Rabbit PTS, sorry long post.xxx

Today I had to have one of the rabbits at the garden centre PTS.
I am really upset about this.

Last week this wee rabbits brother died on Friday 13th, came into work and the rabbit had lost all weight over night. Picked it up and it started to gasping for breath and foaming at the mouth, then he started fitting then died. This all happent in 5-10 mins. No time to even get the poor thing to the vets.

Phoned the vets to see what he thought, but said it could have been a number of things. And just to keep an eye on the other two I still had.

The wee rabbit I had at the vets today had started to loose a small amount of weight last satuday. After a phone call to the vet he suggested I keep an eye on her weight. She was eating and pooing ok, but one day had put on weight and the next lost it.

I decided today that a vet visit would be nessacery.

Once at the vets, he said her mucus membraines were discoloured and her heart was beating abnormal.

He suggested that I could have a course of batrill but I'd probably be back in a weeks time with a really sick bunny.

I know what you all would of done, so please dont beat me up about it, I do enough of that myself. But I can not sell an animal if I think it's not healthy. And even if the batrill cleared up the jaundis, she would still have a heart problem.

So I decided to opt for PTS.

Vet did a post-mortum FOC of me. And told me I had made the right decision. Her heart was small and one of her liver lobes was severly pitted and abnormal. There was also fluid starting to accumulate in her lungs.

I am so sad about this. Do you think that if this man still breeds from the same mun and dad it could happen again?

Nicole,

I'm so sorry to hear about this, I can't add much just wanted to say ((hugs)) and thinking of you, on what must have been a hard decision to make.

Jx

aaawwww how sad Im sure u did the right thing for the little guy Could you speak to the breeder and tell them what has happened to two of their babies? I guess it is always possible its a genetic problem but no way to tell really. Was there any other babies from the same litter?

I am 99% certain that the same thing could happen again with breeding from the same genetic line.

Janex

Thanks for your kind words.

I did contact the breeder today but all he could say was "I didn't give you rabbits that were ill"
That was not the point of my phone call. All I wanted to do was inform him of what had happend and to warn him of the potential problem he has on his hands.

The vet did say that this problem might not be apparent at 8 weeks but show signs later on in life.

I also contacted Acorn Pets as well. (I noticed when I was last in that they had silver fox's in) she got them from the same breeder and I told the manager of the problem I had encounterd just incase it happend.

I really hope he takes note of what I told him today.

There was others in the litter I'm sure of it.

Hi Nicole, just to say again how sorry I am about your lovely little rabbit. It was lovely to see her yesterday and give her a cuddle, little sweetheart. Its clear to see how much you love and care for the little bunnies you have there

You do a lovely job by your bunnies in the garden centre and I would encourage everyone to visit your pet centre and see what a great set up you have there. Pets shops do get a bad name when it comes to rabbits and we all know that in the majority of cases, its completely and utterly deserved that they get a bad name. However, we must not tar all with the same brush as the I think Nicole runs the most rabbit savvy pet centre in the UK! Its a pleasure to see just how well you check out potential owners and give so much free advice, often long after the bunnies have gone to their new homes . There are only ever between 2 and 4 buns, always homed in pairs, adverts for Fife rabbit Rescue everywhere to encourage people to consider rescue bunnies first before the ones you have! Tons of brilliant hay, huge runs, quiet location etc etc!

You absolutely did you best by little bun, no question.

Hi Nicole,

I would hope that a letter explaining why you are no longer taking rabbits from this breeder, is on it's way to him now. I'm sure you don't want to be faced with the same agonising decision time and time again

I will be phoning him again today. When I phoned yesterday I did not have the results of the post-mortum.

Will let you know how I get on.

Fiona I have posted in rainbow bridge about Cindy.

No answer when I phoned but I will be informing enviromental health and sending a letter to him with a copy of the post-mortum results.

So sorry I can't offer any advice Nicole...only my heart and caring thoughts for you