i had to put my rabbit to sleep yesterday i feel guilty did i do the right thing

can anyone help me here , im not sure i dont the right thing its made me real depressed?
i had a 6 year old rabbit, who always had problems with his teeth , so 2 years ago the vet took his front teeth out as they kept growing , eventually he lost some from the back teeth ,, leaving him with 3 teeth, every 5 months he had to go and have them files down , he never eat hay , or grass , just his food russel rabbit i bought him up on ....he developed a swelling on the side of his cheek during the week and was put on antibiotics, which hasnt taken the swelling down , yesterday he went for his teeth to be filed , and the vet told me he was worried about him . about the swelling on his cheek that it may be a tumour ,,, but i cant stop thinking it was an abcess not a tumour. he also said he was loosing weight and that he is now starving hiself due to his teeth ,,,,,,,he only has 3 teeth ,,,,, but 6 moths ago he only had 3 teeth ,,, and was fine , or has it all crept up onhim now ,, i feel so bad i done the wrong thing to put him to sleep im really depressed ,,,

has anyone been through the same thing

thanks

*squishes tight*

I'm so sorry that firstly you lost your bunny friend, and now you're doubting if it was right.

None of us can tell you, accurately, if it was right or not, although what we can tell you is that your bunny isn't suffering or in pain.

Doubt and guilt is anormal part of grief, sadly. It's also a part that affects you, but not your bunny, the same way the gut wrenching pain of grief affects you and not him.

In this situation, all you can do is remind yourself that he isn't suffering and that only you are suffering, and because you loved him so, so much you wouldn't have wanted him to suffer, and now you know he isn't; just you are.

For the future, I think that it might be worthwhile thinking about your gut instinct in yesterdays situation and learning to follow it. If you weren't entirely sure yesterday, or if you gut instinct said it wasn't right, then if you find yourself in a similar situation, it's that that you need to follow and speak up about.

For now though, focus on grieving, and on looking after yourself. You can't change the past and you did what you thought was best at the time- that's all anyone can do with their bunnies. x

hi thankyou as i sit here crying , deep down i know maybe he would not of lived long as he only had 3 teeth in his mouth so i guess eventually he would of starved hiself (

Crying is ok and good, even though it feels pretty torrid and is for a horrible reason. Let yourself cry. Have you thought about posting in Rainbow Bridge for him?

i dont know what rainbow bridge is ?

It's this part of the forum. It's a palce where you can psot a tribute or stories or pictures of the pets you have loved and lost.

This is the poem about Rainbow Bridge.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor;
those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing;
they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet,
so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

It's absolutely normal to feel guilty and as if you've made the wrong decision. He does sound as if he'd had a lovely life, but his dental issues had caught up with him.
I had a bunny put to sleep once for a broken front leg, which felt so terrible. However, the reason she had broken her leg was that she had bone cancer. She was never going to recover, and having a bandage on her leg, or amputation, was going to be very difficult for her to get used to in the short time that she had left.
I agree with Sky-O, post in rainbow bridge, and cry all you like! We're still very sad about our heart bunny who left for the bridge last March.
Hugs to you.

thnakyou for your kind help )

i felt guilt a few years ago when i had to have Patch put to sleep. she was old and having trouble cleaning herself.as a result she got flystrike-we thought we caught it ealry. the vet said she felt the had very quickly spread internally.it was either out her to sleep or operate to see how far they had got and see if they could rremove them. i decided on the first as she was very depressed and i didnt want her to suffer any longer. i now its tough so im thinking of you :hugs:

animals cant tell you when there ill ,,, im just wandering did i do the right thing to put him to sleep , i know deep down eventually he would have died through starvation only having 3 teeth , but i cant seem to accept i done the right thing i feel as though i killed him ,, silly thought i know ,, he was 6 years old , i am having him cremated and taking him with myother giant bunny who had a heart attack last year , then they will be together .

you clearly loved him very much so im sure you did the best you possibly could.i know that wont change the way you feel at the moment but all i can say is at least he's not stressed or suffering in any way now. concentrate on yourself and dont hold back the tears if you need a good sob then go ahead-i did

Im so sorry you lost your bunny The way you are feeling is normal, i felt the same recently when i had a special foster bunny of mine put to sleep. No one knows the answer to your question, its very obvious you cared for your bunny lots, im sure you made the right decision. We all know how hard it is, thinking of you. Hugs xxx

im really not understanding or my vet has done wrong putting rabbit to sleep



hi again all i called my vet today , to ask him how many teeth he had got before he put him to sleep ,, he told me lat year he still had 3 teeth , i asked him , then why didnt he starve then ??? im so gutted i cant stop with the Qeaustions,,, my rabbit was put to sleep monday because the vet said he had ulcerated mouth ,, and he thought it could be a tumour cancer , he said it wasnt an abcess as abcess are soft and can be drained , he said this was a hard lump.................he also said he was slowly starving himself as he only had 3 teeth ,,,,,, yet a year ago he only had 3 teeth ,, im thinking now maybe he would have lived and the vet was wrong

It sounds like your bunny had severe dental disease & you did what you thought right. You shouldnt question yourself because it wont make a difference. If he had a lump in his mouth it is more than likely he was in a lot of pain & that's why he wasnt eating. You took responsibility as an owner and ensured he was no longer in pain, the vet obviously felt he couldnt help. Try and take peace in the fact he has joined his friend and pain free. Even if the lump had been treatable or could have been removed it may have beeen very stressful or painful for bunny & as he had so many mouth problems already im sure you've done the kindest thing.x.x.

I'm so sorry. You're feeling grief right now which is completely understandable, but i'm sure your vet did what was in bunny's best interests.

We have a section called Rainbow Bridge, some members find it theraputic to put a thread in there remembering the good times.

Elena said:

I'm so sorry. You're feeling grief right now which is completely understandable, but i'm sure your vet did what was in bunny's best interests.

We have a section called Rainbow Bridge, some members find it theraputic to put a thread in there remembering the good times.

Click to expand...

thankyou , i just feel as though im going nutts , im greiving real bad and i dont know if this is normal over animals im so hurt will this pass i feel regret and i shouldnt of had him put to sleep i feel so bad i didnt do the right thing