This has truly been a sad sad week. Healy (5) and Oakley (3) had been happily bonded for 8 months. They both seemed so healthy and active. We were shocked when Oakley died suddenly on Tuesday night with no symptoms beforehand. The only clue was that she seemed unable to breathe right before she passed. I’m waiting for the results of her necropsy.
The following day I brought Healy to the vet in case there was something mysterious that they could both have. Healy has always been a territorial pee-er, but since Oakley passed I have had him on the couch with me a lot to keep him company. In a one hour sitting he peed 3 times! I told the vet about this and we decided to do a blood test. It came back with high levels of Creatinine. So Healy has kidney disease. She said that I should wet his vegetables and offer a side dish of diluted fruit juice to get him to drink more. If he gets bad enough I will also give him SQ fluids under the skin. He was very stressed for the rest of the day after the vet. He would only eat banana and raisins.
As of yesterday he is still very reluctant to eat. I have been babying him a lot and spending all my time with him. It seems to help, I feel like he doesn’t want be alone in the bun room. I can’t blame him. It feels sad in there now. He has refused hay for 3 days now. I have gotten him to eat some carrot, bok choy, and cucumber. And he ate some pellets mixed with apple sauce. It takes a lot of patience to get him to eat, which is really unusual for him. He used to love food! Any food.
I’m trying to figure out if he is still stressed from the vet or if he is grieving the loss of his mate. He never seemed very attached to Oakley when they were together. They didn’t groom eachother (they would ask, but I don’t think either knew how), they didn’t eat together much, but they cuddled every once in a while.
He has chosen a corner of the room and sits there fluffed all day unless I’m with him. I’ve been bringing him downstairs to watch tv and hang out with me and the cat every night for 2-3 hours. He seems to enjoy it.
So my issue is this: would he perk up with a new bunny? or would it be an additional stress on him and me?
It was not an easy bond with Healy and Oakley. Do buns that have lost a mate bond quicker during the mourning process? I’ve heard that buns can get severely depressed and should get a new mate right away. But it doesn’t seem so cut and dry in this case. I have Healy’s illness to worry about. He needs special care and who knows how long he can hold out. Maybe a year? Maybe more? Maybe less? I’m certainly hoping for more. But is it fare to bond him with another bun just so that the new bun has to go through this same thing?
I definitely don’t feel emotionally ready to go pick up another rabbit from the shelter, but I could do it if it helps him. I don’t know what to do. I just want Healy to be ok.
Healy and Oakley.