urgent advice needed

[Pamela Moses]

this is now a picture of her hole pam

 

[naturestee]

I can't see anything in the second picture, it's very fuzzy.:?

I finally got some time to dig out Mummybunny's threads onMiffy. She was having the same problem- biting holes in herdewlap. Don't be scared, but it took a long time to resolve.
Advice please - Miffy's bitten her purse and it looks infected
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11492&forum_id=16

Prayers for Miffy for Tuesday...
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11769&forum_id=16

Miffy's been chewing her dewlap - AGAIN.....
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12626&forum_id=16&page=1

Miffy
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15065&forum_id=16

I remembered correctly and Miffy's vet was using steroid injections andalso a special bath to help some mild dermatitis (not caused by fleasor mites) in case that was part of the problem. Also, hasThumper been checked for a fungal infection? It's not toounusual of a problem, especially if the dewlap sometimes gets wet whilethe bun drinks from a water bowl.

It would also be a good idea to have baseline bloodwork done- bloodcounts, liver and kidney values, etc just to make sure there's nothingelse going on. Miffy had a liver issue but I don't know if itwas related to her self mutilation.

I pm'd Mummybun, hopefully she'll have some more advice.

Did your regular vet get back to you yet?

 

[Pamela Moses]

trying to get a better picture

thumper drinks from a bottle

no the vet has not rang back

thumper is more comfortable now with the collar on and cannotget to it even though hubby cut it so she could eat

thanks i read through miffys

have an appt tomorrow anyway do you think they should keep onwith the antibiotic injection will also mention these tests

 

[naturestee]

I'm not a vet or anything, but I think theyshould keep up with the antibiotic injections. Ask about thetests, especially the fungal infection just in case that's what startedthis. It never hurts to get these tests done, especially whenyou don't know the cause of the problem.

Best of luck at the vet's!

 

[Haley]

Im just now reading through this thread. Im so sorry you have had to deal with all this.

Your poor little Thumper. She sure is adorable.

I'll be keeping her (and you) in my thoughts and prayers.

-Haley

 

[mummybunny]

Hi, wow, sorry I missed this one - poor Thumper - how is she?

If you've read Miffy's stories you'll pretty much know everything - shegot into a viscious cycle of overgrooming - biting herself and thenmutilating the wound - many times over. We never put a collar on her -she developed abcesses that were removed and then she would bite theskin again. Thankfully she has not done this again for a number ofmonths - since around June/July when she had her last abcess that wasremoved at the vet hospital.

Our vet did give her steroid injections straight into the wound thatcaused it to heal very quickly - unfortunately due to her obssessing(Miffy that is!) she had quite a few injections. We think thispartially caused her respiratory infection/liver problems as thehospital vet - more expert than our normal vet - said the steroidscould have compromised her immune system leading to all her weight lossand ill health.

We never found out why she did it or why she has stopped - except sheis now totally healed up. I think it does unfortunately become aviscious cycle as the wound hurts so it is poked at, it begins to healso itches then the bunny bites it again....

I hope Thumper gets better soon - I'll keep track of this thread now!

All the best

mummybunny xx

 

[JimD]

naturestee wrote:

JimD's Binky also had a similar problem after a surgery toremove an abscess in her dewlap. She's fine now but I'm notsure what worked for her...

I missed this somehow :?.

Our vets never did figure out what to do.....other that put the collaron her if she chews on herself. She still chews. I don't know what setsit off. She'll be fine for weeks on end, and then out of the blueshe'll chew her dewlap all up. She did it a few weeks ago and has sincehealed up completely.
This is one of the reasons the vet is reluctant to spay Binkie, too.

Another bunnie-person I know asked me if I had tried bonding her toanother rabbit. She said that she had a similar problem and was advisedthat the companionship might distract her. She said that this sometimesworks for bunnies that are obsessed with cage biting/digging, too.
I might give it a try when we move the bunnie-room downstairs. Rosiemight be a good candidate, as their cages have been next to each otherfor quite some time now.

~Jim

 

[Pamela Moses]

hi there thumpers hole is closingnicely nowshe has kept the collar on and is ok withit we still had hydro gel for the last wound and it must havehealed it

she is eating very well and ripping a yellow pages phone book up

vets visit is tomorrow for her antibiotic jab

one of our other rabbits was treated for mites end of octoberand was told to give it to all of them once a month toprevent do you think the stuff we used could havecaused this for thumper??

we also have budgies that were above thumpers hutch in the shed andsome feathers got inwith hercould she have anallergy to the birds???

 

[cheryl]

Ohh no Pamela! i thought everything was going good!

ugh!..what devestating news,poor little Thumper

I'm really sorry that you have to deal with all this again!

Sending extra healing vibes Thumper's way

cheryl

 

[Pamela Moses]

been to vet and thumpers hole has scabed overthey are pleased that it has healed so quickly they have not donetests and are happy that it is not mites theychecked her heart rate but will not put her through any tests as she islooking very well and eating and drinking as long as we keepthe collar on she cannot do anymore to her back to vets onmonday

 

[cheryl]

I bet Thumper hates that collar!....i know my Daisy did when she had to wear one for two weeks!

cheryl

 

[Pamela Moses]

she did at first but now she is used to it

 

[cheryl]

I hope everything goes well at the vets on monday

cheryl

 

[cheryl]

Pamela Moses wrote:

she did at first but now she is used to it

Can she eat with it on?,or do you take it of for her?

I remember when Daisy had to wear hers for two weeks,and when i took itof the poor girl looked funny,she had flat bunny fur :rofl:,plus i wasso used to seeing her with it on lol

cheryl

 

[JimD]

Binkie wasso funny the way sheused her collar like a shovel to get her pellets or hay. Shewaslike a little bulldozer style="BACKGROUND-COLOR:#ffffff"….she backed up, lowered her collar, and then moved forwardscooping up whatever it is she wanted. She thenate what shescooped up and then did it all over again.

One thing I did have to do was get a waterbottle with a longertube on it. I was thinking of using a bowl instead, but figured itwould just get knocked over in frustration.

Her biggest peeve was not being able to groom herself.

~Jim

 

[Pamela Moses]

yes she can eat with it on it has asmaller scab now we put the collar on at night and thriughthe day we put her walking harness the wrong way around her so that shecan clean herself everywhere else

 

[cheryl]

Hi Pamela!

How did Thumpers vet visit go?

 

[Pamela Moses]

sorry it went well the vet pulled the scab offto see what was there nothing to see at all we must keep on bathing andputting gel on another jab tomorrow but she has another sore on herback where they have been injecting her

 

[cheryl]

Hi Pamela!

How often and how long does Thumper have to have theinjections for?

cheryl

 

[naturestee]

Hi Pamela!

Sounds like she's doing ok, aside from the sterile abscesses (that'swhat the lumps from the injections are technically called).How often does she have to get the shots?