"Manitoulin Ten" Update - 14 Nov 2011

Alice

When the ten bunnies arrived Alice was showing very obvious signs of respiratory congestion (coughing, sneezing, etc).  She has since that time been under treatment for a lingering but much less severe congestion.  Each time she is treated she improves, but within weeks, symptoms they return.  All treatment options available to her have been given, including a culture & sensitivity test to determine the exact cause of the lingering issue but with little success.  Alice will likely require on and off antibiotic treatment throughout her life.  She will be spayed shortly.

Alice on 17 July 2011


Bonsai

Bonsai is doing very well and is showing no signs of any lingering issue.  He is available for adoption.

Kellogg

On 28 Oct 2011 Kellogg had surgery to trim his molars, which were giving him a great deal of discomfort.  At this time x-rays were also taken when it was discovered some of his molars were loose.  His 28 October surgery and necessary x-rays cost $812.70.  Kellogg will require a second surgery in coming weeks to remove the molars that are of concern.  The estimate for this surgery is almost $1000.

While in the process of writing this update we received a phone call from Kellogg's foster Mum.  Kellogg had suddenly past away.  We are very sadden to learn this and our hearts go out to his foster Mum.  Rest in Peace Kellogg.

A necropsy will be preformed to help determine the cause of death and hopefully give us some answers that will help us treat some of the other Manitoulin Bunnies.

Kellogg on 28 July 2011
Rest in Peace Kellogg
2010 - 14 Nov 2011

Charlie

On 13 Oct 2011 Charlie had an exploratory procedure to determine the origin of a mass in his mouth/throat area. Unfortunately, it was quickly determined to be a large & inoperable tumor. Thank you to everyone that showed him love & thank you to his foster family for making his last hours those of love & happiness. Rest in Peace, Charlie.

(The cost of his medical treatment in his last few days was approximately $617).

Rest In Peace Charlie
2010 - 14 Oct 2011

Thor

Thor has since his arrival been dealing with abscesses.  Some have been reoccurrences from the original abscess that covered his shoulder, leg and chest, while others have occurred independently in his mouth and one on his cheek.  Thor’s medical costs have been considerably lower than expected, as all his abscesses have been able to be dealt with without surgery.

Thor has had 7 abscesses in total.  He remains in good spirits and as happy and delightful to be around as ever.  Thor is (when he has finished his current treatment) available for adoption as a special needs bunny.  It is expected that he will have small abscesses occurring indefinitely.

Thor on 12 November 2011
(at Pet Lover's Expo 2011)

Nougat

Nougat also has some reoccurring/lingering respiratory issues that do not seem to clear up under any treatment and, like Alice, will likely require on and off antibiotic treatment throughout his life.

On 9 Nov 2011, it was determined that Nougat has facial nerve damage affecting the left side of his face, the eye and ear.  He cannot blink and therefore has acquired a significant ulcer on his left eye.  He is currently receiving antibiotic eye ointment to clear up the existing ulcer.  Long-term, he will require a non-medicated gel applied to his eye for lubrication and likely also antibiotic eye ointment as required throughout his life.  


UPDATE:


Yesterday (16 Nov '11) Nougat had an emergency vet appt. He had developed sudden & severe head tilt (w/associated impairments incl. swollen iris & loss of balance) & he was becoming increasingly congested. He is now being treated for a head/brain abscess, e.cuniculi, eye ulcers & severe respiratory distress (w/nebulizer) in hopes that some or all treatments will help him.

He is fighting for his life. Please keep Nougat in your thoughts.


UPDATE: (23 Nov 2011)


Our thoughts are with Nougat tonight.  Sadly, no treatments were helping or easing any of his many health issues and he was continuing to deteriorate by the day.  He passed away this afternoon surrounded by those who cared for him.  He will be missed.  Rest In Peace Nougat.


A necropsy will be preformed to help determine the true cause of all of Nougat's health issues and hopefully give us some answers that will help us treat some of the other Manitoulin Bunnies.

Nougat on 31 Oct 2011
Rest in Peace Nougat
2010 - 23 Nov 2011

Zinka

Zinka had a small abscess removed from her stomach at the time of her spay.  She has at this time had no reoccurrences or new abscesses.  Zinka began sneezing again and a culture & sensitivity test was done.  She is now on another extended course of antibiotics.  Approximate cost of appointment & tests - $120.

Zinka on 29 October 2011

Radar

Radar has been getting a watery eye occasionally with no apparent cause, as determined by his veterinarian.  He is receiving antibiotic eye drops in the hopes of clearing it up.

Radar - August 2011

Fozzie

Fozzie had a small abscess removed from his shoulder at the time of his neuter.  He now has another small abscess on the other shoulder.  He will be having this abscess removed on 16 Nov 2011.

Fozzie on 30 Sept 2011

Edison

Edison recovered quickly with his original treatment and was adopted on 29 July 2011.

Picture of Edison in his forever home!
(Thank you Sarah for letting us use your picture)

SO FAR, THE MANITOULIN TEN HAVE COST ALMOST $4500.  We expect this to number to exceed $8000 before these beautiful bunnies are all adoptable and may reach $10,000 before they find their forever homes. 

Rabbit Dental Health

Rabbit dental health is extremely important and essential to their overall well-being. Because rabbit teeth are constantly growing, they can be prone to issues of both the incisors and the molars, especially if fed improper diets. Hay is absolutely essential in maintaining rabbit dental health!

Maloccluded incisors can have a few different causes. Genetic predisposition (particularly dwarf breeds, small lops and lionheads, who have characteristically round, short faces), tooth fracture and habitual cage bar pulling are some common causes. If the malocclusion is mild and your rabbit is not overly stressed by the procedure, your vet will likely recommend regular tooth filings. Filing with a Dremel is typically preferable to clippers that can easily crack or break off the teeth, complicating the issue and possibility even necessitating a surgical procedure.

If severe and/or if your rabbit is young and/or if he finds the frequent procedures very stressful, your vet may recommend incisor removal for a more permanent solution. However, even some severe malocclusions can be corrected with time, patience and a veterinarian experienced in rabbit dentistry. Please check your rabbit’s teeth frequently for signs of overgrowing or “splaying” of the incisors.

Molar “spurs” or “points” are also common in the rabbit breeds listed above and in those without a proper diet consisting of unlimited timothy, mixed grass or similar hay (no alfalfa). These spurs can point either towards the cheek or the tongue and cause severe pain to the rabbit. Because a rabbit’s molars are far back in the mouth and cannot be seen without the aid of special medical tools, molar spurs can be harder to detect in early stages.

Have your vet check your rabbit’s molars at his yearly check-up. Luckily, there are a few signs to watch for between check-ups:

• Dropping food

• Drooling

• Unwillingness to eat SOME types of food without signs of GI disturbances or appetite loss

• Tearing of one eye in particular, but could involve both



Undetected/untreated molar spurs can lead sores and infections in the mouth and also to extremely serious medical issues, such as molar root infections and abscesses of the jaw and behind the eye (retrobulbar abscess).

Jagger receiving his very last tooth trim before having his incisors removed.
Jagger's teeth issues were caused by genetic misalignment.
Please Note: This is a common procedure and Jagger is not in any distress.

Summer Heat!!

The summer is well on its way. Long hot summer days, cool drinks on the patio in the evenings. As we all know Canadian summers can be HOT. Are you making sure you bunnies are keeping cool and comfortable in the summer heat?

Rabbits are very sensitive to the heat and can become over heated quite quickly, leading to dehydration, heat exhaustion and even death. Some of the signs that you should be looking for in the case of heat stoke are: heavy panting or difficulty breathing, dehydration and lack of appetite. In more severe situations your rabbit may become unresponsive, uncoordinated and may be having convulsions. If you believe your rabbit is suffering from heat related issues moisten his ears with cool water (not cold) to help cool him and seek veterinarian care immediately. Never submerse your rabbit in cold water.

Remember if you are hot, so is your bunny. If you don’t have air conditioning here are a few tips to help keep your indoor rabbit cool this summer.

- Always make sure you rabbit has access to fresh, cool drinking water. If he drinks from a bowl you can offer ice water. Offering lots of fresh, juicy lettuces/veggies will also help keep the hydrated. When you wash the veggies leave the water on them.

- Make sure that your rabbits cage in not in direct sun and that your free-ranger has access to a cool shady spot.

- Provide your rabbit with a 1-2L bottle of frozen water. Change it out for a fresh one when it has melted.

- Give them a few large ceramic tiles in their cage or shady spot so they have a cool place to stretch out. You can cool them by briefly placing them in your freezer.

- Mist or dampen your rabbits ears with water if they feel warm, remove any excess fur or have longhaired bunnies trimmed during hot weather. You can also use dampened brush on their coat to help cool them.

- Drape wet towels on the top, and sides of your rabbit cage and position a fan to blow in their direction. If you have fans in your bunnies play room please make sure to keep all cords out of reach at all times. Remember, make sure the fan is not blowing directly on you rabbit or that they have the ability to move away from it if they wish.


One more thing - Have fun and enjoy your Summer, Bunnies and Humans alike!



We do not advocate keeping/housing your pet rabbits outside but if you do please consider bring them indoors during extreme summer heat.