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Detached Lens

XMissySJx

Wise Old Thumper
My beautiful little Pebbles has had cataracts in both eyes for around six months. Both progress very quickly, and have done right from the start. I have been giving eye drops twice a day, but unfortunately the worse eye looks very different one morning, so I took her to see the vet for a check up as I have been advised to keep a very close eye on them. Unfortunately, her right eye has a detached lens. This means it is very, very painful for her, and unfortunately it leaves us with only two options.

Option one, is to put her under GA and remove her eye. Option two, is to let her go, and put her to sleep. Pebbles is almost ten years old, and has always been a very healthy rabbit. Despite her age, she has little to no arthritis, she eats well, has good teeth (bad set up of teeth, but good in length and condition). She isn't a people bunny, she's always been a little distant and shy, and has always preferred rabbits to people. Since losing Domino in July, she has been quite low.

My vet (who is very good, I trust her completely) has said to me that no decision is wrong. If she was a young bunny, she would push for surgery but because Pebbles is 10, it does make this decision harder. There is a high chance that she will need her other eye removed at some point too. If she has the surgery, my vet is prepared to do pre op bloods, and an x ray (under GA), before she starts the procedure so that we can have a check to see if there is anything else going on with her, because if there is, I will let her go under GA, rather than put her through surgery. If I choose surgery, I only want it to happen if we have done a few tests to see if she is otherwise health, given her age.

If she dies under GA, if her heart gives out, or she simply doesn't make it - at least I tried. She has no awareness. If she makes it, but suffers afterwards and goes into stasis or worse, I will feel so guilty. She could even recover quickly, and well, but dies of old age soon after anyway. Or, she could live another couple of years.

Or, I let her go. I adopted Pebbles in 2007, she was a young rabbit at the time, between 6-12 months in age. She has lived a very happy life, and a long one. Many aren't so lucky. She has no concept of time. She won't feel any more pain, she won't have a recovery period, and she will go as she is - without being disfigured, without being taken apart.

Nobody can make this decision for me, there is no right or wrong. But, I needed to get this out because I don't want to put anything on my Facebook profile. It's been full of sadness recently and I just need to think about it all. I have until Monday to decide, if she has the surgery, she will have it Thursday. If I decide against surgery, I will put her to sleep on Monday evening.

She is the last of my rabbits, of my original four. I'm not ready to lose her, not after losing Domino in July and my precious new baby Bertie just two weeks ago. I'd say life is cruel, but...she has lived a long life. It isn't injustice, or unfair...it's a blessing she has made it this far. But my poor heart is breaking because of how soon it is after losing my boys.
 
Oh SJ what a dreadful time you are having :cry: I am so sorry to hear of Pebbles latest problem :cry: As you acknowledge, you are the only one who can decide what is best to do for Pebbles, with the input and support of the Vet you trust. But please feel that you can 'talk' with us as much as you need to. For what it's worth you have my 100% support what-ever decision you make. There is no universal 'right' or 'wrong' thing to do, but a 'right thing' for Pebbles, which I know you will do.

(((((((((((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))))))))))) xx
 
I'm so sorry. It's not been easy for you lately :(
I hope you can find the decision that is right for you. RU will fully support any choice you make, as you say, there is no right or wrong choice.

Xx

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
I have decided to opt for the surgery. I thought I would lean more to letting her go, but seeing her run around the garden this afternoon has reaffirmed that despite being almost ten years old, she IS in very good health. We're going to have pre op bloods done to check her organ functions etc, and before surgery starts, once she's under GA she will have a full x ray to see if there's anything sinister going on inside that she's hiding. If she seems to be in as good health as we think she is, she will have the surgery. If not, I'll let her go under the GA, so she won't experience anything different than if I had let her go without knowing. I'm going to give her a chance, because she deserves to find some happiness again. Once she is healed, I'll find her a partner, and she can live out her last months or years, happy.
 
I have decided to opt for the surgery. I thought I would lean more to letting her go, but seeing her run around the garden this afternoon has reaffirmed that despite being almost ten years old, she IS in very good health. We're going to have pre op bloods done to check her organ functions etc, and before surgery starts, once she's under GA she will have a full x ray to see if there's anything sinister going on inside that she's hiding. If she seems to be in as good health as we think she is, she will have the surgery. If not, I'll let her go under the GA, so she won't experience anything different than if I had let her go without knowing. I'm going to give her a chance, because she deserves to find some happiness again. Once she is healed, I'll find her a partner, and she can live out her last months or years, happy.

I hope that all will go well for her. She sounds to be in great spirits and not ready to leave yet xx
 
Yeah, considering the pain is like having a permanent migraine she is doing exceptionally well. I watched her for a long time, and wondered if I was being selfish, if I was doing the right thing but, i know if I let her go over an eye I'd feel terrible because otherwise she is pretty great. Maybe something will show up on the checks which makes me think again - but even then at least I'll know. Or, she might not make it through surgery, or the first few days, but again - at least i'd have tried.
 
Yeah, considering the pain is like having a permanent migraine she is doing exceptionally well. I watched her for a long time, and wondered if I was being selfish, if I was doing the right thing but, i know if I let her go over an eye I'd feel terrible because otherwise she is pretty great. Maybe something will show up on the checks which makes me think again - but even then at least I'll know. Or, she might not make it through surgery, or the first few days, but again - at least i'd have tried.

As I mentioned, you are the only one to be able to judge the best course of action for Pebbles, with the advice of your Rabbit savvy Vet. You trust your Vet, as I trust mine, and so you can be assured that the Vet would never agree to going ahead with surgery if it were not ethical to do so.

Vets have a tough job as sometimes they are slated for not doing enough, then again they can be slated for 'pushing the boundaries too far' . Of course some people will just slate Vets per se ! So having a trust in our Vet and knowing that we can question them about any concerns we have about advice given without the Vet feeling that we are trying to tell them how to do their job is so important. Because when faced with life or death decisions about a beloved Rabbit we have to know for certain that our Vet's advice is sound and that any of our doubts will be openly discussed.

Sending millions of vibes for Pebbles treatment xx
 
I'm so sorry you are going through all of this :cry: Sending lots of vibes for Pebbles xx
 
She made it through surgery, she's recovering and I can pick her up at 7:30!

Brilliant news !! :D Be prepared for the surgical wound to look rather grim, but it will heal very quickly and she will be so much happier without an eye that did nothing but cause her pain.

Sending lots of vibes for her recovery xx
 
She made it through surgery, she's recovering and I can pick her up at 7:30!


I've just been catching up on your thread SJ.

I am so glad she's out of the surgery and recovering :D
I had this done to one of my bunnies and we never looked back x
 
She's also got a new boyfriend lined up, and if they like each other he will be joining the family! He's going to come here and live side by side until she's recovered as they saw each other yesterday through separate areas and they were infatuated with each other, so we think it will help her.
 
I'm so glad to hear she's come through surgery Sarah-Jane :thumb:. Benji sends her a big lick. Glad to hear she has a new friend lined up too. Looking forward to seeing pics on FB.
 
I missed this SJ. I am so pleased that Pebbles has come through the surgery, what a tough little cookie. I hope she continues to recover well and is soon able to meet a new husbun. That is lovely news too xx
 
She was home a grand total of five minutes before she started tucking into her pellets and forage. She's also eaten kale, had some soft hay (can't have normal hay in case it pokes), and she's done a mountain of poos, tooth purred next to me and she groomed me for ten minutes solid. What a wonder bun.
 
She was home a grand total of five minutes before she started tucking into her pellets and forage. She's also eaten kale, had some soft hay (can't have normal hay in case it pokes), and she's done a mountain of poos, tooth purred next to me and she groomed me for ten minutes solid. What a wonder bun.


Yes she is :D

You must be so relieved :D
 
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