Yesterday, I took my rabbit Ani to the vet to be spayed. Although the procedure was successful, she refused to eat the morning afterward, which can be trouble. Following advice from readers, I mixed a paste of her pellet food and water, and I’ve been force feeding it to her through a syringe. She struggled a bit, but she did eat the food. She’s awake and alert now, grooming herself in her cage, and I think she drank water from her bowl. After a break, I’m going to give her some more food.
Awww, Ani!
Yes, Ani is fine. But are YOU ok, Mike? That expression looks like a painful consequence is headed in your direction.
Poor dear – here’s hoping she recovers quickly. I think it’s a good sign she’s at least grooming herself.
Speedy recovery to you, sweet Ani -bunny!
Thanks for the official update (although I’ve been following along in the comments). I had forgotten about the hurt reproachfulness when you give them medication or force them to take or do something for medicinal purposes. I hated that.
Aw, poor baby. It hurts daddy more than it hurts you, I’m sure.
Daddy is in full-tilt what-have-i-done mode. 🙁
🙁
She’ll forgive you when she feels better.
What you’ve done is spare her the otherwise basically inevitable cancer. Good on you. I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but you did the right thing. She’ll come around when she’s feeling better.
Oh, I do understand that. This was the main reason I wanted her to have the surgery. Happily, she’s been eating again, both hay and pellets.
Whew, I’m glad to hear it. She’s been through a lot – and so have you! Hopefully it’s all easy from here on in.
Knock on wood that I’ve never had to medicate my parrot. I can’t begin to fathom how that would work out for him and me. Hope all is well with Ani by this evening, Mike. Ani is a sweet-looking bun!
Awww, hope all is well soon. We have a hamster getting meds and food by syringe right now. It’s never easy. Lots of love to bunny.
That’s great news, Mike. The fact that she’s grooming is very good – a rabbit that isn’t feeling well doesn’t groom. It seems she’s on the mend and while it’s anxiety producing to have to deal with all the syringe feeding it’s good experience to have had – now you know what to do if she ever shows signs of stasis again. Another tip for times like that should they occur, because it’s like us getting a belly ache, is to massage their tummies, gently going from front to back. They usually appreciate it.
I hope you are better soon, Ani…sounds like you are improving already! Just remember, Daddy knows best!
Ani: Daddy .. You did this to me … So now you have to hand feed me and scratch my belly until I feel like forgiving you. (And that’s not going to be for a while)
Poor Ani .. Like your Tagline says ..
Doing strange things to animals since Jan 2, 2017 *Wink*
To Ani – my daughter’s bunneh, Lance, (starting last night and today) has had to have meds and be fed thru a syringe and he hates it. But now and again, their digestive systems can get plugged up and need intervention. So, Lance can feel your pain and anger at the mean-o-, hoomin. NTMTOM I can feel your guilt for putting a bunneh through all that, and they don’t understand that it’s because we love them. Hang in there, she will forgive you, eventually.
I’m sorry Ani isn’t feeling well, but I know that between the bunny experts here and your vet, she’ll be back to here normal disapproving self in no time. This is such a great community you’ve created, I know everyone has your back, Mike! Give Ani some get well hugs and pets from me, too, okay?
Good news that Ani is better. Poor Mike. Ani will forgive you.
I’m so glad Ani is doing better, Mike! The fact that she’s grooming and alert are good signs. Clean out her litter box so you can tell if she’s pooping.? That way you know if the whole GI system is working. You probably are in for some disapproval, but bunnies memories are relatively short?
The vet advised me to clear her litter box daily for a while until her incision heals to lower risk of infection. I’ll be able to monitor her pellet output at the same time.
Good deal!?
Bambi sends some hugs to Ani and tells her to keep grooming and to start munching on that hay and other yummies. She remembers coming the days after her surgery and being stoned out of her ever bunny loving mind and getting spoiled by her momma who felt terrible for subjecting her to such a thing. Gotta remember you did it for her health 🙂
I am so glad Ani is doing better, Mike!
It really feels awful having to give meds and do other things that our furkids don’t understand, but it’s also essential to their health and safety. Sometimes we just have to be the grownups. And it certainly seems to me that you’re doing everything right.
The glint in her eye looks like she is deep into plots of revenge.I cant think of what kind of doom bunnies bring,but it cant be good.
Hugs to sweet Anikins! You’ll feel better soon, sweetheart, and then you can have fun plotting your revenge.
Mike, she is such a cutie! I hope she feels better soon. If you don’t have it, you should get a little pouch of Oxbow Critical Care (you can get it on Amazon or from your vet) to have on hand for syringe feeding. It’s made specifically for these situations and it lasts forever. Whenever my Pixie has trouble, I use it and she bounces back very quickly.
But boy oh boy, does she ever get OPINIONATED about being syringe fed! So much contempt from such a wee little bunny. 🙂
I hope Ani feels better soon! Smooch.
AND it comes in flavors which can help tempt a bunny who does not want to eat. You may wish to think about putting together a little bunny emergency kit. A lot of rabbit care sites recommend it and give good suggestions as to what should be included. Besides Critical Care, I keep baby simethecone drops handy for gas pain. She’ll be back on her fuzzy thumpers in no time!
Ani loves you .. may not show it at the moment .. but ..
Interesting that you should post that, because her full name is Darth Anikin. 🙂
Omgodh. Amazing.
Ah Miss Ani! You have such an elegant fuzzy profile! You are gorgeous! – yes you are! Don’t be too hard on your Papa Mike – he loves you is all. Get well and feel better soon. xo
SHE JUST ATE A PIECE OF KALE! I put it under her nose and she ate it all up! I’m going to get her some more.
Update: She won’t eat another piece, but I tore a few pieces off and put them in front of her.
Yippee!!! 🙂
YAY for Ani AND Mike. I know the feeling of excitement and relief!
Go Ani Go!
Easy on the kale, Mike – gas producing and can exacerbate stasis! I’m probably more careful than most about this because I had a bun die from stasis after having eaten kale – not sure it was the cause but I’m SO wary. Parsley and romaine are your friends – dandelion greens and fennel are, too.
OK, thanks!
The bunny I have right now refuses to eat ANY greens other than parsley. Glad it’s easy to find!! So she gets a nice big handful for her evening meal along with a crunchy bunny treat like dried apples or banana chips and papaya tablets or dried papaya 3 times a week. That helps to break down fur in their intestines. And she always has Oxbow hay (timothy or orchard grass are her favorites) to feast on served in a hanging hay server that she hasn’t figured out how to tear off her cage!!! It has 2 neat clips on it that she can’t get off the cage bars. YIPPEE!! It came from Drs. Foster and Smith in Wisconsin. I also get her hay from them. She doesn’t have a litter pan as she thinks they’re to play with and throw the litter all over the cage and turn the pan upside down even though they have special cage attachments. She should be called ‘Little Demon’ instead of ‘Freckles’!! She also would LOVE to completely EAT the plastic parts of her cage. I have to spray the inside corners with vinegar to get her to leave them alone. Bitter apple didn’t faze her a bit!! This was a rescue bunny and I can understand why her previous owner gave her up. She is definitely a TYRANT!! And doesn’t like being picked up. But she’s a cutie.
Bitter Apple was also a washout with my cats, Mookie and Mazzilli, before they departed this earth. Fortunately Ricky has never been a chewer, at least not since I’ve had him. But he’s been hobbling around all day having hot diarrhea, so count your blessings, Mike. If I have to spray Nature’s Miracle and disinfectant on this floor one more time …
Poor old Ricky. I know he can’t help it. But yeesh.
Aw, poor Ricky – he must feel bad not being able to do what his Mom wants him to do. Aren’t there doggie diapers? Or would that be too demeaning or too difficult?
Diapers are available, and some of them are pretty well designed, but IMO they are better for urinary incontinence. For a fluffy dog to have a diaper full of diarrhea, or even just normal feces … well, washing the floor is a lot easier than washing the dog, and less likely to cause doggie rashes, skin irritation, or infection.
That is a mental picture…Fluffy dog and diarrhea. Please do not send in a picture.
I hope health is soon returned to all! (Fluffy pictures then would be welcome!?)
Ooooh, yeah – gotcha.
I most certainly will not send in pictures of any such mess. 🙂 Fortunately the worst is over. Vet advised me to skip a month on the heartworm meds, and gave me a sample of a different medication to try in two months. Fingers crossed; maybe the new medication won’t upset Mr. Picky’s tummy as much.
Have you tried feeding him some pumpkin? I stirred some into my old kitty’s food and the runs cleared up the next day!
Pumpkin is *great* for doggie digestive ailments, and I’ve used it often in the past. But in this case I’m 99% sure that the cause is Ricky’s heartworm preventive medicine, which he ate the day before. I figured the indigestion would run its course and be done, and now that it’s “tomorrow” morning, so it appears. We’re off to the vet today for other reasons, so if his tummy is still upset, we can deal with that as well.
Doggie diarrhea is not the fun part of having a little dog around the house, but on balance he’s worth it. 🙂
I give my cat pumpkin whenever she starts to do that hair ball maneuver and she LOVES it. Not all cats do, apparently, but mixing it in with some wet food is a great idea. I freeze it in an ice cube tray then empty the frozen cubes into a plastic bag: then I microwave a cube very carefully and gradually and that’s all it takes.
Yup, that’s how I keep it in stock, too, once I’ve opened a can.
I’m sure you’re careful with the banana and apple treats – they’re very sugary and can lead to intestinal distress, but, surprisingly, so can papaya tablets. I think if you go on the House Rabbit website you’ll learn that they’re almost all sugar and that there’s no evidence that papaya actually helps their motility at all. I used to give my buns papaya in the mistaken belief that it helped was admonished otherwise. It used to be thought that hair caused blockages but those are extremely rare – what usually causes problems is gas buildup in their stomachs and nothing can go through.
Hooray! Hopefully some good eats will help her feel better sooner (and get you back in her good graces).
Great news! She may not have a big appetite yet but the fact that she was interested enough to eat a piece shows she is getting better.
Yep, I agree with Gigi! 🙂
So do I!?
I know the joy of seeing our fur kids eat drink pee and poop normally. Especially after surgery or on the first day you have them.
Yay! I have cravings for fresh parsley now.
🙂 I call it ‘All Systems Go.’
So glad Ani is heading in the right direction, Mike.
You are getting good advice from the bun experts here.
So glad Ani is on the mend!
Get well, Ani! Such a pretty bun, your furs look soooo pettable.
Another update: I stepped out to her cage just in time to see her nibbling down a blade of the meadow hay that she likes, so there’s another small step towards normalcy.
YAY! Hay is the single most important part of a rabbit’s diet, so that IS good news.
A good sign! You are taking such good care of her, Mike, and it is paying off! Make sure you get some rest tonight!
Yppe! Way to go Ani !
Huzzah! Go, Ani, go!
Sending out good vibes to the fluffalious Ani. I hope she recovers quickly.
Just caught the update. So glad she’s continuing to improve.
Ani is one handsome bun, as in Margaret Dumont from the Marx Brothers movies handsome. The carriage, the sharp gleam in the eye, the ample bosom…. She makes for a great straight man to your Groucho, Mike!
I can see her now, bending over a hot stove… but I can’t see the stove.
Except Margaret Dumont never “got” the Marx Brothers, was puzzled by what they did – I doubt that’s the case with Ani – she’s too shrewd.?
Glad to hear Ani is recovering! btw, her name reminds me: i have wild bunnies around where i live who get so used to me being outside that sometimes they sit and watch me as i walk by, rather than bolt. so of course i say out loud as they sit there munching the greenery, “i don’t see anybunny around, nope, absolutely nobunny….” neighbors have yet to complain, but i’m thinking chatting to the wild bunnies is probably a common human activity?
If it’s not, it should be.
I talk to the bunnies, the squirrels, the chipmunks, the birds….?
I not only talk to my wildlife, I name them all. Last summer I had a whole collection of bunnies (Barnum, Bailey, the Ringling Bros. and Hazel) – which means this summer I will have no bunnehs and one fox. Such is the circle of life. I don’t mind a fox – they are pretty to look at and rare enough in the area to seem “special” when you see one, but they make for indifferent companions as they are neither afraid of us nor particularly confrontational. The only creatures I don’t name and converse with are the coyotes. In Southern Ontario, what we call coyotes are actually hybrid coywolves so they can be quite big, mangey and ornery-looking – especially the ones struggling for survival in urban & suburban areas like mine. I’d rather not be on a first name basis with them.