# I need your advice



## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

My poor Rosie has diarrhoa (god knows how its spelt). It started yesterday morning with lots of her soft poo being stuck to her which I cleaned off and this morning when I checked her she has lots of very runny light coloured poo stuck to her and its all spread up her belly. I've cleaned what I can but as you can imagine its all stuck in her fur and started to matt. 

I phoned the vets first thing this morning asking for an appointment but they were fully booked all day and could only give us an appointment tomorrow at 3! However they soke to the vet and phoned us back as I'd asked them to do for some advice n what I can do for Rosie till the appointment. I was quite surprised at the advice they gave, the message from the vets was to starve her and only give hay and water but the vet knows Rosie can't eat hay because of al her teeth problems. 

The advice to starve her goes against everything I know about rabbits. 

All this is happening after I've finally got some weight back on her. Its so upsetting every single time I manage to get her weight up something like this happens.


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2011)

Oh no, poor Rose 
If I was you I would be insisting on an appointment now or be looking for a new vet, she really needs to be seen as soon as possible -hugs-


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I've tried getting her seen today but they really are fully booked. I know my vet and trust him, most days he doesn't even have a lunch because he's so busy that he fits appointments in through his lunch. He goes out of his way for Rosie all the time so I can understand when they say he's busy he really is. 

I'm just wondering if the receptionist that passed on the message has her wires crossed with the advice she gave about starving her. I'm waiting for a call back from Delia to ask her for advice as well as she runs a rabbit recue she'd have the equipment that if she thinks its needed she can shave Rosie to make keeping her clean easier.

Do I go with my gut and give her pellets tonight or do I follow the advice and starve her.


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2011)

Please don't starve her hun, it will cause more problems than solve anything.
I know you trust your vet hun but with diarrhoea it is an emergency so the vet should shuffle his appointments to fit you in, I can't believe he is booked up with emergencies until tomorrow afternoon


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Right normal pellets it is then and will be phoning vets first thing in the morning to get her seen.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

I think you would make things worse starving her. Have you got any recovery food? Maybe that would help? It would keep her hydrated at least? Personally if the vet was completely full booked and thats that, and the rabbits was happy enough and you are managing her to keep her clean til tomorrow, then i would probs keep her on her normal food and water and maybe add the recovery mix in for hydration. 

Poor bunny, id be panicked what to do  x


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I am panicking, she's old and everytime something happens with her I think this is it, I'm going to lose her. 

I'm debating whether to bath her or not to clean her as she really is covered in all up her belly and inside her back legs. Its too cold really to bath her and even if I did and then use the hair dryer on her she would get too warm and not able to go back out without making her worse.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Kammie, the recovery food is just ground up hay, I would get plenty of this down her and some plain old water. The pellets could be a little too rich.

Does she still have an interest in food? If not then I would go for some pain relief too. 

How does her tummy feel?

I would also start her on a course of panacur


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

She was only panacured about 3 months ago so shouldn't need it again. 

She's eating but where she doesn't have front teeth she can't eat hay whether its cut up small or long lengths. I've given her a few pellets for tonight and she's drinking water. 

Would a wheetabix help or make things worse?


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

does her poo look like its got any fiber in it? or is it just watery? 

I dont know if wheat would really help as its a main IBS irritant in people. 

Do you have a blender could you not make your own recovery food with some hay water and a few pellets?


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2011)

I wouldn't panacur her at the moment as that might upset her gut flora even further.
Yes Kammie a Wheetabix might help bind her a little, it won't make things worse that I am certain of -hugs-


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I've given her a sponge bath to clean as much off her fur as I could but you know how rabbit fur is, its impossible to get clean without a proper bath. She's had half a wheetabix mixed with some pellets and water, which she licked out of the bowl whilst the other two had their normal pellets. 

Her poo is like muddy water, only way I can describe it. She's covered in it from her tail right up to the bottom of her ribs, she smells so bad but she's my baby and still got a cuddle (clothes are now being soaked). 

What with Rosie's poo, Jack has the runs too so I'm dealing with explosive nappies and getting through 3 lots of clothes a day with him. I've lost my voice and can barely speak. We're all ill this week!


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2011)

If you have some unscented baby wipes you could use those to help try clean her up 
Could she have got hold of anything she doesn't normally have recently? Has she had any meds at all?
I'm really not sure why she is poorly hun, hopefully the vet can help shed some light on the situation, and I hope that you and Jack feel better soon -hugs-


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I haven't got a clue why she's ill, not had anything different unless something got into the run that i don't know about. 

I used baby wipes on her first to try getting it off but its so matted into her fur it wasn't working so gave the sponge bath a go and that didn't work either. I'm hoping when we go to the vets they'll be able to shave her so I can keep her clean, with this mild weather theres still a few flies around and thats the last thing I want.


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2011)

I hope everything goes well at the vets today hun -hugs-


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

Nt sure if it's any use to you but I've used this for years on bunnys both young and old to rehydrate 
1 cup tepid water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
tip of a teaspoon salt
I have never taken the advice to starve although most vets give this advice, also if a vet has refused to see me I have found that taking my rabbit in and dumping him/her on the reception desk complete with runny bottom often does the trick s they can't refuse to see you if you're actually in he surgery because they'll look rather stupid in front of a room full of animal lovers 
Hope your bunny is ok...good luck


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

P.S when dolly had EC her bum got really sore and i know it sounds awful so please don't think I'm mean but i put a nappy on her, simply because it has the same affect as it does on a baby, it draws moisture away from the skin and stops it getting as sore, I shaved the area around her bum and put the nappy on and within the day her bum was clear of any soreness


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Hope the vet goes okay today  xxx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Update:

Just got back from the vets, she's got mucus in her poo and has lost a lot of weight. She weighs 1.5kg today, I'd only just managed to get her up to 1.8kg and she's gone and lost it all again. Its a vicious cycle with her weight. The vet checked her teeth whilst we were there too, she needs another dental (not a surprise). He tried to cut the spur with her awake so she wouldn't need to be gassed in case it upsets her tummy more but she wouldn't have any of it. We are however putting off the dental till Friday so her tummy can settle, she's having fibreplex to help with her tummy. They're going to shave her mucky fur off as well whilst she's in for her dental. They're going to try and do it with her just being sedated to make it easier to wake her up.

Rose needs get well vibes.


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2011)

Sending vibes your way xxx


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## bewitched (Jun 9, 2010)

Aw, poor little one. Lots and lots of get well vibes coming her way xx


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Thinking of you. Keep us up to date xx


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

hoping shes made some progress today, hope your all feeling better too


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Hope you are all feeling better there today, healing vibes on their way.

*Heidi*


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Thanks everyone. Will keep you all updated as thing progress. I've got my voice back (kinda) at least.


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## jaxb05 (Apr 12, 2009)

Poor wee darlin'. Praying she bounces back soon x


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Rosie seems to be getting better, think she had a bit of a tummy bug. When I was sat out watching her today she pooed and when she moved away from it there was a long mucusy stingy thing in a small puddle of poo, I can only describe it as looking like a long brown jelly worm. Since then she pooed again and it was almost normal pellets (bit mishappen and strung together but solid at least). 

Now we just need vibes for her dental tomorrow.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

maybe it would be worth taking the jelly poop into the vets for them to have a look at. Hoping tomorrow goes well for her


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2011)

I just had a thought hun (especially when you mentioned the mucus) has the vet thought of coccidia?
If not it might be worth mentioning tomorrow


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

emzybabe said:


> maybe it would be worth taking the jelly poop into the vets for them to have a look at. Hoping tomorrow goes well for her


Yeah thats what I'm planning to do, put it in a little zip lock bag so it doesn't dry out.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I can phone soon to check on how my baby is doing. Hoping all is going well, they haven't phoned me yet so she must be ok. 

When I dropped her off I spoke to the nurse and Delia about the advice I was given. They told me theres another Rosie Owen who is a cat and the receptionist got confused and thought we were the cat Rosie. She'd even booked our appointment under the cat Rosie, which the vet didn't notice at the time (I'm guessing he would have thought the receptionists would get it right) so the notes he wrote were put under Rosie the cat. That explains why the vets advice was then to starve Rosie seeing as the receptionist thought she was talking about a cat. Its all sorted now and luckily I knew the advice to starve was wrong but it did have me doubt myself afterall I trust my vet.


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2011)

Well that explains a lot lol.
I hope she is doing well xxxx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

She's home! Same teeth as always and she had a bikini trim as well. They shaved some of her tummy and her bum, legs and couple of bits on her feet. She should be much more comfortable now and easier to clean.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

How is she Kammie? xx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Paws&Claws said:


> How is she Kammie? xx


She's doing ok now. She's staying clean now that she's been shaved and eating loads.


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