Something is not right with my rabbit...

[Aliena]

Last week (around wednesday/thursday) I noticed my Beau wasn't eating much pellets but he still ate whatever else I gave him. Then Friday I spotted a big bald patch on his back so took him to the vet that afternoon. Turns out he had fleas (don't know where they came from) and although the vet couldn't find mites he was very dandruffy so she advised I treat him for them too. So that afternoon I flea treated him and the next afternoon I gave him some Ivomec orally (didn't want to do both at once in case it overloaded his system).

Well, last few days he hasn't been eating much pellets at all. Last night he had barely had any so I gave him a weetbix which he gutsed down. Then today he hadn't touched his pellets at all, I even gave him maintenence mix which he LOVES but never gets usually because he is a bit overweight.

This afternoon he stil hadn't touched his pellets so I gave him some chaff and weetbix mixed together plus quite a lot of rolled oats - his favourite food. He hasn't touched his rolled oats at all so I know something must be up although I gave him a branch from the lemon tree and he ate quite a few leaves of that.

The vet told me he would have been off his food because of the fleas but it's been quite a few days since he was treated and he's eating less and less. Do I need to take him back to the vet? I was planning on taking Alaska to the vet tomorrow because she is getting worse and I know it sounds bad but I really can't afford to take both of them, I am so completely broke and am supposed to be saving for Alaska's surgery. Why do all these things come at once???

 

[Flashy]

I've had several rabbits with fleas, and they never went off their food.

I wonder if your bun was slightly off her food to start with, and then realised that if she didn't eat her pellets she would get more yummy stuff (I had a bunny that realised that once before, so I had to wean him back onto his pellets). Maybe try making a slurry of pellets and feeding that if he doesn't eat his pellets, that way he gets pellets either way, and not anything special.

It's sensible to take the bun back to the vets just incase

As for the fleas, you need to treat your whole house too, specifically anywhere where the bunny goes. And also, if you can, any other bunnies about too. Only the adult fleas live on the animals, the larvae, etc, live elsewhere, like in the carpet and then hatch and find the animal. So you need to treat the whole lot. It might be worth you reseraching the life cyle of a flea. I did a lot of research, but I dind't find one singularly helpful site, so I can't give you any links, I just learnt a lot from a whole variety of sites.

Good luck. Fleas REALLY suck.

 

[Aliena]

I know about fleas (had to learn the life cycle at uni) and the treatment I gave him kills all the fleas in the environment plus he has moved hutches (just today). The treats he's been getting are mostly what he's had lots before but I've just been giving him heaps more. He is such a food addict that it is weird for him to not eat. I guess I'm going to have to take him in again but I have to take my other bun aswell and it will most likely cost around $100. I just don't have the money...

 

[ra7751]

Just wondering....what was the "flea treatment"? I am concerned that maybe there might be a little overload with parasite treatments. I treat fleas and mites the same...with the same drug at the same time. And some buns do not do so well on oral Ivermectin. In the rare times I use that particular drug, I inject it. Maybe nothing to it..but just thought I would ask about the additional treatments.

Randy

 

[JimD]

:yeahthat:...what Randy said.

And is he drinking and peeing?

 

[Bunnicula]

Aliena,

Not eating is serious with buns. And Jim made a good point...what's the status of his urinating/pooping? We all know the urgency of keeping a bunny's gut moving.

The bunny crew and I will be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

ray:

Mary Ellen

 

[Aliena]

He was eating and pooping yesterday, has done two wee's so far today but I didn't see any poo's so I will have to take him to the vet. I treated him with Advantage flea treatment which is licensed for use on rabbits, I have used that on other rabbits with no harmful effects. He has had oral Ivomec before (a few months back) with no adverse effects either. Since last night he has eaten a branch of lemon tree leaves (I think he ate the stick aswell because I can't find it) and he ate some banana.

 

[Aliena]

We have a vet appointment at three this afternoon, they couldn't see him sooner. I went out to check him and he came running over to greet me, he has done a few poos but they are small and he hasn't eaten any more.

 

[Bunnicula]

We are all thinking of him and anxious to hear what the vet has to say. ray:

 

[Aliena]

Ok been to the vet and she suspects hairballs given the fact that his fur is moulting everywhere and he is grooming alot. I am to give him pineapple juice and furlax (a hairball thing for cats) and metoclopramide in case of stasis. Also have fluids to give SC if he doesn't start eating. He is now out in a run happily munching grass and I haven't even given him the meds yet, no doubt he'll get better on his own now that I've spent all that money on him.