# Barnaby's nose got bitten...



## Dragonrain (Nov 24, 2009)

I feel so horrible right now...

I am bunsitting a friends bunny for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's a male, neutered, very sweet holland lop. I put his cage in our bedroom, next to the bunny room, since those are the only two rooms that the dog doesn't have access too.

I left my bunnies out in their room like I always do, and my friends was in his cage. Well I was out, so I called my fiance and asked if he could give the bunnies their dinner. He must have not put the gate up right or something, because when I got home my bunnies where running around the bedroom.

Some of Barnaby's fur was on the floor next to the lops cage, and his nose is messed up. He must have stuck his nose in between the cage bars. He had dry blood on his nose and it looked like a flap of skin on one side was ripped off most of the way, it was hanging off, but he didn't seem like he was in to much pain.

I took him to the vet right away. They cleaned him up and pretty much said that I just need to keep it clean and let it heal on his own. They couldn't reattach the little flap because it was already dried up and dead. 

Poor Barnaby, it looks painful! But he's eating and pooping and is acting normal. I know this was my fault and I feel so horrible. 

I think I read on here before a post from someone that had something similar happen. I'm wondering if his nose will look weird now? Will fur grow back in that area? Of course I don't care what he looks like, but I'm just wondering. Poor Barnaby - his birthday is on Thursday and he starts the week off this way...I just feel so bad!!


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## Dragonrain (Nov 24, 2009)

I forgot to add that the vet also gave me metacam for pain and an antibiodic cream to put on the cut area to hopefully prevent infection.

I guess I don't really need anyone to reply. He still seems fine this morning, munching away on his breakfast like normal.


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## Maureen Las (Nov 24, 2009)

I was exercising a larger unneutered male at the shelter in the same room that the other rabbits used to be kept. The large rabbit (Cadbury) jumped over to the cage of a small Neatherland dwarf and literally bit a piece of his upper lip off. 


I was also very upset. 

We also took the little guy to the vet and the piece was not reattached . He also had the area cleansed and then I took him home for some TLC. he also did not seem affected by the bite. 
he was adopted soon after and I don't actually know what the site looked like after several months but I would not worry about appearance because there is almost nothing that can make a rabbit less cute. Too much cuteness there!

Just keep the area clean

Actually anyone who has rabbits has incidents like this occur now and then soforgive yourself: I occasionally still have bite issues here at home despite my diligance 

I am sure that he will be just fine..

if you want to you can post a pic for us


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## tonyshuman (Nov 24, 2009)

Luvabun's Shadow also had to have his nose reconstructed after a bite wound. The flap hanging off did not reseal, but it did heal, so he had this funny flap of live skin on his nose or something. It may require later surgery to correct but I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep it clean--betadine and neosporin are what I'd do.


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## Dragonrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I looked at my friends bunny Buster more closely today and noticed that Barnaby must have gotten him as well, because he has a small cut on his lip. It was already scabbed over and barely noticeable though.

Barnaby seems okay. His nose is still slightly swollen but he seems okay. I'll definaly be more careful in the future.


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## tonyshuman (Nov 24, 2009)

It happens a lot. There was a bunny at the shelter with a few bites on her nose, one of which was swollen and maybe abscessed, last time I was there--they're easy to miss and they can then get infected. Tony got Frida on the nose and lip through the baby gate too, so we had to put cardboard on it so he couldn't stick his little snout through.


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## Maureen Las (Nov 24, 2009)

I would still put a little betadine on the cut on Buster's lip just in case..it is soeasy for bacteria frombites to causeabscesses to form


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## Dragonrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Well I'm at least glad to hear I'm not alone here.

How long does it normally take for the swelling to go down? It isn't as bad as it was, but still looks swollen to me. I can't tell if it actually is, or if it just looks weird to me because the vet shaved some fur off of his nose so that it wouldn't get stuck in the wound and irritate it. I've never seen his nose without fur before, so it's a little hard for me to tell.

I'm glad at least that he seems to be in high spirits. I gave him a piece of banana to try to earn his forgiveness for taking him to the vet.


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## Dragonrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Ops sorry angieluv we must have posted almost at the same time.

Would neosporin be okay on his lip, or should I go get betadine? I know not to use neosporin plus on them, but I have a tube of the regular kind. His lip looks okay, it's barely even noticeable, but I can put something on it just in case.

Edit: Nevermind, I realized that betadine isn't an antibiodic like neosporin is, I was thinking of something else I think. I'll go get betadine for him.


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## tonyshuman (Nov 24, 2009)

I'd prefer betadine on the lip--it's ok if they ingest a little bit of either, but betadine seems to be better at disinfecting and neosporin is better at stimulating healing.


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## Pipp (Nov 24, 2009)

They really don't seem to care much.  Radar had a nose that looked like a retracting convertible top stuck midway. When he was still at the rescue, he stuck his nose in another bunny's cage (a cute little girl named Cookie)and she practically bit it off. Radar's reaction? After a bit of head shaking, he stuck it in again! ("Uh, are you sure that's your final answer?")


sas :bunnydance:


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## JadeIcing (Nov 24, 2009)

I should take a pic of Ringos. I didn't even bother with the vet. Called them and told them this happened, I did this (clean it and put neosporin on it). They said great just keep an eye on it. Don't worry.


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## Dragonrain (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks so much everyone, I'm starting to feel better about the whole thing.

He seems perfectly fine. His nose still looks slightly swollen today but it looks better than it did.


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## kirbyultra (Nov 25, 2009)

Aw, poor Barnaby. Little bunnies getting themselves into little messes. You did well caring for his nose. Don't beat yourself up.


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## Dragonrain (Dec 2, 2009)

Thanks everyone!

Barnaby is doing well. We think his nose will probably always look a little different now, but he's still adorable of course! Here's a picture I took of him on Monday. Don't mind his fur, it looks weird because I took the picture right after cleaning his face and his fur was still a bit damp.







Oh and Buster is doing perfectly fine as well. His lip is already all healed and he's back home with his mom.


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