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Jess4921

Jess4921

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Jul 17, 2009
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Location
South of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
So about 2 weeks ago, my rabbit Smudges eyes started watering really bad. I took him to the vet, and he thought it was probably just allergies because both eyes started watering at the same time, and he couldnt really do anything yet. I dropped him off at my friends house for the week, and when I picked him up his right eye had completely stopped watering, and his left one was better. But once he was home again his left eye got even worse than before and the discharge was cloudy, so I called my vet again, and he gave me some antibiotics, because he thinks that Smudge might have an upper respitory infection. I just picked up the meds anddidnt take him in the 2nd time, but if he does end up having a URI, I dont think its very bad since he breathing funny or anything. I just really hope this clears it up, because if it doesnt he will have to go under an anesthetic to have his back teeth looked at to make sure they arent over grown. :(

Other than wiping off his eyes with a warm washcloth, is there anything else I can do to keep him more comfortable? He is acting like his normal trouble-making self, so I dont think he is in pain or anything, but it probably isnt fun to have sticky, clumpy fur on half of your face.

And since alot of you have probably had tosyringe feedyour bunnies meds at one time, I was wondering how you do it. I sit down and put him in my lap facing away from mewith his front paws on my leg, gently tilt his head back, stick the syringe in his mouth and squirt it in... except it probably takes at least 10 tries before he stops grunting and jerking away from me, and finally lets me do it. He completely forgets about his torture session once I give him a Craisen, but I still feel really bad. Is there a way where you can trick your rabbit into nicely taking the meds without a struggle? I have to do this 2 times a day for 5 days, and he isnt exactly thrilled about it.I had to syringe feed him meds when he was fixed last month too, so he knows exactly whats coming when I pick him up and bring him on my bed!

Thanks in advance for any advice you have! Poor Smudge looks so pathetic right now with his soggy, sticky face and chunky fur from molting. Im sure he will appreciate any help too! :)

~Jess
 
Your vet is correct in looking at his molars if the eyes don't clear up

the other thing the vet may do is flush his tear ducts
I had a rabbit who often got blocked tear ducts from an infection in themao the vet woulda flush , a few weeks of antibiotics and eye drops cleared it up .
You can use a bunny burrito (wrapping the bun snuggly in a towel if he is moving around too much)

this is from our library

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15552&forum_id=10
I will describe the way I do it
Ikneel on the floor with the bun (head facing forward and not toward me) held tight between my thighs; I have the syringes and food dish (or meds) beside me on the floor I let the bun stay upright on the floor and am able to use my thighs as a vice to keep him/her in the same place

I give a lot of meds but don't force feed too often so I don't know if this would work for an extended period of time. I bend over the bun anfd slip in the syringe into the side of the mouth behind the teeth and watch as the bunswallows. I NEVER change or turn his head in anyway that could obstruct his ability to swallow normally and I do this slowly ; I don't shoot it in as I am afraid of choking or aspirating into the lungs

you can also wrap the bun in a towel and do as I do above for a more difficult bun.
 
If your rabbit goes under general anaesthetic to check his teeth then it might also be worth getting a skull x-ray to see what the tooth roots are doing because that can cause eye problems too (as it is in one of mine).

Just wanted to tag that onto what Maureen said :)
 
To help prevent a bacerial infection from the skin around the eyes, apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment or vaseline once a day to the skin.

Pam
 
Ok, thanks!
Ill try wrapping him in a bunny burrito tonight, so he wont be able to struggle as much and I wont change his head positiion, and Ill use cotton balls on his eyes too. :)
I read the article from the HRS site, and I was wondering... If I mix his antibiotic in with something yummy, would it make it any less effective? He would go crazy over it if I mixed it in some apple sauce or yogurt.
And Ill ask about tear duct flushing next time I talk to the vet! Thanks again!
 
Jess4921 wrote:
Ok, thanks!
Ill try wrapping him in a bunny burrito tonight, so he wont be able to struggle as much and I wont change his head positiion, and Ill use cotton balls on his eyes too. :)
I read the article from the HRS site, and I was wondering... If I mix his antibiotic in with something yummy, would it make it any less effective? He would go crazy over it if I mixed it in some apple sauce or yogurt.
And Ill ask about tear duct flushing next time I talk to the vet! Thanks again!
Click to expand...

You'll want to check online for foods that interact with that particular antibiotic. (I just studied that very subject this week in nutrition, but can't remember them off the top of my head).

Pam
 
Don't use yogurt--rabbits cannot digest lactose.

I handle a lot of bunnies as I do the monthly well-bunny checks and grooming for my 4 and 3-8 at the shelter. I call it a football hold. I grab the bunny under the chest (this I call the Big Kahuna Bunny pose, because it shows them I am the boss) with my right hand. I then put the bunny in the crook of my left arm. Sometimes I have to hold under the chest with my left hand to keep them still, sometimes I can hold them close to my body with my left arm to keep them still, like a football. This is best done sitting on the floor.
 
Hmmm, the HRS site said yogurt would be good for their digestive tract or something...

Anyway, the bunny burrito method worked really well for me, and Smudge didnt mind it as much. Thanks for the advice!
Oh, and it eye is looking alot better BTW :)
 
I looked and found what you were talking about on rabbit.org. (http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/medicating.html) It's something we've been arguing a lot about lately, because many breeders have used it for a long time with good effects. However, newer studies show that rabbits can't digest the lactose in yogurt, so it can be hard on their tummies. People use it for probiotic purposes, and that's what some breeders have used it for (or older rabbit remedies). However, there are probiotics that don't contain lactose, and seem to have more beneficial bacteria in them than yogurt. The ones we recommend are Bene-Bac (made for dogs/cats) and ProBios (made for horses). They are combinations of bacteria that are helpful for proper functioning of the digestive tract, and can be helpful while taking an antibiotic which can harm the normal GI flora. It's not 100% necessary.

Glad the burrito worked for you, and he's looking better.
 
Hmmm, interesting.
*off topic* What about Yogies treats? I already know that they arent very good for buns, but sometimes Ill give one to Smudge, because he loves them so much. I know... bad me. But do those have any probiotic-ness?
And Ill look into those if I ever need them. Thanks!
 
Jess4921 wrote:
Hmmm, interesting.
*off topic* What about Yogies treats? I already know that they arent very good for buns, but sometimes Ill give one to Smudge, because he loves them so much. I know... bad me. But do those have any probiotic-ness?
And Ill look into those if I ever need them. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I don't think they do have any probiotic properties - even if they do, I think the amount of sugar and other ingredients that are quite contrary to a rabbits natural diet, would far negate any small amount of beneficial bacteria found in them.

As for treats, try a pinch of rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick or instant)or a small slice of watermelon or apple - these would be a more healthy alternative to a yogurt treat, and probably quite a bit less expensive. My bunnies literally push each other out of the way when I put oats in their feed bowl at night - you'd be forgiven for thinking they hadn't eaten all day the way the dive in, lol.
 
My guys love Yogies too. They're really just like eating a blob of cake icing, though. I read the ingredients, and I don't think they'd have much beneficial probiotics in them. The yogurt is way down the list of ingredients, and all the sugar counteracts any benefit from it (sugar slows the GI tract). They're a very rare treat.
 
*UPDATE*

As soon as he finished those antibiotics, his eyes started watering again... So on monday he gets his teeth checked. Im a little worried, because he has to be sedated for this. :( Wish him luck!

Oh, and he acually grabed the syringe from me on the last 2 or so day of his meds LOL. So I guess they werent as bad as he thought they would be!
 
Good luck! It might also be worth seeing if they can flush his tear ducts too as well as getting the x-ray.

I had a similar problem with mine and the tear duct flush sorted it for the short term, even though he does now have tooth root problems long term.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow.
 
OK, Ill ask the vet about that. Im just a little concerned about the cost of everything... Of course Id pay whatever I needed to to make him feel better, but Ive already spent over $500 on him in the last month or so, including the cost of his molar check.

He had 2 X-rays done a month ago when he was fixed (I wanted to make sure his lungs where OK). Would I be able to just have the vet take a closer look at those, arnt they recent enough?
And about how much do you think tear duct flushing is?
 
What were the x-rays of? sometimes the skull can't be seen on the x-rays but if it can that would be a good place to start.

I don't know how much a tear duct flush is over there but for me it was £55 and that is the steeper end of vet care.

I do feel for you with the money side, it can be hard because they are so complex and it can quickly mount up.
 
It was of his lungs and tummy area. If I remember right, one was taken from the side and one was taken from above, but I dont know if you could see his head or not. I go to observe at the vets, so they showed me what everything was on the x-ray.... It was pretty neat! Haha, off topic.
And is that about the same in american dollars?
And thanks. It makes is especially hard when your a jobless 15 year old ;) Thank god for life savings!
 
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