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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A How quickly does my rabbit need a vet?

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    • Deleted User
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        I got my rabbit Islington about 7 years ago. I immediately took him to the vet, and he has been in for check-ups since then. My vet at the time informed me that he was a male, and since he is an only rabbit, there was no need for neutering.
        Fast forward to two weeks ago, where he has been displaying all the symptoms of a false pregnancy. Stuffing hay in his mouth to build a nest, pulling fur out of his tummy to line it, running around grunting and humping anything that moves (I’ve learned to keep my feet off the ground while on the couch). I called a local vet and he told me that male rabbits almost never go through this, and asked if I was sure of his gender. After looking at some very helpful online photos, zoomed in to a degree that I never want to experience again, I’ve determined that my little boy rabbit might in fact be a little girl. I instantly called the vet back, only to be told that because of his/her age spaying would no longer be safe.
        Yesterday evening I noticed a small, squishy lump under one of his/her nipples. I vowed to go to the vet the next day. The next morning (today) there is now a second lump….they are both very squishy, fluid-filled, and have no discoloration or discharge. Islington has had no bloody urine, no anorexia, no apparent pain, but nevertheless I am FREAKING OUT.
        i called the vet, only to find out they are closed on weekends. In fact, every veterinary clinic or hospital within an hour and a half’s drive are closed (I live in literally the middle of nowhere). How urgently do I need to get him to a vet? Should I make the three hour drive to the nearest city to get emergency care? Or can this wait until Monday? I am so worried about my fuzzy friend…


      • RabbitPam
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          If there is a vet or emergency hospital that you can call, ask them if you could take some pictures or a short video of the lumps and email them immediately to see if they think it’s an emergency now or can wait until Monday. I’d hate to see you wait too long, but often an email with photos can be a huge help for a vet to get an idea of what you’re describing. It’s easy and quick to make phone calls, so I would start there.


        • Deleted User
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            Thanks for the advice! I called the closest emergency care clinic, and they said that while normally they would recommend bringing him in, their rabbit vet was out for the week. They offered the services of their dog and cat vets, but considering how stressed Islington gets at the vet I’m dubious about non-experts. At the moment I’m thinking of going to my local vet first thing on Monday, at least then I know I’m getting a rabbit expert.


          • LBJ10
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              I would wait for the vet on Monday.


            • Deleted User
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                Update: we went to the vet this morning, who took a look and didn’t seem too concerned about the cysts under Islington’s nipples, said they were probably the result of hormones. He believes Islington has worms, and gave him anti-worm medication, antibiotics, and a probiotic powder.
                Unfortunately, now that he is home he’s fallen over sideways twice, which was worrying me. I called the vet, but he said Islington is probably just shaky from his trying ordeal at the clinic :/
                Still worried though, I’m going to monitor him for 24 hours and then make the drive up to the city if he keeps falling over. Anyone dealt with situations like this before? Any ideas would be hugely helpful.


              • LBJ10
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                  Just from what you described, it sounds like mastitis. It affects female rabbits and can be hormonal or the result of a bacterial infection. Did the vet confirm he is really a she? Since you were looking down there, did you see any testicles? They aren’t in the same place as dogs or cats. They are located forward on the abdomen (above the genital area). They look like fat fleshy pads underneath the fur.


                • Deleted User
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                    He took a look and said he was 90% certain Islington is a girl, due to a lack of testes, but apparently she has an *ahem* unusually large clitoris which looked exactly like a penis, so the vet wasn’t positive.
                    You’re bang on the money though, he said Mastitis was most likely the culprit for the swollen nipples, and the antibiotic would take care of it too.


                  • Beka27
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                      Oh gosh! I’m glad you were able to get him (her?) in! Please keep us posted on how he does with the meds.


                    • LBJ10
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                        Both boys and girls have something that “pops out”. And yes, they come in different sizes. Doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or girl. Not finding testicles doesn’t guarantee you have a girl, but there’s not mistaking them when you see them. LOL Since it sounds like a case of mastitis, Islington is probably a girl.

                        I don’t want to scare you, but did your vet check for signs of uterine cancer? The reason I ask is because mastitis is a symptom of uterine cancer when in older, unspayed females.


                      • Deleted User
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                          He asked if she had any blood in her urine or tail, palpated the region, and inspected her nipples, but that was it.
                          He seemed much more concerned with the diarrhea that had started the day before (possibly because Islington pooped ALL OVER him), as well as Islington’s lack of interest in most food, and mostly focused on that.
                          I’ve given her kale, oat groat, and endive, sprinkled with probiotic powder, and mixed some pedialyte in with her water. She’s eating it all now, but not with her usual gusto.
                          What kinds of things should he have done to check for cancer? I’m still seriously considering taking her to another vet tomorrow, I’m just worried about her general stress levels. She started screaming when he shaved her butt, something she tends to do it every time she goes to the vet. It’s literally the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard, and I hate subjecting her to something that terrifies her so.


                        • LBJ10
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                            Asking about blood in her urine and palpating her tummy are both things vets will do if uterine cancer is a suspected possibility. Sometimes they check lymph nodes and such. They can also do blood tests to look for other signs or an x-ray, but they don’t always (added expense that only confirms what is already suspected). I think the only way they know for sure is if they do a spay and take a biopsy of the removed tissue. They can then tell is the cancer has spread or if it is contained in the uterus. This is usually what people opt to do since it is the most cost effective (additional tests to tell them their bunny needs to be spayed anyway cost a lot of money).


                          • LittlePuffyTail
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                              Just want to send along some ((((Good Vibes))) for your little bun

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                          Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A How quickly does my rabbit need a vet?