Banana Bad

stinky banana and boy

Replace the boy in this photo with a bunny but keep the facial expression and you have the reaction our bunnies are giving us

Well, the bunnies are really opposed to Baytril that was started just before Labor Day when Shadow developed Snuffles.  I am not sure if it is the medicine or what has been used to flavor the medicine, since it has a really strong flavor aroma.  We tried to mash the medicine up with some banana since someone elses bunnies will take it that way. It was a wonderful suggestion, however …

Tigger voted paws down on Baytril banana mash.  We tried it first with her.  She ran up to sniff the bowl.  Then she ran right back to hide in her litter pan at the very back of her cage.  Shadow seconded her vote and turned nose up and turned his head away from the bowl when it was offered to him. 

So we went back to syringing it by mouth.   They fought having to have it.  Medicating them is a two person job.  One person has to be the bunny holder while the second syringes the meds into the side of the mouth and rub cheeks and throat to get them to swallow it instead of drooling it back out. 

Then a few days into it, Tigger decided to go back into a stasis situation.  So Tigger came off the Baytril and is back on the regimen for  pain meds, gas meds, Critical Care feedings, probiotics, extra syringed water, tummy rubs and humans following her with food begging her to eat.  She is now beginning to bounce back.

Shadow is still getting the Baytril and has stopped sneezing and is getting a good appetite back.  We only hope that with Tigger off the Baytril that she isn’t carrying the infection.  We hope she won’t reinfect Shadow once he finishes his course of treatment this weekend. 

Fingers crossed.  It is so hard with 10-year-old rabbits to balance what is best for them at this point because they are beginning to have multiple health issues.

I Wish I Had A Picture …

Tigger back side

We couldn't get a picture of THAT face, but expect to be seeing this view a LOT

So Friday, Shadow started showing a move from allergies into Snuffles issues.  Tigger is currently symptom free.  However, when Shadow saw the vet yesterday, it was discussed whether Tigger should be treated too.  In the past if one got sick with something like this, even if the other started out symptom free, they would pass it back and forth until both had been put on antibiotics to clear them both up.  So Shadow and Tigger are both being treated from the start this time.

I am guessing that the medication prescribed has a really nasty taste or that the flavoring I smell is not anywhere on their tasty list.  That is because in more than ten years with Tigger, I have never seen quite the face or way she looked at me after we gave it to her.  It was the most disgusted peeved aggrieved look.  She didn’t even get all of it either, she was drooling a bit out as we tried to syringe it in.  When I put her down, she hopped around the room and thumped at least five times.  And we have twice a day, times two bunnies, for two weeks to look forward to.  Sigh …

There will be a pretty Etsy treasury coming later this afternoon.

Ahhhhhhhh Choo!

Hay Fever

credit: istockphoto.com

Evil pollens are in the air!  Little Shadow and I are beginning to feel the effects of fall allergies.  He was sneezing on and off all day today.  I am having trouble sleeping and then my daytime energy level really suffers.  We switched out the filter on the air conditioning system today and hopefully that will help out a lot.

After Shadow had a really bad time in the spring allergy season, we consulted with the vet.  We now have the an allergy med dosage to try for him and will work to see if there is a level that will help him out without making him too sleepy.  I intend to take some allergy meds myself tonight with the hope they will make me sleepy.