Having a Rabbit Put To Sleep
It’s a sad fact that our rabbits live a relatively short life which can mean that we have to make some pretty heartbreaking decisions.
If a rabbit gets ill or has an injury or an accident there is a possibility that the rabbit will not be able to get better and the kindest thing for the rabbit is to let them go and have them put to sleep to avoid suffering.
This can be incredibly hard decision for an owner to have to make because it’s such a huge decision being left in your hands. Nothing can make the decision easier but sometimes some stress can be removed by the situation.
Sometimes you are aware that your rabbit is ill and may need to be put to sleep at some point, however, at other times an injury or acute illness may occur that may not give you any warning that your rabbit needs to be put to sleep.
It is important to talk to your vet and find out their procedures for putting a rabbit to sleep. There are a variety of different methods that a vet can use and it may help you to prepare if you know and understand what might happen. It is also important to talk to the vet about whether or not you want to be present when your rabbit is put to sleep. Some people prefer to be whereas other people prefer not to be. Either option is ok but the method your vet uses to put your rabbit to sleep may depend on what you feel yours and your rabbit’s needs will be at that time.
It is also important to think about what you want to happen to your rabbit’s body when it has died. Some people like to take the body home to bury it, some want to have their rabbit cremated, others like the vets to take the body and for the vets to deal with the body. Knowing prior to an animal being put to sleep can be helpful because it means that in the stress of the situation you have all the decisions already made and can just focus on your rabbit.
If the unfortunate situation arises that you find your bunny has an acute problem where a decision needs to be made at the time it can be incredibly difficult. In those situations some of the following suggestions may be appropriate, however, a lot will be based on what the vet says and how much you trust what the vet says.
If your rabbit has a long term, more chronic problem, then you get more ‘preparation time’, but it can be incredibly hard to decide when the time is right, and even harder after you have made the decision because sometimes you might doubt what you have decided. It is important to liaise constantly with your vet but because the rabbit will generally be at home, in your care, a lot of the decision comes down to you and how you feel about your rabbit. There are several things to consider when deciding what is best and they can help make the decision ‘easier’.
~Ask yourself at any one time what is best for the rabbit. You have to put your own needs aside and be completely selfless for the sake of your animal and to ensure it does not suffer. If you constantly ask yourself what is best for the animal and are honest with yourself about what that is, regardless of your needs, then you won’t go wrong.
~Trust your gut instinct about when the time is right. You will probably feel deep down inside when the time is right. That’s what you should listen to. Invariably, once you feel that, you will then start to debate with yourself if it is right. ‘What if it’s too early?’, ‘What if I’m wrong’, ‘What if I’m reading the signs wrong?’, and many other things. You may also start to feel a horrid mix of emotions about losing your rabbit. Things like sadness, panic, anxiety, fear, feeling completely overwhelmed, and many other things too. As hard as it is, try to put aside everything that may cloud your decision and just follow what your gut instinct says. Essentially you need to trust yourself. Your animal trusts you to make the right decision, so you just need to trust yourself.
~There are things to look out for when making your decision. It is important to remember these are not the be all and end all because any rabbit can exhibit these symptoms, so it’s important to look at the full picture and also discuss your feelings and what you’re seeing with your vet.
-
Appetite- As rabbits are prey animals they hide their illness for as long as possible. If a rabbit is showing signs of going off food s/he normally enjoys or showing less interest than normal in food then that an important sign to be aware of. It does not mean the rabbit necessarily needs to be put to sleep, although that is an option, but it does mean it needs to be seen by a vet. It is important to watch out for why the rabbit’s behaviour may have changed. For example, a rabbit with respiratory problems may want to eat and go up to the food, but be unable to eat and breathe so walks away. Having said that, some rabbits, depending on their problem, can eat right to the end and still get enjoyment for food, so whilst appetite is an indicator, and it is important to pay attention to it, it is also not the be all and end all when it comes to making a decision.
-
Behaviour- How your rabbit is acting can be key when working out how it feels and what is best. The better you know your rabbit and its behaviour, the easier it will be to identify behavioural changes. There is no set behaviour to look out for, so it is important to note any changes, such as a rabbit being more ‘snuggly’ than normal, being more vicious than normal, hiding away more than normal, etc. If you see any of these changes its important to look at what they may mean and why your rabbit may be acting that way. There may be an explanation outside of an illness, but that still needs to be considered and thought about.
-
Options- It’s important to look at whether there are any more options that could help your rabbit, as well as if it’s best to try them, such as different medication, a different veterinary opinion or a different environment (such as potentially bringing an outdoor bunny inside). However, it is important to note that even if something can be done, it doesn’t always mean it should be done, or would be best for the rabbit involved, so bear that in mind when making any decision about the different options you have. Also, what may be best for one bunny may not be best for another due to personalities and personal tolerances of different situations.
If the rabbit has a long term illness that you know is likely to end in the rabbit needing to be put to sleep then often the bit between learning that, and making the decision is the hardest bit because a lot of people spend that time grieving prematurely for their animal, but also often in a state of anxiety about ‘will I get it right?’, ‘will I miss the signs’, ‘what if I get it wrong?’, and many other questions too. It is not uncommon to find that when you do get to the day that you truly know is the right day and have made that decision, that you may feel a sense of peace and calm after all the anxiety and turmoil. This generally occurs because all your doubts have gone and eased and you know you’re doing the absolute right thing for your rabbit.
Another point worth remembering is that it’s better to have an animal put to sleep one day early, than one day late. This prevents the animal suffering unnecessarily, but, as with everything else, comes down to trust in yourself and your rabbit.
If your rabbit does have a terminal illness, then in the interim before finding that out and the rabbit having to be put to sleep try to make as many memories as possible, with photos and videos. Sometimes making that rabbits life so amazing can help them to far exceed vets expectations for their lifespan. It can also help you to know that you made that rabbits life absolutely stunning and that they ‘went out on a high’. All those things can bring comfort in the future, when you’re grieving for and missing your rabbit.
The last thing to say is that by having your rabbit put to sleep you are showing one of the greatest acts of love anyone can show their pet. You are doing what is best for your rabbit despite the fact it will invariably cause you a great deal of pain. In time hopefully you will be able to draw comfort from the fact that your animal was loved right to the end and that you did the best thing for him or her.