Henry's nose UPDATE.

Mind look after yourself too, can't look after the wee man of your poorly xxx

He had a goodnight and this morning it was like having the old Henry back, almost... he is so slow eating his pellets. There's still about half of them left from breakfast. He did eat the toast with his Septrim in... eventually.
One thing... he seems to like being nebulised. I just pop him in his travel box, sheet it down and pop the neb. chamber thing under the sheet. When I lift the sheet he has his face close up to the door, breathing in the vapours! Maybe it has a very obvious, immediate and positively likeable effect.
He's going to the vet tomorrow morning for a check over to get some more Septrim and Loxicom. Fingers crossed he gets a hopeful verdict.

Fingers and paws crossed for you tomorrow
Xxx

Will be with you in spirit hunni, lots of love

Hugs
Jo xx

How's Henners?

Well it was a very productive trip to the vets today. I met with vet, Alex, and he spent 35 minutes going through all the ins and outs of Henry's problem and treatment.
He had really done his home work and went through it all with me to form our treatment plan.
So, first we have changed from Septrim to Baytril which we hope Henry will accept better in food as it doesn't smell like the Septrim. He has also suggested nebulising F10 alternately with Bromhexine.
We both know this is going to be a long haul job and our main thing is to make everything as stress free for Henry as possible hence all meds will be given to be orally suitable as well as being right for the bacteria in order to avoid the stress of syringing. He believes keeping things as stress free as possible is just as important to aiding a fast recovery as possible as are the right drugs.
We went into detail about the individual components of the drugs and what they do, and he really made me feel like a very important part of "Operation: Get Well Henry". It's a very long time since I've "worked with" a vet and felt recognised and not talked down to.
I'm certainly more confident of our future now.

And Henry? Well he threw the usually after vets strop (good sign) and then had a quite busy afternoon. He's sleeping right now, worn out after a long day.

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery

Xxx

Well this is definately more positive - I expect you feel better too now that you have a plan and confidence in the vet, I know that always helps me.

Good luck with the Baytril.... It may not smell but ive heard it discribed as "stomach bile" and Daisy has to be restrained every night to get it down him, whereas charlie doesnt seem to mind Septrin too much. I seem to remember having septrin when i was little... it tasted like bananas....I have no idea though if it still does! Im guessing from Henry's reaction that he thinks not!
Still he might want to swap back after trying the baytril!!

Good luck hun!

Yes, good luck love.  I know how hard it is to get buns to take any medicine.  I am glad you had some decent service rm the vets too and I hope the little one is well soon.  Mine love bananas Katie love, so I doubt it too.

Hugs
Jo xx

He's having an off day today. (Like me.) He had his first Baytril this morning and ate it in the toast without any of the suspicion he showed for the Septrim... also he used to leave the Septrim a couple of hours and only ate it when the smell had gone. He's been quiet today, a bit grouchy and picky with his food though he's eaten hay, greens and herbs and apple and half his daily ration of pellets (which is on line for what he's been doing since this began). He has been like he was over Sat./Sun..

I've never had to use Baytril before. Does it have more of an effect on the gut than other antibiotics? Alex did say to get some probiotics and ordered a large tub for me at cost but they hadn't come in today and so I'm eaking out a single sachet of Protexin until next Thurs..
I really don't want to have to syringe feed him unless really necessary, but will have to get the probiotics from Recovery into him if needed.

I missed yesterday's update!

I'm glad you're feeling more confident but sorry to hear Henry's having an off day

I'm amazed he took the baytril! I'm sure someone said once it's liver flavoured so it's more appealing to cats!!

Im glad to hear your vet is working with you and involving you in planning Henry's care, its so important!

Im sorry hes been having an off day. Re the Baytril, it can upset their tums, but so can any antibiotic. Its certainly wise to use one if they are taking any oral meds for a prolonged period, as I think Henry has been?

Also, does your vet know that youre putting it on his food, rather than syringe feeding it? I think a bunny savvy nurse had said to me in the past that syringing oral meds is important for proper dosing, particularly if meds are sitting on food for a while, and not being eaten straight away. Just something to consider.

Sending more top up vibes and head bumps. x

Mine have always been ok tummy wise with baytril luckily. But then daisy's tum will be used to it - he's been on it for a good 5 years now bless him.

Our trick with Baytrill
Droe up 0.1 of something nice(fruit juice, metacam...)
Draw up,the required amount of Baytrill 
Wipe the syringe off
Draw up another0.1 of something nice
Wrap bunnie into burrito 
And wish good luck.

He's not been too good early this morning, he wouldn't eat his toast with the Loxicom in nor anything else. I tried syringing him but he was so stressed, eyes bulging, crying and even nipping me.
I've had a word with his vet who thinks that the last couple of weeks ... the endoscopy, the tear duct flushing and dental followed by the meds and the nebulising.... might just have got to him and he's stressed out. He's advised me not to try syringing him again for at least twenty-four hours (unless he doesn't eat in which case to call him and may be get him admitted). He believes if he is left alone he may start to eat on his own because he is hopping around, checking things out and showing interest in things with no sign of an upset tummy. He needs a rest and that could do him more good than trying to coax him to eat or stressing him with syringing. He needs some space free of meds and free of me pursuing him.
Sounds like sense to me. I'm trying it. He's already been into his hay box and had some hay and had a stretch by the fire and investigated in the utility room. He needs a little normalcy again to reassure him.
I think Alex is right.... he's p*ssed off with me and sick of the whole thing and needs a break.
We agreed because syringing is stressful for him that taking meds in food was the best way forward..... the stress of syringing does more harm than any possible lowering of dosage due to food feeding, which would me minute anyway. And apparently Baytril is really that much more likely to upset tums than any other Ab... it can depend on the bun as well.
So, if he carries on as he is right now.... nosing around in the log basket in the dining room, and eats some more of what he fancies, then he's on a day out to de-stress.

Soundwave was the same when he was on antibiotic long term, he still hasnt fell in with John because of it.
he completely changed his taste, I had to throw out all his food and start again with him.

Hope Henry feels a little more himself this afternoon and destresses
Xxx

He's booked for an examination at 9-45 tomorrow. I've been describing his every (virtually) move with Ros from the RWAF and she wonders if he's in some pain. So do I.

Will be thinking of Henry and you
Xxx

I've left him to his own devises since about 10 this morning and only given him his nuggets at about 7 this evening.
He pretty much stayed in the same spot all afternoon which he normally does, he has always slept the afternoons away unless I'm doing something for him to busy body in. He went to his tray about 7-30 and when he came back I was allowed to give him a nose rub and a bit of fuss but he soon beetled off round the back of my chair which has become his spot since the endoscope. He has eaten some nuggets, about a third of his allowance and he has eaten some spring cabbage.
I've kept myself busy away from him, or at least not bothering him. And doing so I've been taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture... not concentrating on his nose and his meds. And it's struck me that the eating thing may be connected to something entirely different.
When I offer him foods he appears very eager, maybe nibbles a bit then just rejects it. And when he does eat, like his nuggets tonight, he only eats a little few at a time, taking half hour or longer rests. And it's never been just the food with meds in he doesn't want, he as refused apple today and carrot and broccoli.
The more I think about it, the more I think there's more than the nasal infection and the meds. And I don't think it's due to a sore tum, he will lie out at full stretch very relaxed, he's not at all hunched. The pain is elsewhere.... maybe his nose, I don't know.

One think I do know.... I am NOT his favourite person any more. The nose rub was allowed while I was sat by the fire, the moment I stood up he'd gone!

Teeth???

Remind me, were they checked the other day?

(Sorry, it's been a long day!)

He had a couple of tiny spurs, not troubling him but Alex removed them at the same time as doing the endoscopy and flushing his tear ducts.
Now, he's his usual midnight bright self. But the eating thing is there.... he will go in his hay box, eat about three stalks and then leave. An half hour later he will do it again, same with all his foods. He used to spend 15 minutes every midnight tearing into hay like there's no tomorrow. Now, I feel he wants to but for some reason can't. And to me it seems there's no connection with his meds. Maybe his nose... but not any affect on his tum from meds.

I agree this sounds like a pain issue even unaware from where.
How did it go. Any new findings?

We're back from the vets.

Had an half hour consult with vet Richard.

First I told him how horrendous syringing Henry was yesterday and how nasally congested he had sounded whilst I was attempting to do it. And how there was a dramatic contrast this morning when I caught him up to box him... he had been giving me a bit of a run around and so he was breathing rapidly, but it sounded as clear as a bell!

I took along the notes I have kept since the endoscopy and after he read them we agreed that whatever it is causing Henry's ups and downs and strange eating habits it isn't his meds! Then we looked at foods and what he was eating, when, how much and his appetite in general. And I showed him poops from the last 24hrs (aren't vets lucky, seeing all these bunny poos?).

He did a good examination of his abdomen and found nothing untoward.

His weight had dropped from 3.55 to 3.45 ... negligible under the circumstances.

The outcome: He stopped the Baytril (we need to get to the bottom of his eating/depression thing it takes priority) and he dropped the Loxicom to 0.3 daily and suggested I set out a selection of his nuggets varying from usual hard jobs, to soft to extra soft and see what happens. You can see where this going.... he wants to see what happens over the weekend with this feeding habit because he thinks it may be a tooth root problem ... or, something with his throat.

I shall phone and discuss happenings on Monday and we will proceed from there with X-rays first on list.

Oh sweetie, I am so sorry you have made little progress but thank you so much for keeping us informed.  Lots of bunny loves to you both.

Hugs
JO xx

Nose bumps and hugs
Xxx