not eating or drinking

Question
QUESTION: Hi Dr. Dana,
 Writing to you again on Fritz again, my molar bunny, (possibly impinging on sinus). After getting his teeth done, they put him on critical care, about 1 week later, he stopped eating. His weight was down to 2 lb at the vet, I think it is lower now. He does eat the critical care, but very slowly, and a little bits of cilantro, all of a carrot, (a small piece), and I stopped the craisins he was crazy for, out of fear of the sugar. I noticed at night he is more wheezy. His mouth is always watery, but he doesn't drink any water, I have been giving him some through a syringe for fear of dehydration. When I pick him up to look at his mouth, he breaths through his mouth. Can bunnies be allergic to their own hay over time? Also, can he survive on critical care and some water until his next appointment in March? No money till then, and I know my worry and anxiety is making things worse, such bad energy! It seems like the snottys are coming from both nostrils, I blocked one to see if I could hear breathing from the other one, but they both sound watery. He is still active and happy, but especially miserable at night, sneezing or wheezing, and not laying and relaxing. For his 2 pounds of weight, I give him 3 tbs. of critical care spread out through the day...

ANSWER: Dear Robin,

If Fritz is mouth-breathing, he needs his nasal passages cleared.  Please ask the vet for help showing you how to do this.  But you can use a pediatric ear syringe to gently suction out the snot and pus, clearing his airways for better breathing.

If the discharge is very thick, then you can get some sterile saline nose spray and use it (these can be administered as nose drops, but be careful that you don't distress him badly in his condition) to help loosen and rinse out the goo.

It might be time to check his lungs via radiograph, to see if there is involvement there. If so, he might benefit from nebulization with a "cocktail" of antibiotics with Mucomyst and aminophylline to loosen the mucus and open his airways.  I can't remember if he's on antibiotics or not, but this is certainly something to discuss with the vet.  Head abscesses often respond well to injectable dual-acting Penicillin G (procaine/benzathine).  

If he eats craisins, then let him have one or two.  He needs moral support.  And if he won't drink, ask the vet to show you how to administer subcutaneous fluids.  This will help to hydrate mucus and discharge, making them easier for him to cough up and sneeze out.

I really don't think you can wait for the vet visit on this.  He sounds as if he's in pretty bad shape, and will not make it to March.

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I did call the vet, and waiting for a return call. After I called, I saw Fritz have a bowel movement, and one pellet of poop came out, along with a cluster of jelly like (clear) globs? Can you tell me what this means? Also, noticed when I put him in a new area of our home to see if he would run around, he is sort of weak in the back legs, wonder if this is because of weight loss? For today, I am syringe feeding him water with a little apple juice in it for hydration.

Answer
Dear Robin,

I hope you were able to get Fritz to the vet.  The mucus you saw in the stool is a sign of enteritis (inflammation of the intestinal lining), which can be a result of stress or slowed GI tract movement.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

His weakness could be due to any number of things. Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

and particularly the link to the article on this by Dr. Susan Brown.  If he is oxygen-deprived, that alone could make him weak. But dehydration and illness can also do this to him.  

I hope things have improved.

Dana