bladder expression in paralysis

Question
Hi, my 5 year old female unspayed (dwarf)bunny is recently paralysed. She has been to the vet, and we are 'waiting to see' how she gets on. We're not sure if it is a back injury, or a protozoal infection. She has had an antiprotozoal medication, a painkiller and is stil on antibiotics. She eats and drinks happily. I don't think she is fully emptying her own bladder. If I hold her up and press gently on her tummy she urinates. My question is, how often in a day should I be doing this to best maintain normal bladder tone/prevent distention. Also do you have tips for technique?

Thank you very much.

Answer
Dear Cath,

I hope your bunny is on a full 20-day course of Panacur (fenbendazole) for the suspected E. cuniculi, because only one treatment won't do the trick.  Please read this:

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

and especially the link to the article by Dr. Susan Brown on this condition.

When we've had bunnies who needed their bladder expressed, we usually did it 2-3 times a day, depending on the state of the bladder.  It will help if you gently "jiggle" the bladder before expressing, to suspend any calcium salts in the urine, which can collect and cause problems in a bunny who cannot move around.  The salts will come out when you express the bladder, giving the urine a slightly cloudy appearance.  That's normal.

I hope the medications work, and that your bunny does well.

Good luck!

Dana