trystinn: (basset)
TrystInn ([personal profile] trystinn) wrote2008-11-06 09:39 am
Entry tags:

Sam Report

One of the things I like about our vet's office is they spend a few moments with you, and give the bunny a quick health checkup before taking them into surgery even if they've seen the bun lately. At just a little over 1.5 lbs, he's a very small guy.

As I expected, the vet was shocked at his teeth and completely blown away when I told her he did indeed manage to eat hay and pellet. The worst she's seen in such a young bunny, she told me getting angry at his condition (which I rather like in a vet). We discussed options going forward and agreed we want to give his teeth a chance with proper hay and occasional trimming, then in 1 year review the option of removing his top teeth. Unfortunately, I was correct - Sam is indeed dwarfed, his skull shape makes proper growth of his teeth difficult if not impossible. One of the surprisingly many times I had hoped to be wrong.

She agreed he was likely abandoned due to his teeth, because honestly he is absolutely the sweetest guy. He was amazingly calm at the vet, his heart beat was close to normal resting, something they rarely see at the practice. At the end she picked him up and set him on her shoulder to take him out of the room, then turned to me with tears in her eyes "he's purring" she whispered. I nodded, Sam purrs a lot. "Oh you poor little thing, let's get you fixed right!" she said walking to the surgery with him her head tilted to rest on his small back.

I've a good feeling about this.

[identity profile] alfrecht.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:26 pm (UTC)(link)
So glad to hear things are going well with the little guy!

[identity profile] fabricdragon.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
oh poor bun!
glad the vet was good with him..
poor bun

[identity profile] victrola58.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Damn Woman you made me tear up! I wish the little guy well.. and nothing for the people who abandoned him... grrrr

[identity profile] badseed1980.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh. Em. Gee. PURRING bun-bun? *dies of cute*

[identity profile] paigemom.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Vets like that are worth every penny.

What do you think is the cause of the dwarfed skull and subsequent tooth misgrowth?

[identity profile] wendyzski.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
There is a lot of irresponsible breeding out there, especially when it comes to "cute little" rabbits. Netherland Dwarfs are VERY popular, but their little heads and jaws are often just too small for the usual number of rabbit teeth, and since no one I know of puts braces on a bunny, they can get all kinds of awful overgrowth and crowding.

[identity profile] paigemom.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I was afraid the answer would be something like that :( I had a rescue beagle once (she's now a little diva living at my mother's house) who was barely 10 inches tall at the shoulder. Some eejit was trying to bring back "pocket beagles."

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a bit hard to see in pictures, but Sam has the typical egg shaped head of the dwarf. His jawline is almost smooshed into his face, the profile is all wrong albeit cute.

[identity profile] wendyzski.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Poor puppy :(

The little round heads and short ears that make ND look like perpetual babies can come with a host of possible medical issues even when responsible breeders are part of the picture.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I imagine Sam was the product of an oops litter or worse, BYB. Breeding dwarves is a very hit or miss scenario. Whenever you breed two dwarves, you have only a 50/50 chance of having dwarfed rabbits.

Dwarfism is a natural genetic occurrence, of course, but in an of itself its not optimal. People tend to forget that human dwarves have an entire host of medical and structural problems and so likely will their bunny.

[identity profile] wendyzski.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
i had a vet once who kept sneaking in little kisses to Pepper (who disapproved highly) during the exam. Yeah - that's why I like that practice!

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope vets know that it's often the little things that make owners loyal to them, like kisses and emotional attachments to our pets health.

I read a wonderful book a few months back about a British vet working in New England. His mentor had told him to always clean off the table in front of the owners, even if it had already been after the last animal, so owners knew you were serious about taking care of their animals.

It seemed odd at the time, but I realized today I've never seen anyone clean the tables at our vet and understood how comforting it would be to have that little assurance.

[identity profile] wendyzski.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't usually have that issue because I'm usually the first appointment :)

But I picked that practice because they are the house vet for the shelter Pepper came from, and I stayed because of the vet tech who took the time to make SURE I understood how to burrito Pepper and give her meds properly, the receptionist who brings her rabbit to work with her, and for the weekend vet who kisses bunnies.

[identity profile] rimrunner.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwww...best wishes for Sam!

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, I'm pacing the floor waiting for the phone call to come pick him up.

[identity profile] saffronhare.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for posting all this stuff. I'm learning a lot about the ins and outs of caring for a bunny, and hoping all this will help me NOT to be a bad bun Mommy when the time comes.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Every time I'm convinced I'm boring the crap out of my Flist with critter (especially bunnies) posts, someone reminds me that there is value in them.

So thank you, today you were my value-added friend.

[identity profile] wastedmouthfull.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I love sammy he is sweet... Ok fine i love all the buns, Mustafa especialy.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Mufasa is the greatest.

(say it again!)

[identity profile] man-of-snows.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
These posts are great for me to learn about. I wants to have me some rabbits so this here's good fur learnin'.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you're enjoying them. :)

Here's our shelter site, with profiles on each bunny, should we have something you'd be interested in:

http://www.bunspace.com/view_bunny?bunid=6112

[identity profile] wild-heart.livejournal.com 2008-11-06 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't find any of your posts boring, and generally LOVE the ones about your furbabies. You've got a terrific writing style when describing critters.

Sweet little bunbun. I'm so glad it all turned out well.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, I do work at it. :)

He's doing marvelously, I'll be taking pictures now that the drugs have worn off and posting them.

[identity profile] paigemom.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
I love reading your rescue posts. I feel like they're another way for us to connect -- one Called rescuer to another :)

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, indeed, I hadn't looked at it quite that way - but then I usually need someone to point that kind of thing out to me.

*hugs*