Bad News for Fudge

[Sharon]

I just don't know what to do. About aweek ago, Fudge had some dental work done, and she seemed to OK,although she wasn't eating as much as I'd like. Anyway, aweek later and there appears to be something wrong with her eye - it'svery swollen. The vet has told me that she may have anabscess behind the eye, which may connected to the sneezing ( nodischarge).

Fudge was on Baytril following the dental work and that didn't seem tohelp. I now have a weeks supply of Septrin. The vetadvised me that if the antibiotics do not work, "it may be a quality oflife issue" because "it is difficult to remove abscesses of the eye andthey sometime come back". Once again, I am very worried.

I bought 3 rabbits about 2 years ago and so far one died followingdental work, and now another one is ill. I feelterrible. I love all animals, but I can't bear the ending.

Fudge is bouncing around my living room as I write. What is the right thing to do?

Please can you advice me again.

 

[m.e.]

I found this article when doing research awhile back:

Managementof Abscesses of the Head in Rabbits - R.Avery Bennett, DVM,MS, Diplomate ACVS

 

[cirrustwi]

Well, I know that lots of people here willprobably disagree with me, but in my opinion, Baytril is really overused. I will never discount that it works (I've had reptiles,bunnies and a cat on it and it has done a great job, most of the time),however I think that some vets, no matter how wonderful they are, tendto see Baytril as a cure all. I think that sometimes a secondantibiotic is extremely helpful. In the few times baytrilhasn't worked for me, I've had another med prescribed and it has alwayscured the problem up. Hopefully you will have the sameexperience.

I would seek a second opinion before you decide anything about "qualityof life" sometimes abscesses will cause the animal to losetheir sight, but most animals can live a great life with only sight in1 eye and often with no sight.

All of this is only my opinion, but maybe it will help a little. Best of luck with the new antibiotic!

Jen

 

[bumperbunny12]

What was the dental work for?

SEE, I really, really, really, really, really am not trying to offendanyone here, and if i am Please yell at me, and please forgive me, butit seems like people are taking thier bunnies to the vet way more thanthey need to! A vet might not do a good job if they are notexperienced with rabbits, and they chargea lot, and yourrabbit can pick stuff up at the vet's, and they often give you meds forsomething that doesn't need it at all! you can trim your rabbit's buckteeth yourself! you can sex a rabbit yourself! youcan treat ear mites yourself! you can spay a doeyourself! (ok, so maybe not, that one was a joke)but really, vets are overrated. Rabbits can be treated athome more often then one would think. When i have a rabbitproblem, i call an EXPERIENCED RABBIT BREEDER, not a vet that mostlyworks with dogs and cats.

Now please forgive me everyone, sorry i stepped on so manytoes! sorry, go ahead and ban me now i just wanted to getthat out!

 

[rabbitgirl]

Some people aren't comfortable with dealing withcertain health issues with rabbits, and take them to the vet so someoneelse can do it.

For example, I can't give injections. I hate needles! So I pay the vetto do it. If I know the problem, I don't have to pay for an exam, andthey know me, so they just do it real quick and I don't have to dealwith it!

Rose

 

[pamnock]

bumperbunny12 wrote:

What was the dental work for?

A vet might not do a good job if they are not experiencedwith rabbits, and they chargea lot, and your rabbit can pickstuff up at the vet's, and they often give you meds for something thatdoesn't need it at all! you can trim your rabbit's buck teethyourself!
:X

I believe it was mentioned that the rabbit had molar spurs, which areimpossible tofloat unless the rabbit is underanesthesia. I do agree that the incisors can beeasily trimmed at home.

Pam

 

[m.e.]

bumperbunny12 wrote:

SEE, I really, really, really, really, really am not trying tooffend anyone here, and if i am Please yell at me, and please forgiveme, but it seems like people are taking thier bunnies to the vet waymore than they need to! A vet might not do a good job if they are notexperienced with rabbits, and they charge a lot, and your rabbit canpick stuff up at the vet's, and they often give you meds for somethingthat doesn't need it at all! you can trim your rabbit's buck teethyourself! you can sex a rabbit yourself! you can treat ear mitesyourself! you can spay a doe yourself! (ok, so maybe not, that one wasa joke) but really, vets are overrated. Rabbits can be treated athome more often then one would think. When i have a rabbit problem, icall an EXPERIENCED RABBIT BREEDER, not a vet that mostly works withdogs and cats.

True, many vets are not experienced with rabbits, but many are! Please,don't write them all off. I take my rabbits to the vet for a variety ofthings, namely annual examinations. I have a geriatric rabbit and myvet and I are working out his health plan for the coming years. Theseare not things I feel comfortable doing on my own, and none of thebreeders in my area have old rabbits!

I see what you're saying, but you're making blanket generalizations("vets are overrated", "your rabbit can pick stuff up at the vet's")that are not entirely true.

 

[bumperbunny12]

Sorry!! REALLY SORRYEVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know i'm sounding like a stuck-up,know it all, all-i-care-about-is-making-me-look-good, "breeder" and allthe rest of you are low down, ignorant, idiot "pet owners" and there isa big difference, when really there isn't and that isn't how i feel atall!! Sorry, i am not trying to criticize anybody on the vetissue, or the spaying issue, or anything!!!!!! I know I have made somepeople angry at me and i am very sorry. I am just a completerabbit freak and there is nothing i enjoy more than promoting rabbitsand helping people learn about them! Oh SLRabbits--you thinkYOU offended people??????? look at me! I am newhere and i have already made everyone hate me. I haven't readthe replies to my last message yet, as soon as i wrote it i had to getoff the internet but the whole time it was bugging me because i knew imade a big*** out of myself. Please forgiveme, i didn't mean to direct my comments to anyone in particular, idon't mean to say that breeders are better than pet owners or even tomake a distinction. This forum is really unique and i wouldlike to be a member of it on pleasant terms, and if anybody feels thati am just nagging everybody then please email me and tell me to shut upand go away!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry so much!

~Bumper

 

[m.e.]

No offense taken But next time, don't put allvets under the "inexperienced and ignorant" category. Your points werevalid, but they're not true for everyone and every situation.

 

[mygrl2k3]

Most bunnies dont need thier teeth trimmed do they??

Cristy

 

[bumperbunny12]

"I see what you're saying, but you'remaking blanket generalizations ("vets are overrated", "your rabbit canpick stuff up at the vet's") that are not entirely true."


I know, i know, i am being to general and critical and some (most?) vets are good with rabbits, and i...

Oh boy.

Sorry, M.E.

 

[bumperbunny12]

no, most bunnies don't need thier teethtrimmed. If your rabbits front incisors overlap the bottomones and there are no overgrowths in the molars (which can be hard tosee) then your rabbit doesn't need his teeth trimmed

(not that i really have any rights to be answering this!)

 

[pamnock]

mygrl2k3 wrote:

Most bunnies dont need thier teeth trimmed do they??

Cristy

No, inmost cases a rabbit would not require having their incisors trimmed or molars floated.

Pam

 

[m.e.]

bumperbunny12 wrote:

"I see what you're saying, but you're making blanketgeneralizations ("vets are overrated", "your rabbit can pick stuff upat the vet's") that are not entirely true."


I know, i know, i am being to general and critical and some (most?) vets are good with rabbits, and i...

Oh boy.

Sorry, M.E.

I'm not upset I don't think that you've done anything intentionallyhurtful or offensive. I appreciate your insight, and your experiencejust adds to the wide variety of "rabbit people" on this board.

 

[bumperbunny12]

cute little emoticon. made me

thanks

 

[pamnock]

We have to remember that it is illegal topractice veterinary medicine without a license. I offeradvice and information that owners can take to a licensed vet, but donot dispense medicines or provide medical treatment from myhome. (Although I do offer survices such as toenailtrimming, teeth trimming and tattooing).

Yes, in many cases, experience breeders do know more about diseasediagnosis and treatmentin rabbits due to the years ofexperience and sheer numbers of animals handled. This is whyit is so important to have a tool such as this board, so that ownerscan be well educated in disease diagnosis and treatment. Theycan then share this information with their veterinarian and fosterabeneficial and successful working relationship to thebenefit of their animals.

Bumper, don't takecomments personally. We're allhere to share information, and I learn something new everyday

Pam

 

[Buck Jones]

Bumper, chill out and relax! You'rewriting a bit "hyper," almost like a troll trying to "play" people bypretending to be something you're not.

Most of us here are open to suggestion, but we are discriminatingenough to understand the difference between opinion and fact. We try todeal with facts whenever that is possible, but will proffer opinions aswell after labeling them as such.

Your generalizations about veterinary practices fall into the lattercategory as far as I am concerned. I, too, treat my bunsmyself for varied and sundry symptoms, but do not hesitate to usecompetent professional help and quidance whenever I think I am in asituation that is over my head.

To each his own.

Buck

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Bumper I don't think its a great idea to advisepeople not to go to the vet, my friend. Iunderstandyour just making a suggestion. But itsnot the best I heard. I take my rabbit to the vetfor her spay( which was two days ago), when she gets infections, andjust to get a check up. Are you saying I should make thediagnosis on my own (being a first time Rabbit owner) and then somehowget the meds on my own, and thats how things work?

Peter

 

[DaisyNBuster]

SharonI really hope this second lot ofantibiotics works for Fudge. I agree with Jen a rabbit can still have agood quality of life with just the one good eye.

I know he isn'ta rabbit but my Ferret Fudge (fitting how theyhave the same name) has just lost the sight in his eye due to acateracts and my vet was telling me about what would be for the best ifhe lost his sight in his other eye, but all I neeed to do is make suremy house is more accident proof and keeping everything how he is usedto and not moving things around all of a sudden so he can bump intothings. He is still very happy and loved as I am sure your bunny wouldbe.

Having said that, lets pray that it doesn't lead to that and the new antibiotics get rid of this abcsess.

Please keep us posted on how he gets on.

Vickie

-------------------------------------------------------

Bumper - was there really a need for that?

 

quote me if im wrong but SEPTRIN

is used on people anyway for kidney problems as my brother had kidney problems when younger

varna xxxx