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frozen feet
Topic Started: Jan 6 2014, 10:48 PM (1,134 Views)
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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So sorry to hear about Moonlight. Please pass our condolences to Josh.

KAZ
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NeuBunny
Genetics Geek!
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thanks. Josh handles this sort of thing pretty well now (don't know if that's good or bad). This one is going to hit him again come spring when we start breeding -- Moonlight was his 'daddy bunny'. We do have a son from him -- Kage is a blue otter - little guy that never made senior weight. Nominally Rhi's (from Rhi's black otter doe, Storm) but Rhi had already told Josh he could have any of her bunnies that he wanted.

Not sure what's up with Star (incidentally, she's Moonlight's daughter) - her feet are healing, but she isn't drinking/peeing normally. Seriously - been in the new cage for 3 days and it's still almost immaculate. Her water this morning looked like it hadn't been touched. I moved the water dish back by the resting mat to see if that helps (she drags her food dish back there and is still eating pellets fine) - perhaps her feet hurt enough that she isn't wanting to leave the mat to cross the cage for water? Her feet look a lot better, but sometimes pink/healing skin is more painful than the deadened black scabs. I also worry that she's eating the medicine - she goes into a grooming frenzy cleaning her feet every time I put the medicine (prep H) on. Trying to use as little as possible and still get a layer over the scabs.

Vern's feet are getting much better - expect him to make a full recovery. He's apparently feeling better too -- he now tries to mate with my knee every time he comes out of the cage!

Victor's feet are showing improvement - though I'm still quite worried. At least the black has all disappeared from the tops of his feet and higher parts of his one front leg (I think in trying to favor that paw, he was resting on the elbow).

Zephyr's hocks look bad - blistered, oozy, swollen. Every time I check him I have to ask myself whether it would be kinder to just have him put down. And then decide to give it 'one more day, as long as he's still eating'. Flip side is that the toes have healed really nicely. He seems to be walking on his toes now - not putting any weight on his hocks at all.

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redemptionranch
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POWITH!!
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So sorry to hear all the trouble you've been having. Praying for a quick recovery for the others.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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I think it's a good thing that Josh handles loss the way he does. Sad part of life, but understanding that these things do happen. Definitely will miss his "daddy bunny" but like you said he's got Rhi's to help him through this loss come Spring.

Glad to hear about the improvements and hoping the healing continues. Just so sorry that you and your rabbits are going through this.

Fingers crossed for Zephyr, Victor and Star.

KAZ
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Hope all is going well and all bunnies are on the mend!

How's Zephyr doing?

KAZ
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NeuBunny
Genetics Geek!
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not good for Zephyr.

Trying something new this morning ... wrapping his feet like shown here ...
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html

I'm very nervous about covering them -- the wool is going to stick in the oozing blisters despite the thick layer of prep H I put on first. And twice daily cleaning and rebandaging is not going to be easy. So I put it off trying to find anyone among my immediate circle of rabbit friends who had either tried this, or had another suggestion. Regret putting it off -- he screamed this morning when I touched his feet. If the padding doesn't help I'm out of options. I can't let him keep suffering if he's not getting better.

Victor also seems to be taking a turn for the worse though his feet are improving -- some swelling in the one foot (the worst one) but more critically he has crusty stuff around his eyes and just seems to have lost his energy - a dull look to his eyes if you know what I mean. He's still eating (totally attacked his pellets), so maybe just 'off' this morning.

Vern and Star are improving, slow and steady. I've stopped putting medicine on Star (she goes into such a frenzy licking it all off) and she still seems to be improving. Vern I'm just putting it on the two worst spots once a day.
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sidd-says-gimme
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sidd says stay gold
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Good luck with Zephyr. <3
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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So sorry to hear about Zephyr. Hoping the "wrap" works for him. Fingers crossed.

KAZ
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NeuBunny
Genetics Geek!
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well - he got one off while I was at work. He was clearly putting weight only on the foot that was wrapped and not on the other - so I rewrapped the one that came off. They do seem to make him more comfortable. BUT - this morning when I took them off to re-do them, the one that stayed wrapped all day yesterday looks really yucky -- white pus. Cleaned it all up and re-did. Will give him more anti-biotics again. But while the wraps clearly make him more comfortable, I'm not sure they are promoting healing.

Victor is not himself. He was asleep with his head in the waterdish this morning (almost empty - he had dumped it first). He was completely soaked. Had to get out the blowdryer and get him dried off. The one foot is now really swollen. Gave him a shot of antibiotics again - larger dose.

Star has a patch on one ear that is turning blistered. Must have been frostbit too and just now showing the damage. Medicated that - unlike her feet, she seems to be leaving that alone. Can't medicate her feet - she goes absolutely crazy until she has them all clean again. But they seem to be healing nicely.

Barely left enough time to get the chores done and get the kids to school, then off to work. sigh.
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Wow, what a mess this weather has brought. Poor bunnies. Poor you.

Sounds like the wrap is good for support, but agree, sounds like it's not promoting healing when finding all that pus. I would continue though with the antibiotics and the wraps.

My husband would like to suggest that if you know anyone in your Rescue Dept or EMT. If you do, stop by and ask them if they know anything else you can do. If you get the right one, they know a lot about frostbite, burns, etc. There are washes you can use that are full of antibiotics. That could help Star who hates her feet being treated. Could just rinse them with this wash. Just a thought.

Hang in there. Know it's tough times right now. Thoughts your way that things turn around and these bunnies surprise you by bouncing back.

KAZ
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Might sound gruesome, but something we both thought of. If you have photos of the areas, bring them with you or if you talk to them on the phone you can e-mail them. So at least maybe someone can see and give you some good info on what you can do.

KAZ
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Or contact this link to the University of Penn Vet College. Contact research. They will be VERY helpful.

http://www.vet.upenn.edu/

KAZ
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NeuBunny
Genetics Geek!
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Zephyr is in pain - it's time to let that end. So I talked to my friend (who does meat rabbits and is experienced enough to put them down fast) and she is going to put him down for me tonight. Was debating Victor too - not in pain but he seemed so lethargic - fate took that decision away, Victor didn't survive the night.

Vern's feet are losing the black spots (never as bad as the other two to begin with) with pink skin coming in. Needless to say I will be watching him like a hawk for any sign of infection. Debating just keeping him on antibiotics, but worried that will upset his stomach. Perhaps a low dose... anyway, he has retained most of the fur on his feet, which lays over the sore spots and provides a cushion. And he's still walking fine, active, and amorous.

Star feet are amazingly better. I credit her obsessive washing rather than the little bit of medicine I manage to get on them. Her cleaning them constantly is clearly doing far more good than twice a day treatment. Her ear looks bad, but I don't think that will turn life threatening. Her appetite and drinking have improved.
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sidd-says-gimme
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sidd says stay gold
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:cry: :angelbun: :cry:

I'm so sorry to hear. At least Zephyr won't have to suffer any more... you tried your absolute best for them, now there's nothing else for you to do.

All we can do is hope for the rest. <3 What a nasty Winter for you.
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Sorry to hear about Zephyr. You're doing a kindness by letting him go. You did everything you could do for him.

Sorry to hear of the loss of Victor. Fingers crossed for Vern and Star.

KAZ
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