The trouble with Joey (sneezing and stasis)...U/D 02/09

Seems Joey has decided to have another not eating episode this evening :(In the past month we have had 3 such episodes, with tonight being the third.
For those of you who don't know Joey's situation, he suffers from a nasal issue which he's had for over a year, and needs nebulising daily etc.

Anyways, the first non eating episode coincided with a nasal flare up with increased sneezing (pretty much every time he moved he sneezed) and bad moult (Joey's moults are epic), which required a trip to the vets for metacam / fluids etc. He was over teeth, weight, nose, chest etc and all seemed ok. The second scenario was two weeks after this, which managed to get him to eat without the vets. Tonight is the third episode   He seemed ok for the past few days, poos ok and sneezing hasn't been too chronic (for him).

I just don't know what to do, he's just not been 100% right since the first episode at the beginning of May. He doesn't always finish his nuggies, he eats a portion and then just comes back to the rest later which he wasn't doing before. And then 3 not eating episodes in a month isn't great is it?

There has been a suggestion by his vet to be referred to a specialist, but she says he should be pretty much right before going due to the stress (which would be a 4 hour round trip to Harrogate to see Frances Harcourt Brown) as he doesn't travel well and there would be a possibility of him having a GA for a nasal endoscope.

Does any one have any suggestions on why this keeps happening / avenues to take with this other than what I've already said? I feel like I'm on a knife edge all the time with him...help!

I know it would have to be done very, very carefully, but I would want to have him sedated and his back teeth looked at properly. Theo stopped eating overnight and not long after a checkup. He needed a dental which the vet said were tiny, tiny spurs but he was back to normal within a few hours of it.

Has Joey ever had a head x-ray to check tooth roots?

Am I right that he has been to see Molly Varga before?

Have you (or your vet) tried contacting Richard Saunders via the RWAF to see if he can suggest any avenues of treatment without the travel?

What other meds is Joey on at the moment? We're completely cleared snuffles in several buns with Alamycin, and it's even more effective since our vet decided she was willing to give double the original dose. Jack flared up after his combi jab and was completely clear of symptoms 24 hours after the first injection   although he had the rest of the course as a precaution.

Loads and loads of vibes for wee Joey     

I completely agree with sparky .... Sounds toothy to me. And those roots are deffo worth an X-ray. Sounds very familiar to Charlie's recent episode .

Sending hugs fir you both xxxx

Bless your heart!  You must be exhausted with worry.  Sending mega vibes for sweet Joey!  It sounds toofy to me as well the vet needs to take a look and perhaps x-ray the jaw.     

Sparky wrote:I know it would have to be done very, very carefully, but I would want to have him sedated and his back teeth looked at properly. Theo stopped eating overnight and not long after a checkup. He needed a dental which the vet said were tiny, tiny spurs but he was back to normal within a few hours of it.

Has Joey ever had a head x-ray to check tooth roots?

Am I right that he has been to see Molly Varga before?

Have you (or your vet) tried contacting Richard Saunders via the RWAF to see if he can suggest any avenues of treatment without the travel?

What other meds is Joey on at the moment? We're completely cleared snuffles in several buns with Alamycin, and it's even more effective since our vet decided she was willing to give double the original dose. Jack flared up after his combi jab and was completely clear of symptoms 24 hours after the first injection   although he had the rest of the course as a precaution.

Loads and loads of vibes for wee Joey     

He's not currently on any medication other than Zantac and metacam for when the sneezing plays up. He pretty much always sneezes on a day to day basis, but as I say it's got worse these past weeks.

Yes he's had a head x-ray, I think it was in 2012 and he sawe Molly Varga in October 2012. She just gave him some eye drops and suggested we keep allergens to a minimum. Joey's vet Clare suggested the nasal endoscope to check for polyps etc.

No one has contacted Richard Saunders as he was too far away but telephone advice would be fantastic. Just wondered what you mean by contacting him via the RWAF?

So you don't think these stasis episodes are down to the sneezing getting worse? Or moulting?

Thanks for the hugs everyone, they are appreciated   

I wonder if he is suffering from hayfever as the pollen count today ( Thursday) was very high and with the moult it's irratating him even more. We have a rabbit that boards with us and he's the same for sneezing and I'm sure it's hayfever. Otherwise I think he does need a head x-ray to see if it's a tooth root problem. Moulting as well can make a rabbit quite ill and depressed people don't believe me when I say that but it is true they can be very poorly and stop eating or eat less.

I hope you find an answer and so I'm sending loads of Vibes for Micro Joe Bless him and
loads of hugs for you          

I hope the little love is soon better hun. it is awful hearing about him being poorly and what you are gong through too. Please keep us informed and in the meantime, lots of loving vibes are on their way.

Hugs
JO xx

I'm topping up the vibes for Joey

How is he doing? xx

Spoke to his vet on Friday after Thurday's episode and she wanted to see him get him checked over again. His appointment was yesterday and unfortuately the boy wasn't too happy about being bundled back there, but needs must...

He hadn't lost weight, tummy seemed ok and she has given him Cistapride (sp?) which is basically a stronger version of Zantac, which he'll be on for 10 days. This is to try and stabilise these eating wobbles we keep having and then making an assessment regarding hauling him to Harrogate to see Frances Harcourt Brown.

The sneezing has bad and slightly better days, and the moult is crazy. His ears are actually moulting, which is something considering he doesn't have the furriest pait at the best of times  

We'll just have to wait and see how it goes now.

Sending More eating vibes to you. Moult is very bad this year. Bubbles is on her third one and they are all heavy!
Hope he is stable and recovers swiftly from now on .

Sending 'good eating calm tummy vibes!!

JoeyBunsMum wrote:No one has contacted Richard Saunders as he was too far away but telephone advice would be fantastic. Just wondered what  you mean by contacting him via the RWAF?

So you don't think these stasis episodes are down to the sneezing getting worse? Or moulting?

If you are a RWAF member, you can ask your vet to email some info to Richard Saunders - he generally looks at the emails on Friday and was quite helpful with a couple of my health issues http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/contact/index.php

His lack of appetite could be due to some loss of sense of smell. What are you using in the nebuliser? We highly recommend a pinch of Bisolvon in with the fluid - it really helps get the secretions moving out of the nose.

Poor Joey, I hope he stabilises and you don't have to haul him up to see FHB (I think she only works one day a week now too)    

Topping up the Vibes for little Micro Joe xxxxxxxx

How is he today sweets?

Hugs
Jo xx

How is Joey doing?

Topping up the vibes and hugs all-round, just in case

Sorry I haven't updated the thread, been a bit crazy busy around here recently!
And thanks everyone for your vibes etc, they are much appreciated

So...Joey has been on this Cistapride for just over a week now,the main reason for this was to try and stabilise his eating habits in potential preparation for a trip to a bun specialist.
It seems to have helped a little, he's still eating his nuggies in two batches sometimes but there does seem to be a little improvement. Obviously his nasal problems are still there, but this was never going to do anything for that.

The latest plan is to carry on with the medication for another week and do another assessment.

Glad to hear he is doing ok bless his cottons....

I hope you are ok too fran....I know how stressful a poorly bun is - especially when you dont have any answers.

Top-up vibes for the bun I have a secret crush on     

Sending hugs for Joey

Sending loads of vibes for Joey, and hugs for you too

Top up vibes for you both.
Glad he has stablelized a little and hope he continues!

Lots of vibes for Joey.  .

What dose of metacam is he on and how often is he taking it? I am wondering whether having the biggest possible dose spilt over twice daily doses will give him the best chance of appetite stimulation.

I am always a little bemused by the use of ranitidine and cisapride in rabbits. Ranitidine being an H2 receptor agonist that is designed to reduce gastric acidity and cisapride being a gut stimulant. Both of which must do their appropriate jobs but neither of which is a specific  apetite stimulant but appear to often be promoted as such by vets. My poor vet gets a lot of questions asked when she wants to prescribe something new to my 2.   B vitamins are known to be appetite stimulants and I wonder whether they would help at all. Peter Gurney advocates using metatone tonic for guinea pigs - which I have used very sucessfully - as it is full of b vitamins and I have seen it's use promoted for rabbits in a different context. With the g.p.s the doseage is 0.5ml per day for 7 days then 0.3ml therafter until recovered. They love it. I give treacle her furosemide crushed into it and she cannot get enough of it! The other option would be to go for BioLapis which is the only supplement I have seen containing b vitamins and would also be useful as it is a probiotic.

Apologies I appear to have rambled on a bit there.

Lots of love and healing vibes on their way hun, I hope the little love is better today.

Hugs
JO xx

JoeyBunsMum wrote:Sorry I haven't updated the thread, been a bit crazy busy around here recently!
And thanks everyone for your vibes etc, they are much appreciated

So...Joey has been on this Cistapride for just over a week now,the main reason for this was to try and stabilise his eating habits in potential preparation for a trip to a bun specialist.
It seems to have helped a little, he's still eating his nuggies in two batches sometimes but there does seem to be a little improvement. Obviously his nasal problems are still there, but this was never going to do anything for that.

The latest plan is to carry on with the medication for another week and do another assessment.

Just a heads up if you are planning to take him to see FHB - she is on holiday week commencing 30 June and it's the Great Yorkshire Show the week after (well, Tues to Thurs) which are the days FHB works) and I would definitely avoid getting stuck in that traffic especially if I was transporting a bunny, though direction of travel and planning with time of day might make it feasible.

I don't think I can add any extra advice but lots of healing vibes for Joey. My Patch sneezed through winter and we gave him a oxbow immune support supplement each day. I don't know if it worked as he was also on antibiotics but he did love it as a treat!