please help me my billy has died from fly strike

on Wednesday i lost my beloved rex rabbit billy to fly strike we washed his bum on tuesday as we normally do tried to dry him as best as we could and it was hot so let him out side nothing different to what we normally do he was happy jumping around. we put him in his cage indoors when we went to bed. on Wednesday we had to go out and didnt get back till late looked in billys cage and he was laying on his side not normal i opened his cage and he bolted out i followed him into the kitchen where he collapsed i went to him and screamed for my hubby to help me then i saw a maggot on his fur my hubby said to get him to the bathroom quick where we washe him but his fur and skin just fell from him he was covered in maggots they had taken alot of back fur off and was eating into his leg. my hubby wrapped him and got him to the vets so fast but it was to late to save him he had to be P.T.S. i am heartbroken have not eatern since he died i love him so much , we have had him nearly 3 years. at the moment i fell empty inside i feel so much grief i cry all the time i just miss him so bad. Please some one is this going to get any easier for me. we are having him cremated and bringing him home so he will be close to me. but the grief is making me ill but i cant help thinking that i protected him all this time and the one time he need my help i was not there for him i let him down i keep asking my hubby will billy hate me for not being there for him and i feel so so so bad that he must of been in so much pain its hurting me so bad please help me someone

I am so very very sorry. I did see a thread a day or two ago that said vets have seen a rise in flystrike recently. Very sorry you lost your wonderful bunny to this.

I'm so sorry It sounds like you did all you could, fly strike can happen very quickly. Binky free Billy xx

Oh I'm so sorry.

I have had a bun who got fly strike, he survived but it was just fortunate that I noticed things weren't right and we caught it in time. The eggs are difficult to spot and once they hatch the situation deteriorates rapidly. It was unfortunate that you happened to be out of the house but you didn't do it deliberately and you sought help for him as soon as you were aware of the situation.

I think we all feel guilty one way or another when we lose a pet in whatever way, it's natural.

Binky free Billy.

I am so sorry you have lost your beloved bunny this way.
As far as I know fly srike can become life threatning so quickly.
I doubt many carerers and myself included cant check their bunnies every few hours.
You found your bunny had a problem and you reacted accordingly. You saved your Billy from suffering.
Everyone is terrified of fly strike it is a real threat.

My old bun got fly strike. It was ignorance on my part, he had a constant mucky bum and on hind sight I know it was due to dental issues and a very poor diet. He had surgery to sew him up and clean his wounds, he was ok and recovered from the GA but his wounds wouldn't heal. He was 8 years old and so was elderly, he then had dental issues and the onset of pneumonia. The vets told me there wasn't anything they could do for him and we made the decision to put him to sleep. I cried so much, I was so upset and I felt so guilty.

There isn't anyone can do or say to help you deal with the loss of your bunny. It is awful to lose them. You did all you could for him and you did the hardest thing for him and let him go. *huge huge hugs*
Have you written in the rainbow bridge section? I always find that when I am ready to, it really does help. xx

I'm so, so sorry, flystrike is just awful, your pain must be immense you did everything you possibly could. Don't blame yourself. My thoughts are with you xx

I am very sorry to hear you have lost Billy, especially in such difficult circumstances.

It is so very difficult to lose a much-loved pet. A lot of us here have had the 'it's just a rabbit' line, but when you have loved a bunny of your own you know it isn't the case. Rabbits are just just as easy to love as any human and their loss is felt just as badly.

I can say right now, definitely, 100% that Billy will not hate you for what has happened. You did the best you could for him, by getting him straight to the vets and giving him freedom from his pain. That's the best possible gift you could have given him and he will not hold it against you.

It does get easier. I lost my soul bun to heart failure nearly a year ago and I have been having a good old cry over her today. The pain never really goes away but it gets dimmer, as you manage your grief. Eventually you think of them and remember a happy memory, instead of pain. Every now and again you well up and the loss hits you again, but you end up grateful for the life you shared, rather than sorry about their death.

I think having him cremated is a great idea. I had Oidhche cremated, and bought a little wooden box which I am going to decorate especially for her. Some people have jewellery made from a piece of fur. Others have plaques or plant trees in memory. It's really up to you what you would like to do. We have a section here called 'Rainbow Bridge' where people post a tribute to their lost pets, often with photographs. Perhaps you would like to write one for Billy?

Sorry for being practical when your grief is so raw, but do you know what is happening with Billy's cremation? There are different types of cremation and I would hate for you to get the wrong one and only realise afterwards. I can outline the differences if you would like.

Please look after yourself too. Billy would not want you starving yourself because of his death. Flystrike is very difficult to prevent and treat, and you did the absolute best thing for Billy by letting him go. Try and remember that he had 3 years of happiness with you, don't let his death ruin that.

Many *hugs* to you.

thank you i am crying so much even typing this. does any one know how much pain he would have been in before we got him to the vets it is braking my heart to think he was suffering so much we are having a private cremation will be just Billy and brought to me in a beech casket. Sandra

sandras said:

thank you i am crying so much even typing this. does any one know how much pain he would have been in before we got him to the vets it is braking my heart to think he was suffering so much we are having a private cremation will be just Billy and brought to me in a beech casket. Sandra

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I'm very sorry, but none of us can tell you how much pain Billy was in. It's awful to know that an animal you love was in pain, but that's just now it happens sometimes. I know my darling Oidhche was in pain just before she died - she couldn't even stand up and was struggling to breathe, as her lungs were full of fluid. The thing you have to concentrate on is that you stopped that pain as soon as you possibly could. That is the most important thing to remember.

It's lovely that he is having a private cremation. Has he gone to the crematorium yet? The casket sounds really nice, people have different thoughts on what to do with their rabbit after they have passed but I like to keep them close by, especially when it has been a house rabbit.

I have my Ellie in a little urn on my shelf. I still can't manage to let her go and I think I will keep her with me forever. Cremation is always nice as it means you can keep them with you for as long as it takes to let them go. He will always be with you, anyway. Our special furries always stay with us in our hearts.

hi yes i phoned them in tears today to see if they had picked him up and they had also asked them to take care of my boy

sandras said:

hi yes i phoned them in tears today to see if they had picked him up and they had also asked them to take care of my boy

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The people who run the small cremation businesses really do care for your animals. They took great care of my Oidhche, she came back all wrapped up nicely with a ribbon and a flower (we didn't have a casket). I spoke to the guy who ran the one she went to and he was lovely, even though I spent the phone call crying and hardly able to get a word out.

I'm sure they will take good care of Billy.

I am so very sorry to hear about your loss of Billy. We all live in fear of fly strike but no matter how diligent we are we can'y protect them all the time.

Give yourself time to grieve and don't let people try to convince you 'it's just a rabbit'. Many here have experienced broken hearts... it does get easier, honestly. xx

Take care xx

Binky free Billy at Rainbow Bridge xxx

thank you to me he was a little person he tolerated every one except me he use to sit by my side in the garden and i felt the love he gave me so to me he was never just a rabbit he was a little person i am glad for this forum you all understand and dont judge so thank you

So sorry your Billy died!!!
I know exactly how you feel I have lost a few bunnies over the years too.

i'm sorry that billy was taken from you so suddenly and in such an upsetting way. binky free at the bridge, billy.
many comforting vibes for you...

I'm so sorry for your loss It's absolutely devastating to lose a beloved bun, as unfortunately a lot of us on here are familiar with

When I lost my TIlly I was in bits. I couldn't eat or sleep, all I could do was sob for days I promise you it does get easier. over time you learn to live with the pain, and the memory of your loss is replaced with beautiful memories of their life

Unfortunately you need to go through this desperately sad grieving process before you can move on, and that includes the guilt which I think most of us have felt to some extent. Be kind to yourself, cry as much as you need to, don't rush the process atall. But try to eat something if you can and sleep when you're tired.

I'm so sorry again, I wish I could take this awful pain away for you

this exact thing happened to my bun a few yrs back and i was traumatised and guilt ridden. i really do know how you feel and im so very sorry!

I'm so sorry.

Please know that you did everything you could for your bunny! You washed his bottom and he was okay, he was happy, and he knew you loved him. Please don't blame yourself.

Flystrike can hit very suddenly, i've heard, and there has been an increase in cases recently.

Binky free, billy