Friday, November 18, 2011

This just in...no surgery today for Herbert!

I love Dr. Nathanson at North Seattle Vet clinic. She called me an hour after I dropped off Herbert...and his huge carrot-stain on his white dudelap (the masculine term for 'dewlap'). She said she looked in his ear and it wasn't completely closed up. She could see a little opening (very small). So she asked if I would be interested in a new treatment that she's trying with rabbits. It's really for cats, but she's having some success with it, and it won't hurt him. It's medicine that helps to un-swell the tissue and open up the ear canal so that we can get antibiotics deep into the infected area, and so that cleaning out the ear is possible. The medicine is contained in a lanolin-based plug that slowly dissolves over time. She sedates the bunny a little (not nearly the amount they'd need for actual surgery) and puts the plug deep in the ear. Then she wants to see him in a week to see if it's working. It may simply delay the inevitable, but I certainly think it's worth a try, especially because he's a happy dude otherwise and doesn't seem to be in any discomfort (except when Babette tries to steal his carrot, which he has expressed significant discomfort about).

So, a plug in the ear. Kinda like an ear suppository. He's now officially a Butthead.

An excellent view of the ear in question, displayed during an impressive flop demonstration that happened several months ago.

Think good thoughts for my Herbert today

Herbert is getting surgery today-- a lateral ear resection to alleviate the chronic ear infection / abscess he's had for months. Other treatments, including many weeks of antibiotics, didn't work. This is external surgery to open up the outer opening to his cute lop ear and let air in-- and allow me to keep it clean. Sigh.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

My new favorite pic of Mr. Kisserroo

Love this one. This was taken the same day that 'mr. Unbondable' himself fell for a tiny rabbit I helped rescue (along with five of her identical twins!) from a cold wet drainage ditch outside a Shari's restaurant in Kirkland. More on that later. For now, enjoy this look of bliss.