A RABBIT'S NOT FOR CHRISTMAS, IT'S FOR LIFE. (Serious Illness in Pets)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Serious Illness in Pets
Date:	16/12/06 (3045 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good care is essential for a rabbit that is poorly.

Disadvantages: Owners not seeking professional advice

Having an animal in the home is a huge responsibility and not one to be taken lightly, though finding out that your pet is chronically ill and is not going to get any better is something any pet owner may have to face up to.

The History.

I have had my rabbit for around five years, and early on in its life, it developed problems breathing, and was prone to an illness known as 'Snuffles'. Sounds a cute name doesn't it, but believe me the illness is a sad one which means that the mucus membrane is producing too much fluid, the rabbit sniffs all the time, and has a discharge from its nose, much like a human being would have when they have a cold. Having snuffles on a regular basis takes the strength out of the poor animal and being a caring owner, I wanted to find out why he was perpetually ill.

We had Xrays done on the rabbit and what it showed was that his lungs were hardened and under-developed. This worried me, and I wondered if there was anything that we could have done to prevent this under-development, and we assured that whilst many rabbits are strong, occasionally a weak one will suffer symptoms like this, either because of over breeding, or that they are just born with defects.

He went through several years where the space between the bouts of illness were long ones, and at one stage even had a six month period of no illness. We wondered whether temperatures played a rôle in the illness though were assured that unless the rabbit were subjected to instant changes of temperature, this was unlikely. We also asked about whether we were changing the litter tray often enough, and started changing it daily instead of every couple of days in an effort to aleviate any possibility that the scent from the tray was upsetting his breathing.

He then developed Gingivitis, which really is a painful condition, and causes his gums to have white and red infamed areas. In humans this is caused by bad dental hygeine, though in rabbit can be caught from air borne germs, and finding the cause is not easy. He would not eat. He would not move. He just sat in a corner and looked thoroughly miserable. This was treated with the right anti biotics in the end and he got over that.

Now

Having had the rabbit thoroughly examined by two vets because I was so fed up with the poor creature being subjected to injections almost on a weekly basis, I now know that the rabbit is going to be handicapped for the rest of his life, from a defect that has been with him since birth. One may ask whether he should be put down, and believe me I did ask this question, although he is part of the family and its not only our own pleasure I was thinking of. Rabbit enjoys a good quality of life between episodes, and I wouldn't even think of destroying a handicapped animal just because it causes me inconvenience.

We found that one of the major side effects of constant snuffles and mucus problems was that bunny doesn't produce enough saliva to eat properly or digest. He was very dehydrated, and what we have started to do now is supplement his water intake with a hand held dropper three times a day. He actually benefits a lot from this because it means that there is sufficient fluid to help his digestion, and to enable him to go to the toilet. He had not been for such a long time that we really were worried about a blockage of some kind, although the vet assured me that from the Xrays, this was not the case. What was happening was that he was failing to produce fluids needed to digest the food he ate, and almost gave up eating altogether because it was too hard for him to eat and breathe at the same time.

Having established that more water helped enormously, he has shown an enthusiasm for eating that he hasn't had for a while which is encouraging, although is still very picky about what kind of food he will eat. For example, greens are a no go area at the moment, and we are not sure why Bunny rejects them, but know that we have to supplement the nutrients he is in need of, and here bought dried sticks which contain all the green vegetables that a rabbit needs.

Choosing a Vet for a chronically ill rabbit.

Though the first vet that I had was very caring and had been giving the rabbit correct treatment, I was worried. He was a farm vet and much more accustomed to farm animals and rabbits that are being bred to eat. He liked Rabbit though I thought perhaps his attitude was a little on the rough side, and saught secondary advice. The second vet has a history of treating domestic rabbits, was gentle, weighed the rabbit, did thorough examinations, and seemed to care more. I want the best for my rabbit and chose the second one based on their treatment of my little creature. They also do not give everything in injection form, and have encouraged the bond between me and Rabbit by making me work harder, get closer and more involved in his treatment and this has done both me, as an owner, and Rabbit as my pet a closeness that really does work. Passing the buck to the vet isn't enough for chronically ill animals. They also need special treatment in the home environment, and having the second vet explain what I could do to improve the quality of life of the rabbit was important.

Recognising Chronic illness as opposed to occasional illness.

The thing to look out for with a rabbits health are the following, though not all of these mean chronic illness.

1.Grinding of teeth. This means that the rabbit is in pain. Never ignore a rabbit that grinds his teeth.
2.Dribbling. Dribbling can be caused by something as simple as a tooth problem and can be treated quickly and effectively. Constant dribbling should be looked into as it affects not only the breathing of the rabbit, but also the quality of its life, its digestion and its morale.
3.Sitting alone in a corner and not being sociable. This too could be put down to short term illness, though rabbits are generally sociable creatures and if he sits hunched up in a corner and refuses nourishment, turns his back on you constantly, and does not perform the normal functions of eating, drinking or pooing, something is wrong. Again, none of these may be serious ailments, so the sooner treated the better.
4.Runny stools. This could be an effect of diet, but is certainly worth checking out.
5.Not being able to hold a leaf in his mouth. This really is sad when you see it, and my rabbit displays this. Again, usually this can be put down to a simple tooth problem that can be recitified. In rabbits case, it can't, so I have to hold leaves for him to eat.
6.Problems with eyes. This really is important as signs of ingrowing teeth affect the tear ducts and are first noticeable in the eyes. This can be treated though should be reported to the vet as soon as possible.

Treatment

The rabbit needs constant looking after. Usually a rabbit is excessively clean, and where he had snuffles for so long, his coat under his chin was all sad looking and matted. I wash this area with a damp flannel but no soap, since rabbit will lick and I certainly don't want to add soap to his diet in his current state. I then brush the hair thoroughly. He hates it, although he preens and shows off how good he looks after a brushing.

I have to give the rabbit a Cortisoid treatment to stop pain, and believe me it works pretty fast, though instead of the harsh injections, I buy this in fluid form and using the vets instructions and following them to the letter, feed him the medicines by mouth, profitting at the same time by giving him the extra water that he needs. I was worried and equated this treatment with Cortisone, that can weaken muscles with constant use, although was assured by the vet that the medicine he prescribed is different and simply aleviates pain. He also has to have a form of antibiotic and believe me, rabbits can be killed by treatments of anything in the Penicillin family so having a vet that is accustomed to the treatment of rabbits is essential.

I treat my rabbit against parasites. You may think that having a rabbit in the home would ensure that he would not be affected, but any animal that eats hay or fresh vegetables is prone to parasites, and parasite damage to rabbits really can be serious. The treatment is simple, by the mouth over a period of several days, plus a cream rubbed on his skin.

Living with a poorly rabbit.

I love my rabbit. You may think if I love him so much, why don't I call him by his name, although I have all the way through the review. He is called Mr. Rabbit. Rabbits are sociable, clean, affectionate, and very intelligent. They let you know if they want something, and you get to recognise their needs just as you would recognise your childrens needs. I know that he is going to be ill for a long time. He's an ornery rabbit, but that suits me. He doesn't care for being picked up, but as part of the treatment, I had to overcome the fear of hurting him, and get to grips with handling him. He hates it, but little by little, I have learned to approach it right. Feeding him with the tube is darned hard work, but I know that by doing so, I am improving the quality of his life, and giving him the necessary water that he does not take from his bowl. This helps his mobility, and his digestion. He's a beautiful, exquisite creature and is worth every bit of effort put into nursing him. If you have a sick rabbit, learn to deal with his needs, and what you and the rabbit get back is an understanding between owner and rabbit, a quality of life that is the best the rabbit can have, and a wonderful experience of caring. They really are worth it.

Rachel

Summary: Look after your rabbit and accept it and love it even if it is less than perfectly healthy.