PLEASE HELP, Sick Bunny!!!

[Lovemybunny]

Hello everyone, it's my first time posting here and really need your help. I was away for a couple of months and left my rabbit with my friends who I thought would take really good care of him. I think my Bunny is really sick, I did make an appoitment with the vet when I got him back, it's on Thursday, but I am really scared it will be too late. :?Fist, I think he had absesses for some time. There is a underskin bump that moves with the skin on his back and his back paw is swollen on the side has a furless red spot filled with thick pus. Also, yesteday I noticed that there is a wet green spot on fur on his lower back right by the tail. I thought he got into something so I washed his bum. Today the fur at the same spot is saturated with the green color again and the skin there seems red, and it's larger. He doesn't seem to be in pain, runs around as usual, but I did notice that his poop is a little smaller then two days ago. Can anyone tell me what is the green thats comming out of Bunny, I am really scarred and worried for him...

 

[MissBinky]

Hmmm... It does sound like abscesses. Does your friend have any pets that could have gotten to your bunny by any chance? Some people here arequite experienced with this problem sohopefully they will be by soon. If you think your bun may have been bitten by a cat, you'd want to get your bun in asap. I hope your bun will be feeling better soon.

 

[Haley]

Oh wow Im so sorry to hear your boy isnt well! If I were you I would call the vet first thing in the morning and see if they can squeeze him in- tell them he really needs to be seen immediately.

The two bumps do sound like abscesses so be sure youre seeing a rabbit savvy vet who is experienced with treating them.

As for the green stuff, the only thing I can think of is that it may be poop? Is it smelly and mushy? It could be nasty cecals if they havent been feeding him a healthy diet. What is he eating now? I would get him lots of water and lots of timothy hay. Stay away from treats and fruits and veggies for now and stick with a timothy based pellet.

Sending lots of prayers for your boy- he's lucky youre home!

 

[Lovemybunny]

Thank you all for your responses and support.
When he was staying with my friends he was the only animal there and he was inside all the time, mostly in his cage and eating pellets. He doesn't like to eat hay much, so I usually feed him pellets and veggies, occasional fruit as a treat. I don't think it's poop on him, because its only on one side and his cage just have normal poops just a little smaller then usual. It seems like the green is coming out of his skin, but I am not sure, but it is for sure much bigger then last night. I am scared that it could be some kind of infection coming from inside. I never went to the vet with him, he has been a healthy bun for all of his 7 years, I did have some minor problems that could be treated at home. Once I got him back and saw all the problems I found a clinic that treats rabbits and is on rabbit owner website in Canada, I don't know if anybody heard the Creditview Animal Hospital, and made appoitment for the earliest they had. I will call tomorrow maybe they have some time for us..

 

[Maureen Las]

I think the green stuff is a bacteria called pseudamonas. A Serious bacterial infection As the others said this bun needs to go at a rabbit knowledgeable vet ASAP

There is treatment with antibiotics for both abscesses and the multiple infections. Let's hope that it isn't too late.
I have to tell you that it makes me very angry to think that these people did this to your bunny.

If you had not stated that your bun was acting fairly normal I would have said for you to go to an emergency vet.
Please keep us up-dated. and I'm so sorry that your pet-sitter turned out to be totally irresponsible

 

[Pipp]

I would find a rabbit-savvy vet and get there tomorrow, I wouldn't bother with Creditview.

Here's a list from the Ontario Rabbit Education Organization:

http://www.ontariorabbits.org/health/healthvets.htm

You may want to phone or email ([email protected]) to see if they'll recommend someone, but if you can't reach anyone, I think you need to see a vet ASAP. Even with the sore on the foot, nothing can help other than antibiotics. Just pick one from this list or others from the link and you should be fine.

Heartland Pet Hospital
5950n Rodeo Drive
Mississauga, ON Dr Susan Simmons
Phone: (905)501-1514

Britannia Animal Hospital
3755 Britannia Road West
Mississauga, ON Dr John Valsamis
Phone: (905) 824-7387

Mississauga Spay/Neuter Clinic
this clinic specializes in spays and neuters
5120 Dixie Road
Mississauga, ON Phone: (905) 282-0002

Southdown Animal Clinic
2106 Truscott Drive
Mississauga, ON
L5J 2A6 Drs D.V.Warren

Dr Schere Pocha and Associates
Phone: (905) 823 3900

We also have some Vet links for your area on our Library, here:

Ontario Rabbit Savvy Vets

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.


sas :?

 

[Lovemybunny]

Thanks everyone for support. I actually called Heartland Pet Hospital and they reffered me to the Creditview because their doctor was out for next two weeks. I will call the other clinics see if they can see me tomorrow. I think it is pseudomonas, there is a picture of a bunny with it in yahoo images, and it looks exactly the same, they say it is treatable with vinegar :?. Anyways, I hope I will be able to go to the doctor with my bun tomorrow.

 

[Maureen Las]

I also saw the vinegar treatment on a Barbi brown site. I would still try to get to the vet before using vinegar. The vet will use an antibiotic which will treat the bun systemically (throughout the whole body) while treatment with something like vinegar is only used at the site of infection. (locally). It sounds as your bun as more than one thing going on so best to see the vet.

 

[slavetoabunny]

If you can't get an appointment, ask if you can do a drop off. The vet will see your bunny when he/she can squeeze him in between appointments. I do that frequently with my fosters. You won't be there during the actual exam, but the vet will call you and answer any questions you may have. I think it's a good option, rather than waiting an extra day.

 

[tonyshuman]

Oh dear, poor guy. It sounds like he is very sick. I'm glad you're getting him to a vet as soon as you can. I'm glad there's no possibility of a cat bite, though. Sending good wishes...

 

[Lovemybunny]

Hello everyone, sorry for not being to respond earlier.... I did go to the vet with Bunny and he told me that it is absesses on his paw, and unfortunately it seems to go into the bone. The vet told me that surgery could be done to remove it but due to the severity and the age (7years) of Bunny there is a chance that it will come back or Bunny would not make it. I don't know what to do, being a student I don't have the money, the vet said it will cost about $500, plus I don't want to put Bunny though pains of surgery if it wouldn't help him a lot. He was such a healty bun all of his life and a big part of my family, and now all of this happening..... I didn't sleep all night, I don't want him to be in pain, I wish I could help him somehow. It looks like he doesn't seem to mind his illness, he acts like his old self, and it just breaks my heart looking at him jumping around and knowing that he is so sick.

As for the green on Bunny's side, it is a bacterial infection. I was told to cut the fur as short as possible to eliminate the breeding environment for the bacteria. Also, I was given Chlor Palm 125 to give to my bun every twelve hours for 12 days to help with the absesses and the bacteria. Did anyone had any experince with the antibiotic?

 

[Maureen Las]

I have heard of chlor palm but I am not familar with it.

Is this vet knowledgeable about rabbits.?
I would consider the possibility of asking your vet about treating your rabbit with injectable daily penicillin whichis given subqutaneously if you decide not to have the surgery. Randy has not been posting much but he doesn't believe in surgery for abscesses anyway and the injectable penicillin could possibly give your rabbit more quality time.

 

[Maureen Las]

chlor palm is chlorophenical which is a great drug for rabbit infections. You are not supposed to get it on your skin because it can cause bone marrow suppresion if exposed to humans. so wear gloves when you give it.

 

[JimD]

Taking Bunny's age into consideration, you may want to suggest the possibility of using a regiment of strong antibiotics to treat the abscesses instead of surgery.
Especially since the abscess is into the bone. Surgery cures from the outside in ....antibiotics treat from the inside out.

We have a member that works with a rehab center and they rarely remove abscesses surgically. They use injections of strong antibiotics like Penn G and Zithromax with good results.

 

[Lovemybunny]

Oh, I didn't know about antibiotics treatment, I was told that first has to come surgery and then the antibiotics for the absesses to be completely treated. I don't know I am kind of desapointed in the vet I went too. He was recomended to me by another Rabbit hospital, since their doctor was out of town for two weeks. He does treat rabbits, since I met some rabbit parents when I went to see him. What surprised me, is that he wasn't sure about the green fur on Bunny. He looked kind of lost of a little when I showed him that, and then he said something about bacteria, shaving the fur and antibiotics. I am kind of scared now because Bunny lost some of the green fur yesterday plus I trimmed some, and the exposed skin is red with white mucus and hot. It spreaded more since yesterday (more green fur formed and some fell out). Does anybody know if it's just the matter of time untill the Chlor Palm will help him, or it won't? Any ideas what else I can do to speed up the recovery? I read about spraying vinegar but I am scared it will irritate the skin even more...:?

 

[dquesnel]

Hi, I think you need to get bunny in to see a DIEFFERENT vet today. That infection sounds downright nasty and it is going to need more than a topical antibiotic. We don't know how he got the abcesses, do we? He must have got them somehow under your friend's care, and either they know and are not telling you or they don't know because they did not watch him.

The bacteria can be of a few strains, and the best thing to do is get it looked at under a microscope and identify what it is. Then it can be treated by an injectible antibiotic. Penicillin may not work against the strain you are dealing with. If it is hot and spreading, that is bad and the treatment is not tough enough. Can you hold a warm cloth against his abcesses to draw out some of the pus? It will also feel nice for him.

He sounds like a hardy bunny, and I think you can successfully treat him but I really think there needs to be a tougher treatment and a vet with more urgency. Can you call around more? Sounds like there are several rabbit vets in the area. Good luck!

 

[Maureen Las]

dsquenel is right in that the vet should have cultured the pus to see which antibiotic is the appropriate one for that infection. I know that you are doing your best ...........
if you can get to another vet that you know is rabbit knowledegable it would be the best thing. You can still give the chlorpalm inthe meantime

 

[Pipp]

How is your bunny?


sas ray:

 

[Lovemybunny]

Hi all, sorry wasn't able to respond for last couple of days, lot of things in school had to be done. I took Bunny to another vet yesterday morning, and basically was told the same thing. He was confused about what the green and bold, now both sides and between his legs, was. He just said it looks weird and probably bacterial infection or reaction to something. He advised me to use iodine solution, but I don't know if he is right. I think I will try spraying the vinegar twice a day first. The vet did take a sample out of Bunny's paw, and said that once he gets the results he will prescribe an antibiotic treatment, for now I should finish with the antibiotics I got from the first vet. I don't know, I feel like the vets don't know a lot about rabbits. It's like they know what they are doing but they are not sure. I just pray my bun will get better.... Does anybody has any other suggestions on how can I get rid of the green? Will the vinegar work, or will it cause irritation? or should I just do the iodine treatment? Please help, I am in despair now, and don't know what to do :sad:

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Just catching up,I would wait and see what the sample shows and see what the vet says at that time.I would go ahead and finish what you're giving. Not sure about any iodine treatments, anyone?

Keep us posted, hon.