What IS this? (RIP)

[Maureen Las]

Geez he looks sore poor guy

I never would have ever thought of melanoma;

to be honestI didn't know that buns got that particular cancer.

I had a bun with a fibrosarcoma and it did return
Poor Poppy

Give him infant electrolyte drink and not ensure . Rabbits cannot digest dairy products.

Can you feed him other normal food like greens and hay ?.

 

[Flashy]

Aw, poor bunny. I'm glad his owner is so ace

I have a bun who had a melanoma removed in January. We thought she might go straight downhill because she was already struggling before the removal, but she is doing much better now. The only problem we have is keeping weight on her.

30% is enough to know that you hopefully have at least some amount of time together and for you and he to make that happy Hopefully that 30% will be the side that he stays on

 

[Zouave]

I should get out the Pedialyte, huh?

What do you think of not having the water spout around and using a ceramic water bowl??

The vet encouraged such as chicory, strawberries, baby carrots, bananas, grapes, and maybe bell peppers, and said nothing about removing hay or alfalfa. She was not high on pellets, though (fattening).

 

[Zouave]

CANCER QUESTION:

If I was diagnosed with, say, prostate cancer, even after an operation, I would take stuff, such as green tea. Maybe extra Vitamin C.

Any cancer-preventing supplements? Immune-system building supplements?

 

[Maureen Las]

If he usually gets veggies then give him veggies and hay

I don't know why she is promoting all that fruit that is high in sugar. Usually all that sugar is bad for the gut flora

I would call her in the Am and ask her

there may be a reason that she wants really soft food thatI don't know about ;
I do know that rabbits do not digest dairy products well so pedialyte is way better.

the bowl is a good idea

there may be alternative treatments but I don't have time to look it up tonight . it would be in one of kathy Smith's books.

 

[naturestee]

I second everything Angieluv has said so far.

The one good thing about some of the fruits are that they are high in anti-oxidants, which are supposed to be good for preventing cancer. Treating, I don't know. Primarily you'd be looking at dark berries like cranberries, blueberries, etc. They are also lower in sugar and higher in fiber compared to, say, apples or bananas. I would not add concentrated supplements without consulting with a vet. Some shouldn't be used during/just after surgery, and they might interact badly with the prescription meds.

I don't see any reason to change his diet for recovery purposes as long as he is eating and drinking on his own. It's more likely to cause GI issues (especially with fruits and Ensure). I do remember seeing Ensure mentioned in a rabbit health book for some seriously ill buns that can't keep weight on but I would think it would be hard to digetst and certainly isn't needed in this case. I do recommend using a water bowl instead of a bottle because many rabbits will drink more from a bowl. This can be especially helpful when they aren't feeling well and might not have the patience to lick small drops out of a metal spout.

You might be able to get the bun to willingly take meds by hiding them in a little bit of fruit or canned pumpkin (plain, not the pie filling).

I really hope the vet was able to get all of the cancer!ray:

 

[Zouave]

The vet did mention the GI issue most of all.

I would not change the diet for some time, and then only to emphasize some fruits and such.

I did wonder about red grapes over white ones, and whether injecting a little green tea (concentrated from powder in capsules) would be good.

 

[shandrel]

i would ask the vet before not taking her advice on feeding, Also , depending on the amount of these things she wants in Poppy's diet. just a bit might have more benifical traits than none.

But Oh that looks soo much better, sore, but VERY better....
i don't know why i knew bunnies got Melanoma, but i chalk it up to my odd trivia skills >.<

but i am glad he is home and okay. still keeping my fingers crossed for you though!

 

[tonyshuman]

It sucks that your first experience with bunnies (right?) has to be such a difficult one. I agree that the best way to fatten up a bunny with cancer is alfalfa pellets, then oatmeal, and then lay on the fruits. I honestly don't think antioxidants once you've been diagnosed with cancer can really help the spread. Just keep his immune system and all of his body strong and the weight on. Antioxidants prevent DNA damage that can lead to proliferation of cells out of control, and that's already happened, it's just a question of if the mutated cells spread.

 

[Zouave]

>> best way to fatten up a bunny with cancer is alfalfa pellets, then oatmeal, and then lay on the fruits <<

That is the recommendation for Poppy, right?


Actually, I had another rabbit who died suddenly late last year - Caerbannog! Named after the Monty Python killer rabbit. She was actually pure bluff, and sweet outside her cage.

This is her story on my board:
LINK HERE

This is the story of her sudden demise (with photo):
LINK HERE


Poppy looks normal, btw.

 

[tonyshuman]

Oh she was such a beauty. I'm glad she made it to your home, where she could be better understood.

That diet is what I would recommend for Poppy. Cancer can really make it difficult for rabbits to keep weight on. Good luck...

 

[naturestee]

If you do have trouble keeping weight on, I personally prefer adding healthy fats over carbs. I give1/4 teaspoonof sunflower seeds and flax seeds dailyto my dwarf hotot who has trouble keeping weight on due to chronic GI issues. Small amounts of oats and fruits are good too, as long as you keep an eye outfor GI issues because thecarbs can cause bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

If he is a good weight now, I'd stick with atypical balanced diet with limited pellets, unlimited grass hay, and lots of leafy greens. Fruit is generally a treat more than a requirement, since unlike piggies rabbits can make their own Vitamin C.

 

[Flashy]

I found Nutrical excellent for keeping weight on Summer (who is my bun who had a melanoma). It's the best thing I've tried and her weight has stabilised and her tummy has settled more because I've been able to cut down on the weight boosting foods..

 

[Zouave]

So keeping lots of weight on is good? I want to avoid obesity, of course.

Oatmeal. Plain oats? Cooked??

Thanks for the input.

Poppy is munching carrot tops right now.

 

[tonyshuman]

uncooked oats.

 

[Zouave]

I thought "uncooked".


I noticed my photo above of Poppy post-op is not showing up for some reason.

So here is the "after" photo:

 

[naturestee]

The concern with weight is that seriously ill rabbits will often have trouble keeping it on. Cancer patients of all species are notorious for this. I still recommend feeding him as you do normally and only add more if he seems to need it. This will also tell you how well his body is working.

Did the vet say if his weight was high or low?

 

[Zouave]

Normal.

- - - -

But now I am lost. I asked her why the tumor was so dark and she used the term "melanoma" - a term we associate with UV sun exposure and skin cancer. Obviously, Poppy gets no UV exposure especially down there, plus this tumor was growing. That seems very atypical of skin cancer.

So, I am lost now thinking about the term "melanoma".:?

 

[Maureen Las]

I looked it up ........


http://www.melanomacenter.org/prevention/index.html

this is for humans but some melanomasare genetic or hereditary or "just occurs" and cannot be prevented

I agree with Angela (naturestee) that changes to the diet do not need to be made unless he is starting to lose vigor or weight. Actually making a lot of rapid changes is just going to through his gut off
so I would make changes in his diet slowly and only when needed

Ihad a bun with cancer that did not lose weight at all right up to the end

 

[Zouave]

Thanks for that info. So it is not always sun/UV-related/.

Let's hope the cancer does NOT re-occur. One chance in three is not terrible.

I hope this thread has been didactic to those who read it; it was for me!


I told the vet my father died of stomach cancer: there was an operation, but they could not get it all. In Poppy's case the vet did get all she could see.