Hello. I posted to this forum in 2019 when Cookie went in for surgery for an abscess. Before I could update the thread, the forum closed for maintenance. Luckily, Cookie recovered nicely from her surgery. However, my other bunny, Honeybun, passed away from sudden GI stasis a couple of months afterward. I took her to the vet three days in a row, she received an x-ray, medications, and fluids, but they said it looked like she had megacolon, and it was unlikely she’d recover. When she passed I was devastated, and I still am. Cookie is still by my side, but I’m afraid something is wrong with her. I can’t stop crying and feel terrible because I don’t know what to do. I want her to live a long and healthy life and the thought of losing her hurts.
Cookie is turning 6 soon. I know she’s considered an older bunny. She’s unfixed, which I regret, but being my first bunny I was unaware of the complications that can cause. At the end of December, she seemed to suffer from GI stasis. I was in tears for days because I couldn’t afford to bring her to the vet. I did all I could, and she did pull through. I was relieved, but now I wonder if there’s another underlying health issue. After her stasis episode, her heart seems to beat harder at times. It shakes her entire body. I also think she’s skinnier, but I don’t know if that’s because I cut down on her treats, she’s older, or there is something wrong. I’ve read everything from uterine cancer to heart failure, and I wish I could take her to vet immediately.
At the end of 2019, I finally moved in with my longtime boyfriend. I started a new job and had to catch up on bills and buying necessities for the apartment, but it didn’t concern me because I knew I’d be okay financially afterward. Sadly, in March of 2020, the pandemic began, and I had to leave my job. I’ve been unemployed since, and it’s been hell. I’ve been looking for a job I can work from home, but I haven’t had any luck so far. And I feel guilty I can’t take Cookie to the vet now. It’s something I’ve been worried about, and it pains me greatly that I can’t. People say you shouldn’t own a pet if you don’t have the money, and I agree. I even saw people who said losing a job isn’t an excuse, and you should have money saved just in case. I feel I failed Cookie. I never imagined there would be a worldwide pandemic and that I would be out of work for a year.
I’m hoping that changes and I find a job or come into money (taxes or possible stimulus), but I worry something will happen before then. I make sure she has food and toys and everything else she needs, but the vet is not something I can afford at the moment. I want to make her as comfortable as possible and love her as much as I can, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling the guilt that I do. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Any advice they can share? She’s eating and playing normally and loves to cuddle. She is my best friend. I’m just scared of something happening before I can do what I can to help her.