Help! Harvey's Acting Like He's In Pain...

[katherine at sacred stories]

Harvey is one of the bunderground bunnies who travelled from Florida last week. He's one year old. Very small. American, possibly dwarf, mix, neutered male. In the last week he has seemed healthy, happy and has bonded very closely with the other bunny I adopted. His poops have been perfect, appetite great. He ate this morning and was pooping up until this morning around 6am. I'm not sure about after that because I've been out of the room.

Around 9am, I noticed that he was not playing and snuggling with Halo...although she was out and having a great morning. He has always been wherever she is. He was back under the table looking hunched and uncomfortable. Refused food when I offered it and backed away from me when I tried to pet him--he's usually fine with that. Later he flopped and looked like he was sleeping but then got up and looked hunched again. He just doesn't seem right. I finally picked him up and felt his belly and could feel nothing. He moves fine so I don't think anything is broken.

I've got him in the carrier now to take him to the vet. It will take me a few minutes to get dressed and go. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Thanks.

 

[MiniLopHop]

Can you feel his belly if he's gassy? It is hard when they are new because you don't know their "normal" as much. If he's hunching a vet trip is probably your best bet. Best of luck ray:

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Brandy--I felt his belly and couldn't feel anything but, as you said, I don't know his normal. I feel it might be gas but...thanks!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Sounds like it may be gas. ray: Blessed be.

 

[LakeCondo]

Let us know what the vet finds.

 

[Kipcha]

Be sure to let us know what happens! Poor guy!

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Still waiting to see vet...my previous rabbit vet saw pets every day from 8a-3p but when I got there, I found that the vet with rabbit expertise was no longer working there. Called everywhere and found only one other vet in the area who claims rabbit experience and he's in surgery and can't see us until 4:45p. Harvey still seems the same...except he seems to be sleeping now. Even the emergencyanimal centerin Richmond is closed until after 5p. UGHHRR!!! My poor little boy. I pray he's ok. And Halo is really upset...she keeps trying to groom him and he keeps pulling away...awwwww...I'll let you know what happens. Thanks everyone!

 

[MiniLopHop]

Can you give him some simethecone for now since you have to wait? It can't hurt anything.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

I tried with a dropper...but he's fighting it so hard I'm not sure if any was swallowed. Mouth clamped down and pulling head back. He's so tiny, I'm afraid of hurting him. And he's not taking anything with food.

 

[Pipp]

Is he shifting around like he's uncomfortable?

Best to get him moving and most importantly long massages. I use a vibrating toothbrush on my guys. If he appears to like it, after the initial 'what the hell', its probably gas that can be resolved at home. I give them 12 hours and then its vet time, but not before that if I suspect garden variety gas.

The simethicone dose is high. If its a 40 mg baby strength, a full dropper is probably required if he's small, more if he's larger.


sas :clover:

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Well, we're back from the vet. The vet found no sign of blockage and felt no gas build-up. All his organs are fine (Harvey's not the vets). The vet said his heart rate was normal--not what it would be if Harvey were in pain. In short, the vet could find absolutely nothing wrong. He didn't want to give pain medication since Harvey was showing no signs of being in pain--other than the hunching I noticed.

The vet seemed knowledgeable about rabbits but it's my first visit with him so I'm nervous. Unfortunately, right now, he's the only game in town. All the other vets seem to have lost the staff that did have expertise in rabbits.

We just got back from the vet and Harvey is moving around again. I haven't seen him eat or drink yet but he's probably very stressed.

It's possible that what I noticed this morning was Harvey just being exhausted from his trip and a week of bonding and merry making...and then I stressed him out by putting him in the carrier and going out with him...and that he hadn't recuperated from that before I had to take him out again.

I so hope the vet is right and that everything's ok. He said if he's not eating tomorrow to bring Harvey back.

Poor Harvey...I may have over reacted...I hope I did

Thanks, everyone for your help and advice. Wish us luck tonight and tomorrow.

PIPP--That's good info about the dosage. I didn't think it was that much. And the 12 hour guideline sounds like a good idea
ray::brownbunny

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

PIPP--Also thank you for the ideas about keeping him moving and massages. I will try to do that tonight.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Harvey's sleeping in a relaxed position and he ate a little bit. He's still not responding to Halo's grooming though and that worries me. But I'm going to let him sleep for a while. They're usually still sleepy at this time.

In addition to the baby gas-x, I have 80mg gas-x tablets. I read in one of the posts that I can't find now that someone had better luck with the tablets--that the rabbit seemed to like the taste of them. Does anybody have experience with the tablets? And, if so, how much to give?

Sorry for all the questions and posts. I don't want anything to happen to the little guy. Thanks, again, for all the help today!

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Harvey's eating and drinking and playing with Halo.
ray:

 

[MiniLopHop]

arty0002:inkelepht:arty0002:Yeah, what a relief! Sometimes a trip to the vet is worth the peace of mind for them to tell you nothing is wrong. I take my turtles once a year for a check up eventhough there's not much the vet can examine. For cats and rabbits they can at least feel the guts and listen to the heart and lungs, with turtle shells they can't really do much other than look at the outside. It just makes me feel better.

I'm sure Harvey will get over the stress soon and he knows that he's loved. I'm not sure what you did, but just a tip. If you take one to the vet take them both. It is much less stressful that way. Also you don't want someone coming home smelling different because then they might fight. If heaven forbid something horrible would happen at the visit then the other is there to say goodbye as well. I hope that reason doesn't come into play for years and years.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

:brownbunny:heartbeat::brownbunny

Thank you, Brandy!!!

Harvey is eating and drinking and playing and binkieing this morning!!! (and pooping and humping What a joy to be in a room with two happy bunnies being bunnies all around you!!!

Yes, what a relief and it did help to have the vet say everything's OK. And I learned how much Halo and I have both come to love this little guy in such a short time.

I didn't take Halo along but I wondered if I should. She was absolutely frantic when he was in the carrier and she couldn't get to him. She tried to open the door and got on top and tried to dig in. I thought about letting her get in with him. Thanks for the tip. Next time I'll know to do that.

I was worried that the vet trip would set their bonding back but, thank goodness, it doesn't seem to have.
When we got back, Halo was like an anxious mama with Harvey. He was sitting, kind of dazed, not responding to her and she just kept grooming him and stretching her body out really close to him. She was like a little nurse.

Over the past couple of days, I had noticed that they seemed to have crossed some kind of line in their bonding. There is much less chasing and Halo is just as likely to be the chaser. Much less humping by Harvey. Harvey seems much less like the he's asserting his dominance and more like he just adores her. Halo seems more relaxed and is more often the instigator of chases and adventures. Halo seems more "in charge". Something seems more "mutual." Last night, Harvey was literally "leaning" his head on her while he was recuperating and she seemed to be alert and protective. I have no doubt that they've bonded. It's beautiful to see.

I was also afraid that Harvey would have lost trust in me after the ordeal. But the opposite seemed to happen. When we walked into the vet's office, I could just feel him thinking--I'm going back to the shelter. But when he perked up last night at home, he seemed more comfortable and friendly with me. It was like, since we came back here, he knew that this was really home.

The support one gets from this site is WONDERFUL When you live in an area where there are no other bunny lovers and don't have anyone to talk to about them, it's invaluable
Thanks Everyone!

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Brandy--I have always LOVED turtles. I think they're beautiful when I see them outside. But have never really known one. Do you have a sense of their personalities? Do they know and relate to you?

 

[MiniLopHop]

Oh how sweet! Sounds like they have bonded well. Fixed buns can have an active sex life, it still seems enjoyable and they don't have to worry about pregnancy, so why not? I'm glad he has recovered from the vet. It will be easier next time going together. Once bonded they really do worry about the other when they can't see each other.

I adore my turtles. They are three toed box turtles. You can't rely on what you read in books, which say they are solitary animals etc. These two follow each other all over and Kate has been guarding her nest. I am so hoping for babies in the next couple months! Leo is really outgoing and loves people. Kate is more reserved, but still friendly. They even had their pictures taken with santa at petsmart

Their house is in our livingroom and they react to us walking by talking to them. It is so cute to see them digging for worms or just wandering about. I even saw Leo yawn once. They stretch out to bask, legs kicked back like the buns.

Leo chillaxing

This is Kate

Leo is on the left, Kate on the right

This is their house.

Andre visits occasionally. He even will leave a cat toy in their house once in a while. Silly kitty

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Brandy--gorgeous photos. You really have a gift for creating "utopias" for your pets...you could start a business creating ideal "animal environments".

Your turtles are beautiful. I hope all goes well with the babies--would love to see pictures of THEM!

 

[MiniLopHop]

Thanks. I love creating happy spaces for my animals. That would be a totally awesome job, but why would people pay me to do what they could do themselves for free?

I have been peaking at the eggs once a week, I don't move them so I'm not sure how many are in the nest. It is on the far right in the bare spot in front of the little jasmine trellis. I will take a picture of the eggs next time I check. I can see the bloodvessels on them now, so I know they are fertile. The suspence is killing me. She has laid eggs the past three years but they havn't lived. I'm hoping her nutrition has been good long enough now that she can make a full enough yolk for the babies (they came from a neglect situation when their original mom died).