# Rabbit Enema



## Esayu (Oct 29, 2016)

Ok. So I'm not a rabbit guy. I don't have a problem with rabbits it's just not my preferred pet. My 30 year old disabled brother has a dwarf Charlie rabbit. He coddles it for hours and treats it better than any parent i know treats their kid. It wasn't pooping or eating or even moving from one spot for a week or so. He gets very irrational and starts getting anxious about the rabbit and has bern putting my 61 year old mom through hell. So i felt like i had to intervene. He cannot afford medication or to see a veterinarian. He called a local vet and explained this and the rabbits symptoms and over the phone he recommended he get a syringe and mix some warm water and dish soap up and give the thing an enema and 5cc of mineral oil orally. Well he decided he couldn't hold the rabbit for my mom to squirt the water and dish soap up its ass so I went there on my day off to do it for him. Well now we think we probably squirted it into its urethra or opening to its genitals (we haven't told my brother we think this because he skipped work today because of this rabbit being sick and is absolutely belligerent over this, getting hostile etc.) is it going to likely die from this ? Now it won't come out of a dark box and is just trying to lick all the mineral oil literally covering it's face, stomach and paws making all his fur clump. at least it's moving now. I told him to clean off the oil with a bit of soap and warm water because if it dies with all its fur like that it's going to look so pitiful. it's usually a very cute and sweet rabbit. but he's so anxious now he won't even talk about the rabbit anymore and won't let anyone touch it. has any on ever given a rabbit an enema? I think the vet was picking on him and is laughing his ass off thinking about this guy giving a rabbit an enema. Also what do you think will happen if we squirted the water and dish soap into its urethra or genital opening? Does this even seem possible ?


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## Esayu (Oct 29, 2016)

I hope some people here can tell me something.


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## Watermelons (Oct 29, 2016)

Any rabbit that doesnt poop for 24hrs is an emergency and needs to see a vet. If you guys are not willing to treat it properly, it needs to be taken to someone who will.
I cant even begin to try and picture what you guys have done.... that just sounds like a horrible idea to even try and attempt for someone who has never done one before, nevermind someone who doesnt know rabbits.

That is not even the treatment that should be advised for a rabbit in stasis (not eating/pooping).

The rabbit needs meds to help get its gut moving and reduce gas buildup. Then it needs to be syringe fed a slurry like Critical Care. Its temperature needs to be watched and meds and syringe feedings need to be continued until the rabbit recovers. That still may not even cut it. If there is an intestinal blockage or infection....

Please watch your language as we have children on this forum. Medically appropriate terms are one thing but not when there are other terms that can be used.


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## Esayu (Oct 30, 2016)

ok. I called him and got him thinking about taking it into a shelter. no I'm not willing to give it what it needs because what it needs costs money and I refuse to put a penny towards my mentally 12 year old brothers pet rabbit. If he won't turn it over or at the very least let someone clean it's fur before it dies then I'll have to look at him and say "I don't know what to tell you now bud" I do apologize for coming here with an attitude but it wasn't towards this community. This app is beautifully constructed and I can see there is many knowledgeable people here. I do feel stupid for participating in the rabbit enema but I figured if a vet recommended it that it was a common and accepted procedure, and I just wanted to give my mom a break. This isn't an excuse I'm just giving an explanation. Maybe you can talk to admin and have them hallmark this or something and make a special category for people to learn about the irresponsibility of rabbit owners who can't afford them or even have the capacity to get the rabbit the care it needs. and also just the irresponsibility of the pet trade in general. Thank you for the reply and I apologize for the use of colorful language.


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## Esayu (Oct 30, 2016)

ok. we called a second vet to get another opinion and she said the same thing. give it enemas. I'm not doing that again. I've massaged it's belly for about an hour and he passed a lot of gas. Now I can feel a large lump in his belly about 4 inches long and skinny. it feels like a bunch of grapes. is this impacted poop?


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## missyscove (Oct 30, 2016)

Where are you located? Perhaps we can recommend a rabbit-savvy veterinarian for you. Or you can check out our list of member-recommended vets.
While enemas are not uncommon in veterinary medicine, I would never expect an owner to administer one at home, and certainly wouldn't give that advice over the phone to someone with whom there wasn't an established veterinary client patient relationschip. A rabbit who isn't eating for even one day is an emergency. Your rabbit needs to be seen by a veterinarian for stabilization and suspected GI stasis treatment as well as diagnostics to determine the underlying cause of the stasis event. (Typically rabbits have an underlying disease that initiates the decreased appetite and things go downhill from there).


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## Esayu (Oct 30, 2016)

It's a lot more lively now and my brother said it had a couple small poops. so I think it may be clearing up. I rubbed his belly for about an hour straight today and he passed a lot of gas during this also. In your opinion are these signs it is getting better ? I'm sorry. A vet is out of the question. I'm doing everything to help him but I need my money for my own life and my brother cannot afford to take him in.


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## majorv (Oct 31, 2016)

What is the rabbit's diet? Your brother needs to be giving it hay right now and try to make sure it drinks water. The massaging is certainly helping, but you can also get simethicone (infant gas drops) and give that orally to help with the gas.


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## Happi Bun (Oct 31, 2016)

Esayu said:


> A vet is out of the question. I'm doing everything to help him but I need my money for my own life and my brother cannot afford to take him in.



Then the rabbit needs to be surrendered to a rescue or animal shelter if no one is willing to step up. Rabbits are pretty high maintenance and can have expensive vet bills since they are considered exotics. The rabbit will likely need vet care again in the future. What then?

I'm happy the rabbit is feeling better and there doesn't appear to be damage from the attempted enema. For the record, the vets who suggested you do that are all terrible people and I don't care if that sounds extreme. I'm just at a total lost for words as to why they would suggest you try such a thing yourselves.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

As I said before. I'm not "stepping up" to put a penny towards my mentally 12 year old but physically 30 year old disabled brother's pet rabbit. I'm 22 and only making $18.75 an hour. I have my own life i need my money for. My mom cannot afford that. And my brother gets government money and works part time at walmart.  Everyone has tried telling him to surrender it. even the vet. Would you like to talk to argue with him about it? Am I supposed to go there when he's not home and steal it? Is that in the PETA protocol? I don't think the veterenarians are terrible people. They were just telling him what they would do if he brought the thing in. When you have a 30 year old man telling you his life can't go on if you don't give his rabbit free treatment and you're trying to run a business, after you told him once to surrender the thing, then you can see why they told him to do it. It's the best they could do for him. Veterinarian service is a business after all.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

When I say "you can see why they told him to do it" I'm saying that you can see why they told him to give it the enema. Just to clarify.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

The only reason why I even participated in this is because he was putting my mom through hell and even quit going to work. I was about to have him arrested. It's not my fault, or anyone else's fault if he won't surrender the animal.


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## Watermelons (Oct 31, 2016)

You have been warned once already. Watch your language. Making remarks like that is uncalled for regardless of who you are speaking about. Nobody deserves to be disrespected in that way. 
Your post has been edited.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

@Watermelons. can we get some people to step up and put some money together for the future vet care of my brother's rabbit? thanks


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

Is that a no? Someone has to step up here.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

Rabbits are pretty high maintenence and their vet bills can get high. because they are considered exotics. what about when it needs vet care in the future? someone has to step up.


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## Esayu (Oct 31, 2016)

You're terrible people. for not giving my brother free money for the future vet care of my brothers rabbit. and I'm sorry if that seems extreme. Rabbits are pretty high maintenence and their vet bills can get high. because they are considered exotics. what about when it needs vet care in the future? someone has to step up.


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## Watermelons (Oct 31, 2016)

It is not the responsibility of anyone on this forum to step up for you and pay for this rabbits vet bills. 

Owning a pet is a responsibility and if you, your brother, or any other family member are not willing to care for it properly it needs to be surrendered. 

You need to step up.


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## RavenousDragon (Nov 1, 2016)

I guess the thing is, whoever got him the rabbit or allowed him to get the rabbit needs to step up. If he got the rabbit himself, I would suggest helping him set aside money every month (even just $20) to save up for an emergency like this. If he truly does have the capacity of a 12 year old individual, then he should understand this. MANY 12 year olds save up money, myself included when I was 12 (I mowed lawns to pay for pet food and care and such). 

I understand why you are frustrated, and why your brother is upset (I'd be absolutely devastated if I had to relinquish one of my own pets), but the rabbit needn't suffer because of this. I am sorry you guys had to be in this position, but please urge your brother to calmly consider the position of the rabbit and how he/she feels.


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## Akzholedent (Nov 1, 2016)

Calling us terrible people isn't going to help your situation. This is a forum for spreading knowledge of rabbit welfare, and unfortunately, we can't personally take care of every rabbit we hear of.

As for the money issue, I make less than $15 per hour, but I am still able to take care of my three rabbits. I don't know if it's your personal greed or stubbornness, but the rabbit shouldn't have to suffer. You could even do a payment plan or something with your brother, where you pay upfront, but he gradually pays you back.

I really hope this rabbit gets the help it needs. :-(


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## BlackMiniRex (Nov 2, 2016)

seriously? i don't have a job, but i still paid for my bunny's vet bills, i put money a side for my bunny. That rabbit is hurting, it needs help or it could get very sick and most likely die, but for some reason you could care less? please try talking to your brother again...if no one will pay for the bunny, the bunny needs to go to someone who will.


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## Happi Bun (Nov 2, 2016)

Sorry everyone, the OP clearly took my post extremely personally for some reason, despite me not saying one negative thing about him :dunno:



Esayu said:


> As I said before. I'm not "stepping up" to put a penny towards my mentally 12 year old but physically 30 year old disabled brother's pet rabbit. I'm 22 and only making $18.75 an hour. I have my own life i need my money for. My mom cannot afford that.



My brother is in his 30's and mentally a child. He is severely mentally ill. I have my own problems and I'm on an extremely fixed income. Only making $18.75 an hour you say? I'm making minimum wage which is $10 an hour here in California, which is also a very expensive state to live in. I would always do whatever I could to help my brother because he *is* like a child mentally. He needs the support. That's just me though.

I stand by my harsh comment about those vets that suggested the enema. Telling people with no experience or knowledge about rabbit anatomy to give their sick animal an enema could have killed it or caused it immense distress. It was irresponsible and totally wrong for them to suggest it.


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## Maureen Las (Nov 6, 2016)

Ok so I am going to ask some questions. How does the rabbit look right now. What was the last thing that the rabbit ate and when?. Does the rabbit have hay to eat? When was the last time the rabbit pooped and did it look like a normal rabbit poop. is the rabbit drinking water Does the rabbit feel cold?..is he extraordinarily quiet.? Can you tell if the rabbit's tummy seems hard or is it soft?


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