Alfie problems - I want to cry :( - UD insurance!

My beautiful little Alfiebun has recently been developing problems with his tooth roots/eye and I don't think they're going to go away I've just had to clean his eye for the first time as it became gunky and matted since I fed them this morning. He was such a good boy and didn't struggle, it made it even worse as I don't want to have to do this for the rest of his life

I love him to bits, I really do, he is my little man and I 100% adore him. I just don't know how we're going to cope with this I'm only 14, so I still rely on my parents to pay for the bills (I contribute if it's a big one, but they generally pay the main as I don't have a source of income!). We're struggling for money as it is and on Friday we were told that the next step in sorting Alfie out would be xrays and that alone is £130. We can barely pay for that as it is, never mind any treatment to follow

Mum told me tonight that she doesn't think his problems are going to be curable, because the specialist we saw thinks it is something to do with his roots or something, requiring eye drops, cleaning, dentals etc. I asked her 'how are we going to afford his treatment' as it'd be a lifelong thing. She replied with 'I don't know...we may have to have him put to sleep'. I was horrified and devastated, I told her that is not acceptable to put my boy to sleep because we can't afford his treatment, I said it's completely unacceptable and I'd never allow it but deep down I don't know if I can stick to that We can afford healthy rabbits, but not unhealthy rabbits! He only just turned 2 in August, so we're looking at least 6 years of treatment for him probably.

Another problem is going on holiday - we go away a lot and have a friend coming to look after them. We can't expect her to clean Alfie's eyes regularly, it's not fair. We also can't afford bunny boarding, as stupid as this sounds

Rosie, his partner, adores him but she's a feisty minx and if she lost alfie I know it'd break her heart. I can just picture her running round looking for him I also think she'd be a really difficult bun to bond to another bun (we'd have to get another one) and she might not even take to them - bonding her to my existing girl would not work as they're both spayed yet incredibly feisty.

I love him so much and this is breaking my heart, I'm crying as I type this, and I don't want to lose him but I don't know what to do He's my gorgeous baby and I know I cannot bear to have him put down over our stupid finances. He's insured but obviously it wouldn't pay out as it's dental problems.

Sorry about this, I'm just feeling overwhelmed and upset and argh

JemimaH said:

My beautiful little Alfiebun has recently been developing problems with his tooth roots/eye and I don't think they're going to go away I've just had to clean his eye for the first time as it became gunky and matted since I fed them this morning. He was such a good boy and didn't struggle, it made it even worse as I don't want to have to do this for the rest of his life

I love him to bits, I really do, he is my little man and I 100% adore him. I just don't know how we're going to cope with this I'm only 14, so I still rely on my parents to pay for the bills (I contribute if it's a big one, but they generally pay the main as I don't have a source of income!). We're struggling for money as it is and on Friday we were told that the next step in sorting Alfie out would be xrays and that alone is £130. We can barely pay for that as it is, never mind any treatment to follow

Mum told me tonight that she doesn't think his problems are going to be curable, because the specialist we saw thinks it is something to do with his roots or something, requiring eye drops, cleaning, dentals etc. I asked her 'how are we going to afford his treatment' as it'd be a lifelong thing. She replied with 'I don't know...we may have to have him put to sleep'. I was horrified and devastated, I told her that is not acceptable to put my boy to sleep because we can't afford his treatment, I said it's completely unacceptable and I'd never allow it but deep down I don't know if I can stick to that We can afford healthy rabbits, but not unhealthy rabbits! He only just turned 2 in August, so we're looking at least 6 years of treatment for him probably.

Another problem is going on holiday - we go away a lot and have a friend coming to look after them. We can't expect her to clean Alfie's eyes regularly, it's not fair. We also can't afford bunny boarding, as stupid as this sounds

Rosie, his partner, adores him but she's a feisty minx and if she lost alfie I know it'd break her heart. I can just picture her running round looking for him I also think she'd be a really difficult bun to bond to another bun (we'd have to get another one) and she might not even take to them - bonding her to my existing girl would not work as they're both spayed yet incredibly feisty.

I love him so much and this is breaking my heart, I'm crying as I type this, and I don't want to lose him but I don't know what to do He's my gorgeous baby and I know I cannot bear to have him put down over our stupid finances. He's insured but obviously it wouldn't pay out as it's dental problems.
Sorry about this, I'm just feeling overwhelmed and upset and argh

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Some insurances do pay out, it is probably best if you contact them to check in the first instance to see where you stand with them.

One of my buns had elongated roots and this was managed by regular dentals. He was 4.5 when it was first diagnosed and he lived until he was 9. I too cried when I found out (and I am in my 40's).

Obviously it may depend on what the x-rays show but this may be managable with regular dentals (the length of time can vary between buns).

bunny babe said:

Some insurances do pay out, it is probably best if you contact them to check in the first instance to see where you stand with them.

One of my buns had elongated roots and this was managed by regular dentals. He was 4.5 when it was first diagnosed and he lived until he was 9. I too cried when I found out (and I am in my 40's).

Obviously it may depend on what the x-rays show but this may be managable with regular dentals (the length of time can vary between buns).

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I have and it's only to relieve suffering of rabbits who have been insured for over 2 years with that company - alf hasn't. We couldn't even afford regular dentals, we've got a lot less money now compared to when we got them.

How long has he been insured with them? If it is almost 2 years then I would challenge them saying he is only just 2 (worth a go).

The other thing is to ask what the dental cost is without the x-rays and just see how he goes having the dentals (just trying to think of ways to keep the cost down)

The other thing is to see if anyone in your area does conscious dentals (I know that is very controversial subject on here). I would only use a recommended vet who does this as not all will do it.

ETA - not sure what the conditions are to be eligable for help at the PDSA but that is another option you could possibly look into.

JemimaH said:

I have and it's only to relieve suffering of rabbits who have been insured for over 2 years with that company - alf hasn't. We couldn't even afford regular dentals, we've got a lot less money now compared to when we got them.

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See what the x-rays say before allowing yourself to think the worst. I know it's hard and it's obvious you understand the implications... but...

It may be possible that just one dental treatment eg removing the tooth with the problem root would be necessary to sort out the problem. What is the exact clause in the insurance? If it says that the dental is required not before they have been insured two years then it might be fall into place if it is appropriate to monitor the situation for a while and the dental treatment isn't actually deemed necessary for several months, ie the dental occurs after he has been insured 2 years.

In the past I've had Elijah with a weepy eye and it was believed it could be tooth root problems. He had an x-ray which found it wasn't a tooth root problem, he had a tear duct flush and nearly 3.5 years on he's not had any more problems. Binky and Shadow also first appeared here with weepy eyes and potentially tooth root problems. Binky didn't have tooth root problems, one tear duct flush and no further problems (2.5 years).

So, maybe, hopefully it's not as bleak as you currently think, but I can sympathise as I've been in the same place with the worry.

Bunny Buddy said:

See what the x-rays say before allowing yourself to think the worst. I know it's hard and it's obvious you understand the implications... but...

It may be possible that just one dental treatment eg removing the tooth with the problem root would be necessary to sort out the problem. What is the exact clause in the insurance? If it says that the dental is required not before they have been insured two years then it might be fall into place if it is appropriate to monitor the situation for a while and the dental treatment isn't actually deemed necessary for several months, ie the dental occurs after he has been insured 2 years.

In the past I've had Elijah with a weepy eye and it was believed it could be tooth root problems. He had an x-ray which found it wasn't a tooth root problem, he had a tear duct flush and nearly 3.5 years on he's not had any more problems. Binky and Shadow also first appeared here with weepy eyes and potentially tooth root problems. Binky didn't have tooth root problems, one tear duct flush and no further problems (2.5 years).

So, maybe, hopefully it's not as bleak as you currently think, but I can sympathise as I've been in the same place with the worry.

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I am guilty of letting myself think the worse, but it is so hard not to!

Removing the tooth won't work as it's the scar tissue that builds up that causes the problems, as opposed to the actual teeth itself if that makes sense? The vet is pretty confident it isn't a blocked tear duct and she thinks it probably will be a tooth root problem. I'm reluctant to put him in for the X-rays, not because of money, but just because of the risk and faff that goes with it! Him and rosy don't have a brilliant bond sometimes as well, and I don't think a stay in the vets would do their relationship much good...ah well, if it's got to be done then it has to be done!

To make matters worse we are going away at the end of October, majors stressing as if alf needs treatment/eye cleans then the person looking after them isn't really capable of that!

Hate seeing Alfie scared of me, I can't even go in his enclosure without him bolting and hiding

I only pay £6 a night for my rabbits to go into boarding. Could your parents not afford something similar? Perhaps you could ask about recommended boarders in the area and see how much it would be just for your Rosie and Alfie.

Do your vets not allow you to take Rosie in with Alfie?

I would wait and see what the xrays show. Unfortunately most rabbits will get dental problems at some time in their life, so it's something you need to be prepared for. Perhaps you could have a chat with your Mam and suggest saving up a little every week/month to go into a pot for potential dentals?

I don't have my buns insured, mainly because insurers won't cover dentals and two of my buns have already had dentals. I have a savings jar that I put money into whenever I have some spare for emergency vet bills. :thumb:

alot of vets will offer a payment plan so that is another option. that way you could pay it off a bit at a time which should hopefully be more manageable. :wave:

The Blue Cross and Pet Aid are other charities that help out with vets bills, but they have to be over £100 and they will only pay the vet direct.

RogerRabbit999 said:

The Blue Cross and Pet Aid are other charities that help out with vets bills, but they have to be over £100 and they will only pay the vet direct.

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Do you have to be on benefits, though, to get help from Blue Cross?

Poor Alfie
As others have said there are options and i really dont think putting him to sleep at this stage is one of them.
Our vets are extremely understanding and we have a payment plan, our total bill for bloods, consious dental, vets time, nurse time, meds and a house visit came to almost £500!!
There was NO way we could have afforded that up front, we have a standing order in place and pay them a minimum of £65 per month, i am sure if you explain to your vets you financial struggles that they would do something similar.

If this really is not an option i would advise that you see if someone on here could take him in and give him the treatment he needs, at least that way his life doesnt have to end.

I wish you the best of luck!!

I've been through similar as Ash has massive teeth elongation root issues too having had a dental abscess and blocked tear ducts so I know (kinda) what you're going through. Firstly, pet insurance companies don't pay for dentals as in burring down the molar teeth, but Petplan paid for everything else related to her issues. All of these things have been more expensive than the actual dentals.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time - having to make a decision based on finances is awful. I'm sure you know this already, but the better diet you can get Alfie eating the less he will need dentals, although the tooth root elongation is not going to go away it can be managed. I.e. his diet should ideally be 80% hay 15% veg and 5% pellets, but many dental bunnies don't eat enough hay so they need to be substituted with the other two groups. Try lots of different varieties of hay and chop the hay up, readigrass, cut grass fresh from the lawn (i.e. grass you have just pulled from the ground yourself not from the lawnmower). If not then try and space his feeding out gradually throughout the day to reduce the chances of him going into stasis - there are foods intended for buns with problems like fibafirst and vetcare digestive formula if you can get him to eat these too but again they are pricey, cheaper in the long run than veterinary bills though.

Ash was diagnosed Christmas 2009 with her dental problems and the vet gave her 18 months to live because she is a severe case, she is still here for now so I like to think I know how to look after her/keep her going. I also thought she would need dentals every 1-2 months but now she needs them 2-3 times a year. Feel free to PM me if you want someone to talk to about the emotional stuff. :wave:

Who is he insured with? Because my Digby is with petplan, he had only been insured for one year when i put a claim in, he has elongated tooth roots and had xrays, they paid for everything! He hasn't had a GA since then (last Nov) but they pay for his metacam every month. Its worth just putting a claim in. I think it depends how your vet words it on the claim form :wave:

Alf went in for his investigations this morning and is (fingers crossed) coming home again tonight, we've just got to wait for the vet to call but it should be any moment now as the vet had a hospital appointment at 1! We'll then find out what exactly is going on, whether it is his roots ect as the vet is running a whole load of tests.

The bad news is that this will cost around £500/£600 :shock:! We've rung the insurance company and they said they can't say if they will pay out until after the procedure. They were cagey but said they don't think there should be a problem, however they cannot say for sure! So we've taken a massive gamble here and we've now just got to hope that it isn't dental related (like a persisting infection or an allergy) and that they will pay out!

Thank you all, sorry for being such a drama queen :lol:

Ask your vet to check the wording on the insurance that you have and as others have said it could be the way it is worded whether you get it or not, most vets will help all they can to fill the forms out for you. Got everything crossed you are covered and it is nothing too serious for Alfie.

Babsie said:

Do you have to be on benefits, though, to get help from Blue Cross?

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I don't actually know, I don't think so. I know the PDSA is a benefits one, but as I understood it, The Blue Cross and Pet Aid were places you could approach if you find yourself in need with a poorly pet, and a bill over a £100, because to be fair, lots of people in full time employment could still struggle with something like a massive vets bill, if they hadn't thought to insure.

Just been to collect Alfie from the vets after his investigations and it's mixed news

We were shown his xrays and they were actually really interesting! It was very clear to see how his tear ducts were becoming blocked over his roots, and apparently she got a LOT of mucus out when she flushed it. His other, unproblematic, eye wasn't able to be flushed which was a bit strange but oh well. She was very thorough and did lots of xrays, as well as filing one his teeth due to a teeny tiny spur.

Sarah explained that she is doing a degree in bunnies and her colleague, who alfie saw originally last week, did her degree 12 years ago and said that they VERY rarely see bunnies without dental problems now. Especially because Alfie is a mini lop, makes it even worse! Wild bunnies that she xrayed apparently didn't have any problems, so it's obviously just the domesticated breeding.

We've got antibiotics, eye drops and some oral medicine - the latter will be a life long thing, the antibiotics are just for the meantime and may well be changing when she gets the lab results back for culture and sensitivity. The eyedrops are ones that help dissolve the mucus that builds up as well.

Sarah also does bunny boarding, she brings them to work with her and then takes them home at night in a big indoor cage Big smiles all round here, which is brilliant as she can safely administer the medicines for me.

We've not paid today - it was over £600 which was a big shock but we've left it with Sarah to sort it out (contact the insurers and write them a letter with the form) so it's brilliant because we've not had to pay yet. Obviously if helpucover decide they aren't going to pay out then it'll be difficult but we've just got to hope that they DO.

Feel a bit more relieved now

Glad Alfie is home now.

Dental issues with bunnies are very confusing. I personally don't agree most rabbits have or will have dental problems. I have had 7 bunnies over the years and only two with problems. One because of her diet as she was used for breeding before she was rescued and was never fed hay and Mr B because of his breed, he is part Nethie.

My girl only needs a dental once a year, so its no big deal as it is only about £120 for the dental, unfortunately Mr B needs one every few months, but I think this not that common.

Do you know what meds Alfie has to be on long term ? Is this for his eye ?

Don't worry about the insurance yet, if they turn you down fight back, whenever we have been turned down I have fought back and got my money back, even for dentals.

Barn Yard Bunnies said:

Glad Alfie is home now.

Dental issues with bunnies are very confusing. I personally don't agree most rabbits have or will have dental problems. I have had 7 bunnies over the years and only two with problems. One because of her diet as she was used for breeding before she was rescued and was never fed hay and Mr B because of his breed, he is part Nethie.

My girl only needs a dental once a year, so its no big deal as it is only about £120 for the dental, unfortunately Mr B needs one every few months, but I think this not that common.

Do you know what meds Alfie has to be on long term ? Is this for his eye ?

Don't worry about the insurance yet, if they turn you down fight back, whenever we have been turned down I have fought back and got my money back, even for dentals.

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Thanks

I was surprised too! When Mum saw Clare (I think that was her name anyway), Sarah's colleague, she said she works at the big rabbit rescue in Manchester (unsure of which one this is, don't know if it's the RSPCA or something?!) and thats where she sees her rabbits, so I suppose dental bunnies are more common in rescued rabbits anyway.

Erm its Meloxidyl (or however you spell it) which is an anti inflammatory He's got eye drops though but I don't think they're permanent, I think they are for a week? The other two depend on the lab results though. I do think it's a shame he's on lifelong medicine though Apparently this one tastes nice and the rabbits get used to it. Sarah said she had a couple of chinnies in the surgery at the moment and one of them has been on for a year, he runs up to the bars when he gets his medicine, no struggle at all! I'd love it if Alf was like that :lol:

We'll definitely try and fight the insurers, when the bill is over £600 we're not going to give up easily! :thumb:

Fingers crossed!

JemimaH said:

Thanks

I was surprised too! When Mum saw Clare (I think that was her name anyway), Sarah's colleague, she said she works at the big rabbit rescue in Manchester (unsure of which one this is, don't know if it's the RSPCA or something?!) and thats where she sees her rabbits, so I suppose dental bunnies are more common in rescued rabbits anyway.

Erm its Meloxidyl (or however you spell it) which is an anti inflammatory He's got eye drops though but I don't think they're permanent, I think they are for a week? The other two depend on the lab results though. I do think it's a shame he's on lifelong medicine though Apparently this one tastes nice and the rabbits get used to it. Sarah said she had a couple of chinnies in the surgery at the moment and one of them has been on for a year, he runs up to the bars when he gets his medicine, no struggle at all! I'd love it if Alf was like that :lol:

We'll definitely try and fight the insurers, when the bill is over £600 we're not going to give up easily! :thumb:

Fingers crossed!

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Meloxidyl is metacam. Ask the vets for the biggest bottle as you can claim for that on the same insurance claim. I always get my vets to give me the biggest bottle, as we get the money back. They know I need it as Mr B is a long term dental bunny. Metacam tastes nice so shouldn't be a problem giving it to Alfie.

My chinnies also love metacam and it can be difficult to give it to one of them as they all want to have it. :lol: I just pop the syringe through the bars, call for Little Nylon or whoever needs it and they all come running. If I try put in a syringe with abx they all run away, they hate abx. :lol:

Hope Alfies eye infection clears soon. I know with Little Nylon the chin, when the vet tried to flush both tear ducts they couldn't get a successful flush but her eyes did clear up.