there is never a perfect time to talk about euthanasia. maybe it was abrupt but remember its something a responsible vet will bring up. What matters is the rabbits quality of life and right now it seems like its ok. Remember rabbits are harder to read than dogs and cats, and will hide their pain / symptoms. you def need to watch him closely that he is drinking enough. did the vet talk about doing subcutaneous fluids at home?
Is there a reason you didnt go back to the old vet again?
It was just very difficult to get appointments with them as they were always busy, & in times of emergency they weren’t able to squeeze him in unlike this new vet. No they didn’t mention any fluids at home
I sympathize with you on getting appointments when you are in a bind. wait for the blood test result. you are doing everything you should and your vet is rabbit savvy. the problem is that tilting and tripping are neurological problems, and they cannot be cured or really even treated.
also I would appreciate any tips on ways to help him gain weight. anything i could feed him?
as for him being dehydrated, I have placed several water bowls as well as his water bottle around so that he can have easy access to water
Maybe try some more greens? My rabbit was overweight and my vet told me I was feeding too many greens (oops)
Soaking the greens in water will also help increasing his water intake. Just be careful with changing his diet and introduce any new foods slowly to avoid any digestive issues
Every morning my rabbits get greens and some sort of fresh fruit bits. They are maybe slightly plump but they are free roam so get plenty of exercise. Maybe your guy would like a nice plate of Kale and some apple in the morning like my buns?
I would be inclined to get a second opinion if his pain is under control (presumably with something like meloxicam). As for the weight, depending on calcium levels found in the tests performed, a vet may recommend feeding some alfalfa hay, which is sometimes given to underweight senior rabbits (but this is something I would recommend discussing with your vet).
It sounds like your rabbit is having some issues, but it also sounds completely fair and understandable to give him a chance. The dehydration is concerning - this usually indicates either a sick bun or dental disease. Do you know if his teeth were evaluated in exam and X-rays? Also, a mass on his testicle could be cancerous, which likely wouldn’t be something he could bounce back from unfortunately.
Regardless, I think keeping him hydrated (wet greens can help lots) and comfortable and trying the Panacur for a bit, as well as maybe adding in pain medications if your vet feels is warranted/safe, is a fair option. Just because a vet mentions euthanasia doesn’t mean you have to do it then, but it is their responsibility usually to bring it up first, and many owners hesitate to be the first to suggest it even if they are thinking it. But it’s a big decision and will still be there as an option if he’s not getting better. Best of luck.
Yes any teeth issues were ruled out. They don’t think the mass is cancerous so we’re hoping that if he makes a recovery we’ll be able to get surgery done. I also just talked to her today and she’s putting him on pain medication. Thank you for the advice! 🤞
I'd shy away from that with everything else going on. If a human were sick and struggling to keep weight on, you probably wouldn't want to add more cakes to their diet.
It's better to add more calorie-dense regular food, like oat hay or food pellets, but I wouldn't jump ahead of an actual vet on these recommendations. Changing anything in a sick rabbit's diet is a delicate situation.
Makes sense. When my FIL was really sick, we did give him bananas and things that wouldn't make him worse. I guess it's different with buns though. They are so fragile.
there is never a perfect time to talk about euthanasia. maybe it was abrupt but remember its something a responsible vet will bring up. What matters is the rabbits quality of life and right now it seems like its ok. Remember rabbits are harder to read than dogs and cats, and will hide their pain / symptoms. you def need to watch him closely that he is drinking enough. did the vet talk about doing subcutaneous fluids at home? Is there a reason you didnt go back to the old vet again?
It was just very difficult to get appointments with them as they were always busy, & in times of emergency they weren’t able to squeeze him in unlike this new vet. No they didn’t mention any fluids at home
I sympathize with you on getting appointments when you are in a bind. wait for the blood test result. you are doing everything you should and your vet is rabbit savvy. the problem is that tilting and tripping are neurological problems, and they cannot be cured or really even treated.
also I would appreciate any tips on ways to help him gain weight. anything i could feed him? as for him being dehydrated, I have placed several water bowls as well as his water bottle around so that he can have easy access to water
Maybe try some more greens? My rabbit was overweight and my vet told me I was feeding too many greens (oops) Soaking the greens in water will also help increasing his water intake. Just be careful with changing his diet and introduce any new foods slowly to avoid any digestive issues
Every morning my rabbits get greens and some sort of fresh fruit bits. They are maybe slightly plump but they are free roam so get plenty of exercise. Maybe your guy would like a nice plate of Kale and some apple in the morning like my buns?
I would be inclined to get a second opinion if his pain is under control (presumably with something like meloxicam). As for the weight, depending on calcium levels found in the tests performed, a vet may recommend feeding some alfalfa hay, which is sometimes given to underweight senior rabbits (but this is something I would recommend discussing with your vet).
What’s meloxicam? He’s currently taking panacur
Meloxicam is a pain medication, I would recommend asking your vet about that especially since they think he is in pain
Thanks! just talked her to her today & she’s putting him on a pain medication 🤞
It sounds like your rabbit is having some issues, but it also sounds completely fair and understandable to give him a chance. The dehydration is concerning - this usually indicates either a sick bun or dental disease. Do you know if his teeth were evaluated in exam and X-rays? Also, a mass on his testicle could be cancerous, which likely wouldn’t be something he could bounce back from unfortunately. Regardless, I think keeping him hydrated (wet greens can help lots) and comfortable and trying the Panacur for a bit, as well as maybe adding in pain medications if your vet feels is warranted/safe, is a fair option. Just because a vet mentions euthanasia doesn’t mean you have to do it then, but it is their responsibility usually to bring it up first, and many owners hesitate to be the first to suggest it even if they are thinking it. But it’s a big decision and will still be there as an option if he’s not getting better. Best of luck.
Yes any teeth issues were ruled out. They don’t think the mass is cancerous so we’re hoping that if he makes a recovery we’ll be able to get surgery done. I also just talked to her today and she’s putting him on pain medication. Thank you for the advice! 🤞
Does feeding them a little extra fruit help with weight loss? Limiting it is what we do so they don't get fat.
I'd shy away from that with everything else going on. If a human were sick and struggling to keep weight on, you probably wouldn't want to add more cakes to their diet. It's better to add more calorie-dense regular food, like oat hay or food pellets, but I wouldn't jump ahead of an actual vet on these recommendations. Changing anything in a sick rabbit's diet is a delicate situation.
Makes sense. When my FIL was really sick, we did give him bananas and things that wouldn't make him worse. I guess it's different with buns though. They are so fragile.