Lost our Rabbit today, RIP Rex :(

[SadBunny]

Sorry if this is a long post…

So my sister got a rabbit a few years ago at a Fair, it was a spontaneous decision and it would be our first pet ever. But our mom caved when my sister asked (I wasn’t there, so it was a pleasant surprise for me) 

Fast forward and he was my sister’s little cuddle fluff (He was a mini Rex rabbit, so his fur was uber soft) we named him Rex because we couldn’t think of anything better haha.

We got a cat later on (My sister owned the rabbit, I own the cat) and so we became a nice happy family of watching our feet. Our cat would try and play with him and he would give her the cold shoulder, but she never attempted to kill him (Since she was adopted later, he was higher in the hierarchy, plus she was smaller than him we got her)

Well, after many years of living together, my sister went away to college at the beginning of this year, so my mom and I took over caring for him. Things were nice, more quiet, but nice. My sister had a small break, came to visit, then went back to college. It was unfortunately the last time she got to see him

This morning I woke up and fed him his breakfast, and noticed he didn’t hop over to greet me. I thought he might just be sleepy, and went about starting my day. A bit later, I’m in the bathroom and I don’t hear him scuffling around in his cage, and decide to give him a treat because I’m slightly worried.

I try and give him a bit of carrot, and he doesn’t budge. I immediately know something is wrong and think back to when something like this happened before (We got him medication and they said he might have been cold) so I pick up his litter box which he was sitting in and tried to warm him up next to the heater. Didn’t work.

It’s Sunday, so we quickly head out to the emergency animal clinic and we find out he’s in bad shape since rabbits don’t show signs of sickness unless they’re very very sick. We now have the option to put him down, or try medication which they don’t think will work.

We call my sister, and while we’re on the phone trying to make the call, we get the news he passed away.

I’m still in slight shock, he seemed totally fine when I last checked his cage last night. Hopping around the house, stuffing his face with hay; no signs at all.

And to be honest, part of me thinks they might have even put him down without telling us, and tried to pass it off as him doing so naturally. It’s morbid to think about, and I know rabbits health can be extremely sudden, he just seemed so… Alive 24 hours ago. Not only that, but my sister had looked up the natural lifespan and it was 8-10 years, so we thought he was gonna stick around for a while. 

In the back of my mind all I can think of is “It might have just been a blockage, something we could have fixed; and they put him down because they wanted money.”

I know it’s unlikely, I just never thought it would happen so fast. 

The worst part is, my sister comes home from college today and she didn’t get to say goodbye or even see him for about a month.

When she gets home, there’s gonna be even more waterworks, and I don’t know how we’re gonna move on for the first week of her being back. But Rex was a great bunny, and he’ll be very missed. He changed our lives, and I’m happy I got to be with him for the five years he was in our lives.

Tl,dr: My sister’s rabbit we were taking care of while she was away in college passed this morning, may he enjoy many bunny treats in bunny heaven

[BunnyFriends]

Binky free Rex. Sounded like a sweet little guy

I’m so so sorry for your loss. I doubt it was something you could have picked up and caught earlier. I’d say just remember all the fun you did have with him. (Also – I don’t think They put him down with you knowing… not certain but seems to me They wouldn’t be allowed to with your permission.)

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

I’m very sorry for your loss Rabbits can indeed die quickly, they’re very fragile animals. Most of the time there is little to nothing we can do. No vet worth their salt will put down a rabbit without consent from the owner, so I’m convinced he was in such a bad shape that he couldn’t be saved.

[Luna]

That was nice of you to take care of him for your sister. Buns can pass very suddenly, so it’s definitely possible that he passed naturally without the vet euthanizing him.

Binky free Rex

[tobyluv]

I’m sorry about the loss of Rex.

[GeorgieTheBunny]

Loss of a little one is a loss – not proportional to their size.

Grief; it makes us think all kinds of things.
Denial is part of the process; euthanasia is a cost they could have charged you for but treatment would have been more lucrative for them as it is ongoing. It’s normal to have all manner of thoughts while we work out the emotions involved.

I’m sorry about your loss in Rex.

[Cupcake]

I’m sorry about the loss of your Rex.  I certainly agree that doctors need your consent to put your pet to sleep.  Rabbits can be very fragile.

[Author]

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