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Date Posted: 17:31:16 05/18/02 Sat
Author: bunny
Subject: Re: What is "Flopsy"
In reply to: Liz 's message, "What is "Flopsy"" on 19:30:14 05/17/02 Fri

Hi,
Flopsy is a term used to describe an illness where the
bunny goes floppy like a rag doll and cannot get up.
In the early stages the rabbit still has control of its
head so it can eat a little and is able to swallow.
Flopsy should not be confused with back injuries or
collapse due to heat stress, spider bites or other injuries.

If you have a rabbit with a back injury, the vet may
be able to administer cortisone and other medications
but severe back injuries in rabbits are often incurable.

If your rabbit has flopsy, the old fashioned treatment
is to support the rabbit in a box by putting a rolled up
towel either side of the rabbit with the rabbit lying on
its stomach with front paws out in front of it and back
paws tucked undeneath (like a dog in "drop" position).
Then you elevate the box slightly at the front so the
box is on a slight tilt (to help gravity assist the rabbit
to pee and poop). You may need the vet to give you some
Vitamin E powder and to give the bunny a vitamin injection
(one of the B group I believe). Then you mix nutrapet vitamin paste with European pot set style yoghurt and
a pinch of Vitamin E powder and
feed this to the rabbit with a syringe into the side of the
mouth a little at a time making sure the rabbit is swallowing (if the rabbit can't swallow the mixture you
may have to have the vet put the rabbit on a drip).
Feed a small abount at half hour intervals then hour intervals and keep bunny out of the heat and cold.

What causes flopsy? It is rare and there was a study done
at one time which suggested it was due to a Selenium
deficiency in the rabbits diet (Selenium is added to
some pet foods now days and too much Selenium is
poisonous).

As rabbit regains the use of its muscles, make sure she/he
has long grass (not kikuyu) to eat or hay. A bowl of grated
carrot may help bunny to to start eating again or some
lettuce leaf (not iceberg round lettuce which is not good
for rabbits but the leaf type lettuce). Also give some
parsley for vitamin C and the odd thisle leaf if available.

It can take days up to nearly a week for the rabbit
to recover from flopsy.

If rabbits are kept in low stress conditions and fed a
healthy mixed diet, they normally do not get flopsy.
We see very little of it these days.

If you are not sure what is wrong with your rabbit,
see your vet.

Kind regards,

Marguerite





>I read something about "Flopsy" but the article didn't
>give me any info. What is it? I think my sisters
>rabbit has the illness. Replies are appreciated

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