weight loss bunny

Re: weight loss bunny

Suzanne Kelly — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 16:59:40 GMT

Hi again.

The cause of urinary incontinence was presumed to be a UTI. Costs are an issue so a proper work up wasn't done, hence the antibiotic, nsaid and fenbendazole approach. The penicillin was to treat said UTI. he is feeding very well on hay and eating as normal according to the owner. Faecal pellets are normal.Caecotrophs unknown/ not seen so assume normal. No PUPD, otoscope exam of mouth normal, palpation of maxilla/mandible normal too, incisors in normal occlusion. I did have a quick look in his mouth when we flushed the bladder on 8/11 and it seemed fine, but to be fair it was a quick look, no dental xrays or probing or anything. I radiographed the caudal abdomen that day too, I'll try and post the pics if I can figure out how.

Re glucose, sorry forgot to post results, I used a glucometer as my sample was small.It was 8.4mmol/l which I put down to a stress response.

Re panacur, he was on 20mg/kg SID for 28 days starting 30/9. I had heard that it can cause pancytopenia but wouldn't it have happened while he was on the drug not 4 weeks later?

I've suggested full bunny xrays and repeat bloods to the owner but she's declined. So stop all meds and wait and see I guess. He's in again next week, I'll let ye know what happened.

Suzanne

Re: weight loss bunny

James Laidlaw — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 08:22:31 GMT

How long was he on panacur for? This can cause pancytopeania in rabbits.

Re: weight loss bunny

mariette asselbergs — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:26:33 GMT

Also no glucose, do rabbits get diabetis? Maybe do a glucose test with a glucometer. And do rabbits get Cushing?

Mariette

Re: weight loss bunny

Gerbil — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 23:58:53 GMT

I would say you seem to have a bit of a pancytopaenia here which I would attach significance to a abc of 1.9 would be a bit of a concern on its own. I would run an ec profile and get the haematology quantified, A bone marrow biopsy may be needed

Re: weight loss bunny

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 20:41:08 GMT

Hi,

What was the cause of the urinary incontinence (and subsequent retention if he needed flushing)? What is he on penicillins to treat? These underlying disease processes may be significant factors in what is causing general deterioration. Does he still feed well on hay? Are both waste faeces and caecotrophs always normal? Any management changes? Any PU/PD? Palpable distension or thickening of GIT? Any abdominal foci of pain?

The bloods are unfortunately not much help in pin-pointing cause as the changes are non-specific and fairly mild. Urinalysis and culture (and ultrasonography if available) may be of assistance if a primary urological disease is involved and this is possible from the previous symptoms he has had. Otherwise I would be looking for survey radiographs (including dental series) as a next step to try and localise organ system, alongside repopulating the gut and stopping penicillins if there is no clear infection to treat on exam, in the absence of a heterophilia.

Marie