The troublesome twosome

[geekgirl101]

This morning the pair were spayed, as if having already been to vet for boosters at the weekend wasn't bad enough stress. They've been really scared of us all day and just resting loads, which I'm not surprised. I've been spoiling them rotten with loads of hay, ferbivore with marigold, fenugreek crunchies, celery crunches, ginko plus, fresh parsley, and a rose coated millet. Kick is sort of back in action and healthily eating and drinking, but Lara isn't. Lara hasn't moved much, she's only nibbled on some things but hasn't shown much interest. I don't think she's eaten any of the hay, she's ignored the ginko plus, celery crunches and millet, even though Kick reserved half for her. She's eaten some parsley and a couple of the fenugreek crunchies and she's had a little water. I tried mashing some pellets in water and offering it to her but she's not interested. Kick is happy to polish it off instead.

The vet said to avoid fresh foods and fruits for a few days whilst they recover, but if it's a choice between her suffering with damp stools from eating the parsley and dying from a gastric reaction from not eating then I'd rather she'd have the runs for a day or two than a dead rabbit. I fear what will happen tomorrow when the painkillers wear off. I heard a rabbit can lose its appetite entirely when they wear, so with her already showing a lack of interest in anything besides fresh parsley I'm growing very concerned. I decided to keep them indoors where it's just slightly warm, cosy and dry to provide a safe and quicker recovery. I'm also sleeping in the same room tonight in a hopes my company will reassure them they're safe, and hopefully rebuild our relationships.

 

[geekgirl101]

Woke up this morning to see Lara hop into the carrier where I put all the hay last night. She spent quite a bit of time in there. Left the door open slightly when going to the bathroom, and when I came out both were in the hallway. Kick had even gone up a few steps. Everyone went back into the living room and I watched Lara tuck into some more hay. I gave them some more celery crunches and fenugreek crunchies. Lara was happy to have me drop them on the floor rather than taking them from my hand, and now they're both munching away on them.

 

[geekgirl101]

Made a quick dash to the garden centre when Tony revealed that rabbits seek lavender when stressed and is a natural anaelgesic. I have 2 small lavender pots now in the living room for them to munch on when they feel like it.

 

[geekgirl101]

Been a while since I updated about the bunnies. So far they're doing well. I've been in and out of hospital and had an operation myself so now I know how they felt. Today Tony rearranged their extension so the back yard looks more tidier and gives the illusion that their hutch is bigger than ever. They're happy with the rearrangements. Need to put their dig box back in there once all their self-provided fertilizer has broken down and fed the grass seeds.

 

[PaGal]

There set up looks very nice.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Agree with Denise, a great set up. I love the tunnel going from one end to the other. Bet they just love it.

 

[jemm]

Loving the tunnel

 

[geekgirl101]

Oh yeah, they really love the tunnel. It's so funny now when they're sat where they are now and we go out to give them their breakfast they both dive into the tunnel, exit into the hutch/run area, and then jump back to the big metal run where they started. They do it every time hehe.

Munch time!

 

[Chrisdoc]

They´re just so lovely together. See they´re munching away, is that spring cabbage, mine just love it. I just love how the leaves are so big.

 

[geekgirl101]

Lara, you were such a sweet little bunny. You were ever so gentle and timid. I'll miss you so much.

We don't know why she passed away. My husband found her lying in the run this morning. She was feeling rather boney compared to Kick and we noticed she had issues jumping up things and not making it which was odd. We didn't spot them as warning signs that something was wrong. She was eating fine, she was pooping all over the place, we increased the food rations to plump her up a little to prepare for the cold weather. There was no signs of fly strike so we're just baffled.

We're going to get Kick checked in with a vet to make sure she's perfectly healthy, and also look into introducing a rescue bunny to the family to keep Kick company.

 

[geekgirl101]

Just a couple of days before we gave the bunnies a big feast of curly kale, spring greens, parsley, carrot tops, and half a green pepper. They were both happily munching away, chewing at each others' carrot tops like lovers eating the same string of spaghetti. We bought an unhealthy treat with lots of fats and seed hoping that the fats would help put on a little weight. Tony watched Kick rush up to the treat and pin Lara down to stop her reaching the treat. After a few seconds though Lara had enough of it and wrangled her way from Kick's grip and got her share of the treat. Yesterday they both munched away at carrot tops like no tomorrow. We didn't think any more of it, we thought perhaps Lara just was burning off energy, but it never really occurred to us that she was lethargic and weak until now.

 

[Tauntz]

I'm so sorry for your loss of your sweet little bun, Lara. Hope Kick is okay & will get over the loss of his bunny mate, Lara.

 

[geekgirl101]

Kick's also female, I know strange name for a girl. She's not behaving "normal". She's got gurgling noises in her tummy, she's hunching up a lot and constantly repositioning herself to get comfy, her head was shaking earlier and she was making grinding noises with her teeth, I was able to catch and hold her earlier for a good 5-10 mins while rubbing her tummy and she just relaxed in my arms. This isn't normal, she hates being caught and held and will scratch the skin off my arms and chest to get free, but she left no marks on me and didn't even bolt off and thump her feet when I let her go. She's not moving much, she's picked a spot under a coffee table and has barely moved from it. I turned the heat up, put in some fresh water, chew sticks, rabbit toilet, and a pet carrier filled with fresh hay. She had a good munch at some carrot tops earlier but then she suddenly stopped eating part-way, was making motions like she was about to regurgitate, and then she "limped" to the coffee table and hunched herself up like she had thorns in her paws and was just trying to get comfy. I'm taking her to a vet in 2 hours.

 

[geekgirl101]

Kick is in an emergency animal hospital. She was very close to death when we arrived. They're going to call us and let us know more of her condition.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Devastated to hear about Lara and am praying that Kick will pull through. I love these two and can´t believe Lara´s gone. Keep us posted about Kick ray:

 

[geekgirl101]

The vets called, Kick's been given treatment for worming and antibiotics and they said she's perked up and is now passing stools and munching on fresh dandelion leaves. She's not completely out of the woods yet but they're hoping she'll be much better tomorrow and they're gonna let us know tomorrow how she is. They said that the gradual weight loss and sudden lethargic behaviour is likely caused by worm burden. We didn't think they needed worming because we don't have neighbouring dogs entering our garden, however our neighbours recently got cats and it's now a likely thought that the cats have explored other gardens where there's dogs, picked up worms, and then visited our garden and the rabbits have gotten infected. We're going to make sure Kick gets regular worming from now on, and we'll look into adopting a new bunny for company once she's back to her normal self so that she doesn't pine and get depressed.

 

[geekgirl101]

I'm crying buckets now in my stupidity in thinking that the bunnies didn't require regular treatment to protect against paracites. It's a hard lesson to learn that by trying to save money endangers the pet and that the risk is not worth it. I feel I neglected my rabbits by not opting for a regular worming plan because I wanted to save the stress and cost of my husband having to drive to the vets every couple of months to have them treated. I feel I was blind to not notice that Lara not only felt bony but couldn't even jump up a coffee table because she was so weak and wasn't the result of not getting enough food. I am so angry with myself for letting this happen in thinking they didn't need the treatment and didn't take into account that cats can scale fences and pick up paracites from other infected animals.

 

[Chrisdoc]

So relieved to see she´s on the mend and hope she recovers quickly.

Don´t beat yourself up about what you didn´t do, you´ve now learnt the very hard way and Kick will be protected from now on as well as any other bun you take into your home who will be a very lucky bun. You´ve also made me think as I haven´t had mine wormed, I only had them vaccinated last week cos I thought they didn´t need it in Spain but I will be going back to the vets now to check if they need worming as well even though they´re indoor buns. Your experience has made me think so thank you for that.

Lot of good vibes and bunny hugs for Kick.

 

[geekgirl101]

Indoor buns maybe don't need it so much, maybe only every few months since there's the possibility of treading ground where infected animals have been and walking that into carpets, but since mine are outside they're labelled "prone to parasitic infection". I'd still make sure your buns gets treated whether you think they need it or not and your vet could probably discuss a regular plan that suits indoor buns. I wish the vets I went to who offered the plan in the first place were more persistent and warned me of the dangers of not being treated and that to ignore their advice would be neglecting them. I'm just so angry with myself for not paying proper attention and angry with them for not being more persistent to get me to agree to a treatment plan against parasites.

 

[Chrisdoc]

I had a similar experience as the first vet where I neutered them didn´t feel it was necessary to vaccinate. I came across this second vet by chance and she said that it was really important to do it and explained the reasons which is why I went ahead. If something had happened to any of my three I would have been devastated but I took the advice of the first vet which was incorrect. You can´t foresee everything and now you are taking steps so that it doesn´t happen again to Kick or any other bunny you take into your home. I will certainly be asking the vet if mine need it.