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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Afraid my bunny, Cookie, is unwell.

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    • Frenchvanillacoffee
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        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.

         


      • Bam
        Moderator
        16836 posts Send Private Message

          The pandemic wasn’t really sth you could plan for, except regarding the absolute basics, like having a small stash of extra food and meds at home. Don’t beat yourself up about that. Never mind what people say, nobody can ever be fully catastrophe-prepared. There are situations when it would be unwise to get a pet, f ex if you are severly in debt and/or suffering from a serious and debilitating illness with nobody to help you care for the pet, but a pandemic like the world hasn’t seen in 100 years isn’t really sth you can (or should) go around and expect, as a private citizen.

          Rabbit can get heart problems, like humans and all other pets. Most go unnoticed until they get really acute. The shaking when breathing is something we see in some rabbits even though they are healthy. I had a bun who at times breathed very visibly (his whole body moved with each breath), but he did that for years. Moderator Wick also has a rabbit who breathes like that at times.

          Quick breathing can mean pain. A calm rabbit should have a respiratory rate of 30-60 breaths per minute.

          To keep track of her weight you could weigh her twice a week for starters. I weigh my bun weekly in a bowl on digital kitchen scales and write down his weight. That way you can see if there is a trend of weightloss. A poorly bun can loose weight very rapidly, so if you suspect there is a problem, its better to weigh more often. As an example: My bun went from 1465 grams to 1330 in a matter of a few days when he had a bad episode of stasis (he recovered, but his weight gain was slower than the weight loss). If you see very rapid weight loss, something is very wrong.

          Most of us, if not all, are worrying about our rabbits. Rabbits are frail, but also remarkably tough. It was great of you to nurse your bun through stasis. I think what you can do for now is to keep a close eye, make sure her diet consists mostly of hay, and give her the love and attention she wants.

           


          • Frenchvanillacoffee
            Participant
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              Thank you so much for being understanding and for the advice. It means a lot. The pandemic has been rough and losing Cookie has been terrible. After I posted I was afraid to login because I felt so guilty and still do. I decided to check and give an update even though it’s been months since she passed.

              I couldn’t wait for taxes or stimulus so I sold my belongings to bring her to the vet. They told me she had cancer of the thymus and that it had spread to her lungs. If I brought her in at the time I posted they said they would have also suggested putting her to sleep and that I was able to spend more time with her. Even though I expected the worst I still wished for the best and saying goodbye to my best friend hurt more than words can describe. I’m glad she is no longer suffering, but I blame myself that I didn’t catch it in time. The vet told me bunnies are good at hiding their symptoms and sometimes you don’t know they’re ill until it’s too late. Even in the end she enjoyed her toys and treats. I hope she was happy, and I’m thankful that the pandemic at least let me spend more time with her.

              Even now I can’t believe it’s been over two months without her. The sadness and guilt haven’t lessened, and I wish I could go back in time so I could save her. I wanted her to live much longer. She was my first bunny and taught me a lot. She was the greatest friend, and I miss the kisses and cuddles. I hope she has been reunited with Honeybun after crossing the rainbow bridge.


          • Frenchvanillacoffee
            Participant
            7 posts Send Private Message

              I wanted to share some photos of Cookie.


            • DanaNM
              Moderator
              8901 posts Send Private Message

                I’m so sorry for your loss. 🙁  Its true that rabbits hide their symptoms incredibly well, and the pandemic has been so hard in unexpected ways. You did the best you could for her given a very tough situation, and she is no longer suffering.

                We never really know how long we will have with our bunnies, even when we do the best we can for them. Please try not to feel guilty, even though I know every one of us here starts blaming ourselves when we lose a beloved bun. Cookie was lucky to be loved and cared for the way you did.

                (((Binky free Cookie and Honeybun)))

                . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


              • Azerane
                Moderator
                4688 posts Send Private Message

                  I definitely agree with weighing her. If you have vet records there should be a weight on there from a previous visit you can compare with or ring your vet to check what it says on her records. That will give you a baseline to compare to. I used to weigh weekly, I stopped last year when things got crazy and just recently Luna lost a lot of weight before I noticed, so of course I feel terrible that I didn’t pick up on it sooner.

                  If you get to be in a situation where you can afford it, I think it would be worth getting her spayed, at 6 years old she’s definitely not too old for it and it could still prevent cancer if she’s still free from it. Blood work before the operation to check organ function is worthwhile at her age.


                  • DanaNM
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                    8901 posts Send Private Message

                      @Azerane, unless I read incorrectly, Cookie passed away a couple months ago.

                       

                      . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


                  • jerseybunnies
                    Participant
                    47 posts Send Private Message

                      I am so, so sorry for your loss! You can just tell in the pictures how happy Cookie was. You did everything for her and I know she appreciated it. Remember that she’s looking down on you and she’s your biggest supporter.

                      To Cookie: ((Binky free, sweet bun!!))

                      These are just my suggestions. Please seek an experienced veterinarian if you have medical needs / questions. Thank you! 


                    • Azerane
                      Moderator
                      4688 posts Send Private Message

                        My apologies, you are correct. I misread the post. I’m very sorry for your loss of Cookie.


                      • prince dorian the bun
                        Participant
                        743 posts Send Private Message

                          So sorry for your loss, Cookie looked like the best bun friend. So pretty with her black dots!

                          & please don’t beat yourself up on top of all your grief for losing your companions, you did everything you could. Sometimes things in life happen that make it hard to properly care for our fuzzy friends (illness, job loss, etc) , but the thing is your did everything and beyond. I agree if you are in a situation where it will be hard to properly take care of a pet, it probably better to wait for a bit… but once they are yours it’s more important to do your best with what you have and you did just that. You really were an amazing bun mom. & when you are ready again in the future, I am sure you will be amazing still.


                        • Bam
                          Moderator
                          16836 posts Send Private Message

                            I’m so sorry you lost Cookie. She was beautiful 💗

                            You don’t have any reason to feel guilt, but I do know that we practically always do when something bad happens to our pets.

                            Thank you for the update.

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                        Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Afraid my bunny, Cookie, is unwell.