People Familiar with Rabbits, Please Help!!!?

Question

My rabbit of five years has lost alot of weight in the recent past week. Her molars are abcessed, so she's not gnawing or eating like she should be. There are no small animal specialists in my area, so that's a very far fetched idea. However, I have been feeding her a mix of lettuce, dry oatmeal, and raisins as a supplement for now.

Please help me. I love Bonney more than I like most people. I know she'd old, but I'm not ready to see her go -- especially not like this. If you have any suggestions, please answer .

She's been to the vet. He told me to take her to a specialist.

Answer 1

I'm really sorry for you and for Bonney. She really needs a rabbit-savvy vet ... from what you say, I think a good rabbit-savvy vet would treat her abscesses with rabbit-safe antibiotics, probably file her teeth under anaesthetic, and maybe even remove her teeth completely in an operation - this is very common, and she'll be a lot better afterwards - but it needs to be done by a rabbit-savvy vet. What country are you in? Here's a list of vets who are reputedly rabbit experts - just click on your country/state, 'phone them and ask them lots of questions -
http://members.shaw.ca/cocoasun/AustralianRabbitVets.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/care/vets.html
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/PB_vets.html
http://members.shaw.ca/cocoasun/RabbitVetsMain.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

Not eating and losing weight is a real serious state for a bunn ... you should try offering her all her favourite types of food ... apple and pear are usually good ... and you can also feed her 100% pure baby food - apple, pear, carrot, whichever vegies/fruits she likes - by plastic syringe, just behind her big front teeth, slowly and gradually, and with the syringe aimed across her mouth, NEVER aimed down her throat.

Very very best of luck.

Answer 2

The vet student so far has the closest answer. First, stop feeding her the mix of lettuce, dry oatmeal, and raisins. That can give her diahrrea. Stick to regular rabbit pellets and water. You don't have to have a specialist, a regular vet will do. Yes, it's better to have a rabbit savvy vet, but a general vet can assess most problems correctly.

She'll need a shot of antibiotic for the infection. If you cant' reach a vet, penicillin should do the trick (see your local co-operative or feed store). If you can reach a vet, he can take a sample of the puss and determine the correct antibiotic.

She may have a common problem in rabbits called wolf teeth. Wolf teeth is where the teeth curl inside the rabbit's mouth or where the teeth butt together. The curling teeth will tend to cause more of a problem and sometimes the teeth will break off due to it. If her teeth are curling, get a pair of wire clippers and cut her teeth shorter. The upper teeth should overlap the bottom teeth. A rabbit's teeth will grow about 1/2" per month, so don't worry they'll grow back quickly. You may need to trim them a couple times till they come in right.

Lastly, you'll need to check her stool to see if it is runny. If it is runny, she has diahrrea and needs treated. For diahrrea, pull her off her feed for 24 hours and give her plenty of water to keep her from getting dehydrated. The bacteria for diahrrea lives off the food in the stomach. Getting rid of the food in the stomach helps get rid of the bacteria causing the diahrrea. If you can't reach a veterinarian, a medicine such as Neomycin should help cure the diahrrea. It gets put into the rabbit's water.

Oh, I thought of one more thing. Since you just stated that the rabbits molars are abscessed it's hard for me to tell where the abscess exactly is. Rabbits will often get an abscess under their chins. If she has an abscess under her chin, it needs lanced. Shave the area around the abscess. And feel for a soft spot on the abscess bump. Use a large injection needle to lance the abscess in the soft spot. The hole can be opened up further if need be with the edge of the needle tip. Squeeze the puss out and check the abscess daily to remove any additional puss.

Answer 3

First off, no lettuce! It has a very high water content, but actually will dehydrate her further, because it often causes diarrhea. Instead, giver her dark greens, like Kale, dandelion (not from the lawn) or Spinach.

The main problem is that she can't eat, so she can't heal, plus because it's in her mouth, the infection is most likely spreading. Even if there are no small animal specialists around, talk to a vet that may treat cats, and get some antibiotics for her. Unless you stop the infection, she has little chance of a long life. Get the dose of amoxicillin or Clavamox for a cat her size (both are by pound of animal), and try her on that. Also, call around to any vet that takes cats, and see if they might see a rabbit. If she had her abcessed teeth pulled, and the infection cleared up, she could be around for quite a while longer. it's certainly worth looking into! Time is of the essence, so call today. Even just for the antibiotics. If you can't find a vet to prescribe it to you, talk to the animal shelters and rescues near by, we always have that stuff around!

good luck.

Answer 4

If her teeth are abcesses you will need to get her on some antibiotics or the infection in her teeth will move into her blood stream and she will die.
You do not need a small animal specialist just any old vet will do and even a large animal guy could prescribe for this.
If you can get your pet to the vet.
Until then you are feeding the best way you can.
Good Luck

Answer 5

Five is not that old for a rabbit. You need to get that rabbit to a vet. Any vet is better than no vet. Hopefully when you say "lettuce" you are referring to romaine and not iceburg. Do NOT feed your rabbit iceburg lettuce it has no nutrients and can cause stomach problems. Oatmeal and raisins are not supplements they are treats. Most vets can provide you with a product called, "Critical Care", you need to get some of that to feed her. That is a supplement that will actually provide nutrients that she needs.

Again, take your rabbit to a vet.

Answer 6

Rabbits can live up to 12 years, she is not old. Your vet should have given you a list of places to go for follow-up care. Call specialist places that do not regularly see rabbits, and see if they can help. If your vet will not doing anything to help, call another vet and get a second opinion. Your bunny will get infections, and get very sick, possibly even starving to death if the teeth do not get fixed. www.rabbit.org has a listing of vets, and if you have to drive to get to a specialist, drive. Check out yahoo groups or the petbunny listserve for bunny people that can help, and give you recipies for things like critical care. Your bunny is a in a lot pain, please call everyone you can think of, until someone helps. Also, your vet should suggest foods or pain meds, sounds like your vet is not very attentive.

Answer 7

You might try feeding Bonney carrots. I know it sounds simple but sometimes the simplest things can get results like nothing else can.

Answer 8

Depending on her breed shes more then likely dieing most rabbit live 5 to 8 years depending on breed. I would have her put down i know its hard to deal with but with absessed teeth she is just suffering.

Answer 9

well, as you already know, your rabbit is old, they can live 7 to 12 years, it depends on the kind of life you gave to her, you cant control time and its a natural process but you can try to give her "soup" food using a syringe, try vitamins i guess that can help

Answer 10

Your feeding her very healthy rabbit food. Keep that up and just pray she lives longer. Good luck!