Topic: Poorly bunny

[cocopops]

My daughter had two young rabbits for her birthday at the end of May.  One of them is a pedigree tete d'lion (lion face) called Schnookels.  She is gorgeous, but started with a runny eye about three weeks ago.  I kept bathing it but unfortunately her nose became blocked.  We went to the vets who said she was a virus that is common with rabbits.  He gave us some anti-infection medication.  We have two other rabbits that are ok but we had to treat them too.

Over the last few days Schnookles has got worse.  Her nose is blocked and her breathing is heavy.  We have isolated her and kept her passages clean.  Unfortunately my vets' is closed for two weeks for the holidays here.  I have upped her meds and she seems slightly better after them.

Schookles is eating and drinking but her eye is still wet.  Can anyone suggest anything to do, it is a virus so I feel stuck.  Anyone who has watched 'Max and Ruby', she is a total Ruby ;-)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Cocopops

[Suzanne]

Personally I would take her to another vets in the interim to check her over - unfortunately her virus may have either got worse or she has picked up a secondary infection which will complicate matters or need a different treatment.

[shirlton]

Hi Suzanne. Ther is a wonderful website for bunnies)" Rabbits  United." Put a post on there and you should get some help. I have 2 house rabbits. They are very complex creatures. I didn't realise until I had mine. Hope you get the bun sorted soon.

[shirlton]

Sorry the post was meant for cocopops

[cocopops]

Thanks for all the advice.  She is better than she was but there is still loads of white mucus.  I have made an appointment with another vets for tomorrow afternoon so hopefully they will help.

She is such a sweet thing, really loves cuddles and does not mind me 'un-plugging' nose.  I hate to see her like this.  On a positive note she is eating loads of food so fingers crossed.

Thanks again - Cocopops

[cocopops]

Took Scnookles to the new vet today.  He was brilliant.  It is not a virus but a bacterial infection so the meds we have been giving her for the last two weeks would not have had effect.  She has had an injection today followed by a course of anti-biotics.

He was amazed that she lets us give her her medicine in a syringe directly into her mouth instead of putting it into her water.  She allowed him to give her an injection without any fuss and then just sat there whilst we were talking about her condition.  She is so sweet and cuddly and is running around her pen.

Almost glad that we found the new vets as we have a male rabbit and guinea pig that are due for castration in a few weeks and he said that is no problem.

[shirlton]

Good news about the bunny ;D

[betula]

Yes it is good news :)

[grannyjanny]

Cocopops, Do you keep the guinea pig separate from the rabbits? I would love a lionhead rabbit but it would have to go in with my 4 guineas. One of them is a very old lady, 7 this month & I don't think she could put up with a baby rabbit chasing her around. There is plenty of room as they have a chicken coop. Does the lionhead need much grooming?

[Digeroo]

Perhaps it depends on the rabbit, but when my children were young we kept a rabbit with some guinea pigs, and the guineas were well in charge.  Poor rabbit could hardly move.  I was told the rabbit might squash the guineas but if the rabbit lay down the guineas climbed on top. 

Would love to have guineas again, but last time I went away for a few days and my other half let it out and it got behing the coal bunk and I never managed to catch it.  I put food out for several days but finally it stopped eating it.  So I have not got another one.

[grannyjanny]

When our youngest was small we had rabbits & guineas together, one of the guineas used to try to mate with the rabbits head. Poor rabbit must have thought here he comes again & would put her down ready. It was always worse in the spring when he was eating purple sprouting broccoli ;D ;D ;D. I think the RSPCA say they shouldn't be together as the rabbit might kick the guineas. We never had any problems, they used to snuggle up together, in fact if the rabbit sat in the doorway the GP would sit between the rabbits ears. Lovely sight.

[shirlton]

Its not realy good to keep them together beacause their diet is quite different. What is good for pigs can be very detremental for rabbits.

[grannyjanny]

I wondered about that Shirl ::).

[cocopops]

I had a guinea pig and dwarf rabbit together for years and they were best of friends.

When I bought this batch I checked with the lady in the store that it was ok to keep them together as the food was bagged separately.  She said no problem, just mix the food together and add extra drops to their water.

They are very happy together, now after two months.  They have a large hutch, with two compartments, and special wooden sticks for them to chew on.  They have loads of dandilion leaves and carrots to suppliment their diet.

I would not put a rabbit in with hens as one day Schnookles had a nasty gash on her nose. I think it was because she poked her nose through the mesh to the neighbouring hen run.

As far as grooming a lionhead rabbit, there has been no need so far.  She is only a baby, but her mane is really soft and not very thick.  This may change!  Due to her illness she has had lots of extra handling and unbelievably tame.  I love giving her an extra cuddle after she has had her medicine.

[shirlton]

The RSPCA advise against keeping Guinea Pigs with rabbits as they have different dietary needs, have different ways of communicating and rabbits can do very nasty injuries to them.


This taken from the Rabbits United forum.

[cocopops]

I must have been very lucky then.  As soon as load the software for my new pc I will send you some pics of them together.  Dwarf / small rabbits (they are) and huge piggies, very cute.

My old guinea pig used to sleep over the back of the rabbit, it was lovely to see.  We had them for years. 

I am only expressing my opinion based on experience, I am not an expert, but it has worked for me.

[shirlton]

I too had a pig and a rabbit years ago for the kids and to me they were just pets. Since i have had my house rabbits and really taken more interest in them I can now see why they should not be kept together. Years ago I would have just fed the Buns a mix from the pet shop but since reading about their very complex digestive systems they are fed a selective feed ands loads of hay. As  you say you have been very lucky.

[cocopops]

You have animals, take advice, and make your own decisions.  C'est la vie, bon soire.