Denver, my bun bun is sick!

Last evening I played with him and petted him and he was fine. Tonight, when I went to feed him (and his buddy Cinnamon) he was making a strange sound and moving his nose back and forth. I picked him up and brought him inside on my bed, to get a good listen and look. He looks ok, although breathing seems to be a little bit of an effort. He is weezing a bit. I called the emergency vet and they suggested it could wait until the morning, and to call my regular vet. I hope he makes it!

Denver is my "meat rabbit" rescued a couple of years ago. He has been healthy and happy until now. He looks good......but sounds as though he has a cold. Do bunnies get colds?

Fingers crossed that he hangs in there tonight and waits for a visit to the vet. I am sure a worry wart.



http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...1/f3cbe110.jpg

Prayers for Denver.

Poor baby. Miss Hoppy has, at times, seemed to have a cold and recovered. It's pathetic when she and Paul are both stretched out in the living room, sneezing periodically. But when she has a bit of a runny nose, she does NOT want anyone touching with a tissue, thank you very much.

I hope your bunny will be ok. Boof once got so sick we honestly didn't think he was gonna make it. I can't really give you much advice unless you tell me the specific conditions your rabbit lives in. Does it live inside or out. Is it hot or cold where you are. Is it too drafty? What type of rabbit do you have.

all i can tell you is what we did when it was night time and we had to care for boof. We brought him inside in a little cage and had lots of warm towels in there for him to snuggle into.

also, i know this sounds weird, but it worked! I thought of what i would do if i got sick like him and i put a humidifier in the room with him. It is a simple machine in which you put water and eucalyptus oil, and it heats up and evaporates into the air. It really heaped him breathe.

Boof could barely breathe and he had a really runny nose.

Also i went on the internet and looked up anything that could help. I think there was a suggestion the honey was supposed to help. I wasn't sure, but i was willing to try anything that wouldn't hurt him.

Also keep your rabbits fluids up. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! If they won't eat or drink use a syringe. Obviously not with an actually needle. If you are not experienced doing this, it is best not to do this as you can get the fluid into their lungs and kill them. If this is the case just put the fluid, (I mixed water with honey, but you can mix it with anything they like) on the end of your finger so they either lick it off or it runs into their mouth. It can get very messy, but at least they are getting something into them.

If your rabbit is jumpy i suggest you put it into a room where people are not going to be coming in, as this will just distress it.

Boof was a house rabbit so he was completely use to humans.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions just let me know.

Make sure to get your bun bun to the vet though.

I'm sorry to hear that Denver isn't feeling well.
Has he been eating and drinking ok?
I hope that it's nothing too serious and that he feels better soon.

I checked first thing this morning. He is still alive and sitting with little Ms. Cinnamon. I will take them both to the vet's this morning, on my way to work. I have to call first just to make sure its ok to drop them off. They are so bonded that I hate to take one without the other.

Denver is eating and drinking. And using the litter box.

They are both outside bunnies but live on a porch, behind a fence. They have lots of space and places to keep warm etc. They have a heated water bowl and lots of hay! I have plastic sheeting up over the screens, so that the cold air will not chill them. The vet thought that this arrangement would be fine. They live out there in the summer as well.

I hesitate to treat big guy Denver myself, without consulting with the vet first. I hope there is nothing seriously wrong with him and I also hope that Ms. Cinnamon does not catch it.

Cinnamon looks so worried and is so attentive toward Denver, its so cute to see it. I think she knows he is not well. Maybe she is jealous! Who knows. They are bonded and yet still very competitive.

I will let you know how it goes at the vets this morning.

Thanks for all your advice. I may end up using your advice after hearing what the vet says.

My fear is that he has eaten one weird object TOO many! He gnaws his way through anything in his path!


Sas

Hope the cute little guy is feeling better soon

Denver has been in my thoughts and prayers the last couple of days. I really hope he gets better. Do you have a picture of him.

Hi, I thought a quick update would be good.

Denver is home, in the guest room, behind a fence, with a humidifier running.......and taking Bactril? ..... in applesauce and bananas..... and feeling just about the same. He will be confined for 10-14 days...leaving poor little Cinnamon by herself, on the porch.

The vet seems to think he has a slight bacterial infection in his sinuses. Bunnys have flora like we do and sometimes it gets out of wack.

The only concern at this point is that he lost 2 lbs. in several months. The upside is that he was over weight by 2 lbs. So if he continues to drop weight, we have another problem.

Right now he is being rather still, and that is what the vet wants.

Thanks for you thoughts and concerns.

I will keep you posted.

He is such a big love bug too!

Here is a photo of his buddy, Cinnamon girl and three Abys!!!!! This was taken before Denver arrived....and before Lucy, the black kitty arrived. Cinnamon had full run of the house and then once Denver arrived and started eating my sofa, they moved to the porch!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/f91ad0b8.jpg



http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...3/f7de5fca.jpg

This is his adoption photo......he looks the same these days....

We hope he starts feeling better very soon! Being sick is just no fun for anyone.

He is really cute. so did the vet tell you to use the humidifier or did you get the idea from me? Are you using the oil as well?

I just got off the phone with the Vet. We are going to syringe the meds into Denver, using apple juice or water with honey. She said fine with adding the oil to the humififier! Thanks so much for your advice.

I am worried about Denver and will spend the weekend hovering over his furry self, to see if some TLC will help out!

Thanks again.

:)

I am sure some TLC will do the little man the world of good - feel better soon sweetie

Good thoughts to Denver. Baytril is a good bunny medicine. My Buster had it one time and it did what it was suppose to do.

Benny and Snowy send good wishes to Denver. Sounds like he is in the best of hands and oh so loved. Kisses Denver on that sweet stuffy nose.

I'm sorry to hear that he's sick:( and I hope that he'll recover quickly and feel better soon. Please continue to keep us updated about him.

It's been a few days since you've updated us on Denver.
Is he feeling better yet?

Quote:

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Baytril is a good bunny medicine

---

Oh yes yes yes! It really works fast and clears up alot of things. Hows he feeling?

Sallyanne I'm sorry I didn't see this for so long. I didn't ahve an idea how nicely Cinnamon and Denver have bonded. So I double wish he is fine.

How is Denver???

How is Denver doing? Your silence is making me nervous.

How is Denver doing now, did the medicine help? I hope he's feeling better, and that Cinnamon didn't get it.

I sent Sasvermont a PM requesting an update on Denver.
I noticed she hasn't been online in a week.
Hopefully she will give us an update on Denver soon. :)

My home computer is being held hostage by HP and should be Fed Ex'd back to me any day now. Right...... I have been way too busy at work to spend the time to email. Today, Saturday, I came in just to get up to speed with my emails from home.

Denver is doing OK. He has a few more days of being on the Baytril...... he is not worse, but doesn't seem to be better. He is not using his litter box much......just doesn't produce much....unlike him....he is like a poop factory usually. I will check him out this weekend and drop him off again on Monday, if necessary. I hate to have him suffering....he sounds like a sick baby....unable to breathe out of both nostrils. I think I will ask the vet to sedate him and check for an obstruction in his nose! He may not make it back though.

He is eating up a storm, and drinking.......but not giving much back.....hmmmmmm...........

Miley is not any worse either.....and looks a bit healthier than last week. She is eating turkey ... they all are....along with the special dry food!

So, not much is new here. I feel like nurse Sally at the animal hospital...pills....pilling......special foods......lots of steam baths....... actually, they are good for me too.....not the pills, but the steam room/baths.

Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry to worry you. I am having a bad time with HP and their customer service folks. Surprised? I am trying to be diplomatic, but it sure is difficult. They have had my computer since 3/27/07 to fix a hinge! Go figure.

Sas and her brats

I borrowed a laptop from work to bring home to use while mine is MISSING IN ACTION!

Denver is not getting better. I will hold off until Monday morning and take him back in to try plan B. It is really bothering me that he is having such a tough time of breathing.

Does anyone have a good guess how long of a time is usual for a bunny to have a cold/infection? He seems to be happy otherwise.

I surely hate to spend a fortune on this guy, but I really have no choice. He is my big boy bunny, no matter what. Pets are expensive to have, that's for sure!

I borrowed a laptop from work to bring home to use while mine is MISSING IN ACTION!

Denver is not getting better. I will hold off until Monday morning and take him back in to try plan B. It is really bothering me that he is having such a tough time of breathing.

Does anyone have a good guess how long of a time is usual for a bunny to have a cold/infection? He seems to be happy otherwise.

I surely hate to spend a fortune on this guy, but I really have no choice. He is my big boy bunny, no matter what. Pets are expensive to have, that's for sure!

Well, two weeks have gone by. I will be taking Denver to the Vet tomorrow morning and they will knock him out and do xrays. It is going to be hard on him since he is still having problems breathing. He is doing a little better than last week and is still eating up a storm. If he's willing to hang in there, so am I. If I see that he is unhappy.....well.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

SAS and Denver

Hmm... he is not pooping. Maybe he has a fur ball? Boof took about a week to show improvement, and about 1-2 weeks more to get back to his old self.

I have packed Denver's lunch! and now it is a wait for the clock to tick tick tick to leave for the vet. I know that this might be his last day. He may not make it through the investigative work.

Denver did have some stool activity but not much. Hopefully the vet will be able to determine what is going on with him through the xrays.

Fingers crossed,

Looks as if your home computer couldn't deal with the new fast connection ;)
I am sorry to hear about Denver. The breathing issue can be something with the heart as well. I wish you all the best.
And what's it about Miley?

Please tell me she's ok.

Good luck with Denver....let us know how he gets on.

He is still ill, but made it through the sedation. They found only clogged sinus on one side, the other side is clear. They took a sample to send off to a lab to culture it....fungus or bacterial? He lost more weight, not good, except that he was a pudge butt to begin with. We will have to wait one week or so for the results. He is going back on Baytryl for the next two weeks, again, unless we decide to change meds after the culture results come back.

I bought some tea tree oil tonight and put that in his humidifier. I feel better having the smell drifting through the house so I assume he too can breathe a bit better.

The vet said his xrays showed nothing. His lungs are clear and only his right sinus is a mess. We haven't ruled out a turmor but right now we are thinking infection, not tumor.

I will keep you all posted.

He is such a sweet guy. No trouble at all. I think he is enjoying having the guest room to himself, with lots of attention from me....and from the cats....lots of tasty food several times a day....what more could he ask for...I know, being able to breathe through both nostrils!

The vet bill was outrageous. As my dear, sweet, deceased brother would have said to me ... "think how many new bunnies you could buy with that amount of money"....... He was always scarcastic, but was also an animal lover and would never suggest Denver be PTS. He often said that about my cats and the stories I would tell about the price tags at the vets.

Tonight I asked if I could get a part time job there, at the vets, to get an employee discount! They laughed. Sure. I just met their payroll for Friday!

I love Denver so and would not put him through anything that would torture him. If he has the strength to hang in there and get better, then I will make the money available somehow.

((((((((((((((Denver)))))))))))))))

;)

Sas, I know you have been very busy with work but please do update us on Denver's test results when you get them back.
I hope he feels better soon.

Barbara, I had asked Sas about Miley when I sent her a PM.
Miley had some tests done at the vets just after I had visited.
She is fine, she just needed a change in diet. :)

Poor Denver - hope you start to feel better soon

Sending prayers to you Denver and a xxx for that wiggle nose.

Well, Denver is still sick. I hope to hear from the Vet soon. He had a bad night last night. I took him into the bathroom, twice with the shower going full blast to steam up the room. Poor guy. He looks so uncomfortable.

This is really depressing, to see him this way. Only a few more hours/days, I hope, until we either switch meds or.........................let nature take its course.

:(

Poor sick bunny! Kisses to his wee noggin.

Please little Denver, get better. Your mummy loves you. Maybe you can use a human nasal decongestant spray, that worked when boof was sick, but we tried so many things it is hard to know what it is that worked. We were so worried.

I'm so sorry to hear that Denver is still poorly Sas. Try and stay positive, you are doing a wonderful job of looking after him.

Keep us posted with his progress.

Mandy

How do I administer it? And what dose? The vet said that some folks use Nebulizers, but we hadn't talked much beyond that.

I think I will try it, if you will be so kind to let me know how and how much.