Hi guys,
Im posting this on behaviour and health as i have two questions that i need answering!
I need some help. My little netherland dwarf rufio was put to sleep yesterday after a week of being ill. I noticed he was lying down and struggling to go to the toilet and after 3 trips to the vets in one day they believed it was GI Stasis. He went for an x ray and they found a lump when they operated they found it was fatty tissue (which was really unusual in a rabbit his size with such a good diet- he wasnt over weight either) he came round but was transferred to a different surgery where he was on a drip and force fed to get his tummy moving, he had a seizure yesterday and i got the call from the vet to say he needed to be put to sleep. I am truly devastated because it happened so quickly. The vets think that it was something else at play and said they dont know why he deteriorated so quickly. Has anyone else experienced this? only the night before he got sick he was chasing shnookums my other bun around and binkying all over the place??!?! i am absolutely devastated. his diet was plain consisting of excel nuggets for netherlands, plenty of meadow hay and brocolli and the ooccasional sprigs of herbs. they did used to have a peice of collifliwer and carrot but the vet told me to stop giving them it as my other buns wee had become too milky?? could this be why?? i am soo upset.
Since Rufio was taken to the vet my other netherland dwarf shnookums has been really quiet and keeps hiding. she seems to be eating as normal but generally seems quiet and is letting me stroke her (she is a fiesty hemaphrodite and usually goes for me but loves my boyfriend) so this behaviour im thinking is part of her separation anxiety and grief. Ive read online that we should have brought rufio back so shnook and see him for herself, but we had already sent him to be privately cremated.
I am absolutely heartbroken for losing rufio and although i have always grown up with animals i feel that this has been harder to deal with especially as i am feeling it for my other bun who has lost her friend. I have bought her a new bed and a tonne of new toys and we are giving her as much attention as possible but she is having none of it. Ive heard that most people get another rabbit for companionship. i feel guilty and dont want to replace ruf but feel that shnookums may need it??? im confused as lots of websites have contradicted each other about how long to leave it, and what breeds bond well. My netherlands have been quite territorial so i was thinking about another smaller breed? As shnookums is quite fiesty are there any breeds that are quite submissive and less territorial that would bond well??? i know its only been 4 days since she has seen him but she seems to be getting more withdrawn,
Sorry for the long message i just dont know what to do for the best.
Any advice would be much appreciated xxxx
Lou
Im posting this on behaviour and health as i have two questions that i need answering!
I need some help. My little netherland dwarf rufio was put to sleep yesterday after a week of being ill. I noticed he was lying down and struggling to go to the toilet and after 3 trips to the vets in one day they believed it was GI Stasis. He went for an x ray and they found a lump when they operated they found it was fatty tissue (which was really unusual in a rabbit his size with such a good diet- he wasnt over weight either) he came round but was transferred to a different surgery where he was on a drip and force fed to get his tummy moving, he had a seizure yesterday and i got the call from the vet to say he needed to be put to sleep. I am truly devastated because it happened so quickly. The vets think that it was something else at play and said they dont know why he deteriorated so quickly. Has anyone else experienced this? only the night before he got sick he was chasing shnookums my other bun around and binkying all over the place??!?! i am absolutely devastated. his diet was plain consisting of excel nuggets for netherlands, plenty of meadow hay and brocolli and the ooccasional sprigs of herbs. they did used to have a peice of collifliwer and carrot but the vet told me to stop giving them it as my other buns wee had become too milky?? could this be why?? i am soo upset.
Since Rufio was taken to the vet my other netherland dwarf shnookums has been really quiet and keeps hiding. she seems to be eating as normal but generally seems quiet and is letting me stroke her (she is a fiesty hemaphrodite and usually goes for me but loves my boyfriend) so this behaviour im thinking is part of her separation anxiety and grief. Ive read online that we should have brought rufio back so shnook and see him for herself, but we had already sent him to be privately cremated.
I am absolutely heartbroken for losing rufio and although i have always grown up with animals i feel that this has been harder to deal with especially as i am feeling it for my other bun who has lost her friend. I have bought her a new bed and a tonne of new toys and we are giving her as much attention as possible but she is having none of it. Ive heard that most people get another rabbit for companionship. i feel guilty and dont want to replace ruf but feel that shnookums may need it??? im confused as lots of websites have contradicted each other about how long to leave it, and what breeds bond well. My netherlands have been quite territorial so i was thinking about another smaller breed? As shnookums is quite fiesty are there any breeds that are quite submissive and less territorial that would bond well??? i know its only been 4 days since she has seen him but she seems to be getting more withdrawn,
Sorry for the long message i just dont know what to do for the best.
Any advice would be much appreciated xxxx
Lou
