say, "yeah, of course I'm fine".
I've never done any formal poll, but I think Mini-Rex's are just generally more vigilant and less relaxed as a breed.
Aw, Jack is so cute (like all of your bunnies)! I think that he would stop eating or grind his teeth if he were in pain. His spine itself is changing, which may make some positions more comfortable than others, and right now the hen position is better for him. He may also be concerned that as the weaker bunny in the pack, he could be singled out for an attack--sometimes bunnies will do this in large groups, or even bonded pairs. If one gets sick, it gets rejected because it's a potential threat to the safety of the whole group (in the wild) as it exposes them more to predators. That could also have been why he was lashing out the other day, and isn't comfortable enough to totally chill out. [[hugs]]
You know i was worried bout that..bout the other bunnies hurting him in some way...but they haven't...it was only Jack who was doing the nipping...he went to nip Sunshine last night,but she just hopped away...but then later on that nighthe's sitting with her again
Clairehow would i know when and if he needs stronger pain meds?...i don't want him to suffer or anything...at the moment i'm suffering for him.
Gordon,maybe it is a rex thing....i don't know though as most of my buns are loppys and are just very chilled out lil bunnies
Sandra Jack doesn't like to be held....i can pick him up ok for a bit...i just don't like to stress him out so i always lay on the floor with him...i go to rub his back gently and it just feels all bony.
I got to say three months ago everything seemed fine with Jack....i wouldn't have thought anything was wrong at all....but his problem would have been progressing without seeing any signs at all....how awful....and now it seems like it's all happening so fast...one day he's hopping like normal,the next...he's having trouble....he's not hopping at all at the moment....but then later on he will be able to move a bit again....i don't like to see him like that....i know i keep saying this but it really hurts my heart....so so very much
This is another picture of Jack taken just three months ago as well....I had so many updated pictures and videos of Jack and the other buns but i lost everythingwhen my hard drive failed....makes me so darn mad now cause they were more recent ones and he seemed normal then,but now they are all gone....and then my camera broke....but now that i went and brought a new camera i can take new pictures....but it just won't be the same with Jack...but at least i will still have those memories when i take new ones.
I'm still shocked at how fast things have progressed with Jack.....just thought he would be able to hop for much longer yet...
I think ways to tell if he needs stronger meds would be if his mobility really decreases suddenly, he grinds his teeth in pain, or his eyes look less bright. Hiding in a corner would also be a sign.
He's such a doll and I know you guys will have happy days together yet. It's pretty astounding how rapidly he's losing mobility, but bunnies can do ok with limited mobility. Things like back massage can help. You could also may his food richer to give him some extra nutrients--if you can feed him on his own. An alfalfa pellet would probably be good for him if he's skinny.
Claire...He hasn't been grinding his teeth or anything....Ido notice though that he looks uncomfortable and will keep moving positions....he finds it a little bit hard to turn himself around now...but i watch him...and i think he is just getting used to another way of moving around....he's such a brave little boy
Today i seen him lying down in the loungeroom!....but his leg kinda sticks out in a funny way,and he seems to have a little trouble getting back up again....when i pick him up,his legs just hang down straight,there is no control in them.
He seems to be having anot so badday today...not perfect of course....never will be the same hoppity Jack anymore...of course he cannot hop like normal...a lot of the times he hops kinda on one side....yesterday he was more or less pulling himself along with his front legs.
I'm going to take him outside later because it's a beautiful warm saturday afternoon...the sun is shining....so i'm going to get a video of him then so i can show you all how he's going.
If he's moving around, he may just be trying to sit comfy without problems. You'll have to keep an eye on him for pressure sores if he picks just one position. I think it's be pretty obvious if he were in a lot of pain.
I bet he'd love the sunshine. Somebunnies like a wheeled sling to move around using their front legs--TreasuredFriend would know more about that.
Thanks Claire...his pellets are already lucerne based....they are the only pellets we can get over here.....we are not lucky like you guys...I have thought about giving him extra things in his diet.
I just got a short video of Jack,it's not very long one and it's not a very good one eithercause i had to stop cause he was trying tomove tofast!....oh my goodness i got all worried....i will get a longer one though later and i'll post it on my youtube account next time.....but this will give you some idea how he hops....when he's having a bad day he is much worse than this
I just have another video...as you can see by the branch cutters in the middle of my lawni have been busy outside today,since it is actually a nice day instead of being all cold