Sunday, September 30, 2012

Wayne got sick again

Our little Wayne got sick again. Same problem as last time. We suspected GI stasis right away. He stopped eating and stopped pooping.
This time we couldnt take him to the vet because they no longer accept rabbits since that vet left the hospital. So we had to do it ourselves.

It was quite bad this time. We found him after being gone for the day huddled in a cardboard play box siting in his urine. I thought he would die that night.

Its been two very long weeks since that night and I can say he is doing a lot better.

So, what happened?

Well, hubby was doing basement renos, noise and changes in environment. Then I took him to work on Thursday so he wouldn't hear too much noise from the construction. Friday he seemed off, but still somewhat chipper. He was shedding and sometimes rabbits can get a bit on the quiet side during that time.
We had gone to a family reunion the Saturday and that night when we came back, well, Wayne wasn't ok. He was sitting in his own urine and had not pooped in two days.

We began immediately feeding him critical care, keeping him warm and massaging his belly and feeding him water though a syringe.

I read as much as I could about his condition. Ironically all information said to bring him to the vet. This was not an option. I could not take him on an hour ride to the nearest vet that did 'casual' rabbit care. I didnt think he would survive.

All signs pointed to GI stasis again. No poops, he was not interested in food...but he was peeing a lot. And I mean a lot.
I didnt think he would make it through the night and I wept as I tucked him in for his rest.

I searched for info on kidney stones and found out he may have urine sludge from too much calcium in his diet. We do give the bunnies Kale...and that ironically has the most calcium. So we cut that out immediately. Our water is also high in minerals, so I got bottled for him.

It took days of 3-4 hour feedings, for him to get some energy back. We knew he was not himself still because he could barely protest the critical care.
I started having to mix in some apple pure because I could imagine how much he likely hated the taste.

He slowly started eating on his own on the 3rd day, but still very very little. And it was carrot tops, only carrot tops, like the last time. At least it was a sign he was getting better.

His stomach started making awful gurgling noises so we kept massaging his belly, which he didnt mind at all.  He slowly started to drink on his own too.

The poops that he finally passed were very very hard and some had mucus on them....graphic pictures will be posted with a warning further down.

My notes. Its great to refer back to especially when you are running on 3 hours of sleep.


He still wasn't himself but took comfort hiding in his fort with this beloved stuffed animals.


More of my notes. I kept sending updates to my hubby who was at work. We took turns staying home with him. Lucky for us both of our jobs were flexible for working from home.


He hung out with me during the day. I think he really enjoyed watching the squirrels outside. I did everything to lift his spirits.


He started to pee a bit better, less sludgy and with less effort.
He barely had the strength to hop but found his way into the litter box. It was of course too small for him and his aim shot the pee right out. But I didnt care, it was pee and it didnt seem to hurt him when he went.

He had a bit more energy and started to change positions to where he slept. This is him under a table.

I kept offering carrot tops and slowly he started eating more and more. 

He loves his little stuffed husky puppy. I knew he was getting better when he started grooming him.

He was eating more and more, which was a fantastic sign. Poops on the other hand were still small and not Wayne size.


He slept beside us at night. I think he really enjoyed the warmth plus this way we could keep a very close eye on him.

He tuckered down right next to my snoogle.

He really enjoyed snuggling in and resting with us. Definitely not a Wayne thing to do.

Dandelion leaves became his new favourite snack.


He started getting more energy and protesting the feedings, all great signs. 
He also had more poops which were larger in size. All signs were pointing to a rabbit that was getting better.


He still enjoyed sleeping on our bed during the day right in the middle of my snoogle. 


He had a lot more energy :3



His poops were getting a lot better and bigger and more frequent. He began to play, shake his head and tear up newspapers. All great signs.

We stopped force feeding him because he was eating more on his own and it also helped his moral not to be force fed.

Right now two weeks after it happened, he is doing a lot better. Still not 100% but I say very close. He now wants to play at night rather than sit between us and rest. His stomach is no longer making awful noises and there is no more mucus in his poops. 

He is eating on his own and has now permanently moved his headquarters into our room. 
Its a lot nicer to have everyone on the same floor. Plus I can keep a very close eye on him.

Is is not out of the woods yet but he has come a long way and has been a real trooper.

What have I learned in all of this?
  • Rabbits need patience, a safe place and lots of love (I already knew this before but it just reaffirmed it)
  • Never give up on a bunny. They have a lot of fight in them. 
  • Sometimes taking a sick rabbit to the vet is not in his best interests. 
    • We could have taken him but that would have done no good, especially taking into consideration what happened during our last visit. Sometimes pushing antibiotics down a poor animals throat is not in his best interests. Yes this was a HUGE gamble, but I feared he would die on the way to the vet or during his stay there.
  • Mending takes time. Lots of time. 
  • Providing a safe and comforting place for a rabbit to heal is as critical as giving him the care he needs
  • Grooming shows you care about the bun. I honestly think bunnies can get depressed, and no there is not a lot of literature out there about this. Yes, there are topics about grief and loss but not about depression stemming from other causes.
Im so glad he is better, but I know that he is easily susceptible to environmental changes and he needs a lot more attention. 

Last words of advice; you know your bun and trust your instincts. When you suspect something is wrong, don't ignore it.


WARNING PICTURES OF POOP BELOW...
If you dont want to see them stop scrolling NOW...


Poop



Poop



Poop


Poop



Poop



Poop



These were his initial poops in the middle of the night when he first started pooping. Notice how small they are. 


These were a bit better but we needed to have him continually poop.

This was the disgusting mucus poop that came out of him. It smelled off. The poop stuck together by a string of thick mucus.  

His pee was off as well. Some of it was chalky.

The remainder of poop he passed was sticky and would coat his bum. We had to pick it off.

More mucus poop. 

He finally started to poop more solid balls. This was a sign he was getting better. 






Sunday, September 9, 2012

Connor in the Closet

Connor loves to sleep in the closet. Its dark, quiet and a safe place to slumber.
One afternoon my hubby heard some rumblings and went to check on the buns. 
Turns out, Connor had found his way into a bag of hay in the closet and proceeded to take out the strap that holds the packs together.
Apparently he was at it for some time before he could get it out of the  bag.
Once complete he was quite proud of his accomplishments and went on his merry way.
Who knew a piece of plastic could be so much fun.







Sunday, September 2, 2012

Wayne Demoing the Apple Hat

I knitted a couple of hats today. I wasnt planning on it. I intended to make one small one for my niece and then it ended up being way too big, the second one then ended up being way too small...so now Im not sure what to do with them.
This is what happens without a pattern, varied yarn size and someone who does not know what they are doing.

Wayne is modelling my two apple hats.


The one thats too small....


And the one thats too big...

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Electric Whiskers



I took this picture this morning while letting Connor run outside in the back garden.
I just love how the sunlight picked up his whiskers at such an electric colour. 


He soon retreated to my lap, then as close as possible to my face and began to grind his teeth in dislike, he wanted back in the house. 

Some mornings he will romp around, others, not so much.


Nap in the afternoon with some banana snacks in between

The buns are often fast asleep by 11AM. Whether they chose under the bed, like Mr.Connor always likes, or in a Mooii like Wiggles, or somewhere dark like Wayner, they all settle in for a long sleep till around 7PM. 

Well, I figured they would get hungry during their hibernation, so I sliced up a banana, an everloved treat by all buns, and offered up as a 'midnight' snack, so to speak.

Connor got to it first and he munched on one quite happily till Wiggles realized there were bananas to be had so she tanked her way into the scene. Connor, pictured below, had to seek refuge in a cardboard box on the bed. 







I did not forget about Wayne. He was happily sleeping away in his fort when I woke him. He was more than happy to munch away on a rare treat.



Although he was getting annoyed by the flash of my camera, so I retreated and let him finish his bananariffic treat.



The Bunny in the Basement

Wayne lives in the basement. Not by my choice rather for his safety. I still have not been able to bond Connor and Wayne. Both neutered males but for some reason cant get along. That is Connor does not  tolerate him. So he lives in the basement, the entire domain is his.
We feel guilty because he is alone there most of the time, especially the days my husband and I both work in the office. The other two have each other, Wayne...well, he has his forts.

But luckily most of the time, 3-4 days a week my hubby not only works from home, but in the basement with Wayne. Even during his afternoon naps, my beloved husband will bring his laptop down there and work in the shabby basement of ours that is undergoing renovations....rabbit proof renovations that is.

They get along quite well and I do enjoy the pictures he send me throughout the day.

A funny thing he mentioned to me just yesterday that I had to share.
He will sometimes lay beside Wayne petting him or just beside him for company. Well, rabbit instinct kick in and those moments when my hubby lays down, Wayne keeps a lookout! Thats right. Our little Wayne has bonded with my hubby so much that he is looking out for predators or any other harm that may befall my husband while he is laying down on the floor! Well, its only right since my hubby does the same when Wayne is resting...that is he sits on the floor with his laptop working.

I just thought this was the cutest thing. He not only plays chase and hide and seek with him, but when he finds a new hiding spot, he coys my husband over to come and see!

Wayne is such a smart bunny and I love that he and my hubby have developed such a deep bond.

These pictures below are a collection that my husband had sent me thought his days in the basement with Wayne while I am away at work. I love the updates because they really cheer up my day.

Wayne coming out of his fort for kale.

Wayne loves to snuggle and rest close by my hubby while he works.

A nice flop 


Petting Wayne.

This is Wayne showing my hubby a new hiding spot he found. He cant figure out why however my husband does not follow him all the way in.

He loves to find new hiding places. Luckily everything is rabbit proofed. And if not, well, its my own damn fault :)

Wayne being Wayne!!!