Phew-eeeee! What a week!
Following our scare with Button the other week (who is doing sooo well!) on Monday night Benny decided to join the 'fun' of giving us heart attacks!
We both came in from work about 7pm (mondays are late for me) and benny seemed to be having a bit of a sulk - stomped his foot at us and woudn't take his biccy!
Didn't think to much of it at first as he is prone to sulking if we are a bit late, or if the weather has been noisy!! By later int he evening we got more worried as he didnlt want his dinner - again, as he is prone to 'striking' we still thought it mught just be the sulks as he had eaten all his breakfast!
He seemed happy - was quite hoppy and lively, but still no food! We watched him all night, and realised at Bedtime that his litter tray was a little too clean....
I sat up with him for a while - he had started sitting around rather hunched by then, and tried to tempt him with treats...but nothing..
We decided it was time for the emergency vets...
They diagnosed GI Stasis, although were not sure of the cause... He was admitted to the hospital there to be syringe fed and medicated every couple od hours. At this point, Button was still at home.
We reluctantly left Benny to be treated and went hime to worry!
The nice lady vet we saw called me early the next morning to tell me he had still not eaten, and was still not pooping - we were very worried........ I asked about an op to remove a blockage, if it was that, and was told to not think about that yet, as that really was the last option...
This is where I start to get annoyed at Medivet (not our usual vet!). I was supposed to be kept up to date with is progress - but heard nothing! Around mid morning, as i had been very very upset it had been hard to think straightm but I decided if Benny was going to be kept in, then Button should really be with him - she seemed to miss him and I hated the idea of them separated. I know they would only be in a cage, not what they are used to, but I thought it would be best if they were at least together!
I also thought that if they are trying to get Benny to poo, then he would want his own litter tray - all things we didn't initially think of in the panic! Although I am surprised the vets didn't ask about either of these things!
I called and asked about the litter tray - I was told the vet would call me back. I also asked about Button coming to stay with Benny, and me coming to see him. I wanted to see where he was being kept, and that he was OK. I was told that as they were so busy, all the usual 'large' hutches were full and where they were being kept would not really have room for 2! Now although it is not about the money, it is sooo expensive there I am very surprised by this! Plus, if they are that busy, where was Benny then? I basically insisted that either way, she was going to stay with him - separating abonded pair is just cruel! (Unless either is infectious of course) They were very reluctant to allow this.
The lady said I could come and see him - and bring her - but could I wait until 7pm??! No! I could not! Benny had been on his own since 2am!
It also took the vet nearly 2 hours to call me back about the litter tray - when I called back I was told the receptionist had forgotten to pass the message on that this was a good idea!
When I got down there in the afternoon to reunite Benny and Button, I was told I was not allowed in to see Benny as they were too busy! They took Button off me with no questions asked about her, and I left in a state! I had only got round the corner, when I decided to call my lovely boyfriend. He calmed me down and said this was unnaceptable!
I went back, and said I wanted to see where he was being kept. It was then that they finally explained that I could not go in to see benny as due to lack of space he was being kept in the operating theatre, in the pre and post op cages I suppose. I had been told he was on a drip - so when the vet's assistant said the only way I could see him is if they bring him out to me I said no - I was not going to risk his health if he was hooked up to a drip!!
His cage was described, and that included describing that they had put some dry food mix in with him and Button - I asked what food, s I had not been asked to bring any, and they said it was their 'preferred' brand - I was shocked! Anyone who knows anything about bunnies knows you do not just change their diet! Especially considering they were trying to get Benny to eat!! Surely his OWN FOOD will do this best!! Luckily I had brought some dry mix with me, and veg for Button, which I asked them to substitute for the dry food they had in the cage.
I left again, with no real update as to his condition.
I spoke to my vet and had already decided that once benny came of the drip we would move him to our own, lovely, vet first thing in the morning. We planned to visit Benny that evening at 7.
Off we went at 7pm, not knowing what to expect... We were put in a consultancy room and Benny was carried in. He actually looked really well! They had also put a red collar on him as they had trouble telling him and Button apart! It looked very smart! It was only then that we were told he had started eating again! We had been worrying alll day! The assistant admited he perked up and started eating almost as soon as Button was brought in...
She came into the room too and they had big hugs and then started running around the room - Benny looked so well! At this point we were told he had not pooed yet, so we asked again to see the vet when he/she was free.
When the vet finaly came in, it was the nice lady we saw the night before. She told us that actually Benny HAD pooed, and they werre so happy with his progress that we could take him home! (Providing we medicated him etc)
Obviously we were very happy to hear this, although also quite angry for basically being led to believe that he was in critical condition, and weren't even updated on his improvement!
We were given a pro-biotic to add to his drink - but again, Medivet cocked up by giving me 5 packs fo 5 days, and telling me to follow the instructions. The instructions stated that one packet was to be used to make up 50ml and they should drink it from the water bottle. Anyone who knows how much 50ml is knows that is not enough to put in a bottle! I called them and asked if this was correct, or if it was jst sppoed to be 'added' to their whole bottle of drink, or, as it says on the front, if mixed up as an isotinic solution of 50ml, should I try and syringe feed it? The vet said 'oh, your bottle must be really big, 50 ml should be fine'. She said if it wasn't enought to use more packets, and thus more water, and then to buy more packs form my vet as 5 would now not be enough. Considering I gave them nearlt £240 I then had to spend another £27 buying a pack from my vet!
Worse thing was, when I got to read the FULL instructions that my vet included, it clearly sated that you can add one packet to a WHOLE bottle of water - the strong mix is only for syringe feeding a very weak bunny! No wonder they weren't drinking it! I had been putting another bowl down of water so they had something to drink at least!
Well, it is Friday now, and Benny is taking his meds like a very good boy, and eating like a pig and pooing like he should! Nice big round nuggets! As I am typing this, I just heard one of them drinking from their pro-biotic water so that's good!
But the drama doesn't end there! I noticed yesterday afternoon that Button was being very quiet, and hadn;t realy been pooing! Not another one!! As she had had a little bit of 'runny' poo the day before (when Benny wasn;t eating his dinner for two days she ate for 2!!!) but that had cleared up, I thought I would see how she was after a few hours as sometimes if she has had a lot of poo, or a bad poo, she can stop pooing for a couple of hours or so. Or, knowing her, she had found somewhere else to poo and I couldn't find it!
I checked on her all night, and she seemed very bright and was eating, she just didn;t seem to have pooed! By this morning I decided to take another day off (I was feeling quite ill myself by now!) to see if she pooed after breakfast! And hurrah - she has now done a few poos, so fingers crossed, it was jst a bit of stress from looking after Benny through his ordeal!
We are off for Benny's check up this afternoon - I think I will take Button along for the ride too - and maybe to have her tummy checked, just in case!
Benny is in particlarly good spirits today and binkying all over the place, and she has been bombing it up the stairs!
So... after a hellish week...... things seem to be OK now... fingers crossed!!!
!)
Benny was too worried to type so they let me use the computer for once! 