HELP! My bunny was attacked by a cat!

Shop deals on ebay
Love your rabbit
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
L

lynanne

Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2004
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Location
Lemoore, California, USA
On Tuesday morning (8/24), a cat attack myNemo! I took him to the emergency clinic in our town forimmediate treatment. They do not specialize in bunnies; so my bunny vetcalled them to guide their treatment, and she gave me instructions forhome care. Upon bringing him home, he fell over to the sideand started flailing around, so I jumped in my car with him and tookhim on the hour drive to his bunny vet. Nemo was x-rayed, nobroken bones. The cat punctured his neck; so no one is sureif he has spinal cord injuries. The bones are not compressedin his neck. We did notice some damage to his inner ear; buthis vet didn't think that meant a "death sentence" although, shedoesn't seem to be real sure what the extent of that damage really is.

I have been feeding and giving Nemo water round the clock sinceTuesday. Occasionally, he'd flail around in his cage, as iftrying to sit up. Thurs. morn (3:30am), with little assitancefrom me, he got into his bunny hunch for the first time since theattack; and, seemed to stay in that position for a littlebit. Next time I checked on him, about 5am, he was back onhis side, not really moving, except for the breathing. LaterThurs., about 2pm, I went to check on him, and all by himself, he wassitting in his bunny hunch position! I was so excited, I called his vetand thought for sure this was a sign that he was going to makeit. She said to remain "cautiously" optimistic.

Well, since then, he flopped back over on his side, and he doesn't moveat all. He still takes water and food from me, and his toohis meds... he's on steroids, to keep the swelling down, anti-biotics,and Metacam for pain. For the last 36 hours, he has been onhis side, and hasn't moved or flailed around at all. I'mgetting discouraged again. I don't know if he is cold, andthat's why he's not moving. I just covered him up with sometowels. He's not stable enough to make the 1 hour drive backto the vet. They could IV him, but he takes water and foodjust fine (and he still pees and pellets!) I can't leave himat the vet because no one will be with him thru the night like we are.

Please give me any advice you can to help me get my Nemo through thiscrisis. I'm mentally and physically exhausted and cry all thetime for him. We just lost our beloved Guinea Pig, Harry, toan intestinal problem in June. We're not prepared to let Nemogo yet! We found on the street in May, and he has always justkept us amused since then. Lap bunny all the way.He's a 2lb 7oz dwarf lop ear.

Thanks
 
I'm so sorry about Nemo. I'm afraid I can't givemuch help to you, but there are others that come onto the forum thatwill be able to. All I can say is that him laying on his side doessound like trouble with his balance, and probably the injury to his earis causing it. Hope everything turns out OK - keep us posted- Jan
 
jeez, I am so sorry! It sounds like he may needanother trip to the vet if he's not moving....hopefully pamnock willsee this thread and have more words of wisdom
 
After reading several other posts I decided totake Nemo on the1 hour drive to the vet. I didn'tlike what she had to say.

When I used the term "flailing" it never dawned on me that Nemo couldbe having seizures. After reading some other posts on thisboard, I realized that what I was watching him go through could havebeen seizures.

I described Nemo's last several days to the doctor who told me that itappears that Nemo has extensive "neurological" damage. And that hisprognosis was not good. Of course, not wanting to hear that,I had a bunch of "buts"... but, he is eating, and responsive to foodand water. He seemed to attempt to lift his head when Icarried him to the car and he saw the sunlight for the first time sincehe was attacked... but... but... but...

The vet had that look upon her face like "I have a pet owner notwanting to hear the truth".. so she said, well, let me weighhim. She came back to the room, very surprised and said, "oh,he has gained weight... let me give you a stronger anti-biotic. Therecould be a deep seated infection in his brain or inner ear."

So, I think that she and the vet asst. still had that look upon theirface like I should be making some decision towardseuthanasia. I can't do it... I don't like to see our littlebunny just lying there as he is... but, I pray all the time that if itis God's will that he not be with us, then let God take him.And he is still here, so I have to think that we just need more time toheal.

I might also add, this was not Nemo's bunny specialist, who first sawhim on the day of the attack. His specialist is out of town,and this was the doctor on duty today. I would love to hearsomeone's story of hope... please share your thoughts andideas with me... is it time, after only 4 days, to give uphope, and make that hard decision?
 
Hi Lynanne,

I just got home and saw your post -- I can only imagine how hard thismust be for you. He's hung in there for 4 days, and I wouldcertainly continue with the steroid, antibiotic, and painmedication. Keep getting the liquids and food intohim. Nutri Cal is an excellent product to use -- you can getthat or a similar product from the vet.

We will all be praying for his full recovery and keeping you in ourthoughts. Please keep us updated as to any changes.

Pam
 
The vet gave me "critical care for herbivores"... what is nutri-cal?


I found another website that offered some information about "neurological" ailments in bunnies. It was informative.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=485&S=5

The vet asst. said that one of the signs that he will probably notimprove is that he is urinating and pelleting on himself. Iwould like to believe it is because he is lying still enough torecuperate. Am I fooling myself?

Has anyone experienced a bunny this sick, that pulled out ofit? What are your thoughts on the urinating and pelleting onhimself? Should I picking at his pellets and including themin his food, so that he gets his needed "cecotropes"?
 
Lynanne,

The critical care is probably similar to the Nutri Cal (which is actually for dogs and cats).

You are doing the best that you possibly can for Nemo, so just take it day by day and hope for the best.

Pam
 
I'm praying that Nemo makes it. Giving him suchlove and attention is one of the best chances he's got. I don't know ifyou can get homeopathic arnica tablets in the States but if you have achemist or anywhere that sells them then give him arnica 30 one tabletevery fifteen minutes for a couple of hours and then three times a day.It doesn't matter if he spitsthem out, they only need to stayin his mouth asecond or so to work, just try not to touchthem with anything when you give them to him, tip the tablet into hismouth straight from the lid.I gave it tomy cat twoweeks after she'd been paralysed from half way down herbackby a road accident and within hours she was walkingagain. I was away when the accident happened, the friend feeding mycats had locked her out by mistake, and the vet was just waiting for meto come home to give permission to have her put to sleep. If I hadn'tseenthe result on herI wouldn't have believed it.

Wishing Nemo every best chance.

Kate
 
Good morning... thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. Nemo made it thru the night again.

Last night, I brought him outside with my husband, son and me, for some"new" air. After I set his box down, i noticed he tried tolift his head to see where he was. My husband, a little bitlater, noticed him trying to squirm to sit up.

I believethat that "flail" or squirm, is him trying to get tohis feet, and not a seizure. I'll have to read more about the seizuresto understand what they would look like.

When we came back inside, I brought Nemo, and sat on the floor givinghim water, talking to him, and giving him some food. Aftergiving him his food, and washing that down a bit with some water;again, he seemed to try to want to sit up, so I supported his body frombehind... he pee'd. So, I believe he knew he had to pee, anddidn't want to do so on himself, so he tried to get up... he knewenough to try to get up.

These movements are the first movements in a few days. And, Iwould like to believe they are attempts from Nemo and God so that Iknow not to give up hope for him. So, I won't be giving up;and I will continue praying that God will make the decisions necessaryfor Nemo.

Please continue praying for him (and our family) as we get thru thistrauma. I will continue to monitor the boards for any storiesof hope and encouragement.

Hugs to all, lynanne
 
This is sad. I know that you must feelhelpless. My bun was sick a couple of months ago and I wasdoing all I could for him andI know how I felt. Heis back to being his happy little self now butI was beginningto wonder if he would ever be back to normal. You hang inthere with Nemo! If he is eating, drinking and going to thebathroom, he can work toward healing the rest of himself.Keep up with all of his meds and give them time to work. Thecritical care is supposed to be very good. I bought somerecently and it is my freezer"just in case". I also use theNutri Cal. Sounds like you are doing all that you can for himright now. Just keep up with the love and attention that youare showing him. I will keep him in my thought andprayers. Please keep us updated, we love every ones bunnieson this forum.

***** Beckie
 
I'm praying hard for him, it sounds like hereally wants to make it, you can usually tell when an animal has givenup hope and wants to die, and he doesn't seem that way at all. Whatyou're doing for him with your love and prayers and attentive care isgiving him the best possible chance to come through, I truly hope hedoes, he sounds a wonderful little rabbit.

Kate
 
Beckie:

Was your bunny urinating and defacating on himself? and not moving at all?

This morning, he has not showed any signs of wanting to move.Probably tired from his attempts to show me he can do it if he wants tolast night.

Thanks
 
Thanks Lynanne for the continued updates. We are keeping Nemo in our thoughts and hoping for the best.

Pam
 
Hi all:
I'm a little excited right now. I just finished with Nemo'sthirdfeeding. Every time I put the syringe near hismouth, he struggled to get into his hunch position. I helpedhim gently get to his hunch, and after a minute, I tried to remove myhand and gently let him lay back down. BUT, he shifted hisweight as best he could, to maintain his hunch. I proppedsome rolled washclothes behind him for him to lean on. Hestayed in his hunch fora little more than 5minutes.Ididn't want him to over dothings,so,I removed the washclothes and he let megently layhim back down. He never actually took thefood syringe at this time, but I gave him some water when he laid backdown.

About 5 minutes later, I again offered him the food syringe.Again, he shifted to get up and eat. I held his head and neckin an almost upright position and he atehis food!He stopped eating and pulled his head back a teeny tiny bit to indicatehe was done eating. He ate about 5cc of food in that postion.

It was time for his antibiotic, so he's laying back down again; his eye(that's up) was looking a little more alert while he was trying to eatin that half-upright position.

I have to say, this is very encouraging to me and my kids. Iask for continued prayers that God's will be done, and He continues toguide me in my efforts to get Nemo well again.

Thanks all!
 


Poor little guy.

I'm praying and pulling for him, lynanne.

-Carolyn
 
I'm glad to hear the promising newsLynanne!!! I was checking the posts earlier today looking foran update and hoping to hear good news :)

Pam
 
lynanne, I don'tknow why I missed this post until now, my gosh what you and Nemo havebeen through! :( It certainly sounds like you are in tune toyour bunny and that you are making every effort to see to his comfortand needs. I wish you the best of luck and hope that things continue toimprove.

RaspberrySwirl
 
http://cooleyscritters.freeservers.com/photo6.htmlhasarticle dealing with paralysis that I will copy and inserthere. It may be of help to you. Link to the site,as Rochelle Cooley is a very knowledgeable woman, whom I respect agreat deal. You may find more information that is beneficial.

"Special Remedy for Hindquarter Paralysis that is not caused by a break in the back

Sometimes a person will go out to the barn and notice that oneof their special rabbits is dragging its hind leg. This doesn't alwaysmean that the rabbit is paralized. It could just be apinched nerve andfaily easy to take care of. Here is a way that you can help a rabbitrecover quicker from HQ Paralysis when there is no break in the backcausing the paralysis.

*Please note - If your rabbit is squealing in pain or has lossof bladder and bowel, then I would either cull the rabbit or seek helpfrom a vet A.S.A.P. The treatment below will not help your rabbit.
Treatment for temporary HQ Paralysis - Place the rabbit in a carrierstuffed with hay. Put a teaspoon of Brandy in a 8oz glass of milk inthe rabbits 32oz water bottle and fill the rest of the way with water.This will help calm the rabbit down to a sort of relaxed state ofbeing. The rabbit will still eat and drink. Give the brandy and milkmixture fresh daily for at least 3 days and see if you notice anyimprovement. If you notice some improvement, then continue to give themixture for another 4-7 days or until the rabbit is hopping around backto normal. If you do not see any improvement, then culling the rabbitmay be your only choice at this point.
I do know that this does work, as it has been tried by a couple ofbreeders with100% success. This remedy also came out of a book writtenin 1920 "

The hay "stuffing" the carrier is to hold the rabbit relativelyimmobilized until it begins to heal. It is not particularlythere for feed purposes. Hopes and prayers go outto Nemo from here, too, lynanne.

Buck


 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top