Vibes please :(

Sparky wrote:I'm glad she seems to be brighter  

Make sure the vet keeps her on the abx for at least two weeks after she seems completely recovered

My Humum thinks I probably wouldn't be here now if they had not brought me inside. I know she has given some consideration to me having summer quarters outdoors though...


More vibes for Willow, I really hope she continues to improve   

The vet's only given her a week's worth of Baytril  

I feel really awkward telling her "what to do" so to speak, and she gives off a scary vibe when I ask/suggest things. The vet we've seen this time is not our normal vet.

Does she want to see Willow again in a week?

I would ask for an appointment with the most rabbit-savvy vet.

You can always approach it as 'I have been advised that we really should...' rather than 'I want you to...'

For Willow's sake, you need a vet you can discuss things with. A lot of good vets actually appreciate their clients doing some research. I don't know where we would be without ours.

I am glad she is perkier and brighter love; do please keep us informed.

Hugs

JO xx

I totally agree Sparky. I think I'm going to call the vets tomorrow and ask for a telephone chat with our vet, who is very rabbit savvy, friendly and open to suggestions. I'm going to chat with her about Willow's length of treatment as I feel she would have definitely had her on it for more than a week. I'm also going to ask her opinion on the indoor v outdoor situation, although I'm leaning more and more towards keeping them in now. The reason we saw the other vet was as she was the emergency vet in out-of-hours, but I have to say I'm not too keen and definitely want the opinion of our usual vet. Thanks

I just saw this. Sending massive quantities of vibes for the beautiful Willow  and  for her Mommy! 

I'd keep them in during the Winter. Weather has been so bizarre the past 18 mo or so not only here in the USA but there in the UK as well. This Winter may be unusually wet and cold if the predictions mean anything.

More vibes coming your way. A good vet is one that copes with you asking questions even when they don't know the answers off the top of their head, in fact I would be wary of a vet that never needs to ask advice.

I think I'm going to Holly. As long as they remain settled and the chinchillas adjust well to the buns in the room too. I sleep so much better knowing they're in the nice warm house, out of the horrible wet and cold weather. I just don't think Willow's up to it if I'm honest, my poor girl. She's still quiet but continues to eat her CC and nibble at hay. She's really skinny at the moment, bless her

Willow seems a lot perkier this morning. She's eating a lot more for herself and is a lot more active and alert. I'm so relieved!

I spoke to our usual vet this morning. She agrees that Willow should have been put on a longer course of anti-biotics. She's suggested seeing how she's gone after a week and then letting her know. She's also told me that having looked at Willow's history and records, there is clearly a lot of evidence indicating that she has lesions on her lungs. She's therefore told me my best bet, and what would be best for Willow, is to have her as an indoor bunny. I agree.

So the buns are back inside and Willow is on the mend. Life is good! I'm now poorly with a cold and have been off college today, but at least I've been able to spend a bit more time with my girlie.

Also, a bit of a stab in the dark but I've been doing some reading on keeping rabbits and chinchillas in the same room, and I've found a lot of people are saying not to do it, as buns quite often carry Pasteurella (and probably for sure in Willow's case), and apparently if this is passed onto a chin it can have lethal results for a chinchilla. Although I've seen it said in a lot of places, there doesn't really seem to be many vets articles or anything valid to back up these claims. I've had the chins and Willow in the same room at one point before, and I always keep them seperate. The buns can't get to the chin's cage, and likewise the chins can't get at the buns when they're out on a run. I'd imagine that surely it is passed contact-to-contact. What do you think guys? Do you think the precautionary measures I've taken are enough? If not I really don't know what I'm going to do. Willow needs to be in and I've nowhere else for the chinchillas to go in the house, and they can't live outdoors...  

I'm glad Willow is improving  

Regarding transmission of pasteurella - remember that it is apparently also highly contagious among buns, and lots of buns carry it, but most only develop symptoms when their immune system dips for some reason. There are many different strains too. In your research on pasteurella in chins, are there effective treatments or is it the case that if they catch it it would be very hard to treat?

It's described as "lethal, even as dormant"  

I have also seen lots of people arguing with these claims though, saying that they house buns and chins in the same room and have done for years without problem, so long as they're kept from contact, so it could be a similar story with chins carrying it. To be honest, there's not much out there re: pasteurella in chins. The people posting these claims are not vets or scientists, and none have even said it's THEIR chin that's died from catching it from THEIR bunny. It's just "DON'T EVER DO IT!", but with no real evidence for the reasoning behind it, which I think has raised eyebrows of a few others, too.

I would have some concerns if the bun in question was sneezing a lot.

Willow's not sneezing. She's never really been sneezing, only when I first found her. But, even when she was at her worst, her problem has been the laboured breathing - she's not really had any discharge from her nose at all.

I've been reading more about pasteurella in chins and it seems they're susceptible to it either way, and the prognosis isn't good when they get it as it appears it commonly attacks them in the form of abscesses (often in the tooth roots). I imagine that adding a bunny into the room just "increases the likelihood" so to speak, but they have lived in a shared room once before without problem. It sounds cruel and uncaring but I think it's a case of "we'll take our chances", it's either that or re-homing the chinchillas, which is totally out of the question.

I don't think it is cruel or uncaring, you have to make the best decision you can with the resources which you have available

Thanks for understanding, Sparky

I have only just seen this post as have not been on as much lately.

Ii am so glad Willow is improving hun and hope she caries on doing so and I agree with you and your vet totally, she needs to be inside now and you have made the choice well and looked at it from all angles and you are doing what is best for your baby girl.

Like Sparky said you have to make the best decision with the resources you have avaialble.

In my opinon I think they should be fine, I am no expert mind you but you have researched it and when you have cnflicting opinions then you have to just decide from your gut feeling and think and decide what is best with that. I know it is not easy to do but I feel you are doing right and have obviously put a lot of research and thought into this.

     for you and willow

Vibe top up for Willow!

Thanks for the vibes and supportive comments guys. I do love my chins just as much, which is why I'd rather take the chance than get rid of them. I couldn't imagine not having the feisty little furballs about!

Willow is doing so much better today I think my comfirmation of this is when Mojo was happily tucking into his hay earlier and she hopped over and demanded he groom her. She's also had a right binky fit, bombing around the room SO relieved!

The chins and buns are settling into sharing a room and I'm pretty confident it's all going to work out. Fingers crossed!

Thank you for all of your support over these extremely worrying few days hoppers. Wills has been poorly so many times in the past, often with a really bad prognosis, but somehow my little fighter always makes it through - I'm sure the vibes have a lot to do with it

I'm really glad she is making such a marked improvement  

Please remember to demand that she stays on the abx long enough  

I am so glad she is feelng better hun, top up loving vibes are on their way to you both.

Hugs

JO xx

I will do Sparky

Thank you both

How is she doing now? How is Mojo coping with being inside?

Thanks for asking Katie

Willow is doing a lot better. She just loves being indoors and has really perked up - I've even seen a few binkies!

Mojo is coping quite well. I've given him lots of tunnels and bolt holes in the room, and he is managing a lot better than he used to. I think the main difference is that this time they have a "base" - they've got their run which is open at all times but in there they have their food, hay, water and a place to curl up. I think he's appreciating that.

on the subject of chins and buns in the same room, before we moved my buns and chins shared the same room, and they would be out over the same space [not at the same time] They did have limited contact through the rabbit cage bars [limited as maysie likes to stamp at them and they are pretty indiffrent to the buns] but they had no problems regarding being poorly. They now like in seperate rooms [buns have their own room and the chins are in our living room] but they still have freerange time out in the same area.

I know quite a few people do keep them together, i would just keep a close eye on the chinchillas for any changes just to be on the safe side  

That's comforting to know.

I will keep a close eye on them

I spoke to my vet this afternoon and she wants to keep Willow on the anti-biotics for another 10 days. I thought she would, she's much more clued up than the other vet on buns, and very bunny savvy.

Willow is fine in herself again now, although her tummy is a bit upset which the vet is putting down to the continuous Baytril. She's told me to keep her on the Critical Care as that helps a healthy gut. She needs her pellets because she's gotten so skinny, but not sure whether to hold off on the veg until her tum's a bit better. What do you guys think?