Hi all,
I'm new to the forum but in desperate need of advice! About a week and a half ago we took our indoor bunny, Blueberry, to the vet as he was sneezing and it looked like he was having some trouble with breathing. He was checked over and given antibiotics as he had a respiratory tract infection.
We then returned to the vet on Friday for a follow-up to see if the antibiotics were working or if he needed a different anti-biotic but the vet noticed two lumps on either side near his rear legs (size of ping pong balls). We then arranged for him to return next week for an X-ray so that they could see the lumps and remove them. However, yesterday (Saturday) morning we took him to the vet again as he was eating a little but definitely was not his usual energetic self. To our devastation, the vet found a few more lumps, which weren't there less than 24 hours before, by his front legs and under his chin. We were told that it's almost certainly cancer and a biopsy will be done tomorrow to find out more about it.
However, the vet did advise that we had 3 options, either Chemotherapy or to try steroids or to put him to sleep. He advised that chemo isn't very successful in rabbits and he wouldn't recommend it, so I decided to proceed with steroids, which they immediately started.
We visited him at the vets today and i'm now wondering if we made the right decision or if we should give chemotherapy a go. We're absolutely heartbroken as we love him sooooo much and he has a companion, who he's very closely bonded with and as she's deaf she relies on him quite heavily. I would do anything to save him but at the same time I'm not sure what the side effects of chemotherapy for rabbits are and if it's worth putting him through it, as I don't want him to suffer either. I feel really stuck.
Has anyone had any had any experience with their bunny's having chemo???
Any advice would be really appreciated!
Many thanks,
Tamz xx
I'm new to the forum but in desperate need of advice! About a week and a half ago we took our indoor bunny, Blueberry, to the vet as he was sneezing and it looked like he was having some trouble with breathing. He was checked over and given antibiotics as he had a respiratory tract infection.
We then returned to the vet on Friday for a follow-up to see if the antibiotics were working or if he needed a different anti-biotic but the vet noticed two lumps on either side near his rear legs (size of ping pong balls). We then arranged for him to return next week for an X-ray so that they could see the lumps and remove them. However, yesterday (Saturday) morning we took him to the vet again as he was eating a little but definitely was not his usual energetic self. To our devastation, the vet found a few more lumps, which weren't there less than 24 hours before, by his front legs and under his chin. We were told that it's almost certainly cancer and a biopsy will be done tomorrow to find out more about it.
However, the vet did advise that we had 3 options, either Chemotherapy or to try steroids or to put him to sleep. He advised that chemo isn't very successful in rabbits and he wouldn't recommend it, so I decided to proceed with steroids, which they immediately started.
We visited him at the vets today and i'm now wondering if we made the right decision or if we should give chemotherapy a go. We're absolutely heartbroken as we love him sooooo much and he has a companion, who he's very closely bonded with and as she's deaf she relies on him quite heavily. I would do anything to save him but at the same time I'm not sure what the side effects of chemotherapy for rabbits are and if it's worth putting him through it, as I don't want him to suffer either. I feel really stuck.
Has anyone had any had any experience with their bunny's having chemo???
Any advice would be really appreciated!
Many thanks,
Tamz xx