Hi everyone, last month April 17th I had to put one of my bunnies to sleep - abscesses / tumours all over her body, I tried everything I could for her but sadly we could not save her. Hardest thing i have ever done.
Her mate, the same day developed sneezing. After a couple of days, it did not abate so I took him to the vet. He was also losing fur around his eye, which is not uncommon, it happens around once per year for a week or so - a blocked tear duct was the prevailing theory. It was all awful timing, difficult to tell what was stress related with losing his mate or something more serious.
I told the vet what was happening, it was a perfect storm with him just losing his mate and obviously feeling a little bit depressed. She weighed him, fine, checked his breathing, fine, checked his mouth etc. The picture of health.
His eye however continued to get worse and his sneezing got worse - I took him back, and the vet gave an anti inflammatory to administer orally and eye drops. We continued this for some weeks until the symptoms eased, and seemed to go - eye cleared up, no more sneezing. In fact he was extremely happy - on Monday he was running around the garden, hopping about. Eating all of his food.
Tuesday morning I noticed he had not ate any of his food, and I could hear him breathing. Like a person with a cold trying to breathe through a blocked nose. This came out of nowhere. I took him straight to the vet and it was horrifying. He had lost weight - we had not noticed as he had been clearing his plates every night, drinking plenty of water, but as he had lost his mate we had reduced his food slightly not taking into account the possibility it was always him who ate the most - but he had not been touching his hay.
The vet said he had severe respiratory issues, likely an infection, and his eye was infected. I am slightly angry about this, I feel this all should have been considered sooner but blaming anyone won't make him better
She wanted to euthanize then and there, I said no, is there anything we can do - I had him admitted for the day, fluids, food, and what happened next I am completely confused about. The initial vet said he would be given antibiotics, second vet on collection said he wasn't Second vet said they cleared out his nasal passages, initial vet said they didn't. I don't understand but was too upset and confused to argue about it. Bottom line, second vet said she was happy he had responded well and showed improvement enough to send home, and they ordered an experimental antibiotic which had not been given the ok in animals but was a last ditch attempt. I signed a waiver and said ok. It is to be administered once per day over seven days.
Took him in the next morning, antibiotic wasn't there (which I was told it would be) coming in the afternoon. He received a steroidal shot and something for his gut. Took him back in the evening for the antibiotic.
This morning he is still wheezing, he has not ate, no pees in his litter tray. He has had water as the level in his bowl has dropped, but nothing in the tray.
I know what I have to consider now. I don't know what I should do. This antibiotic will take a few days if it even helps at all. I ventured the idea of syringe feeding in the interim, but that would not be a good idea to force something down his throat while he is finding it difficult to breathe. I don't want him to suffer but I don't want to throw away his life if things could get better in the next few days.
This feels cruel after losing his mate last month. He was doing so fantastically well. I really have no idea what to do. He is around six years old. Not sure if anyone has been through this before with their own rabbits. He means the absolute world to me it's just too much to lose them both so young and so close together. He is scared too I can see it in his eyes. No idea what decision I am supposed to make here.
Her mate, the same day developed sneezing. After a couple of days, it did not abate so I took him to the vet. He was also losing fur around his eye, which is not uncommon, it happens around once per year for a week or so - a blocked tear duct was the prevailing theory. It was all awful timing, difficult to tell what was stress related with losing his mate or something more serious.
I told the vet what was happening, it was a perfect storm with him just losing his mate and obviously feeling a little bit depressed. She weighed him, fine, checked his breathing, fine, checked his mouth etc. The picture of health.
His eye however continued to get worse and his sneezing got worse - I took him back, and the vet gave an anti inflammatory to administer orally and eye drops. We continued this for some weeks until the symptoms eased, and seemed to go - eye cleared up, no more sneezing. In fact he was extremely happy - on Monday he was running around the garden, hopping about. Eating all of his food.
Tuesday morning I noticed he had not ate any of his food, and I could hear him breathing. Like a person with a cold trying to breathe through a blocked nose. This came out of nowhere. I took him straight to the vet and it was horrifying. He had lost weight - we had not noticed as he had been clearing his plates every night, drinking plenty of water, but as he had lost his mate we had reduced his food slightly not taking into account the possibility it was always him who ate the most - but he had not been touching his hay.
The vet said he had severe respiratory issues, likely an infection, and his eye was infected. I am slightly angry about this, I feel this all should have been considered sooner but blaming anyone won't make him better
She wanted to euthanize then and there, I said no, is there anything we can do - I had him admitted for the day, fluids, food, and what happened next I am completely confused about. The initial vet said he would be given antibiotics, second vet on collection said he wasn't Second vet said they cleared out his nasal passages, initial vet said they didn't. I don't understand but was too upset and confused to argue about it. Bottom line, second vet said she was happy he had responded well and showed improvement enough to send home, and they ordered an experimental antibiotic which had not been given the ok in animals but was a last ditch attempt. I signed a waiver and said ok. It is to be administered once per day over seven days.
Took him in the next morning, antibiotic wasn't there (which I was told it would be) coming in the afternoon. He received a steroidal shot and something for his gut. Took him back in the evening for the antibiotic.
This morning he is still wheezing, he has not ate, no pees in his litter tray. He has had water as the level in his bowl has dropped, but nothing in the tray.
I know what I have to consider now. I don't know what I should do. This antibiotic will take a few days if it even helps at all. I ventured the idea of syringe feeding in the interim, but that would not be a good idea to force something down his throat while he is finding it difficult to breathe. I don't want him to suffer but I don't want to throw away his life if things could get better in the next few days.
This feels cruel after losing his mate last month. He was doing so fantastically well. I really have no idea what to do. He is around six years old. Not sure if anyone has been through this before with their own rabbits. He means the absolute world to me it's just too much to lose them both so young and so close together. He is scared too I can see it in his eyes. No idea what decision I am supposed to make here.
