Lumi died this morning at the vet: how can I help her friend?

[Tanya]

My bunnies Lumi and Foxy are from the shelter. They live for a year with us and had multiple health issues:
I tried finding the best clinic here, in the Netherlands, did tooth removal surgery, cured snuffles, abscess, GI stasis, but yesterday something horrible happened. I saw early signs of GI stasis in Lumi and took her to the vet. A week before that they spent 10 days at a bunny hotel, highly recommended, where all bunnies are taken with vaccination docs, owner is a behavioral specialist and a trimmer. They loved it there, but a few days after coming home Lumi felt a bit down, looked like a start of the stasis. The vet concluded first it was RHD2 virus (although she was vaccinated in July), then she changed diagnoses to stasis, then this morning, after a night of suffering when I tried to massage her belly, gave medication, she was breathing hard and I rushed back to the clinic, where she died. Worst thing: I didn’t know Foxy was supposed to see her body. They wouldn’t give her anyway, cause it’s a potential virus outbreak. He doesn’t know what happened, they also told me “just wait 7 days to see if t was RHD2 and if his vaccine worked”. I hardly can stand the look of my lonely Foxy, and the fact I messed up and didn’t get her body back (risking to expose him to virus even more?). Hotel declines everything, says doctors were wrong, no bunny died there fromRHD2. But she did have a fever. I can’t introduce Foxy to another bunny earlier than 6 weeks. I really do t know how we pull through all this. My dear bunny is dead and I have no idea how her mate will cope. I also moved him to a new cage, used UV light around the house, he can’t be in that big pen for 6 weeks either. More stress for a bunny. I don’t know how to deal with it. Is it horrible I didn’t let him realize she is dead? Did anyone have a bunny who didn’t see a body of their loved one and still coped?

[Boing]

Hi,

I’m really sorry to hear what you have been through.

I never have let my pets see their friends’ remains. I realize that that is against conventional wisdom. I just don’t know about it. We’re still learning about what animals understand. I wouldn’t want them thinking I’d done their friend in. Unless they’ve witnessed death first hand, how would I explain that?!

Many opinions about rabbit care (and other things) are passed about on the internet like there’s irrefutable evidence backing them up. I’m unaware of any study, let alone the several that would be needed to make this a rule, comparing reactions of bonded rabbits to the death of their friend with or without a viewing. Frankly, such a study would be highly unethical. So we do our best.

It sounds like, due to what your bunny had, you didn’t have a choice anyway.

Please try to take care of yourself and Foxy. Foxy may have lost Lumi, but he still has you!

“My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today.” -Richard Adams

[Tanya]

Posted By Boing on 3/19/2019 10:12 PM
Hi,

I’m really sorry to hear what you have been through.

I never have let my pets see their friends’ remains. I realize that that is against conventional wisdom. I just don’t know about it. We’re still learning about what animals understand. I wouldn’t want them thinking I’d done their friend in. Unless they’ve witnessed death first hand, how would I explain that?!

Many opinions about rabbit care (and other things) are passed about on the internet like there’s irrefutable evidence backing them up. I’m unaware of any study, let alone the several that would be needed to make this a rule, comparing reactions of bonded rabbits to the death of their friend with or without a viewing. Frankly, such a study would be highly unethical. So we do our best.

It sounds like, due to what your bunny had, you didn’t have a choice anyway.

Please try to take care of yourself and Foxy. Foxy may have lost Lumi, but he still has you!

“My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today.” -Richard Adams

Thank you so so much for your kind words. You really helped, I realized that if there are no scientific proof – all opinions are just as good and maybe not seeing Lumi’s body is ok. It is what it is and now all my thoughts are about Foxy, hoping he will be fine.

[Sirius&Luna]

I’m very sorry for your loss.

When my bunny died, his bonded partner didn’t see his body. She saw him at the vet and knew he was sick, but then we took her home. She was absolutely fine, honestly, I was a bit offended by how little she seemed to care that he’d disappeared. But they don’t have memories in the way that we do, and its important not to project our own feelings of sadness onto them.

The important thing now is to spend as much time with him as you can, so that he has lots of company, even if it’s just hanging out in the same room, or letting him sleep in your bedroom. You also need to ensure that he’s eating Although of course they are sad and confused for a bit, most bunnies are absolutely fine after the loss of their mate.

[Kiki]

I am sorry for your loss.

[Author]

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