Imbrium
Jennifer
well, to get the thread back on track... we're all wondering when that donation page is gonna get fixed so we can all chip in a little bit to help out! 
Peppers Medical Journey - Please help!
- Thread starter LauraD
- Start date
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LauraD
Active Member
Sorry about the delay in getting back over here. Miss Pepper is still alive and kicking (I have been so so busy!) she was able to get an xray with a helpful donation from my mother and it's a sure thing that she needs all of her teeth out.
They don't want to take them out until her face infection is gone, but they wont operate to remove it as they think it's too big and she could lose too much of her skin and bone in the removal.
She is in injections and 3 oral medications twice daily which I administer myself (sigh, another pricey thing!) and I have to remove her infection puss (what I lovingly call goo..) manually.
Thankfully, she still eats well, and is mostly a great girl when it comes to using her litter box - it's nice when she is 100% and not going through bouts of head tilt or gi stasis.
She's supposed to be put under to file her unruley teeth once a month (they grow fast!) but I can't afford it, so we're going to just continue to clip them at her old vet, who is still trying to help out when they can.
Her new vet is very knowledgable, but they have a hard time giving me my moneys worth when they measure the medicine I pay for out... they never measure it correctly so I run out at different times and it doesn't last as long as it should (they are not willing to work with me on this and just tell me to order more) so we are taking the prescriptions to the old vet, they are helpful with this!!!
finally, I will add that I have messaged the Go Fund Me people and never heard back the first time. I don't know why it won't accept donations but I will message them again. Not that I'm trying to beg or anything, but thanks for pointing that out before! and thank you all so much for the kind thoughts and prayers!
MiniLopHop - I'm sorry that your beautiful bun didn't make it. We do do everything we can for this wonderful bunnies! I hope my girl has enough fight to make some great progress. She is always in good spirits, and keeping the 3 A's in mind (affection, appetite, and alertness) I know shes in it for the long haul (or so I hope!!) Thanks for sharing your story!!
They don't want to take them out until her face infection is gone, but they wont operate to remove it as they think it's too big and she could lose too much of her skin and bone in the removal.
She is in injections and 3 oral medications twice daily which I administer myself (sigh, another pricey thing!) and I have to remove her infection puss (what I lovingly call goo..) manually.
Thankfully, she still eats well, and is mostly a great girl when it comes to using her litter box - it's nice when she is 100% and not going through bouts of head tilt or gi stasis.
She's supposed to be put under to file her unruley teeth once a month (they grow fast!) but I can't afford it, so we're going to just continue to clip them at her old vet, who is still trying to help out when they can.
Her new vet is very knowledgable, but they have a hard time giving me my moneys worth when they measure the medicine I pay for out... they never measure it correctly so I run out at different times and it doesn't last as long as it should (they are not willing to work with me on this and just tell me to order more) so we are taking the prescriptions to the old vet, they are helpful with this!!!
finally, I will add that I have messaged the Go Fund Me people and never heard back the first time. I don't know why it won't accept donations but I will message them again. Not that I'm trying to beg or anything, but thanks for pointing that out before! and thank you all so much for the kind thoughts and prayers!
MiniLopHop - I'm sorry that your beautiful bun didn't make it. We do do everything we can for this wonderful bunnies! I hope my girl has enough fight to make some great progress. She is always in good spirits, and keeping the 3 A's in mind (affection, appetite, and alertness) I know shes in it for the long haul (or so I hope!!) Thanks for sharing your story!!
LauraD
Active Member
Hi again everybody! Thought I would post another update, this time with a couple thumbnails of pics taken today!
Pepper now gets her medications in 2 different places which brought down the cost a smidge (about 20 bucks a month). We were able to buy an entire bottle of the Duo Pen for her injections. It was costly, but was much easier to just do it myself than worry about going back to get the medicine every couple of weeks. Also, getting a whole bottle means the medicine won't be coating the inside of the tubes they send it home in, which was making it almost IMPOSSIBLE to fill the syringes!
She is still on 3 oral meds twice daily, and a injection every other day.
Right now, her face is filling up a bit, but the vet still won't drain or remove anything until it goes down. I don't believe it IS going to go down, but I'm still trying to be hopeful!
Thought I have been dealing with this for 2 years now, and am super good at draining my own rabbit abscesses, does anybody have any tips to make it less painful for her? or does anybody have any tips on popping the surfaced (and almost ready to burst) abscesses? As of right now, I just wait until it's ready and then hand drain it myself, but I can't stand just sitting here watching her with a filled up face... the waiting game kills me!!
Here are a couple updated pics of Pepper.
Here's my cutie snuggled up in a Halloween blanket!
Here is her "bad side" the bottom abscess bubble that is less red is very close to repturing. It's gotten warm, and soft, and the skin is visibly thinner - for me, this is awesome and a good sign, I love getting some of the "goo" out because I don't like it being forced back to spread further into her.
Pepper now gets her medications in 2 different places which brought down the cost a smidge (about 20 bucks a month). We were able to buy an entire bottle of the Duo Pen for her injections. It was costly, but was much easier to just do it myself than worry about going back to get the medicine every couple of weeks. Also, getting a whole bottle means the medicine won't be coating the inside of the tubes they send it home in, which was making it almost IMPOSSIBLE to fill the syringes!
She is still on 3 oral meds twice daily, and a injection every other day.
Right now, her face is filling up a bit, but the vet still won't drain or remove anything until it goes down. I don't believe it IS going to go down, but I'm still trying to be hopeful!
Thought I have been dealing with this for 2 years now, and am super good at draining my own rabbit abscesses, does anybody have any tips to make it less painful for her? or does anybody have any tips on popping the surfaced (and almost ready to burst) abscesses? As of right now, I just wait until it's ready and then hand drain it myself, but I can't stand just sitting here watching her with a filled up face... the waiting game kills me!!
Here are a couple updated pics of Pepper.
Here's my cutie snuggled up in a Halloween blanket!
Here is her "bad side" the bottom abscess bubble that is less red is very close to repturing. It's gotten warm, and soft, and the skin is visibly thinner - for me, this is awesome and a good sign, I love getting some of the "goo" out because I don't like it being forced back to spread further into her.
Imbrium
Jennifer
aww, poor pepper! glad to hear she's hanging in there, though - what a little trooper!
btw, your "go fund me" page is working now (http://www.gofundme.com/qjwbk )
btw, your "go fund me" page is working now
(http://www.gofundme.com/qjwbk )LauraD
Active Member
Oh goodness! Thank you SO much for the donation, Pepper and I truly appreciate your compassion!
Pepper really IS a trooper! She has been through so much, a never ending journey! She is so loving and sweet though, so the troubles make it worth it to me!
Pepper really IS a trooper! She has been through so much, a never ending journey! She is so loving and sweet though, so the troubles make it worth it to me!
LauraD
Active Member
Hi, y'all! Does anybody know of any products OTHER than a neosporin type of deal that I can put on Peppers open wounds?
She had a lot fill up in her face in too many different spots and the skin got so thin between them, it's pretty open right now. She doesn't act like it phases her, but I just want to help it from getting toooo dirty.
Of course she's going back to one of her vets tomorrow, but if anybody has any suggestions for something I can pick up while I'm out tomorrow, that would be great.
She had a lot fill up in her face in too many different spots and the skin got so thin between them, it's pretty open right now. She doesn't act like it phases her, but I just want to help it from getting toooo dirty.
Of course she's going back to one of her vets tomorrow, but if anybody has any suggestions for something I can pick up while I'm out tomorrow, that would be great.
ray: All I can contribute.
Imbrium
Jennifer
I wish I knew a way to help
LauraD
Active Member
Nancy - Thank you.. We really do appreciate that!
Imbrium - No worries, I appreciate you guys for trying. I also emailed you tonight! I hope it was the right email!
Imbrium - No worries, I appreciate you guys for trying. I also emailed you tonight! I hope it was the right email!
You could try Vetericyn wound spray. It's not oily like neosporin, but it is a bit expensive. Petsmart or Petco might have it, or a horse feed or tack shop.
LauraD
Active Member
Hi there - tonight after giving Pepper her Duo Pen injection, she started breathing heavily, sort of whimpering, stretching a bit, and stiffened up both her front and back legs (mostly front).
Afterwards (I was holding her at the time rubbing on her injection site like I always do to calm her down) she stumbled a bit, toppled over a few times, and ended up just laying down and stretching out like she does when she gets warm or comfy. She has been on my bed since the incident about 2 hours ago.
She hasn't really tipped her head back, cried, drooled, stayed rigid at all, and never kept her mouth open nor foamed at the mouth. She hasn't been walking or hopping around much, she tried some times, but clearly wants to stay still, right next to me.
I was told rabbits can have a heart attack at any given moment when getting injections, so I was sort of waiting for something to happen during medicine time... but this seems more like a stroke or seizure to me. I haven't had this experience with this before, so I'm not sure what happened.
I can only assume it was a seizure because of the dose of Pen she was given. Any thoughts? We can't get her to the vet tonight, but I am going to borrow my sisters car in the morning... any thoughts on what I should look for, do, etc for tonight?
Any help or prayers would be appreciated!
Afterwards (I was holding her at the time rubbing on her injection site like I always do to calm her down) she stumbled a bit, toppled over a few times, and ended up just laying down and stretching out like she does when she gets warm or comfy. She has been on my bed since the incident about 2 hours ago.
She hasn't really tipped her head back, cried, drooled, stayed rigid at all, and never kept her mouth open nor foamed at the mouth. She hasn't been walking or hopping around much, she tried some times, but clearly wants to stay still, right next to me.
I was told rabbits can have a heart attack at any given moment when getting injections, so I was sort of waiting for something to happen during medicine time... but this seems more like a stroke or seizure to me. I haven't had this experience with this before, so I'm not sure what happened.
I can only assume it was a seizure because of the dose of Pen she was given. Any thoughts? We can't get her to the vet tonight, but I am going to borrow my sisters car in the morning... any thoughts on what I should look for, do, etc for tonight?
Any help or prayers would be appreciated!
LauraD
Active Member
Oh, I thought I should add that if it was a stroke.. it's hard to me to tell any sort of facial problems. Pepper has no eye on one side, and her face is very distorted on said side from multiple surgeries, and a growing infection. She hasn't had a surgery since last May, I believe, so it's pretty bumpy over there right now. Her "good" side looks normal.
It sounds like it could have been a seizure. If it was, she may start feeling better in a little while. I don't know that there is a whole lot you could do for her til you get her into the vet. If she doesn't get up soon, see if she'll eat or drink anything, or maybe you could syringe her some water or electrolytes. I'm sorry poor Pepper is going through this and hope she'll be feeling better soon.
sugarbunnies
Well-Known Member
This is going to sound terrible and I am probably going to get hate for this, but have your thoughts turned to putting Pepper to sleep? I know it would be extremely hard for you, after all your hard work, but sometimes we have to do things that we hate to do, for the better of our animals. After reading the thread, it seems like she is getting worse. I am so sorry, again, if this sounded insensitive, but it may happen later down the road.
Edit: I may have misread but the reason I said that is because it seems like the infection is still ongoing and causing her problems, along with the dose of meds.
Edit: I may have misread but the reason I said that is because it seems like the infection is still ongoing and causing her problems, along with the dose of meds.
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Imbrium
Jennifer
ray:
HEM
Well-Known Member
Oh no, poor Pepper
You and Pepper are in our thoughts
Any update, how is she doing?
You and Pepper are in our thoughts
Any update, how is she doing?
LauraD
Active Member
Of course, that course of action is always on my mind when anything happens, as she has been having problems for over 2 years. Ultimately, she is alert, affectionate, has a good appetite, and I don't think there is any reason right now to do that. Pepper hasn't been worse in any way for almost a year now, just hasn't gotten "better". She hasn't had anything removed in many months other than what I have removed myself, so it just isn't pretty to look at right now... When she had her x-ray, nothing was in the bone yet, and wasn't anywhere where it would cause much trouble at that time.
Right now, she seems back to normal. As she isn't confined to a cage, and she is free to roam my bedroom, she was able to make it back to her cage in order to eat and use the litter box early this morning (6amish... her incident happened about 1am) Walking fine and acting as if nothing happened!
We talked with the vet, who didn't find it necessary to see her. I'm confident that the seizure, assuming that is what it was (which I'm also confident about) was due to the injection of penicillin. I am aware that is something that can happen because of these doses of pen, it still isn't any less of a shock when something like this happens.
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers!
Also... I thought I would add that Pepper is now trying to say "hello" She keeps getting on the keyboard.
Pipp
Well-Known Member
I haven't read through the whole thread, does it say if you're mixing the penicillin with saline and warming it to room temperature before the injection? (Just keep it out of the sun).
Hello Pepperet:
sas
Hello Pepper
et:sas
Glad to hear Pepper's feeling better. Though Pepper does have lots of troubles, it sounds like she still has a good quality of life. I'm glad she has you and that you care so much for her
Have just read through this and how heartbreaking for you. She sounds like a real trooper after everything she's gone through, she sounds as though she's not giving up yet. My thoughts go out to you and I will be praying that she can pull through and get back to normal, she certainly deserves it if there's any fairness in this world.
