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Atticus q

Graciee

Graciee

Moderator
Staff member
I'm struggling to know when it's time for him.

He's been on his gut meds for weeks now, if I start to drop some he gets bad again, but whilst on then he has good quality of life. But he never needed them constantly before :/ Idk he's so happy and springy I feel like pts is wrong... But he's thin again and I just idek, I don't wanna keep him here just because I can't let go :(

But he's having calpol, lactulose, emeprid and cisapride every day, that's not normal for him :(

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts really I'm feeling a bit lost about it all tbh.

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This is really a decision only you can make and of course you can observe him on a day to day basis :( Different people would make a different choice with the same situation as well.

What I would say though, is if you compare his situation with a human, very many people with a terminal illness are being kept alive/kept comfortable with palliative care, sometimes for quite a while. I consider Atticus' meds are performing the same task for him. The meds are helping to give him good quality of life, whilst not curing his condition, which can be evidenced by the fact that he's thin again. Personally, I would think the time to seriously think whether it's time for him will be when no amount of meds can keep him happy.

Don't forget also that Atticus is completely unaware of what his situation is and that he will not 'get better'.
 
I agree with Omi, while Atticus is happy and enjoying life, I would take that as a sign he's not ready. I think when the time is right, both you and he will just know.
 
I agree with all the above. It is so hard when our beloved pets get old and or ill.
 
Thanks everyone I agree with everything you've all said. I guess I just worry because he's very thin and not good on his back legs Idk it's kinda hard to watch but he still zooms over for noms so Idk, I guess at some point his body will fail him and that'll be that.

I think it's just hard to witness tbh, I'll surreal to William though about all the meds etc.

He's getting harder to inject too because he's so thin :(

Clementine is getting even fatter too because I can't keep her away from the oats [emoji51]

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Only offering my thoughts cos you asked...I think so long as he is happy & springy then you needn't question it (says me that deliberated & cried over whether to let Mousey go for at least a year). I think many of us are in awe of how you manage Atticus, I certainly am. Like Omi I'd view the gut meds as palliative care & keep going til something changes for the worse. I've never been successful in fattening up a skinny elderly / ill rabbit (Ralph, Noodle, Rudey, Mouse & now Boo)
 
I was all over the place with Lopsy too, he never put the weight back on and he was kinda rough at moving, but he was still so happy to see everyone who had food and you wouldn't have known right up until his last day when we were lucky and he told us by having seizures so it was pretty clear cut.

Big hugs xxx
 
joey&boo said:
Only offering my thoughts cos you asked...I think so long as he is happy & springy then you needn't question it (says me that deliberated & cried over whether to let Mousey go for at least a year). I think many of us are in awe of how you manage Atticus, I certainly am. Like Omi I'd view the gut meds as palliative care & keep going til something changes for the worse. I've never been successful in fattening up a skinny elderly / ill rabbit (Ralph, Noodle, Rudey, Mouse & now Boo)
Click to expand...

Yea I think you're right, he's so happy still bless him. I feel so bad though that we've booked a holiday in August, I've got cover for them all but not medical cover, I can fix that but I worry leaving him tbh, we booked it in January when it was just every so often he'd need, and it would've been okay. Idk I can't really cancel a 2 week holiday that's paid for [emoji51] Freddie is coming but I can't bring two rabbits as well [emoji38] I just hope he'll be okay with a vet nurse, problem is he doesn't really follow normal rules [emoji51]

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keletkezes said:
I was all over the place with Lopsy too, he never put the weight back on and he was kinda rough at moving, but he was still so happy to see everyone who had food and you wouldn't have known right up until his last day when we were lucky and he told us by having seizures so it was pretty clear cut.

Big hugs xxx
Click to expand...

Yea that's exactly how I feel rn I guess he'll let me know, thanks xxx

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Can’t add anything to what’s already been said other than with Inspector Morse during his final 6 months or so of life he was on a ton of meds, all palliative, not curative,very, very skinny, but with a huge appetite, very happy and not in pain. Anyone just looking at how thin he was without knowing him would have called me cruel for keeping him going.

Then on 2nd Feb 2014, just after midday he suddenly went flat, quiet and just wanted to sleep. He continued to eat if hand fed, but his eyes became ‘empty’ looking, his ears very cold. He told me he needed to go :cry:

I feel sure Atticus will tell you x
 
Graciee,
I agree with prior posts that as long as he is happy and springy there is nothing wrong with continuing the meds as long as they keep him happy.
You do an amazing job with him, yet that does not mean you cannot leave him in capable hands during your vacation. It is possible the regular meds will keep him happy during your absence. You have been through a lot and you deserve a vacation so you can return feeling refreshed.
 
InspectorMorse said:
Can’t add anything to what’s already been said other than with Inspector Morse during his final 6 months or so of life he was on a ton of meds, all palliative, not curative,very, very skinny, but with a huge appetite, very happy and not in pain. Anyone just looking at how thin he was without knowing him would have called me cruel for keeping him going.

Then on 2nd Feb 2014, just after midday he suddenly went flat, quiet and just wanted to sleep. He continued to eat if hand fed, but his eyes became ‘empty’ looking, his ears very cold. He told me he needed to go :cry:

I feel sure Atticus will tell you x
Click to expand...

Ah :(

Gotta chat with William but you think it's okay for him to be having all those gut meds everyday and the calpol? I just worry but I suppose it's not like he's gunna get better now :( x

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bunny momma said:
Graciee,
I agree with prior posts that as long as he is happy and springy there is nothing wrong with continuing the meds as long as they keep him happy.
You do an amazing job with him, yet that does not mean you cannot leave him in capable hands during your vacation. It is possible the regular meds will keep him happy during your absence. You have been through a lot and you deserve a vacation so you can return feeling refreshed.
Click to expand...

Yea I know I just feel bad coz we went away for a week last summer and he was okay and in January we was like let's book something to take Freddie and stay on the beach for two weeks, Him and Evelyn will love it. So we just booked it, but Atticus wasn't on steroids then either, he's always just been ill for many years we didn't do anything except the odd weekend away. But since having Evelyn we try to take her somewhere new and fun, but Idk leaving Atticus for so long is really worrying me now, I don't even like to be out all day atm because if he goes downhill he likes his belly rubbed :(

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Graciee said:
Gotta chat with William but you think it's okay for him to be having all those gut meds everyday and the calpol? x

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Click to expand...

As palliative care, yes

Morse was on a Corticosteroid for almost 6 months, as part of his palliative care. Yes, they might have caused adverse side effects (they actually didn’t) and those side effects could even be fatal. But he was terminally ill (cancer, heart failure). There was no chance he would ever recover, but meds which in other circumstances would be a big NO, kept him very comfortable and gave him a good QOL for the little time he had left. When dealing with terminal illness the drug risk v benefits equation is very different than when treating a Rabbit with an illness which they could recover from.
 
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