Drunk Buck

[Frecs]

Scary time this morning. Found my buck, Hopp, acting "drunk" -- stumbling around, head swinging, and eyes darting. I was so upset because I thought I'd have to put him down. Actually had Mom calling around for someone with a pistol to come do the deed because I wouldn't be able to do it myself. But, I called another rabbit breeder friend and she talked me down off the panic and gave me good advise. Fruit flavored Tums, crushed in water, and fed to him via syringe. Let me tell you, even a sick rabbit can put up a fight! But, once he tasted it, he stopped fighting. He appears to be on the mend. Sigh and amen.

(I keep the Tums around for my does - they one a day a few days before and after kindling. It has just elevated itself even higher on my list of Rabbit Emergency Medical Kit items.)

 

[MaggieJ]

Valuable information, Frecs. Please give us an update on how he is doing in a day or two.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm glad he is feeling better.

Why did the breeder recommend Tums for him? Beyond calcium deficiency, I mean- did she have an idea of what caused it?

I found liquid calcium in gel caps at the dollar store and bought those. I've crushed Tums in the past myself, but feel the delivery of calcium will be quicker with the gel caps since it can be given straight or perhaps diluted with a bit of liquid.

 

[Miss M]

Yes, wow, I'd be very interested to know why she suggested Tums! I am not challenging her, just trying to learn! What about his symptoms told her, "this bun needs Tums"?

 

[Frecs]

She figured it *might* be a calcium deficiency and if so, Tums would fix it, and if not, no harm in trying.

It isn't working after all, it seems. There appeared to be improvement right after administration but now his eyes are darting and he's listing to the side like a boat taking on water. I tried to administer more crushed Tums but I am not sure I even got him to swallow any this time.

He is also breathing heavy so I'm afraid he is in pain and I don't know whether to put him down or give him more time.

 

[MaggieJ]

Sorry to hear he's not doing well. I guess the TUMS is one of those "can't hurt, might help" kind of things.

Could it be wry neck?
http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuniculi.htm

 

[MamaSheepdog]

How hot is it there? He may be in heat distress- mine normally just lay with their heads elevated, but if his brain got overheated yesterday, it may be neurological damage.

I would try to give him electrolytes, and see if that helps at all.

 

[Miss M]

Oh, okay... makes sense.

I was wondering about wry neck, but MSD's got a good point about neurological damage from heat, as well.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh, okay... makes sense.

I was wondering about wry neck, but MSD's got a good point about neurological damage from heat, as well.

I was thinking about wry neck, too... it could also be an ear infection, but that does not explain the darting eyes. Wry neck is most common in very young or old rabbits.

Check out Barbi Browns description and treatment protocol:

http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuniculi.htm

 

[Frecs]

It is low 80's and low humidity today. We had two days (Weds and Thurs) of mid-90's and high humidity but under the pecan grove (which is where my rabbitry is) it stays a good 10F or more below those temps. No one showed any signs of distress either of those days. He has acted normal during and since. When I fed them all at 7am, he was fine. At 9:20am I found him in this terrible condition. I also wondered about wry neck.

I'll see if I have a vitamin E capsule. I'm willing to try anything in the "couldn't hurt, might help" category.

Wny is it that it is always the sweet ones? WHY!!???

 

[Ivory]

Sorry to hear your bunny's sick Freds, hope he pulls through.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Rotten luck, sorry he's not doing well. It DOES seem to always be the good ones, doesn't it?!

__

 

[Frecs]

Okay, so it does sound like wry neck. If so, the protocol she lists seems rather involved. Has anyone experienced success with healing wry neck?

 

[Miss M]

I see the darting eyes listed for wry neck, so yeah, could be that.

 

[Frecs]

My breeder friends came over and confirmed, wry neck. We talked about the option to try to treat, the expected issues involved if I did so, and the still very likely chance he would not make it. I opted to not put him through that. Since Mother and I had our Pastor and his family over for dinner (previously scheduled) they offered to take Hopp to their place, cull him there, and bury him. Good peeps.

Now, to get a torch so I can torch his cage before reusing.

To all those who think rabbit raising is easy...obviously they never raised rabbits!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh, I'm so sorry, Frecs.

What a nice thing for your Pastor to put him down for you. Not many rabbits get buried by a man of the cloth.

Rest in Peace, Hopp.

 

[AmysMacdog]

I'm sorry for your loss, Frecs.

 

[Frecs]

Oh, I'm so sorry, Frecs.

What a nice thing for your Pastor to put him down for you. Not many rabbits get buried by a man of the cloth.

Rest in Peace, Hopp.

Sorry for the miscommunication...the breeder friends took it to their place to cull so that Mother's dinner for the Pastor and his family wouldn't be affected by what needed to be done for Hopp.

My Pastor has been coming over for "farm therapy". Today, he held a 2-week-old kit for quite a long time. He has decided he wants to raise "pet" rabbits. I think it's a good idea for him.

But, actually, my Pastor would have done it for me if he'd been asked to come "packing". ;-)

 

[Bad Habit]

So sorry to hear about your loss, but it sounds like you did the best thing for him - saved him an uncertain future and possibly lots of suffering.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MamaSheepdog wrote:
Oh, I'm so sorry, Frecs.

What a nice thing for your Pastor to put him down for you. Not many rabbits get buried by a man of the cloth.

Rest in Peace, Hopp.


Sorry for the miscommunication...the breeder friends took it to their place to cull so that Mother's dinner for the Pastor and his family wouldn't be affected by what needed to be done for Hopp.

Whoops! That was a comprehension error on my part, not your writing skills at fault at all.