Bassetluv
Well-Known Member
The new littlerabbit that came to me before Christmas is still very ill. He had a bout of diarrhea a day or two after coming to my house, so I suspected it might have been the change in feed (thank you Tina for your help back then). I took away his pellets and fed him only rolled oats and hay, and the diarrhea seemed to clear up, so I put him back on pellets again. Then,aboutthree days ago (I think...my mind is a blur right now) the diarrhea re-appeared. His belly was somewhat bloated when he came to my house as well, and the bloating has since gotten worse. He also began sneezing, which had me worried about pasteurella. I've checked him for mucus, and a couple of times saw a bit of white mucus in his nose, but nothing abundant. He wipes his nose when he sneezes, and so far the area outside isn't really wet...just a wee bit of damp area right around the nostrils, but no real discharge, and his paws/front legs don't appear wet from wiping his nose.
I took him to the vet two days ago, who examined him and seems to think the problem might be from change in food...he suspects it has aggravated the intestinal tract and is hanging on. He didn't want tostart antibiotics without first seeing if diet would clear it up. The vet took his temp. and said it was normal. At that point the diarrhea was still there, but small poops were starting to form. So I took him home, and that night there were no small poops...just diarrhea again.The next day small poops were once again starting to form...but it doesn't seem to have gotten past that point...they are very soft/mushy.He's pretty listless, with eyes squinty, sits hunched in his cage, and overall looks quite sick. When I open his cage he will come out and will run about for a few moments, but then goes back in his cage again and sits. He is still eating, however...rolled oats and hay, and I am giving him NutriCal twice a day (he loves it). He has lost a bit of body mass and feels a bit cool to the touch, even though the vet said his internal temp is fine. I've put a box and blanket in his cage to give him someplace warm, but he refuses to stay in it.
Can anyone else suggest anything? I read something about papaya enzymes...can these be given to him at his age, and where does one find it (health food stores?)? I know that acidophilus helps humans with the healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract (it's something I sometimes take myself)...will it have the same effect on a rabbit, and can I give it to a rabbit that is so small? He's about 2-1/2 months old and very tiny....he weighs in at .8 lb.
At this point I don't have high hopes of this little guy's survival,yet I can see he's definitely a fighter. Any suggestions are more than welcome. Oh, and I finally did name him...ironically, I decided to call him 'Lucky'.
I took him to the vet two days ago, who examined him and seems to think the problem might be from change in food...he suspects it has aggravated the intestinal tract and is hanging on. He didn't want tostart antibiotics without first seeing if diet would clear it up. The vet took his temp. and said it was normal. At that point the diarrhea was still there, but small poops were starting to form. So I took him home, and that night there were no small poops...just diarrhea again.The next day small poops were once again starting to form...but it doesn't seem to have gotten past that point...they are very soft/mushy.He's pretty listless, with eyes squinty, sits hunched in his cage, and overall looks quite sick. When I open his cage he will come out and will run about for a few moments, but then goes back in his cage again and sits. He is still eating, however...rolled oats and hay, and I am giving him NutriCal twice a day (he loves it). He has lost a bit of body mass and feels a bit cool to the touch, even though the vet said his internal temp is fine. I've put a box and blanket in his cage to give him someplace warm, but he refuses to stay in it.
Can anyone else suggest anything? I read something about papaya enzymes...can these be given to him at his age, and where does one find it (health food stores?)? I know that acidophilus helps humans with the healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract (it's something I sometimes take myself)...will it have the same effect on a rabbit, and can I give it to a rabbit that is so small? He's about 2-1/2 months old and very tiny....he weighs in at .8 lb.
At this point I don't have high hopes of this little guy's survival,yet I can see he's definitely a fighter. Any suggestions are more than welcome. Oh, and I finally did name him...ironically, I decided to call him 'Lucky'.
ray:
