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What to do when she's gone...

sola

Warren Scout
Hi, haven't been here in a very long time!

Thought I'd ask some opinions really.

Currently I have two house rabbits, neutered male, Peter and neutered female, Peta.

Peta has fluid on her lungs, she on treatment, but the vet didn't think it would improve very much, after a week on treatment (baytril and septrin) she was seen by a different vet at the same practice and said she couldn't hear any crackling in her lungs that the first vet could hear and she put on 1lb which is good as she was a little under weight.

She's due back this thursday to see how she's improving or if there's no change (the first vet warned she may have to be put down, but I insisted on getting baytril and septrin instead of just baytril.)

I understand this will be a life long treatment, but I fear she has less then a year, if that. She'll be 10 years in May.

The problem being is that she'll be leaving her boyfriend behind. He's 8 years this year and is on the same medication, except he's got a snuffly nose, his lungs are clear and he's overweight :oops:

I think he'll be on medication for life too as he's had this off and on.

I'm going to uni this year and my plans are to get a council house so I can take my pets with me. My mum said she'll look after them if I can't get one straight away, but we've had the conversation of what will I do if Peter's left alone and she doesn't want me to get another rabbit if she has to look after him.

I personally don't want any more rabbits, at least not young rabbits. He's a nervous rabbit with people anyway and doesn't seek attention from me, unlike Peta, but he was a lone rabbit for a year before I got him, was very nervous, he's a lot better then he was though.

So any suggestions or thoughts? Should I look for any elderly buns looking for a home or rehome him to be partnered up with another, (bearing in mind he may have a respiration disease which might be contagious? I WILL NOT put him in rescue, I'd rather he goes straight to a home I can trust then be stuck unwanted. There's too many younger rabbits out there looking for a home. He won't ever find one)

The vet was very surprised how old they were and how well they looked considering. Most of the rabbits she has treated don't make it past 7 years! I'm expecting Peter to live to at least another 2 years! So it may be impossible to find an old rabbit to live with him. (I wouldn't want to go less then his age or else I'll be stuck in the same position when he goes and (selfish as it sounds) I'm hoping that I'll be petless in the next 3-5 years...

.... or one thing I don't want to do... put him to sleep with her? I loath this option mainly because it could be this Thursday we say goodbye to her.... even though she's eating and drinking and acting completely like her self, when before the treatment she became very quiet and not acting like herself. :cry:
 
I would urge you not to put her down this thursday if she is still well in herself, but that is just my opinion and I honeslty do not think it would be right to end his life at the same time if he is healthy other than the one thing you mentioned.
I think your best bet would be to keep her happy and comfortable until she shows it is HER time and when it comes to Peter, you may find he would be alright on his own once she is gone BUT obviously if he does become depressed then you would need to look in to resucing a girlie for him which I shouldnt think would be too hard even if you were looking for an older bun, there are so many bunnies young and old in resuces waiting for a home.
 
Hi

reading your thread there are two things I would do:

1. Find another vet as Baytril and Septrin are only the very start of treatments for respiratory problems and there are a LOT more options befor e any vet who was good with rabbits would suggest PTS. Also the comment about 7 being 'old' - my vets regularly see rabbits over 10 and would not be at all surprised by a rabbit over 7.

A good vet would also refuse to PTS a healthy bun just because its partner had died.

If you are in Huntingdon Cambridgeshire then PM me for the name of a good rabbit vet in Cambridge!

2. IF the worst comes to the worst and Peta does die and your mother bsolutely insists that you cannot have a new female for him, then I personally would either keep him as a house bun on his own until you can have him back with a a partner or put him on a waiting list for Wood Green - they are truly excellent there and closely check and monitor new homes. They will also usually bond him with a new girlfriend before he goes to a new home.
 
I agree with rachylou. There will be loads of golden oldies in rescue:) I think if you feel that your life will not be suited to having a rabbit anymore it would be best to rehome Peter rather than PTS.

It is such a sad and difficult situation for you and will be so easy for us looking in:cry:
 
Find another vet as Baytril and Septrin are only the very start of treatments for respiratory problems and there are a LOT more options befor e any vet who was good with rabbits would suggest PTS.

Tulip has been on a fair amount of different antibiotics for her lungs. AFAIK she is nearer the end now as she is on steroids, usually a last resort and tends to give a fair amount of time too. Baytril is only used on her when she gets an upper respiratory infection otherwise it is worse than useless.
 
Thanks everyone, pts is the last thing I want to do, the first vet was suggesting it after only putting her on baytril for a week and I was like 'no way, that's not going to make a blind bit of difference.'

The second vet seems a lot more in the know and there's another who the first vet referred too after my mum took in Peter the next day and told her I would insist on septrin and baytril and she gave it there and then. So might be able to get different meds if there's something stronger.

Ok, I'm going to be firm then if she suggests pts, as Peta is completely in character to the extent that she is humping her poor suffering boyfriend everytime I go in to give them their meds (I have to take the cage off the bottom to get to them or lock them out in their pen which is when she takes advantage of him :roll:) and always begging for food.

parsnipbun: Yes I am, I'll pm you but I may still stick with this one and try to get them to change, maybe I could get them to call that vet? Least it means they'll learn something important and life saving.

I guess very last resort I'll put him up for adoption if she does go, but I'd hate to have to give him up because I was too selfish to get another rabbit and I would hate to have him live alone if he's happier with companionship. -_-

Well I guess I'll come to that bridge when it happens, if there's a lot of elderly rabbits in rescue it shouldn't be a problem. I think my mum is more against me getting a young rabbit as when Peter goes, I'll just be in the same cycle.

Hopefully by then I'll have my own place, so would be able to get him a suitable companion.
 
Perhaps suggest some other antibiotics.

Frankie has a very similar respiratory problem and had been on depocilin injections and septrin. The vet did say he was a fighter and most rabbits wouldn't survive this.

If she still wants to fight I would try getting your vet to try other things.

Good luck and sending vibes for her.
 
Perhaps suggest some other antibiotics.

Frankie has a very similar respiratory problem and had been on depocilin injections and septrin. The vet did say he was a fighter and most rabbits wouldn't survive this.

If she still wants to fight I would try getting your vet to try other things.

Good luck and sending vibes for her.

I would have expected a vet to suggest depocillin injections in Petas case if the other abx are not working.:?

ts rarely worth sticking with a vet that doesn't know their bunny stuff - you may think you are saving money going to the vet that is close but does not know much about buns - but as well as the bunny suffering for longer you also will end up making more trips and being given more things that don't work - so it will cost more in the longer term.
 
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