Hi Fellow bunny huggers!
This is my first post on any bunny boards as I am fairly new to bunny world (18 month veteran) and all it’s intricacies!
Our first bunny died suddenly on Dec 15, 2015. We are still waiting slide pathology results as his necropsy revealed nothing. It could be some kind of brain inflammation from EC, herpes simplex, toxoplasmosis etc we don’t know yet. We are still completely gutted as he was such a special little creature and we miss him immensely.
We have just welcomed a darling one year old mini lop (japanese harlequin) foster bunny into our home… The reason for fostering versus adopting at the moment is that we may go back to Australia from the US in the coming year. If we stay, then little Bow will undoubtedly have found her forever home… she is a super special bunny. I didn’t think it possible to find another as sweet as Rosie & Bow has proved me wrong!
Bow comes to us with some pretty big health concerns. She’s only 1yo but was kept in a cage most of the time and whilst in the well meaning hands of a mum with two young daughters… the mum admitted she really wasn’t a bunny person and didn’t want to have to deal with her health issues and future care.
Firstly. She has an eye that started as what the orig owner called a scratch that has developed into
Medical Notes read:
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“lens with cataract appears to be subluxated, protruding; Iris dorsally is dark and thickened; possible mass or iris bombe.
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the eye pressure at hand over last week was 14 (normal) , she was so excited and happy to be out of a cage and in her new home (very very affectionate running love circles etc. On monday she became quiet and looked like she was in pain. So we had a recheck & started her on glaucoma meds. I took her for 2 second opinions with regular bunny vets (not ophthalmologists) who said take it out in the next few weeks, but didn’t do a tomometry reading. On thursday I took her back to AMC in NYC and where the ophthalmologist is. Her new reading has gone up to 24, so we started her on painkillers (metacam) and glaucoma meds (dorzolamide) as well as the anti-inflame meds (Flurbiprofen)
Medical Notes read:
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Luxated cataract OS, early glaucoma
IOP OS: 18, 23
Consult wit ophthalmology- it is reasonable to enucleate. Gave owner estimate for enucleation. Discussed risks of anesthesia and higher risk for rabbit enucleation due to large venous sinus behind eye. Complications include fatal hemorrhage. Owner interested in moving forward, will schedule with Dr. van der Woerdt.
Pain may be secondary to increased pressures- will start dorzolamide today.
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Ugh. SO with the new meds she is definitely more comfortable but I am concerned as to which is the best way to move forward. Dr Quesenberry at AMC has advised as above indicates that enucleation in a rabbit is risky surgery due to the proximity of a major vein right behind the eye socket. So do I move forward with the vet ophthalmologist at AMC who does many many enucleations a year for dogs and cats but only a handful for rabbits OR with the other regular bunny vet (not eye optho) I have consulted, who mainly does bunnies and therefore does many of these a year. When I asked for a number I was told she has done thousands. I am so nervous to make the right decision here and would love to hear any advice. My ideal would be an opthomologist who has prolific experience with bunnies but I have not been able to locate one near NYC (happy to travel farther by car if needed)
SECONDLY. Bunny only eats greens at present which is not ideal and especially not ideal heading into surgery. I am trying to get her to eat hay & pellets but no success bar a couple of nibbles in a week. Even trickier is the fact she DOES NOT LIKE SWEET FRUITS either! so banana, fruit etc tricks won’t work! I have tried oats… they worked at first but she has now lost interest 🙁 I have just soaked some hay to try fool her into thinking its a leafy green. Any advice greatly appreciated!
All and any recommends for doctors, procedures, tricks will be seriously considered! Thanks for reading this long intro!
Bow is a really special little girl, super affectionate, loving and engaging! I’d love to get her through all of this and on to a happy & healthy painfree inky filled life!
Thanks, Kate.