It was one of those weeks......totally hectic, busy and to top it all off: full of drama.....
Wednesday when I went and checked on the little baby bunnies (now 4 weeks and a bit old) I found Flopsy (the agouti coloured bunny) lying on its side in the nestbox...totally paralysed or so it seemed. Horror...what had happened? Everything just seemed fine just two hours ago ! Did it break its back? neck?
I quickly took it into the house and tried to figure out what was going on, while comforting a baby bunny obviously in distress...
You know, I can cope with falling down, breaking anything myself really, but when it comes down to kids and defenseless animals I am as soft as they come....tears were flowing down my face as I kept on trying to see what had happened to Flopsy (now so named because of her collapse and flopped state). No broken bones, nothing! Just this floppiness, unable to move and eyes wide open in amazement. Breathing was erratic and it was obviously in shock. What was going on????
Okay, here it is...bunnies are very sensitive...when they eat too many pellets and not enough roughage like hay or straw or maybe a bit too much green , they can develop gas or blockage. It can mean that their GI (gastro intestinal tract is in stasis-doesn't move- so no growling of the tummy can be heard). This whole thing can send a bunny into a collapsed state of which it can die very quickly. Flopsy was feeling cold, so I warmed it up (always have warm water bottles at hand) , started a drip so she could recuperate the fluids that she had lost and try and put some recovery food in her (called critical care) to get her bowels moving..all the time giving the bunny tummy rubs and comforting her.....
Flopsy started to respond: By peeing on me, so I though that was a good thing.....(not that I am into that kind of thing...lol, but at least I knew something was working)....
Now after two days she has some movement back and she accepts the handfeeding more and more , but we are not "out of the woods" yet. She has lost 50grams in weight since ger collapse happened and only weighs 599 grams (the other in comparison are about 200 grams up on her!)It have been some terrifying , sleepless nights.....Please send your good thoughts to Flopsy.
Because of the amount of time taking care of Flopsy, the dyeing of the new batch of angorinos has been a bit delayed, but I am dyeing some today, so keep a look out for them on this blog very very soon!
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8 comments:
Healing thoughts/vibes/prayers for Flopsy. Try and get some sleep yourself.
And I thought bunnies were very easy to look after! You are just lovely for caring for your angoras as well as you do. Hope Flopsy recovers well.
Liz
x
Poor flopsy. Thinking of you all.
I have had a similar with 2 dwarf lops (on 2 seperate occasions). Went all floppy, lifeless (although clearly alive). I fed them fruit juice (maybe not the ideal thing but I was desperate and the local vets were useless...). They both came good after a few days or so.
LOTS of healing vibes from up the coast. I hope that little Flopsy makes it through this rough patch
Don't worry about the Angorino! Flopsy needs you more, the Angorino will still be around long after she's recovered and back on her feet.
Gentle hugs and tummy rubs (to help things move along nicely) for Flopsy.volar
Oops, word verification. I wish Blogger would let you go back and edit your comment if needed.
Oh No!! Hope Flopsys ok now? Maybe it was a virus? My Fluffa is cold too as he was shorn today and I doubt Ill do it again,I dont think he handled the annesthetic very well,weepy eyes and rapid heart beat,I put a jacket on him and into bed,hopefully he'll be calmer tommorrow
Sending thoughts and health your way!!
I hope she gets better soon, I love bunnies.. she looks so cute
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