# very sick bunny - RIP



## wendymac

Hello everyone. I'm from Pennsylvania. The bun that isn't doing well is a French Lop doe, born on October 26th. I purchased her (and a half brother, born on October 19th) on December 10th. Before I get flamed, I did NOT know she wasn't even 8 weeks old. I just found out her actual birth date when their pedigrees came in the mail this afternoon. I'm VERY upset about this, but that's getting sidetracked.

I'm fairly new to rabbits (had pets throughout the years, but never any show/breeding stock).

There aren't any vets that do rabbits (that I can find, still trying to locate one).

When I first brought them home, I had her and her half brother in the same cage. Yesterday, I put her in her own cage. Same pellets they were getting at the breeder's, free choice timothy/grass mix hay, and water. 

This morning, when I went to the barn to feed, she had diarrhea all over her under side. She hadn't touched her feed all night/early morning. What wasn't diarrhea was a clear jelly-like mucus mess. 

I immediately ran to the house, and mixed up Neomycin (which the breeder told me to keep on hand, for diarrhea). I filled her water bowl with it, then used a syringe to get a few CCs in her. I also gave her simethicone drops (3 cc), and clear Pedialyte (around 3 cc).

I ran back to the store for Romaine lettuce, canned pumpkin, banana baby food, and an indoor cage. She's now right beside me, where I can closely monitor and continue force feeding her the liquids. I've also been gently massaging her belly.

In the last few hours, she has eaten about 1 1/2 large Romaine leaves and a few nibbles of watermelon (I figured that would help with the fiber and water content). She's also taken a few drinks of water (with the Neomycin in it). I didn't force feed her either the pumpkin or the baby food yet.

What I don't know is whether I should stop the Neomycin, continue what I've been doing, or do something more. Right now she's still passing jelly masses, but the more recent passage had some flecks of green (like 9 teenie tiny particles) along with the mucus/jelly mess.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! I know that diarrhea in a rabbit (especially one that shouldn't have been weaned yet) is serious. But until I can find a vet that will see her, I don't have any other option. :-(

Edit: I forgot to add that she's hardly moving around, not really eating (although now at least attempting to nibble), and not drinking (a few licks, a few times, in the last 4 hours).


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## I_heart_Fraggles

Hi  
First off take a big deep breath. Second take away the lettuce and any other veggies you might be giving her and your other babies. Young babies under four months should have no greens offered. The jelly is most likely from overloading an underdeveloped cecum. You need to push fluids,get some infant gas drops in her asap and try to get some critical care for her. There is another forum member "minilophop" she lives in PA and might know a vet for you. Did you check the forum vet boards? Keep us posted and I will see if I can't get that other forum member on facebook. Hang in there.


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## I_heart_Fraggles

So how far are you willing to travel for a vet? Also is it that you can't find a rabbit savvy vet or is it that the local vet won't see her? If you can just find a vet that will see her then don't worry about the "rabbit savvy" bit. She needs to be seen an any port in a storm will do.


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## Bunnylova4eva

*I_heart_Fraggles wrote: *


> Hi
> First off take a big deep breath. Second take away the lettuce and any other veggies you might be giving her and your other babies. Young babies under four months should have no greens offered. The jelly is most likely from overloading an underdeveloped cecum. You need to push fluids,get some infant gas drops in her asap and try to get some critical care for her. There is another forum member "minilophop" she lives in PA and might know a vet for you. Did you check the forum vet boards? Keep us posted and I will see if I can't get that other forum member on facebook.




:yeahthat:I bet taking vegges away will help a bunch. When Ripley had a few issues the breeder recomended taking everything out but hay/grass for him to get some stability back in his gi tract.


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## Nancy McClelland

ray:


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## wendymac

I_heart_Fraggles wrote:


> Hi
> First off take a big deep breath. Second take away the lettuce and any other veggies you might be giving her and your other babies. Young babies under four months should have no greens offered. The jelly is most likely from overloading an underdeveloped cecum. You need to push fluids,get some infant gas drops in her asap and try to get some critical care for her. There is another forum member "minilophop" she lives in PA and might know a vet for you. Did you check the forum vet boards? Keep us posted and I will see if I can't get that other forum member on facebook. Hang in there.



She didn't have anything but pellets, hay, and water since I brought her home. I only gave her greens last night, because she had eaten absolutely nothing for well over 18 hours.


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## Watermelons

If shes not eating anything, getting her to eat a few veggies is better then nothing. However I would ditch the watermelon, even in people too much watermelon causes diarrhea, so no fruit except the pumpkin. 

(as per no veggies before 4-6 months, this is false and is only personal choice, any bunny can have veggies before this age so long as their introduced slowly and the rabbit is monitered for issues) This issue wasn't started because veggies were introduced, if that were the case then yes the removal of veggies would help, but this bun needs to eat.

Stop by your closest vet and pick up something like "Acute Care" paste or "Florentero" paste. Some type of digestive aid to help replenish good bacteria in the gut. The vet will be able to help you find a product.

If you can get her to eat SOMETHING, good! if she stops, you will need to force feed. You can offer the pumpkin, or force feed it if she stops eating. Grind up some pellets with water, apple juice, or pineapple juice to make a thick slurry (but runny enough to get into a syringe) so you can use this as a force feeding formula. 
Plain old rolled oats (not quick) may help get some weight onto her, have you tried alfalfa hay? I would offer the pedialyte in a bowl if she will take it, rather then the other drug, if she will drink that openly that would be fantastic.


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## wendymac

Watermelons wrote:


> If shes not eating anything, getting her to eat a few veggies is better then nothing.
> 
> This issue wasn't started because veggies were introduced, if that were the case then yes the removal of veggies would help, but this bun needs to eat.
> 
> Plain old rolled oats (not quick) may help get some weight onto her, have you tried alfalfa hay?Â  I would offer the pedialyte in a bowl if she will take it, rather then the other drug, if she will drink that openly that would be fantastic.



Well, the bad news is, Ruby couldn't be saved.:-( The vet diagnosed her with mucoid enteritis and because she was so young, her prognosis was grave. The vet recommended she be put to sleep, so that's what we did. Totally heartbroken right now. :-(

I did only give her the lettuce and watermelon to try to get her to eat something...anything. She wouldn't touch the hay, water, pellets, rolled old-fashioned oats. I know that they can't go long without having food in their stomachs, which is why I got her some Romaine. 

Poor Ruby...R.I.P.


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## Bunnylova4eva

I'm so so sorry to here about Ruby. 
Take heart in the fact that you did the best you could to help her.
RIP sweetie! :rip:


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## wendymac

Bunnylova4eva wrote:


> I'm so so sorry to here about Ruby.
> Take heart in the fact that you did the best you could to help her.
> RIP sweetie! :rip:



Thanks. :-( She was here not even a week, but she was so personable. She fit right in, and was going to be one heck of a nice family member.


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## Sweetie

She is cute. I am so sorry for your loss. I had a bunny with diarrhea, but he made it through it. You did good to get your bunny to eat at least something. I applaud your efforts.

May she rest in peace and be looking down upon you making sure you are okay.

RIP Ruby and binky free


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## OneTwoThree

*Watermelons wrote: *


> If shes not eating anything, getting her to eat a few veggies is better then nothing. However I would ditch the watermelon, even in people too much watermelon causes diarrhea, so no fruit except the pumpkin.
> 
> (as per no veggies before 4-6 months, this is false and is only personal choice, any bunny can have veggies before this age so long as their introduced slowly and the rabbit is monitered for issues) This issue wasn't started because veggies were introduced, if that were the case then yes the removal of veggies would help, but this bun needs to eat.
> 
> Stop by your closest vet and pick up something like "Acute Care" paste or "Florentero" paste. Some type of digestive aid to help replenish good bacteria in the gut. The vet will be able to help you find a product.
> 
> If you can get her to eat SOMETHING, good! if she stops, you will need to force feed. You can offer the pumpkin, or force feed it if she stops eating. Grind up some pellets with water, apple juice, or pineapple juice to make a thick slurry (but runny enough to get into a syringe) so you can use this as a force feeding formula.
> Plain old rolled oats (not quick) may help get some weight onto her, have you tried alfalfa hay? I would offer the pedialyte in a bowl if she will take it, rather then the other drug, if she will drink that openly that would be fantastic.


Can you support your claims that rabbits under 4 months can have veggies? Because everything I've read + my vet say otherwise.


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## Sweetie

OneTwoThree: rabbits can have veggies when they are under four months old, if they have been introduced to them via their mother. If the mother rabbit has been given veggies during her pregnancy then the babies are okay with them, because they get whatever mommy eats and drinks all up to 8 weeks of age.


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## I_heart_Fraggles

You know house rabbit society also says no veggies under 12 weeks. Plus my vet also says no to veggies. So sorry about your baby  I had a feeling it might be M.E


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## gmas rabbit

So sorry to hear about your little one. Not a nice start for you with rabbits. Take heart in that you did everything possible. How is the little man doing?


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## wendymac

Thanks, guys. 

Little Max is doing fine, thank goodness. Tomorrow I'm stripping and disinfecting out the cage, then moving him inside.

I used to have 6 rats inside, and I built them a huge pen out of shelving material stuff. Anyway, I think I can easily convert it into a nice, big, inside cage for him.


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## Watermelons

If you have a question in regards to the veggies OneTwoThree, then please make another post about it or read through the many others about the exact topic on the forum.

Wendy I am sorry about your loss, you did everything you could.


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## OneTwoThree

*Watermelons wrote: *


> If you have a question in regards to the veggies OneTwoThree, then please make another post about it or read through the many others about the exact topic on the forum.
> 
> Wendy I am sorry about your loss, you did everything you could.


No thanks, I'll post in the one talking about it, since anyone with an issue could come and read it and take your false information as truth.


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## JjGoesBounce

Wendy, I'm very sorry for your loss, you did the best to everyone's abilities and Ruby will very carefully watch over the rest of your wonderful rabbits.
OneTwoThree maybe since the main idea for this thread has died we should just go talk about this on a different thread.
Best of luck and hope to all
Jj


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## Nancy McClelland

We're so sorry you lost your cute little bunny Ruby. Sometimes, no matter how hard we hope and wish, it's just not to be. Rest in peace little one and binky free.


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## JimD

I'm so sorry Wendy 
Binky free little one.


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## JimD

This thread is no longer open to debate.

I'll be moving it to the Rainbow Bridge where it will be open to offers of condolence only.

Members are welcome to continue any discussions about care and/or treatment on the appropriate forum ( ie "Nutrition and Behavior").

Thank you for you cooperation.


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## wendymac

I didn't mind the posts...if someone can find an answer, in time to try to save their little one, then something good might come out of this. There needs to be more research into rabbits! If they did as much research for rabbits as they do horses/dogs/pigs/etc, then we wouldn't lose them so fast...


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## LakeCondo

So sorry for your loss, but you did everything you could. The breeder should be ashamed of him/herself for selling an underage, sick bunny.


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## LaylaLop

Sorry for your loss. Most research rabbits never get anything but pellets as their diet, so they don't really know much about greens and when their tract can handle it. My first bunny I fed greens from our garden from 6 weeks onward and she was fine, but the breeder gave the mom and baby greens from early on. As for my bunny now, I slowly introduced greens at 3 months and she gets them every other day in small amounts, but mainly hay/pellets since she's under 6 months. She sometimes has runny cecotrophs so I didn't want to introduce too many veggies. Again, I am sorry for your loss and best of luck with Max, he's very cute!


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## Kipcha

So sorry to hear about Ruby, but you tried your best and it just didn't work out  R.I.P Ruby.


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## MILU

I know how it feels not to have a savy vet at hand.. RO helped my bunny a lot.
I'm sorry about your loss, May Ruby binky free in heaven! You have a reason to go on and smile though: Max! I hope you can find a new bunny to be his company. May your precious Ruby be happy with God, and playing with other bunnies and animals.
:rainbow::cry4::cry1:urplepansy::rip:ink iris::tears2::in tears:ray:


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