RIP Flemish Giant rabbit dropping weight - almost skin & bones

[TinysMom]

Annie Oakley is one of my favorite of the flemish giant litters - she loves to get up in my lap and give kisses on the nose and face. She tries to bite at chin whiskers and pull them out....just such a big personality.

But she's been losing weight - I've not been checking her weight daily which I need to do. I'm wondering if she has a blockage somewhere as I've caught her getting into the bag of woody pet. Robin wonders if it is her teeth.

Here are the symptoms:

• Weight loss over the last month - now might weigh about 6 pounds - down from 8 or so - can feel her spine
• Fur is very funky - not at all smooth like it should be
• Does not appear to have teeth issues - no drainage near eye or nose

She was born 12/24/09.

She will eat a LITTLE bit of pellets - not much. She will also eat oatmeal (more than she will pellets) - and she'll eat baby food and baby food mixed with critical care.

I treated her this week with Safeguard (Fenbendazole) in case of worms.

She's been free-roaming in the rabbitry with a couple of other girls and I don't know if they've bullied her - but even when she's apart from them and we give her food - she'll eat a few mouthfuls and then quit.

I plan on taking her to the vet on Monday or Tuesday because I have other commitments before then and she's not seeming to get worse - just not better. (She seemed worse before).

She did have a bad bout with some fleas....but I thought we dealt with that.

I'm at a total loss as to how to help her more. I'm about to cage her where I can monitor her food intake more and maybe try to feed her on an hourly or every couple of hour basis to see if I can get more weight on her.

I had hoped to breed her - BUT - I feel like whatever she is going through is enough stress on her system. Therefore - while she will live out her life here - she will NOT be bred as that would not be the responsible thing to do.

One last note: She always was smaller than her brothers and sisters and she is one of the ones that got formula supplement due to having so many in the litter. Its only in the past week or two though that she has dropped so much weight.

 

[Maureen Las]

Since she has been treated for worms the weight should start coming back if that was the problem.

I am thinking that it is her teeth since they don't alwayshave teary eyes or drooling etc with teeth issues. Sometimes there is nothing physically that shows other than the hesitation with food.
We have a new vet here in La crosse that can visualize the molars with a scope without sedation. I have always told people that xrays are absolutely the only way to visualize anything but now i am saying that an astute vet can visualize some basic problems with a scope.
Could be some other systemic issue but the only way to diagnose that is to do a blood panel.
if she is pooping normally? I would doubt an obstruction. Is her poop normal. ?
Does she appear to have gas or any gut distention?

 

[Pipp]

Any changes in her poops or pee?

How did you deal with the fleas? The fleas may be a cause of some problems, or a symptom of a suppressed immune system, hard to say.

If she picked up a tapeworm, the Panacur isn't likely to help. Praziquantel, which goes under the brand name Droncit in the U.S., is safe for rabbits and the preferred drug for tapeworm.

I really would wean her off oats, cheerios and any other starches and start giving her Nutri-Cal if you haven't already.

I'd also try various types of hay, different brands of pellets, safe grasses, dandelions, etc.

Watch closely of course for any signs of infection, tender areas, bumps, head shaking, peeing issues, etc.

She's young for dental issues, but it's not always easy to spot things like inner ear and urinary tract infections.

I hate to say it, but there is the possibility she has internal issues that tend to be found in 'runts' and the maturing of her system is now making them apparent. I certainly hope that's not the case.

Really hope she's okay. Hopefully the vet can figure it out.


sas :clover:

 

[TinysMom]

I meant to add something - the vet I'd like to take her to - is on vacation.

I wasn't just putting off a vet visit...

 

[Pipp]

angieluv wrote:

I am thinking that it is her teeth since they don't alwayshave teary eyes or drooling etc with teeth issues. Sometimes there is nothing physically that shows other than the hesitation with food.

This is very true. I have no idea how prone to dental issues Flemish are and what age they may pop up.

Does she just seem listless and not too interested in eating, or does she loose enthusiasm once she starts chewing?

I also think there's a health connection when rabbits start chewing on things like wood and paper, but I don't really know what it is.


sas :clover:

 

[TinysMom]

She's not overly interested in eating anything.

Her ears are getting cooler - I'm worried we're going to lose her....and of course I have to work today.

What bothers me now is the other rabbits are ignoring her...whereby before they were grooming her.

 

[cirrustwi]

Pipp wrote:

I hate to say it, but there is the possibility she has internal issues that tend to be found in 'runts' and the maturing of her system is now making them apparent. I certainly hope that's not the case.

Really hope she's okay. Hopefully the vet can figure it out.


sas :clover:

I hate to agree with this, but this may be the problem. I worried about this for the first year with Tim. He was 1/2 the size of this siblings. However by about 6 or 8 months, he had caught up. (I kept in touch with his breeder about the size of one she kept.)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this isn't the case! Prayers for her!

:goodluck

 

[dixonsrabbitry1]

When was the last time she was treated for coccidiosis? That would be my first suspect with a rabbit that is getting thin like that. Sometimes liver coccidia will do that to them. Do you randomly treat your herd for it? I treat mine for it every so often with the sulphadimethoxine(?) its the powdered version of albon bolus you can pick up from some ag stores. I have heard that sulmet works pretty good too. Corid also works too though not as effective as the first one is.

Pancur will get most types of worms in rabbits. It doesn't sound like worms is the problem here.

I doubt the cereal is hurting her either as long as she is getting it in small amounts. I have resorted to using cherios, and rolled oats on bunnies that aren't doing well too. they work.

I have never had a rabbit get fleas before so I wouldn't know anything about that. I wonder if its the pesticide in the medicine that could be affecting her?

I wouldn't think it would be the teeth either. or you'd be seeing more issues with her eating. She has probably picked up a bug somewhere a long the line.

Is she pooping at all? If so what do they look like? have you tried to offer her plain grass to keep her eating? its fine to use as long as there are no chemicals on your lawn.

 

[dixonsrabbitry1]

Have you felt her tummy? its also possible she may have a blockage from the woody pet too, since that stuff expands when its wet. You should be able to feel the blockage by gently feeling her tummy. If it is from the wood pellets, I am not sure how you would get her to pass them.

 

[TinysMom]

cirrustwi wrote:

Pipp wrote:

I hate to say it, but there is the possibility she has internal issues that tend to be found in 'runts' and the maturing of her system is now making them apparent. I certainly hope that's not the case.

Really hope she's okay. Hopefully the vet can figure it out.


sas :clover:

I hate to agree with this, but this may be the problem. I worried about this for the first year with Tim. He was 1/2 the size of this siblings. However by about 6 or 8 months, he had caught up. (I kept in touch with his breeder about the size of one she kept.)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this isn't the case! Prayers for her!

:goodluck

She's given up on life. No affection - no appetite and no alertness. She does not appear to be in pain - she just wants to sleep.

I'm devastated right now.

Annie was....the perfect flemish giant as far as being an ambassador for her breed. She was always underweight and behind in development - but even yesterday she was getting up in my lap and giving me kisses on the lips (yuck) and nose and cheeks - and she was so affectionate and wanted me to hold her for like an hour or more at a time.

Now I go to her and she lays her head down and doesn't even want me to pet her - she just wants to be left alone.

As I said - she doesn't appear to be in any pain...just....tired....ready to leave.

I never could feel any blockages and the more I remember things about her over the past few months...she's always just been "not quite right". We knew it months ago...but I didn't realize that a runt could have problems later on. (SHe was the next smallest after Cyrano - for those who remember him).

 

[Pipp]

dixonsrabbitry1 wrote:

When was the last time she was treated for coccidiosis? That would be my first suspect with a rabbit that is getting thin like that. Sometimes liver coccidia will do that to them.

This is worth exploring for sure...



sas ray:

 

[Sweetie]

TinysMom: I hope that things are going okay with Annie Oakley.

 

[TinysMom]

She's going now.....it won't be long.

 

[TinysMom]

As I shared on Facebook earlier....her "friends" are hanging out with her - her free-roaming friends (Auntie Sophia, her sisters Molly Brown, Lily Langtree, her cousin Schioppi have all been with her for the last hour or so - grooming her off and on and just laying beside her.

 

[dixonsrabbitry1]

I am so sorry. I hate it when things like that happen. She may have had something going on with her that wasn't right from the start.

 

[Sweetie]

Prayers for Annie Oakley are sent

 

[Pipp]

Oh no, didn't realize she was that close. So sorry.

I really try not to get attached to the little weak ones, it turns out badly more often than not and they break our hearts. But they're more often than not the ones who steal our hearts.


sas :sad:

 

[cirrustwi]

:sosad

I'll be praying for a surprising outcome. Lots of love coming your way!!

Jen

 

[TinysMom]

dixonsrabbitry1 wrote:

I am so sorry. I hate it when things like that happen. She may have had something going on with her that wasn't right from the start.

I really am thinking that was the issue - she had a hard time when she was little and I was trying to keep her alive by formula feeding her (for supplementing) - but honestly - she never was like the others.

It hurts though - as Alicia knew - I had halfway hoped to bond her to Zeus.

Now I guess she's with Tiny....

 

[SnowyShiloh]

I'm so sorry, Peg