SIck Bunny- Any input appreciated

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droporain

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Location
inland empire, California, USA
Hello Everyone!
My bunny is Spike, he is a 7.5 year old American Fuzzy Lop. Spike has had a rough year, but he has always been a little champ and stayed on his food and water. It all started with wetness on his chin...
Vet #1- worthless. Shaved his chin and gave him antiseptic cleanser. We did this for a few days before realizing there was nothing wrong with his chin. It was watery eyes. We kept the area clean and clipped but after a couple weeks noticed a slight head tilt, so we rushed to...
Vet #2- Our usual vet, had never seen Spike as Spike had always been healthy. On the way Spike had a stroke, or as Vet #2 called it some sort of "cerebral incident." Administered cortizone shot, put Spike on antibiotics, steroids, and antibiotic eye drops (prednisolone, bactrim suspension, gentamicin sulfate). Said prognosis not good. During this time Spike had spurts of repeatedly head bobbing and seizures (seemed to be caused by excitment) where he bent into a horseshoe shape and at times stayed that way for 20 mins. Also was unsteady on his feet. But my tough guy recovered. Calls to the vet for more info on his condition were never returned. So...
Vet #3 was found through rabbit sites online and consulted for a second opinion and Spike was diagnosed with eye irritation and cataracts. Antibiotics and eye drops were prescribed. Spike did fine for several months, got a little thinner but never off his food,and his eyes never truly dried up. Last week I noticed a terrible wet patch covering his chin, neck, and arms. Back to vet #3 where we found he lost significant weight, from 4lb 4oz to 3lb 8oz. Lab tests came back low red blood count (anemia), low white blood count (viral infectio), VERY low blood sugar, and kidney problems. He was put on antibiotics, kidney pills and diet suppliment (Albon, Hepato support, Nutri-cal). I have started supplimenting his pellets and timothy hay with organic rolled oats in hopes of fattening him up.
The problem is, no vet has yet been able to tell me what is happening or why. All I have heard is, "let's treat the symptoms," while Spike keeps getting new problems over time. I feel like this started with watery eyes and escalated to the mess he is in today. If anyone can contribute anything to any of this I would REALLY appreciate it. Also, I am very curious to know what could cause low blood sugar in rabbits. Please help :( Sorry for the long post, thank you for reading it!
 
That's a great idea, I was wondering if I should push the teeth to be rechecked. I've been looking and looking online and havent found any other reason for all this drooling besides teeth.
 
I'm SO sorry to hear about all the struggles your poor bunny has been going through! I really hope they can finally find a cause for his problems so he can actually feel good again :(

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Did the vets take an x-ray of the teeth? Nothing more important.

Vet #2 is flat out lethal to rabbits and should be avoided at all costs. Steroids may help temporarily but they cause far more issues in the long run. Even the steroid eye-drops should be avoided or at least used as a last resort. Its possible at least some of the test results can be attributed to that. :(

You seem to be on the right tract fighting the symptoms. If the cause isn't a tooth root issue, I know there are other things to look at although I don't recall offhand what they are, although possibly thyroid issues.

sas :pray:
 
My boy Citrus (RIP) had some of the same signs you are describing :( He went downhill very quickly and died in my arms...

He started out with not eating (day1), then the wetness on his chin came (day2). I had him at the vets every day. We discovered he had an abscess in his mouth under his tounge. He ate a bit on his own day 3. Day 4, again was eating tiny bits. Day 5 he was gone :(

I'm so sorry to hear about your bun. Silly question, but have your vets looked under his tongue?

We were going to do surgery on day 5 as he was too sick to be put under anesthetic before that, but unfortuntely, he didn't make it :(

I think about him everyday. I miss him tremendously.
 
Thank you all for the input! I have called to inquire about x rays, waiting for a call back... Today his chin and neck showed light signs of drying up, for the first time in a week. In the past the wetness has also come and gone mysteriously. He has been munching mostly hay instead of his pellet mix, and is enjoying the heck out of the Nutri-cal (woohoo!)

Something I forgot to mention was that in the last couple of months I started noticing his cluster poops, so it seems he is not eating them up like he used to, if at all. Anyone think I should supplement him with probiotics?

Again, THANK YOU ALL for taking the time to read and write back!!!! Any input is much appreciated and if anyone has had a similar experience please share!
 
These are his labs and a pic of his chin and upper lip. It's red and wet again. Yes the eye is not opened as wide as usual but no tearing as of now. He is perched on his food bowl, spends a lot of time here but I'm not seeing normal amount of eating.

lab2.jpg

lab1.jpg

chin.jpg
 
Just an update, while we were cleaning his chin tonight we noticed that clumps of hair were coming off. (we were wiping Spike with a microfiber towel and warm water.) The area looked a lot balder than yesterday and still red and swollen looking. Have lost a lot of hair from upper lip, chin, and neck rolls. I am posting a link this time instead of the pic. It's a bit scary so don't look if you're squeamish!

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q81/droporain/underchin.jpg
 
Ok this is weird, Spike has been sitting perched on his food bowl with his two front legs, and two hind legs on the floor. I have been noticing this all day but thought he was trying to eat. Now I think he is actually most comfortable this way. He stays in this position for an extended amount of time. Has anyone else had a rabbit do this?
He is still nibbling little bites of pellet and hay. Didnt finish his bit of carrot but ate his fav yogurt treat.
 
I feel horrible for Spike. I would be taking him to your vet clinic for IV fluids etc.

Are you syringing the critical care? Is he pooping and peeing still?
 
I'm phone interviewing vets now. Spike seems better this morning, not hunched in box or sitting up on food bowl. He is laying down in his normal spots, ate a bit of pellet and hay, still won't drink out of bottle. But heavy breathing. I wouldnt say labored but def heavier. Thank you for the well wishes, will keep posting any changes!
 
Hi everyone!
Mariah thanks for asking about Spike. I'm happy to report that he seems better today. The discomfort seems to have lessened, he ate A fair amount of hay, Nutri cal, pellet and parsley. Still not drinking out of the bottle but using bowl... But hasn't drank very much compared to his norm. His chin has been much less watery today. At the recommendation of some helpful ppl I switched up his food to a low protein (12%) high fiber (22-24%) timothy pellet and dumped the old stuff.
I've been posting on the disabledrabbits yahoo group and someone caught the error on his lab test that the reference ranges were for "rodent" and not rabbit. Boy was I steamed, I called the vet and was told there was not much difference. I then called the lab and was told there was in fact a difference. Fire was shootin out of my head at this point. Had them fax the vet ans email revised lab to me. Got a call from the vet (not the dr who saw Spike) and was told The difference was slight and to continue with meds. I will post the correct lab as soon as I can so you guys can see FYI if you ever need to. In the revised lab there actually isn't huge differences... But with the correct reference ranges his red and white blood count is almost normal, just very much on the on the low side. Anyhow thanks for listening.
 
Hi everyone!
Mariah thanks for asking about Spike. I'm happy to report that he seems better today. The discomfort seems to have lessened, he ate A fair amount of hay, Nutri cal, pellet and parsley. Still not drinking out of the bottle but using bowl... But hasn't drank very much compared to his norm. His chin has been much less watery today. At the recommendation of some helpful ppl I switched up his food to a low protein (12%) high fiber (22-24%) timothy pellet and dumped the old stuff.
I've been posting on the disabledrabbits yahoo group and someone caught the error on his lab test that the reference ranges were for "rodent" and not rabbit. Boy was I steamed, I called the vet and was told there was not much difference. I then called the lab and was told there was in fact a difference. Fire was shootin out of my head at this point. Had them fax the vet ans email revised lab to me. Got a call from the vet (not the dr who saw Spike) and was told The difference was slight and to continue with meds. I will post the correct lab as soon as I can so you guys can see FYI if you ever need to. In the revised lab there actually isn't huge differences... But with the correct reference ranges his red and white blood count is almost normal, just very much on the on the low side. Anyhow thanks for listening.
 
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