Pinky getting old

[Yav]

Heya all

I may have been a member here in the past. I was forced away by a malicious forum member and have coped on my own.

All that said I was landed with 11 bunnies 16 years ago. Only the runt remains. Dad died at 12. Sister died at 14. Pinky “the runt” is still enjoying life but it is becoming less and less hopefull.

She has a dental because of really really bad teeth every 3 months. My vets give her a 5% chance of survival each op. She has been through 6/7 now. She is one hugely tough bunny!

Trouble is now she has stopped eating her greens and will only accept pears, bananas and Ryvitas.

I give here a few drops of metacam a day which seems to keep her going but lately she has started collapsing on her side and breathing heavily.

I love her so much – but is it time for me to let her go? She doesnt seem to be in pain. She still leaps on and off the sofa for cuddles.

I have hundreds of pics but nonne will upload………

[Wick & Fable]

At the end of the day, this is a very personal decision that you should decide on, based on your personal observations and beliefs. I’m sorry you were left to cope on your own, so I hope we’ll be able to provide some different perspectives to make you feel more assured with whichever path you choose for Pinky. Below are the thoughts that went through my head while reading your post.

In terms of hay eating— does she still consume it in a healthy quantity? If so, and she’s stopped eating her greens but will take pellets, not eating greens is not too major of a crisis. If she’s not eating pellets or hay and has only been eating greens, then thinking about other ways to get her nutrients and fiber is important.

Wick (my rabbit) is a runt with an underbite/malocclusion and a crooked jaw (front teeth don’t match up). He’s 1 year old and just had his 5th molar grinding yesterday. So on one hand, I will defend and say that a regular dental rabbit who is happy outside of dental discomfort periods is one that can live a happy life; however, Wick, being young and resilient, has very straight-forward dental grindings that he recovers from within a few hours afterwards. For an older rabbit who has potentially a more complicated procedure each time and an aged immune/nervous system, the period for recovery and stress may affect it. In my opinion, I think every 3 months is quite long since comparatively, Wick is every 1 month. If the time between the procedures are full of fun and happiness for her, that’s something to hold with value as you make this decision. I don’t know exactly what dental procedure is being performed every 3 months, but would shortening the interval (getting the procedure done when the issue is slightly less severe/impacting her daily life/compromising her immune system) help? The 5% chance of survival for each op— is this because of the complexity of the operation, or more because of her? (i.e. The procedure is really tough vs. the procedure is not too complex, but the rabbit is inherently not as quick to recover)

Would you say she’s in pain when you don’t give her metacam? Typically, metacam makes rabbits tired and a bit lethargic. I’m wondering if the reliance on metacam may be affecting how her body recovers? Complete shot in the dark. How long does it take for her to normalize following a dental procedure?

In terms of the collapsing on her side and breathing heavily, I’m unsure if this is just the result of aging (I’ve never had an older rabbit) or potentially another condition.

It’s great she is still active and wants cuddles. A rabbit who is active is generally one that wants to continue moving around. She doesn’t sound depressed, which could help you in making your decision as well. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s time.

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.

[Bam]

It’s a very hard decision. It does come down to how you, who know her better than anyone else, percieves her quality of life. Is there still a will to live? Does she take pleasure in her Ryvitas and pears and bananas? Can she keep her downstairs reasonably clean (with your help perhaps)? If she can leap on and off the sofa for cuddles it seems like she’s not actually suffering but has both strenght and a will of her own. But ultimately you are the one who knows her.

As for pictures, you can’t presently upload from a phone. If your pics are to big to upload directly, you could upload to an external source like imgur or Flickr and link to the pictures in your post. We’d very much like to see pictures of your sweet Pinky =)

On another note, if you should feel another member is acting maliciously towards you, please do alert the forum leaders. You can press the alert button in a post, or you can send a PM to any one of us FL’s, our names are listed at the top of the page. We will take the matter seriously.

[Author]

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