Is it time?

[MikeS]

Hello. 8 years ago, I ended up with a full grown rabbit of unknown age. A friend found him in a bag in a parking lot. He now lives in a 3′ x 4′ pen in my office. The pen has a plastic floor. Within the pen, I have a small cage with a wire screen bottom, the cage sits in a pan I keep filled with kitty litter. This worked out well, the rabbit always did his business in the kitty litter and Id clean it out every couple of days. So recently the rabbit started eating constantly. He also seems to be getting thinner. He now pees in the pen all over the place. And will lay in it. This is a problem, because now I have to clean him and the pen daily.  He also seems to have lost his sense of balance a little bit. I talked to my vet, they want to run a bunch of tests on the rabbit and try to treat him. My feeling is it could just be old age setting in. He could be 10+ years old at this point. I’m struggling with deciding what to do. This rabbit has been through 2 serious operations already. I’m considering either having him put to sleep, or confining him to the small cage so he has to pee in the litter for the time he has left. I think this would be a little cruel. Aside from the loss of balance, he seems to be comfortable. Opinions? Thanks.  Mike.

[Sarita]

Hi Mike, that is a tough question. I had to make a decision like yours recently and I had some serious discussions with my vet about it – have you discussed it with your vet?

Obviously you have to consider the quality of your rabbit’s life first and foremost.

Also what did the test results show? Has the treatment helped at all or is he just getting worse? How long have you been treating him?

It sounds like you have done a great job of caring for him and he’s been very lucky to have someone like you who does care so much about him.

[Denise12]

I would think you would know when it’s really time. I would see how the tests/treatments go. I’m so sorry, and I can imagine how hard it is.

[RabbitPam]

I don’t know why, just an intuitive flash, but I’m wondering if the problem is his kidneys. something about being incontinent, losing balance, losing weight but being hungry just reminds me of my cat who had progressive kidney failure that we didn’t know until he suddenly went downhill.

Once you get the test results, have a discussion with your vet as Sarita suggested about how he may be feeling and what his prospects are for his quality of life as he loses his functions. I know you can get absorbant rug pieces from Palace Pet Beds, which can soak up the pee, create a soft bedding on the floor and be thrown in a washing machine, so if he seems to be able to recover, just incontinent, you could buy a few of those and rotate them.

But yes, he is a geriatric bunny who has had many years in your good care. I think whatever you do will be for the best for him.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m sorry to hear this. I would say it’s something you need to think about and go with your gut feeling. In the meantime, with my bun when he was incontinent as well-I found puppy pee pads worked wonders-I bought them in the petstore then laid a towel overtop of them and the pee pad absorbs and holds the urine reallly well. That could help while you decide what you want to do.

It’s definitely a personal decision, and a hard one.

[jerseygirl]

I agree with Rabbitpam, some of those things sound like renal issues. I guess the test will help you know what he’s dealing with and how it’ll affect his quailty of life. Are you concerned the tests will be too stressful for him?
I watched a video (listed here in Diet & Care forum) on disabled rabbits recently. It did talk a bit on deteriming quality of life and also mentioned how much the rabbit itself can let you know when it’s time. I’m sorry you’re facing this with your rabbit. He’s was blessed that you took him on all those years ago.

[Sarita]

Did the vet do blood tests? That would be the way to know for sure about renal failure. The one rabbit I had who had renal failure would not eat at all and the only thing that kept him going until we discovered this was fluids. I was not sure what his problem was and kept feeding him but he didn’t want to eat. He was one that I had to make a decision about but it was a pretty obvious one for me and for the vet.

[TARM]

I am a firm believer that it’s better to let them go a little too soon, while they are still in good spirits, than to wait a little too long and know they suffered. If it were me and my rabbit was 10 years old I would let him go.

I don’t believe in prolonging life just because we can. I also don’t believe in ending life just because we can. But if he is going to have to be confined in order to contain the mess he’s making due to not being in complete control of his bodily functions I’d say his quality of life is mediocre at best.

It’s a hard decision to make. I don’t envy you. Good luck with whatever course of action you choose to take.

[kralspace]

I’m sorry to hear of your bunnies problems, Mike, it sounds like he’s had a wonderful life with you.

What is your bun’s name?

[KatnipCrzy]

I would ask your vet what baseline testing could be done to reasssure you that you are able to make the right decision for your bunny.

[skunklionshow]

My oldest cat is slowly dying from intestinal cancer.  For the past, several months, we have dealt w/ diarrhea accidents here & there.  This past Monday he began pure liquid feces w/ blood in it.  It has been VERY stressful keeping him and the house clean.  We will need to get a new rug after he passes.  We have a spotbot that has worked major overtime.  Our vet wanted to try steriods and informed us that it would take 1 week to see if he responds.  He is on an antibiotic, steriod, anti-diarrheal.  We had to put an extra litterbox next to his bed, b/c he was unable to make it to his regular litterbox (less than 6 ft away) in time.  We have been bringing him to the vet every 2 days for subcutaneous fluids.  I spent about 1 hr after work cleaning up diarrhea.

All this stress caused me to think its really time to put him down.  He was a LARGE healthy 18 lb cat, he is now only 8 lbs.  Skin and bones, stinky, ravenous, and poopy.  W/ the support of DH and the vet, we have agreed to give him this week and make a decision on Tuesday (one week since start of tx).  Even w/ all this crap, literally & figuratively, I am happy to have this last week w/ him.  I’m giving him some extra love and am saying goodbye every day. 

My only advice is to make the decision for your pet, not out of your stress and inconvenience of the incontinence.  I am confident that you will make the right decision at the right time.  I agree that Pee Pads are awesome!  I’ve been using then lately as well

[Author]

Messages