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  • Bunny questions... help?

    BG... someone abandoned a rabbit in a field across from my house a couple of years ago. This was NOT a wild rabbit, and although she was out and about for a few months, she started to try to get under peoples' homes to keep warm when the weather started to get a little chilly out at night. So... I built her a MANSION... and caught her. I've had her for just over a year and a half now. I love her dearly, and named her Hossenfeffer /bg

    Okay, so Hoss was with us for just over a year when I went to hang out with her and discovered... a lump. Turns out it was a piece of hay that had gotten under her skin somehow and gotten infected. Okay, well might as well get that fixed up. For ~$600. Small animal vets around here are not cheap apparently. Operation went without a hitch, she was a little odd for a few days, and being a new bunny mom I panicked a little, but it all turned out alright.
    Fast forward a few months when I do more research and realize she needs to be spayed, that's okay too. $150 for everything, so that's comparable to cats. Surgery again went without a hitch, and the vet even commented that Hoss was a very well behaved bunny. Recuperates well, she now has 2 houses, a converted dog crate for inside and her mansion for outside.
    12 days later now... and I discovered there's a lump on her jaw again. I'm getting frustrated. And upset, because she's for me wrapped around her little paw. I don't want to put her through surgery again, but I will not let her suffer. I did some research today and found some info on something called Penicillin G or Bicillin. From what I read, it's an injectable (by me, after a vet has shown me how) penicillin that would mean that this might not need to go the surgery route.

    Has anyone out there had rabbits with this problem? Is there any end to it? I WILL be taking her to the vet on my next days off, I'm just asking for personal stories/advice/something I can take to the vet for options. Fiancee and I agreed at the start of all this that we would not spend more than $500 on her.. this is no longer the case, she seems about on the same level as a boat as far as money pits go.. and she's worth every penny.

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for listening to my blabber, I'm just coming to terms with the new news

  • #2
    I don't think I ever read about lumps/cancer being a common problem for pet rabbits; it's in none of my books or the web sites I use. Depends on if the lump is another foreign object under her skin or cancer I would think. Maybe try the injection, see if that helps. If it doesn't, then you'll know it's not an infection. It could be a cyst from ingrown hair; mostly harmless and will eventually go away. I've had pet mice that got lumps; they were very inbred and kept developing cancer, but the lumps never seemed to bother them. Good luck, glad that bunny has a good home!
    "If anyone wants this old box containing the broken bits of my former faith in humanity, I'll take your best offer now. You may be able to salvage a few of em' for parts..... " - Quote by Argabarga

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    • #3
      Quoth PawnPrincess Ardra View Post

      Okay, so Hoss was with us for just over a year when I went to hang out with her and discovered... a lump. Turns out it was a piece of hay that had gotten under her skin somehow and gotten infected. Okay, well might as well get that fixed up. For ~$600. Small animal vets around here are not cheap apparently. Operation went without a hitch, she was a little odd for a few days, and being a new bunny mom I panicked a little, but it all turned out alright.
      Fast forward a few months when I do more research and realize she needs to be spayed, that's okay too. $150 for everything, so that's comparable to cats. Surgery again went without a hitch, and the vet even commented that Hoss was a very well behaved bunny. Recuperates well, she now has 2 houses, a converted dog crate for inside and her mansion for outside.
      12 days later now... and I discovered there's a lump on her jaw again. I'm getting frustrated. And upset, because she's for me wrapped around her little paw. I don't want to put her through surgery again, but I will not let her suffer. I did some research today and found some info on something called Penicillin G or Bicillin. From what I read, it's an injectable (by me, after a vet has shown me how) penicillin that would mean that this might not need to go the surgery route.

      Has anyone out there had rabbits with this problem? Is there any end to it? I WILL be taking her to the vet on my next days off, I'm just asking for personal stories/advice/something I can take to the vet for options. Fiancee and I agreed at the start of all this that we would not spend more than $500 on her.. this is no longer the case, she seems about on the same level as a boat as far as money pits go.. and she's worth every penny.
      Some bunnies are more prone to abscesses than others. If they're bacterial in origin, then penicillin or another antibiotic would be a good route for treating the really nasty ones. Depending on what's inside, you might be able to get it drained without major surgery -- I used to be a caretaker at a pet store and plenty of rabbits (and guinea pigs) had minor cysts or abscesses that could be drained with a small incision, then kept clean with no further problems. Good luck with her, she sounds lovely!
      Last edited by DGoddessChardonnay; 04-30-2012, 11:35 PM. Reason: Excessive quoting

      "When your deepest thoughts are broken, keep on dreaming, boy; when you stop dreaming it's time to die" -- Blind Melon

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      • #4
        I meant abscess.. sorry, not cancerous, it's something lodged under her skin, not like a tooth abscess or anything though. I'm just.. ugh. I feel so bad that she has to go through it. No more hay for her, I tell ya - only soft grasses LOL

        The abscess she had before, they treated by cutting it open and flushing it while she was under general anesthesia. I'm hoping I caught it early enough this time. Hoss is sure good at hiding things, the sneaky devil. If I can figure out how, I'll post a pic of her. I luff her!

        And yes, she has a very good home here. Who wouldn't want 2 houses, 7 square bunny salads a day and all the love you could ever want? What can I say, we don't have kids :-)

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        • #5
          Click image for larger version

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          This is Hoss before her cage expansion. It's now 2 floors with a side house.

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          • #6
            Oooooh! Fluffy bun bun!

            We never had trouble with our bunnies having abscesses. (Just ear infections. ) So unfortunately I have no advice. Just wanted to say your bunny is adorable!
            Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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            • #7
              oooh ear infections would suck... and thank you! She IS adorable. That's the hard part - if she was ugly and bad tempered... naw, even then I'd do what I'm doing now :-)

              A hay rack might be an idea as well, with softer hay than the oat hay that she's been eating - that stuff is pretty hard. At least for awhile (my bank account is hurting damnit!)

              Thank you for all the suggestions, I appreciate every one of 'em! Please keep 'em coming if you have any more

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              • #8
                what a cute bunny! Might see if you can get Timothy Hay (it is mostly grasses, if I remember right. Been awhile since we have had horses)
                Coffee should be strong, black and chewy! It should strip paint and frighten small children.

                My blog Darkwynd's Musings

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                • #9
                  My former mother-in-law had a bunny that developed an abscess in her jaw and it got so big she could only eat liquified food. I think the problem was that ex MIL coulnd't afford to get it properly treated so they just did the best they could until she passed away.
                  "You are loved" - Plaidman.

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                  • #10
                    Yep, can definitely get timothy hay, I'll mix it with alfalfa 'cause she LOVES that stuff, but shouldn't have too much or she'd be a pudgy bunny LOL

                    And Kara... Poor bunny! Damn small animal vets for charging so freaking much, it's not fair! At least it sounds like they did what they could for poor bun

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                    • #11
                      I have pet rabbits myself. I can't get over how cute yours is. Mine have never had a problem with abscesses but my boy rabbit is currently shedding fur by the tonne! I can't actually pet him at the moment because I get a handful of fur in return! I brushed him for about an hour and there's little improvement.

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                      • #12
                        OMG is it EVER a bad year for shedding (glad it wasn't just my bun who was affected, I thought I was losing my mind)! Hoss went through her major shed before she went in for her spay, and the fur was everywhere LOL

                        Hoss thanks you for the compliment! I'd never heard of a half-lop before I "adopted" her :-)

                        Also, a bit of good news. Her wound looks a little better today. I'm hoping the warm damp cloths are helping, along with her kind of lancing the abscess herself yesterday. Poor thing really doesn't deserve more freakin' surgery.

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                        • #13
                          OMFG!! So cute! Dammit, now I want a bunny.
                          The High Priest is an Illusion!

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                          • #14
                            ArcticChicken, if this was Facebook, I would "like" that LOL

                            Rabbits are awesome pets. Just kinda expensive if they're broken :-)

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                            • #15
                              Oat hay probably is too hard. We always used alfalfa or timothy hay, and never had issues with abscesses. And our bunnies LOVED it! (Pippin the Guinea Pig loves timothy hay, too!)
                              Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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