Hello,
Thanks for joining me here again today! I'm happy you're here. The electricity has come back to most people in our area of Connecticut, other areas are starting to be repaired, trees and their debris are getting cleared away and my rabbits are in generally back-to-normal shape after their stress induced illnesses of last week. It is nice to be moving back to normal.
Losing sleep over them is not easy, nor comforting. Struggling with a very resistant bunny, like Tribble, when trying to give him medicine is not fun either. At one point he looked he was near death's door. I asked for prayers among Twitter and Facebook friends, and I tried some short-distance reiki healing energy work with him. Some people may roll their eyes, but I find that there is really something to it. I said prayers myself for the little guy as well. It was painful to see him fighting so hard when trying to medicate him. His resistance was exhausting him all the more.
We had picked up pain meds from the vet, already to use, and Critcal Care food for force feeding. Although I've done it before, usually force-feeding rabbits is not an easy task. I did arm myself by watching some instructional videos on YouTube. They didn't have these the last time I had to go through with this. I did learn some stuff that did even help making the medication time a bit easier as well. This one is a bit funny but gives the basic idea. I think it is good to have a good sense of the fragility of rabbits and be used to handling them before trying this using common sense. Another video done by a vet's office I found was very well done and extremely helpful.
I think the prayers, constant petting and attention, getting some little bit of exercise time (to keep/get things moving in the digestive area) were helpful. Miraculously after going to the extra effort of obtaining the pain med and force-feeding materials the night before, Tribble was nibbling on hay when I woke up and I saw some of his water was gone in his water bottle. As I started watching him and giving him more affectionate attention in the beginning of the day, he seemed to be doing much better with eating, alertness and defacating more normally. He didn't appear to be in pain that day and more active, so I waited on giving pain meds and force feeding. He didn't seem to need anything. No tooth grinding (loud and constant is usually a sign rabbits are in pain) like the days before. So under a constant watch, I withheld using the Critical Care/ force-feeding and the pain meds. I didn't want to push stressing him out, as long as he was eating, drinking, pooping and more active closer to normal. I think I really was blessed and lucky to see this change.
After monitoring him for days on this status, he has just shown constant improvement. He is finishing up his antibiotic meds with as much fight as before, but is more co-operative once the tiny little syringe is in his mouth. I think it helps that it is banana flavored!
My shy, reserved little gentleman bunny is nearly back to his old self and I am extremely happy to share it with you! My other bunny Grumbellina, mentioned in my previous post in dealing with the hurricane stress illness is totally back-to-normal. I have put her on a new diet of Timothy pellets and Timothy hay and she has adjusted to that without any problems. It's just that vulture-like side she has in her!
Thank you so much for joining me and my bunnies here. I hope that the two video links I posted about force-feeding rabbits are helpful.
Hoping you have a wonderful day!
Til next time,
Mary Ellen
The Rabbit Hop Shop
Thanks for joining me here again today! I'm happy you're here. The electricity has come back to most people in our area of Connecticut, other areas are starting to be repaired, trees and their debris are getting cleared away and my rabbits are in generally back-to-normal shape after their stress induced illnesses of last week. It is nice to be moving back to normal.
Losing sleep over them is not easy, nor comforting. Struggling with a very resistant bunny, like Tribble, when trying to give him medicine is not fun either. At one point he looked he was near death's door. I asked for prayers among Twitter and Facebook friends, and I tried some short-distance reiki healing energy work with him. Some people may roll their eyes, but I find that there is really something to it. I said prayers myself for the little guy as well. It was painful to see him fighting so hard when trying to medicate him. His resistance was exhausting him all the more.
We had picked up pain meds from the vet, already to use, and Critcal Care food for force feeding. Although I've done it before, usually force-feeding rabbits is not an easy task. I did arm myself by watching some instructional videos on YouTube. They didn't have these the last time I had to go through with this. I did learn some stuff that did even help making the medication time a bit easier as well. This one is a bit funny but gives the basic idea. I think it is good to have a good sense of the fragility of rabbits and be used to handling them before trying this using common sense. Another video done by a vet's office I found was very well done and extremely helpful.I think the prayers, constant petting and attention, getting some little bit of exercise time (to keep/get things moving in the digestive area) were helpful. Miraculously after going to the extra effort of obtaining the pain med and force-feeding materials the night before, Tribble was nibbling on hay when I woke up and I saw some of his water was gone in his water bottle. As I started watching him and giving him more affectionate attention in the beginning of the day, he seemed to be doing much better with eating, alertness and defacating more normally. He didn't appear to be in pain that day and more active, so I waited on giving pain meds and force feeding. He didn't seem to need anything. No tooth grinding (loud and constant is usually a sign rabbits are in pain) like the days before. So under a constant watch, I withheld using the Critical Care/ force-feeding and the pain meds. I didn't want to push stressing him out, as long as he was eating, drinking, pooping and more active closer to normal. I think I really was blessed and lucky to see this change.
After monitoring him for days on this status, he has just shown constant improvement. He is finishing up his antibiotic meds with as much fight as before, but is more co-operative once the tiny little syringe is in his mouth. I think it helps that it is banana flavored!
My shy, reserved little gentleman bunny is nearly back to his old self and I am extremely happy to share it with you! My other bunny Grumbellina, mentioned in my previous post in dealing with the hurricane stress illness is totally back-to-normal. I have put her on a new diet of Timothy pellets and Timothy hay and she has adjusted to that without any problems. It's just that vulture-like side she has in her!
Thank you so much for joining me and my bunnies here. I hope that the two video links I posted about force-feeding rabbits are helpful.
Hoping you have a wonderful day!
Til next time,
Mary Ellen
The Rabbit Hop Shop
I'm amazed at your dedication in taking care of your bunnies! I didn't know it would require special techniques to handle a sick rabbit... you're like the rabbit whisperer! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog earlier and for the follow. I am here to follow you back :)
Thanks for commenting on my blog. I follow yours now. It's so hard to have sick animals. You are doing a great job. Thanks for posting the videos too! After 4 years of having bunnies I learned, on Youtube, a good way to cut nails without having to take all 4 paws off the ground! Guess the internet is good for something.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great Bunneh Mom you are! It is very tough! Those little critters can put ya through the wringer, can't they? Scare you to pieces, too!
ReplyDelete