Disabled bun with Urine Scald - any advice?

Hello all,
I haven't posted for a while now
My Sidney who is almost 8 years old has arthritis in his back legs for the past 6 months which has progressively got worse. He is also blind in one eye and only has 20% vision in the other. He also has kidney failure and pees on himself.
He went to the vets again last week, and he has lost more weight (he is is 1.4KG and is a Lion head). They completely shaved his fur from the waist down, as he had some urine scalding and poops were getting stuck to him too.
He was doing ok in himself (getting about ok, eating etc), but over the last 5 days he has deteriorated quite a bit I am medicating him with Baytril twice a day and metacam once a day (started Monday 6th July), and also applying sudocrem to his sore bits around his nether-regions.
Whenever I approach him in his run, he is petrified and tries his best to get away, but wobbles on his weak back legs. It really does break my heart. He isn't eating as much and his poops are very small and hard.

Does any one else have any experience of this? And was there a good outcome? Or should I be thinking about letting him go to the bridge?

Thanks in advance x

Personally if he was mine I'd have already let him go to the bridge.

Have a look at getting in contact with Rainbow Rabbits Retirement (Hugos there on here is the lady that runs it) and Helicopter Rescue as both have experience in dealing with older disabled bunnies.

I think it very much depends on how he is coping and his quality of life.

I would have a good chat with the vet and see what he/she thinks.

Im really sorry youre faced with this worry.x

ralphus maximus! said:

Hello all,
I haven't posted for a while now
My Sidney who is almost 8 years old has arthritis in his back legs for the past 6 months which has progressively got worse. He is also blind in one eye and only has 20% vision in the other. He also has kidney failure and pees on himself.
He went to the vets again last week, and he has lost more weight (he is is 1.4KG and is a Lion head). They completely shaved his fur from the waist down, as he had some urine scalding and poops were getting stuck to him too.
He was doing ok in himself (getting about ok, eating etc), but over the last 5 days he has deteriorated quite a bit I am medicating him with Baytril twice a day and metacam once a day (started Monday 6th July), and also applying sudocrem to his sore bits around his nether-regions.
Whenever I approach him in his run, he is petrified and tries his best to get away, but wobbles on his weak back legs. It really does break my heart. He isn't eating as much and his poops are very small and hard.

Does any one else have any experience of this? And was there a good outcome? Or should I be thinking about letting him go to the bridge?

Thanks in advance x

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If his eating deteriorates to the point where he doesn't want to eat, I would let him go. Yes I have experience of disabled rabbits and rabbits with kidney failure, and it's truly heart breaking.

I should think about letting him go before he gets too poorly. You love him very much and you're doing everything you can for him.

Hard as it is, if it were me I would make the decision to let him go now, peacefully, before he deteriorates any further.

Sorry you are on this position. It's the same reason I had to let my Bella bun go yesterday

ralphus maximus! said:

Hello all,
I haven't posted for a while now
My Sidney who is almost 8 years old has arthritis in his back legs for the past 6 months which has progressively got worse. He is also blind in one eye and only has 20% vision in the other. He also has kidney failure and pees on himself.
He went to the vets again last week, and he has lost more weight (he is is 1.4KG and is a Lion head). They completely shaved his fur from the waist down, as he had some urine scalding and poops were getting stuck to him too.
He was doing ok in himself (getting about ok, eating etc), but over the last 5 days he has deteriorated quite a bit I am medicating him with Baytril twice a day and metacam once a day (started Monday 6th July), and also applying sudocrem to his sore bits around his nether-regions.
Whenever I approach him in his run, he is petrified and tries his best to get away, but wobbles on his weak back legs. It really does break my heart. He isn't eating as much and his poops are very small and hard.

Does any one else have any experience of this? And was there a good outcome? Or should I be thinking about letting him go to the bridge?

Thanks in advance x

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I am sorry that Sidney is struggling now. The fact that you are asking whether it would be 'better' to let him go now indicates that you are starting to question his quality of life. It may be that he is now having more 'bad times' than 'good times' in any given 24 hour period and that he is finding all the essential 'hands on care' too stressful.

You mention that he is also in chronic renal failure. This will worsen over time and the Rabbit will feel increasingly unwell within themselves. Their appetite reduces as does their interest in life in general. Fluid therapy may help but it wont cure the failing kidneys and once fluid therapy is withdrawn the Rabbit often goes back downhill again. There are certain medications which can be prescribed to support what remains of renal function, but again this will not cure the problem, just buy the Rabbit a bit more time. But if the Rabbit also has other problems, such as Sidney's severe arthritis that 'bought time' may not be quality time.

Only you can truly judge if you should now let Sidney go. You know him and you can look into his eyes. His eyes will tell you if he has had enough. The light will be gone from them, they will look 'vacant' and dull. No-one but the care given is in a position to accurately read the message the eyes are giving.

Quality of life is always important for any living being, this is of particular importance at the end of life. From what you have mentioned here Sidney does not have a condition that will 'get better' and so as he is now is probably the 'best' he will be. As he has continued to deteriorate over the last few days then maybe you should have a chat with the Vet you trust about whether, for Sidney, it is time for a peaceful passing.

This stage of caring for a Rabbit is so hard and no matter how many times we may have to go through it it never gets any easier. You have my empathy.

So sorry you're having to go through this. I know these decisions are an absolute nightmare.

Different animal, but it reminds me so much of the decision I had to make in the end with Cassie (guinea pig). She was incontinent and had to be cleaned up daily, and Bepanthen cream put on, and she was starting to lose weight. She could move about OK though.

For us the main problem in deciding was that, every time we'd say 'this is it, enough is enough' she would perk up a bit! We kept saying we couldn't possibly take her on a 'good' day. But if he is now pretty constant, and there are no 'good' days, this could be the time for Sidney.

Thinking of you xxx

Thank you everyone for your advice.
I have made an appointment with the vet this evening at 17.45.
It really is breaking my heart, especially when he comes to my husband when he calls his name

I will let you know how we get on this evening x

Hope it isn't too awful an appointment. xxx

ralphus maximus! said:

Thank you everyone for your advice.
I have made an appointment with the vet this evening at 17.45.
It really is breaking my heart, especially when he comes to my husband when he calls his name

I will let you know how we get on this evening x

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I am sure that whatever you decide to do it will be whatever is in Sidney's best interests.

ralphus maximus! said:

Thank you everyone for your advice.
I have made an appointment with the vet this evening at 17.45.
It really is breaking my heart, especially when he comes to my husband when he calls his name

I will let you know how we get on this evening x

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My thoughts and love are with you

Be strong. Sidney needs you now more than ever xx

Update from vets

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for your well wishes.
The vet was very pleased with how much Sid's skins has healed up, it was so sore last week and now it's almost back to normal.
He has put in 60 grams in weight, not amazing, but at least he hasn't lost any.
We have upped his metacam dose to twice daily to see if that help with his mobility and he has also been prescribed with some cisapride to see hopefully improve his guts and appetite.
He was cuddled up to his wifey-bun Daisy when I got home from work and seemed much brighter than this morning!

Still a worry, but I am glad the vet seems happier with him than last week!

:wave: x

That sounds positive. All you can do is just take every day as it comes.

ralphus maximus! said:

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for your well wishes.
The vet was very pleased with how much Sid's skins has healed up, it was so sore last week and now it's almost back to normal.
He has put in 60 grams in weight, not amazing, but at least he hasn't lost any.
We have upped his metacam dose to twice daily to see if that help with his mobility and he has also been prescribed with some cisapride to see hopefully improve his guts and appetite.
He was cuddled up to his wifey-bun Daisy when I got home from work and seemed much brighter than this morning!

Still a worry, but I am glad the vet seems happier with him than last week!

:wave: x

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I am so pleased that Sidney can have a bit more time to spend with you and with Daisy xx

ralphus maximus! said:

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for your well wishes.
The vet was very pleased with how much Sid's skins has healed up, it was so sore last week and now it's almost back to normal.
He has put in 60 grams in weight, not amazing, but at least he hasn't lost any.
We have upped his metacam dose to twice daily to see if that help with his mobility and he has also been prescribed with some cisapride to see hopefully improve his guts and appetite.
He was cuddled up to his wifey-bun Daisy when I got home from work and seemed much brighter than this morning!

Still a worry, but I am glad the vet seems happier with him than last week!

:wave: x

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Aaah lovely - you must be relieved this evening!

I think, as SarahP says, taking each day one at a time is the only way to go ......

Thanks again!
Yes I agree with Sarah, definitely see how he is each day.

Right now he is munching down some basil.. more than Daisy and she's a greedy-bun! :lol:
He also nibbled at some hay after his meds, so I am feeling very chuffed with him!

Gawd these bunnies certainly play with our emotions eh!??

x

I so glad you were able to have a chat with the vet and he seems alittle better.x

ralphus maximus! said:

Thanks again!
Yes I agree with Sarah, definitely see how he is each day.

Right now he is munching down some basil.. more than Daisy and she's a greedy-bun! :lol:
He also nibbled at some hay after his meds, so I am feeling very chuffed with him!

Gawd these bunnies certainly play with our emotions eh!??

x

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You know, I'm going through this see-saw with one of mine right now. One day it's possibly PTS, then the next I'm not so sure :?

MightyMax said:

You know, I'm going through this see-saw with one of mine right now. One day it's possibly PTS, then the next I'm not so sure :?

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Im so sorry about this A.Its so difficult isn't it?