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Am I doing the right thing?

Vegan_Bunny

Vegan_Bunny

Warren Veteran
Some may remember that I lost one of my buns whilst having a dental. She didn't wake up from the GA :( A few months afterwards her husbun, Fiver, needed a dental and he struggled very much to wake up. I was unhappy with the care he got at the vets, they sent him home to me whilst he was still very sleepy, hadn't eaten and was deathly cold. I was up with him all night keeping him warm and hand feeding him. It took him over a week to fully recover.

It's been a year since that incident and he now needs another dental. I have changed vets and I'm pretty happy with them so I'm confident they will do their best for him. I am absolutely petrified that I lose him. He is my baby and just can't face losing him. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. He is still eating and is perky and seems fine in himself but he is starting to show signs of discomfort/pain (squinting his eyes whilst eating) and is being very aggressive towards his wifebun and growling at me whenever I touch him. The vet has told me that his teeth are pretty bad and she thinks he will be in some pain with them. I asked if I could take Xena (his wifebun) with him and they said it would be best if I didn't because they'd have to separate them until he was fully awake..I think they may be quite busy. I have had a long chat with the vet about how exactly they will do it and I have requested a vet to perform the dental but the vet may not be available.

I just don't know if I am doing the right thing by booking him in for his dental now. Should I wait longer? I don't want it to get to the point where he can't eat or the teeth start damaging his mouth. I could do with some reassurance. I can't describe to you how terrified I am of losing him. Losing Ellie was horrific, I have never felt so grief stricken and Fiver is just so special to me that the very thought of him going under another GA makes me feel sick. :'(
 
I can't tell you if you are doing the right thing or not but I can tell you that I am going through something simular.
I haven't lost a bun under anesthesia but have read lots about it happening and that is my worst fear for Julie.
Julie is my soul mate rabbit. She is so special to me and my husband. She is 8 1/2 years old and her breed has a life expectancy of 7 to 9.
She had her first dental in September at the end of her senior bunny examination.
It took all day into the next day before she was back to normal. She was very sleepy and while she ate it wasn't her normal eating.
I think that it is time for another dental and I am scare to death to have her sedated for it. I even thought about having a conscious dental. Her normal vet doesn't do conscious dentals but the closer vet that she has seen before does them under certain circumstances. I was debating if I should have that vet look at her teeth to determine if she could do a conscious one.
I came on here to see if anyone here had had one done on their rabbit and was scared even more by horror stories how wrong that is.
I had a long talk with her regular vet whom said that she would skip the pre anesthesia and use a different sedation that rabbits come out of quicker. She also agreed to let me bring her in at the end of her last morning appointment and examine her first, talk to me then do the dental while I wait.
She is going Thursday at 11:30 and I feel a little better but am sure that by Thursday I will be a nervous wreck.
So can't offer any advice just understanding and moral support.
 
personally if it were me, id get the dental done! he is in pain and suffering, and yes he may struggle with the anasetic and yes there is the possiblity he might not make it through as there is with every GA, but if you leave it to long and his teeth get to bad he may not be able to have the op and have to be put down anyway

I no for me if he died and i had let him suffer i'd feel soo much more guiltier than if I was doing something to try and solve his pain

if that makes sense...
 
:wave: I have had experience of a dental bunny, but not of losing one under GA. Travis had dentals regularly for over 7 years. The only time he "wasn't right" was when he once had an injectable GA. A note was subsequently made on his records so that he never had it again. He only ever got sent home once he was eating, he was just a little groggier than usual on this occasion.

He usually had dentals in the AM and was ready to come home as if nothing had happened by 1-2pm.

AFAIK he just had a "whiff of gas" as the procedure itself was quite quick, so he didn't need to be heavily sedated. He also had teeth removed in a similar way.

I always took him in with his partner, for reassurance, company and so as not to disturb the bond. Often they would groom him until he came round from the GA. It was also always carried out by the vet.

Although you have recently moved vets are there any others in the area that you could contact to gain details of their experience and personal procedures? By explaining your concerns to them you may find another vet that you could use instead.

Although you shouldn't feel pressured or forced into a decision, it is important that a dental is done if needed. Pain is easily masked by a rabbits very nature of being a prey animal. If they eat less, or lose to much weight then they could put themselves at even more risk of placing further strain on their bodies through the GA.

Hope this helps.xx
 
Oh Hun.. I don't wanna sound lame, but I can feel you are terrified from here. :( What a horrible, horrible things to have gone through. :cry: Your experience has obviously left you feeling very nervous, and so would I be! It's very natural... but it does sound to like you have a bit more faith in these new vets...
If I was in your position, I would be very reluctant to through with it, but I would be putting him in for his dental a.s.a.p... If I am honest, reading your last paragraph, it sounds to me as though in your heart; you have made up your mind to take him, you just need someone to support your decision.

Is there anyone who can be with you when you go? Someone who can be your support/reassurance? :love:
 
Thank you everyone for your words. I do think that this is the right thing to do..I just needed somebody else who knows buns to back up my decision, exactly like you say Schez. It feels like now is the right time for him to go and if I wait any longer he will get very poorly or perhaps develop wounds/abscesses in his mouth.

In regard to other vets in the area, there are none. The closest vet that is good with bunnies is quite a way away and tbh I don't think they would manage to do a better job. It's not the procedure but the anesthetic that I'm worried about. I have told them that he was bad last time and asked if there's any other way to sedate him. The vet (who has a house bun of her own) said that there's a risk that if they have the gas they can freak out whilst going under and break their back. I believe her and tbh I think Fiver is the type of bunny who would do that, he's very..feisty.
I was in two minds whether to let Xena go in with him anyway...they have a volatile bond and often jump on each other, pull fur and generally bully the hell out of each other so I was worried she might hurt him if he was still groggy. She also doesn't see too well and I think she might get very stressed going with him :( I would like for her to keep him company but if that is not possible that's fair enough, I don't want to pester them.

When I lost Ellie, I knew I should have cancelled the dental. I had an awful feeling when I left her at the vets and even turned round before walking out of the vets to take one last look at her before they took her down. I knew something wasn't right but I ignored it. :cry: :cry: I shouldn't have took her.

Fiver is my soul bun..he is my baby. He's such a Mammy's boy and he knows when I need him. Bunnytoes, your vets sound very understanding. *Massive hugs* I'm sending some vibes your way, I hope she manages to recover well. Your relationship with Julie sounds similar to me and Fiver's. Last night I couldn't sleep and he jumped onto the bed, snuggled up against me with his head under my chin and let me squish him, kiss his nose and stroke his ears. I hope he was telling me he was going to come back to me and it was ok. I want to cry just thinking of never having moments like that again with him. He got me through losing Ellie even though he was just as upset as me. He knew when I walked into my room without her that she was gone...I laid in bed crying and he came and laid with me..if rabbits could cry he would have. :cry: :cry: :cry:

Sorry I'm rambling lol. I'm trying not to get upset and I can't really think clearly. Thank you for all your replies..they are very very much appreciated. x
 
Vegan_Bunny said:
Thank you everyone for your words. I do think that this is the right thing to do..I just needed somebody else who knows buns to back up my decision, exactly like you say Schez. It feels like now is the right time for him to go and if I wait any longer he will get very poorly or perhaps develop wounds/abscesses in his mouth.

In regard to other vets in the area, there are none. The closest vet that is good with bunnies is quite a way away and tbh I don't think they would manage to do a better job. It's not the procedure but the anesthetic that I'm worried about. I have told them that he was bad last time and asked if there's any other way to sedate him. The vet (who has a house bun of her own) said that there's a risk that if they have the gas they can freak out whilst going under and break their back. I believe her and tbh I think Fiver is the type of bunny who would do that, he's very..feisty.
I was in two minds whether to let Xena go in with him anyway...they have a volatile bond and often jump on each other, pull fur and generally bully the hell out of each other so I was worried she might hurt him if he was still groggy. She also doesn't see too well and I think she might get very stressed going with him :( I would like for her to keep him company but if that is not possible that's fair enough, I don't want to pester them.

When I lost Ellie, I knew I should have cancelled the dental. I had an awful feeling when I left her at the vets and even turned round before walking out of the vets to take one last look at her before they took her down. I knew something wasn't right but I ignored it. :cry: :cry: I shouldn't have took her.

Fiver is my soul bun..he is my baby. He's such a Mammy's boy and he knows when I need him. Bunnytoes, your vets sound very understanding. *Massive hugs* I'm sending some vibes your way, I hope she manages to recover well. Your relationship with Julie sounds similar to me and Fiver's. Last night I couldn't sleep and he jumped onto the bed, snuggled up against me with his head under my chin and let me squish him, kiss his nose and stroke his ears. I hope he was telling me he was going to come back to me and it was ok. I want to cry just thinking of never having moments like that again with him. He got me through losing Ellie even though he was just as upset as me. He knew when I walked into my room without her that she was gone...I laid in bed crying and he came and laid with me..if rabbits could cry he would have. :cry: :cry: :cry:

Sorry I'm rambling lol. I'm trying not to get upset and I can't really think clearly. Thank you for all your replies..they are very very much appreciated. x
Click to expand...

This is the perfect place to ramble! ;) And what a special bond you have with your buns.
I was just looking at your signature pics and both bunnies are soooooooooo gorgeous :love: And as for Fiver, well... such a hanndsome chap!:D
Was welling up reading about you having to leave Ellie at the vets and describing that 'gut' feeling you experienced, but you do realise that you must let that go now hun, not forget, but just don't beat yourself up when you're already so blue. :( There is just no way you could have predicted it and you were doing the right thing by your bun and I bet she knew it too. xx
Just wanted to send some (((good-luck-vibes))), will you put a mesage up and let us know what you decide/how things are going? Will be thinking of you and Fiver.xxx
 
I know what its like, as Pebbles took a long time to come round from his last dental. I think he was done later than normal, and when I got him in the evening he was very cold and barely eating. I had to keep him in bed with me all night and next day he was much more groggier than usual. It worries me a lot, so I'm going to discuss it with the vet to see if they did anything different last time. Fortunately it's been 7 months and I'm hoping he won't need another dental for a while..I time how long it takes him to eat his food, and weigh him regularly to make sure I notice the first signs before he shows signs of pain (dribbling & wetness, runny eyes). I know it won't be much longer before he needs another dental - 6-7 months is about the normal time between dentals for him :(
 
This morning he was sat on my bed and was obviously uncomfortable/in pain. He was sat with his eyes half squinted and holding his nose down instead of twitching it. I've learned this is a sign of pain as Ellie would do it when she needed a dental. I think his chin is damp, it's difficult to tell because they drink from a bowl of water and he has a white chin but I'm sure it's slightly damp. I am fretting because the last time he needed a dental he stopped eating his pellets and that's how I knew..this time round he only showing subtle symptoms. I think I'm doing the right thing..I hope I am. I hope he comes back to me tomorrow. He's been so naughty this morning and last night and he was grooming Xena last night instead of attacking her which is good. She even groomed hi back!! That's a rarity lol.

I don't want tomorrow to come but I know he needs this :( Thank you so much for talking to me. I just need people who understand or have gone through something similar.

I;ve been feeling sick and so stressed out. I am going to be in a mess tomorrow :oops:.
 
I can totally sympathize with you. Julie's dental is tomorrow also and I am also scared to death and starting to feel sick about it.
Sending mega vibes that it goes well and calming vibes for you.
 
I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. I find it really panics me when I think pebbles has a wet chin. The difference is that it usually dries up after he's had a drink...I found the best way to see is to hold up a bunch of coriander just above his nose so he has to reach up a little to eat. Also when Pebbles needed a dental last time the wetness was just on one side along his jaw bone, not under the chin. The patch along his jawbone was also very red and sore where he had been rubbing it (without me seeing), but was very difficult to see unless he lifted his head up.

I'ts good if he is only showing subtle symptoms and picking up on them..usually when they get to the point of not eating, or eating incredibly slowly, then that is usually when they are in a lot of pain. I say go with your gut feeling ...better to get his teeth trimmed before he gets in too much pain.
 
I'll be thinking of you and Julie tomorrow, Bunnytoes. I'm sending vibes and a great big hug to you. *squeeze* It would be lovely if at this time tomorrow we can laugh and say we were being silly for worrying but that seems so far away. I hope to god that we can both have some good news.

I know Fiver so well that I know when something is wrong straight away. I've known he's been "off" for a few weeks now but not to the point of being overly concerned. I sit and watch them for ages :oops:. I got him and Xena out in the front room today for a change of scenery. He has been flying about, binkying and being a right idiot as usual. Afterwards he sat and groomed himself and Xena for a while and then sat and dozed, he looked like he was in a bit of pain then. :( I know that if he gets it done now he has the best chance because he is still relatively fit and healthy but if I lose him I will feel that I put him in for a procedure that he could have waited for. :cry: I need to go with my gut feeling and my gut feeling is to get it done...I'm just terrified that it's wrong.
 
Vegan_Bunny said:
I'll be thinking of you and Julie tomorrow, Bunnytoes. I'm sending vibes and a great big hug to you. *squeeze* It would be lovely if at this time tomorrow we can laugh and say we were being silly for worrying but that seems so far away. I hope to god that we can both have some good news.

I know Fiver so well that I know when something is wrong straight away. I've known he's been "off" for a few weeks now but not to the point of being overly concerned. I sit and watch them for ages :oops:. I got him and Xena out in the front room today for a change of scenery. He has been flying about, binkying and being a right idiot as usual. Afterwards he sat and groomed himself and Xena for a while and then sat and dozed, he looked like he was in a bit of pain then. :( I know that if he gets it done now he has the best chance because he is still relatively fit and healthy but if I lose him I will feel that I put him in for a procedure that he could have waited for. :cry: I need to go with my gut feeling and my gut feeling is to get it done...I'm just terrified that it's wrong.
Click to expand...

I will also be thinking of you and Fiver. What time is Fiver having his dental? Julie has her appointment 10:30am central US time.
It really does sound like you are doing the right thing for him. Like you said you really know him well.
 
bunnytoes said:
I will also be thinking of you and Fiver. What time is Fiver having his dental? Julie has her appointment 10:30am central US time.
It really does sound like you are doing the right thing for him. Like you said you really know him well.
Click to expand...

Not sure exactly what time that would be for me (I'm in the U.K) but they told me it wouldn't be until the afternoon that he gets done. I am dropping him off between 8:30am and 9:00am and I'm going to ask if they will know exactly what time he has it done. I really should be in bed now but I can't sleep :roll:.

It's 1:25am here so maybe you can work out the time difference!
 
Vegan_Bunny said:
Not sure exactly what time that would be for me (I'm in the U.K) but they told me it wouldn't be until the afternoon that he gets done. I am dropping him off between 8:30am and 9:00am and I'm going to ask if they will know exactly what time he has it done. I really should be in bed now but I can't sleep :roll:.

It's 1:25am here so maybe you can work out the time difference!
Click to expand...

It appears to be a 6 hr time difference. So Julie will have her appointment at 4:30pm your time.
Wow...........yours is coming up. No wonder you can't sleep. I will say a pray for Fiver right before I go to sleep. Good luck and many vibes coming your way.
 
Just want to add vibes for successful dentals and quick recoveries for both Fiver and Julie. ((((((((((((((((((((((((vibes))))))))))))))))))))))))
I'll be thinking of both of you, Vegan Bunny and bunnytoes. ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
 
Thank you. He's at the vets now and will be having his dental very shortly. I'm to ring at 2pm to see how he is. I hope he will be ok :( He was digging at his bed and hay in the carrier...rather grumpy! I'd prefer him to be angry than scared. I just want him to wake up afterwards and be ok. I'll be checking on here for updates of Julie despite what happens with Fiver. The vet (or vet nurse I'm not sure) who took Fiver was very understanding and I do believe he is in good hands..if anything happens I know it won't be anybody's fault.

I am dreading getting a phone call from them :(
 
I have just rang the vets. Apparently he is awake and eating and can come home at 4 :) I am so relieved! I can't wait to get my baby back.
 
So pleased. I get terrified with Millys dentals but losing a bunny is VERY rare. They're much more likely to die of something else. Hope you've breathed out by now! Love and hugs.:thumb:
 
I've just seen this post, so pleased he is on the mend and you got him sorted. I always go with my gut feeling you know your bunny better than anyone. Even better than specialists I have come to learn!

You are very welcome to ramble away, I've lost count of the amount of times I have and it's nice to know someone is listening.

Lots of hugs for you and little one and hopefully a swift recovery.
 
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