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HENRY: Condition Serious

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Post by woodwench Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:22 pm

It was almost goodbye this morning. My wonderful boy had hardly eaten anything since Tuesday and he looked so ill. I actually rang the vet and made THE appointment! But minutes after Henry began to eat. Not a lot but more than before and with some relish. So he didn't go with me to the vet. I had a very long talk with his vet, Richard, about all aspects of Henry's condition. He was really good and far more on top of things than I'd expected... when we saw vet Alex on Tuesday he said it was out of his scope and had agreed to contact Richard Saunders for advice. But due to a personal emergency he never made the contact but Richard (our vet) was well up to the job. He's older, more experienced I guess.
Anyway, he showed me the three X-rays they had taken and how Henry's enlarged heart is pushing up on his trachea. This is causing breathlessness when he's active and Richard warned that in these cases there is a very real risk that he will develope pnumonia, there is already a shadow on his lungs.

I came away with 10 Vetmedin tabs. He is to have two thirds of a tab twice a day, if I can get him to take them. Richard agreed that the stress of syringing him would do more harm than not taking the tabs. So I'm trying various methods with finely crushed tab... so far I've put it in a slitted bit of toast, hoping the toast smell would mask the meaty smell of the tab which is meat flavoured for cat/dogs. Henry hasn't touched it yet. Next I shall try banana. Henry loves banana chips but has never tried fresh. I shall also try moistening his SS4+ and scattering it on that as moist nuggets do have a strong scent and may mask the meds. It's no good trying pineapple juice as he won't touch it.

So we shall see how things go over the weekend but Richard made it clear that Henry doesn't have long. I have to keep him quite, let him rest and try not to stress myself around him.
My poor, handsome, clever boy.
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Post by jolovesbunnies Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:39 pm

I am so very sorry to hear this darling but I am glad you managed to speak to someone at last who knows what they are talking about. Cold comfort I know.  You are in my prayers and thoughts Hugs Hugs

Hugs
JO xx

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Post by woodwench Thu Mar 03, 2016 11:21 pm

I've just been reading back over early Henry post here on HH. I hardly recognise this Henry as the same. He sleeps most of the time and his eating leaves a lot to be desired.
I'm prepared.... I think ... I hope.
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Post by freecycle_rabbit Fri Mar 04, 2016 5:40 am

Oh Woodwench, I'm so sorry to hear this. So very sad, poor Henry. At least as Jo says you found someone who understands.
Big hugs for you and gentle nose bumps for Henry. Hugs Hugs Hugs
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Post by gemma997 Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:33 am

I'm so sorry woodwench it's heart breaking to hear, can't imagine what your going thro.
We send all our love to you and Henry.

Add a little basil that's quite string smelling should mask the tablet smell.

Hugs Hugs Hugs Hugs
Xxx
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Post by Velvet.Tears Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:08 am

Oh no Sad
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Post by Thumper2001 Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:02 pm

Oh no! I am sorry.

This is not what I expected to be reading.

Poor Henners and poor you Crying or Very sad Hugs
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Post by woodwench Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:03 pm

He's sleeping by the fire at the moment. He has enjoyed some nice fresh grass I found this afternoon and as eaten lots of herbs and some sweetheart cabbage and cauliflower greenery and hay. But he no longer wants his nuggets and won't touch toast which used to be his passion.
He sleeps most of the time.
Last night he joined me on the hearth rug when I put my pillow down (I've slept with him on the hearth rug since he was ill last Nov.). He still grooms himself and he occasionally has a nosey into the dining room, but he just sits under the table when he does.... no sticking his neb into everything.
We can enjoy nose rubs still.
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Post by jolovesbunnies Sat Mar 05, 2016 9:51 pm

I am glad he has eaten something hunni and is having a bit of a walkabout.  I am glad those noserubs are still coming too.

Lots of love
JO xxxxxxxxx

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Post by woodwench Sat Mar 05, 2016 10:27 pm

Late last night, or early this morning? he began eating nuggets again. And he was active for a few minutes afterwards. This morning he was wrestling the hearth brush as I tried to tidy the hearth.... bit half heartedly, true, but he was showing signs of the Henry of old.
He's definitely eating better and is more alert, practically back into his old routine. I expect his condition made it so much harder for him to recover from the anaesthetic nearly four days which once would have been two.
Alex, has contacted Richard Saunders for his opinion.... so there are three good vets on Henry's case. But he won't, no matter how you present them, take the heart meds. They are meat flavoured and scented and who knows, maybe that meat is Rabbit? I think I've read somewhere that a human heart med can be used.... Richard Saunders will know, and if its available maybe it would be acceptable to Henry.
The boy himself is sleeping at my side as I write this. I guess that's how it's going to be now, he will sleep a lot. I can live with that, has long as he's not in pain and I get to love him ....
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Post by jolovesbunnies Sun Mar 06, 2016 8:40 pm

I am glad he is getting better love and is behaving as he used to. You also have some really good, knowledgeable people on your case so that is great too.  Please give him a kiss and a nose rub from his auntie Jo and I am sending lots more love to you too hun.

Hugs
Jo xx

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Post by freecycle_rabbit Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:52 pm

Good to hear he was having a 'Henry' moment with the hearth brush and had a bite to eat too. Love hugs and nose rubs to you both x
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Post by c.bolduan Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:10 pm

Oh gosh Dee, I wasn't on for a few days.
This is not what I expected to read.
Consider this value bonding time and all the love between you both as utterly important.
He shall have all his favourite nibbles.
Metacam workes with mine to disguise other smells and tastes. Maybe worth a try?
Glad you got a good vet team to look after him.
Give him a few nose rubs from me.
And plenty of hugs for you.

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Post by woodwench Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:40 pm

His food consumption is back to normal. He is just as he was before the diagnosis last week... except that he is not having problems on the tray any more and his poops are growing bigger and healthier looking.
He is still very sleepy and tires easily. If he hadn't had the toileting issue and had the X-ray to find out what was causing it (apparently it was gas which as gone now) I would never have known he had this heart issue and I would have carried on calling him a lazy buck and thinking his sleepiness was part of him growing older.
He seems quite happy now, and I've got over my horror, panic and general misery. I'm more relaxed since he began eating and improving which means we are happy together... he stresses and I stress, I stress and he stresses! Now we are bun and mum again and we are having lots of loving.
I'm not offering him any meds now. He knows when something is "doctored", he cottons on before I offer it. I'm going to keep him as stress free as I possibly can because stress is the worst thing for him.
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Post by gemma997 Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:54 am

That's good he's feeling better
Hugs Hugs Hugs

Xxx
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Post by woodwench Tue Mar 08, 2016 9:33 pm

Yes, he has good days. today he has been very quiet, not poorly but just tired and sleepy and not so keen on his food. But this is the way it's going to be... tired days and days when he is almost himself.
Last night he was so cuddly when I lay down to sleep. He eventually woke me and persuaded me loving him was better than sleeping. He snuggled under my blanket and we had over three hours of cuddles and he nuzzled his face against mine and slept. He just wanted me to love him.
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Post by jolovesbunnies Wed Mar 09, 2016 9:34 pm

How lovely, he just wanted his mum.  Lots more love on the way to you both  Hugs

Hugs
Jo xx

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Post by freecycle_rabbit Thu Mar 10, 2016 6:50 pm

That's good to hear he is feeling more Henry like. As long as you have each other and can enjoy your companies that then that's the main thing.
How old is he? I I know it's not the done thing to ask somebuns age but shh just whisper it quietly when he's asleep Wink
Xxx
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Post by woodwench Thu Mar 10, 2016 9:35 pm

He's a rescue so his age is estimated. When he was neutered by the Rescues vet they put his age at approximately three. So now he is approx. four and a half. Roughly middle aged for a bun his size.
There was an article in the Winter '15 Rabbiting On about heart disease in rabbits by vet Allan Muir.
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