Hello bunny people,

I knew Pom Pom was delicate. But this week he got sick. He’s maybe 6 months old and normally a wild little teenager. He became lethargic and stopped eating and laid on his belly as if in pain.  I was sure he was poisoned by eating avocado leaves on a tree that I thought had died. It leafed out without me even noticing.  So I had a terrible time finding a vet. Our regular wouldn’t see him—- I am firing that vet.

We found a great vet who would see him urgently and she noticed a heart murmur right away. Although heart can be damaged from poison, all his other labs were fine. Vet thinks its a birth defect and thats why he’s small, almost died when we rescued him and perhaps why the other bunnies always tried to trample him. She was willing to put him on heart med presumptively with xray results showing enlarged heart. She wants me to take him to a cardiologist but I would rather not stress him. I don’t think it would change the treatment plan much.

Vet said it could be he will be a sick little guy now, or he could somewhat recover and live with a fairly normal energy level. He’s been through so much last three days but today he’s just sleeping and grooming tons more than usual while awake.

Does anyone have any experience to share? I am so sad. Thank you for listening.

I’m cutting down the avocado tree. It was scrawny. I learned from here and HRS how to keep him alive for a full day and a half by making my own critical care, pushing fluids with a syringe and making sure he peed and pooped. Gave him abdomen massages. I know if I hadn’t learned on here and HRS he would have died from GI stasis. Thank you so much.  He is all of 2.6 pounds and I am just sitting here with him,  cheering every time he eats half a pellet. My kids are pretty much feral. I knew you all would understand.

Here’s a pic of him sleeping today.

Amy