Please help my bunnies

[FlashyMagoo]

Please help me. It's Tracy here, formerlly Flashy. Polly changed my passwords and so I can't access that account, hence this account, but I need help, now. I don't care if you hate me or that I left, I just care that my rabbits are failing and I need some help.

Yesterday Hope's tummy swelled up (like towards the front of his body). He was more distended on the right hand side than the left. I trundled him to the vets this morning, vet decides he has molar spurs. Give him metacam and we booked him in for a dental.

Fine.

About ahalf an hour ago, notice Dawn is bloating up in the same manner. Call vets, earliest appointment with the rabbit savvy vet is 5pm tomorrow.

Check the other rabbits. Out of 15, 5/7 inside ones are bloating up, and 1/8 of the outside ones is (although my foster is too fat to tell, but she looks like she normally does).

All are lively, eating, drinking, weeing, pooing (although Hope is a little reluctant to poo), they are just all swelling up.

I am throwing out all the food, and am about to embark on a merry mission to get rid of all the hay and wood pellet litter, and completely change them all.

What do I do? What if they die?

What CAN I do? What productively can I do make this a damage limitation mission.

Please help me, really, please.

 

[TinysMom]

Oh Tracy.....I'm so sorry.

I've PM'd all the infirmary mods for you - the first thing I think of too is food....

I can't really help other than to say I'm praying for you and hoping one of the mods sees this soon....

Here's a link to our information on bloat/gas - maybe it will be a start...

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11931&forum_id=10

Please keep us updated and I'll see what I can do about getting you some help...

 

[Becca]

OMG Tracy Nooooooo - You really don't need that right now - I really don't know what to suggest or do - I hope someone else comes along that does soon!

Best wishes - i might come on msn in a sec and talk to you if you want - try and comfort you a bit - i dont mind if you dont want to just tell me to get lost LOl

 

[LuvaBun]

OMG Tracy, I am so sorry to hear this.

Since it's affecting both your indoor and outdoor buns, I too would go with food or litter. If it was only the outside ones affected, I would have wondered about some toxic plants etc.

Did your vet find any reason why Hope was swollen? I can't imagine dental problems causing that.

I hope others can give you better advice. Just know that i am thinking of you and your bunnies. Please let us know what happens

:hug: Jan

 

[Haley]

Did any of them have anything like wet grass or any type of new veggies in the past 24 hours?

I think I would also start with the food- get the current food out and put in some nice hay (different than what youre using now if possible). Change all the waters too so they have fresh water.

Do you hear any gas noises? This time of year all my buns get very gassy. If all of yours are pooping for sure, I would dose each of them with a precautionary 1-2 ccs of simethicone if it were my buns. I would also gently massage their tummies if they will let you.

Remember to stay calm (even though I know youre probably majorly stressed) as they will pick up on your anxiety.

Sending lots of good thoughts for all your babies. Could just be a bit of gas, especially if any are shedding heavily.

 

[FlashyMagoo]

Thanks guys, so much.

They haven't had anything new recently. The last new thing they had was mint last Thursday, and Hope didn't have any of that.

Mainly its the ones in my room (the one outside may or may not have a problem, I was looking at a weird angle) and they have a separate bag of food from the outside lot, and it is the rabbits that eat the most that are affected the most (on a scale too, the one who is the piggy is Hope who is showing the worst symptoms), so that logically says it is that. I am changing the hay (got a fresh bale today) and also disinfecting all litter trays and washing all bowls as well though.

I had some Infacol, but I've lost it, so I'll have to go out and get some more.

The vet said the gut was slow, which could be causes by Hope eating less because his teeth were hurting him, that was his theory. Not sure on it now though.

What elsedo I need to be doing? Pushing the new hay? Also making sure they are all drinking? Metacam incase it is painful?

Thank you so much.

 

[tonyshuman]

I would push the new hay, give simethicone, and hold off on metacam because it can cause guts to be slower. Also entice the fluids by adding vanilla, cranberry juice, apple juice, or using pedialyte.

I of course am no expert.

 

[FlashyMagoo]

Yup, I am lacing water with apple juice (and also providing plain water too), although they seem to prefer cranberry, but not get any of that at the moment.

Thanks.

 

[Evey]

I'm wondering if it's a bug bite? That could definitely cause some localized swelling. Are your bunnies breathing ok? I would check for bites--it wouldn't hurt. I'm so sorry this is happening andreally hope this gets figured out soon!

-Kathy

 

[Pet_Bunny]

I hope it's not the food pellets causing the problems. I remember Jan had some sent to her when her bunnies weren't eating.

Do you think the water could be contaminated?

 

[FlashyMagoo]

Don't worry, Jan's pellets are a completely different brand bought at a completely different shop at a completely different time. She shouldn't have any problems If she does, its a horrendous coincidence.

 

[polly]

How are they doing Trace? any poops? eating? I couldn't believe it when I saw this post sending huge good vibes your way and hoping they are all ok :hug:

here is a link for a good herb site that can tell you what can be good for tummy problems. its doubtful its dental problems if its more than one

http://www.healthypetcorner.com/rabbit2.html

http://www.galensgarden.co.uk/

 

[mouse_chalk]

Oh no Tracy, I'm so sorry.... how horrible for you...

You've got good advice already and I wont pretend to be any kind of expert here...

Have they all been out on the grass recently? Could there have been something on it? Any new household cleaners/air fresheners, etc? Any house plants they could have got into? :?

Also, like Stan said, any possiblity it's the water? It sounds slim over here though... I don't know if maybe switching to bottled water temporarily might help, just in case? Maybe someone else can comment if that's a good idea or not... :?

I'm thinking of you and your bunnies and hoping that it turns out ok....

:hug:

Jen xx

 

[Becca]

How are they at the moment Tracy?

:hug::clover:

 

[Maureen Las]

Sorry everyone I just got home and saw this
If it is true bloat the rabbits will not be active, eating, drinking or playing
Bloat is an acute energency and must be treated immediately by a vet.

if it is gas they should respond to simethicone and tummy rubs.
It sounds like either the rabbit with the dental issues has both a dental issue and/ or gas or that the vet isfocusingon the the dental problems when something else is wrong.

http://www.morfz.com/myco.html

If it is mycotoxins in the food it can be cumulative so it is good to get rid of everything that you are feeding and start new bags and new bales if possible. Mycotoxin poisoning can cause even more severe symtoms than you are descriribing.
Please let us know how your buns are Flashy

you received great advice for from everyone

 

[FlashyMagoo]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm inclined to think we are facing mycotoxin poisoning, which is horrific and I am petrified at the thought of it.

Currently they are all eating, all lively, just Hope is fairly swollen and others are moderately swollen, and some are just normal.

thanks for the link angieluv I'm going to print that out and take it to the vets with me.

Do rabbits ever survive mycotoxin poisoning?

 

[JadeIcing]

Oh man. I am adding my prayers.

 

[cheryl]

Oh no Tracey..i'm so sorry to hear this...i really hope it turn's out to be nothing to serious.

Thinking about you and the bunners

:hug:

~Cheryl

 

[Maureen Las]

I think that if it has a cumulative effect that if it isn't presently more severe and you've changed all the food then possibly they will be OK

Are they still all eating pooping and moving about normally?
Are they still swollen?

 

[FlashyMagoo]

The turdy forum just lost my reply.

Thank you for the support. It means a lot.

They all got through the night, which is great. This morning they all seems very perky still. Hope even more so because I caught a half binky. I have the trio out in my room and have been following each bun about and so I now know that both Hope and Dawn are pooing, and not just pooing, but doing perfect poo too.

Now that the vets is open that is also a help because if anything happens within the next nine hours I have some place to go who will see me.

To be honest, you wouldn't know they are not right, their behaviour looks absolutely fine, Hope just looks like he swallowed two tennis balls and the others looke like they swallowed one and a half (and I'm just seen Hope do a full binky followed by a bunny 500, all good signs, yet still confusing me even more).

Should I be giving normal amounts of pellets (obviously a fresh bag), or just pushing hay and we t greens or what?

Thanks you again for all the support.