Very Sad News

[Hannah]

I apologize for my recent disappearance. I was all caught up with finals and returning home, and when I finally had a chance to breathe, my beautiful little Winnie passed away very unexpectedly Christmas morning.

I really, truly have no idea what happened– she had been in perfect binkying, nose-licking health since I had first had her checked out by a vet, and had been just the same the night before, but my mom woke me up the morning of the 25th in a panic; the little sweetheart was cold and barely moving and her cage was covered in diarrhea, so we rushed her to the emergency vet but her little body was too tiny to get a catheter into well enough to rehydrate and she passed very quickly. I can’t remember a time I cried so hard, and I can’t help but think I must have missed some tiny thing that could have warned me she was sick earlier, but she had seen a vet and had appeared so happy and playful and normal that I just couldn’t have imagined anything was wrong.

So, in hopes that something positive could come of the passing of the sweetest, most personable little puppy of a bunny, I’ve decided to adopt a homeless bunny. I hadn’t planned on getting a new friend so soon after losing Winnie, but the Massachusetts HRN has two beautiful rexes (due to allergies, they’re all I can have) and I want to scoop one of them up before someone else does, so this thursday I’m taking a mini road trip to Brighton and Wakefield to look at the two pretty bachelors. I’ve told respectively, the foter home and vetinary clinic where the bunnies are that I have the area/food/etc. already ready, so if I’m lucky I’ll be taking a new friend home thursday. I also plan on making a donation in Winnie’s name. I’ll never forget her sweet little uneven ears or how much she loved to cuddle and how impossibly, dangerously brave she was, nor how much happiness and love her short life brought me. I will always love her, and I can only hope that she is warm and safe now.

 

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[BinkyBunny]

I’m so sorry to hear about Winnie. Illnesses in rabbits can come on very quickly, and they can get into an emergency state within 24 hours. My bunny Forrest, who was doing fine okay the night before was gone by 8am. He died in my arms as we were racing to the vet. We think he had a negative reaction to a certiain med he was on for e.cuniculi (damage to his liver). Bunnies can have all kinds of issues, heart, liver, something genetic, or something that was caused by eating something toxic or too much of something else. Who knows. Many times bunnies that are very sick won’t show – but most of the time they will stop pooping and eating. And it can happen so suddendly.
Did the vet have any ideas? But either way, you can’t blame yourself for missing something – it sounds like, even though her life was short, she was well-loved and happy.

I know how painful this is. It does hurt so much, and I am sorry for what you had to go through. Peace vibes to you.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m sooo sorry for you loss
Binky Free Winnie

[Floppy]

I am so sorry for your lost. Losing a pet is an experience I wished non of us
ever have to go through. I am glad however that you are adopting a homeless
bunny and giving the bunny a good home. I lost my dog last year and I still
miss her all the time.

[Lisa_43]

Soooooo sorry for your loss.

(((((((((((( Winnie )))))))))))))

 

[babybunsmum]

i’m so sorry  

[Sarita]

I’m so sorry and really do not blame yourself. It’s always hard not too especially when you want to know what happened to help give you some closure. I know one time I came home and one of my rabbits had crossed the bridge and she was perfectly fine in the morning when I left for work or else she would have been at the vets had I suspected anything. Even after my vet did a necropsy she could not find anything apparently wrong so it’s still a mystery to me how Xena died.

I would suggest that you thoroughly clean the area with bleach and water where you had Winnie if your new bunny is going in there too.

I will light a candle for Winne – she was lucky to have you in her short sweet life.

[JK]

Oh I am soooo sorry too.  I have this weird fear that something like this will happen because it seams rabbits are so much more fragile than cats or dogs. I know it must be extremely hard to not know "why". That’s wonderful you are going  to adopt another bunny in need. Good luck to you.

[dramaqueen_msc]

I’m so sorry to hear about your news. I wish you the best of luck if get a new rabbit.

[Beka27]

i’m so sorry to hear that. i had to give Meadow a squeeze, your little Winnie reminds me of her. i will keep you in my thoughts. hopefully another lucky bun will have you to love him or her.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m very sorry for your loss, my heart aches for you. I cried reading your post. I lost 2 bunnies very unexpectedly. It’s so hard. Rabbits are so fragile and it’s hard when you love them so much. It’s very sad this happened on Christmas too.

When my babies die I go on with the hopes that we will all be together again.

[xnovalentine]

I too am sorry for your loss — i know how difficult it can be. I think what you’re doing in Winnie’s name is magnificent and I applaud you for being strong and thoughtful during such a difficult time. Good luck with your new bun, and my thoughts are with you.

[Thumpers_Mom]

I’m so very sorry for your loss. It is a good thing that you are doing by adopting a bun that is in need of a home. I’m sure Winnie is looking down on you and smiling. ((((((((hugs)))))))) Good luck with your new bun. Can’t wait to hear all about it.

[Hannah]

Everyone, thank you so much. It’s really wonderful to have a supportive community like you when something bad happens… a lot of people don’t realize just how much a bunny could mean to someone, but everyone here is so understanding and sympathetic. It’s a great consolation. I really appreciated everyone’s wishes, and I’m sure little Winnie does too.

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be back with happier news; I’ll try to get some pictures posted once my new friend comes home. I already know I’m going to have a heck of a time choosing between the two beautiful boys that are available… but I’ve also already been warned that if I bring two bunnies home I’ll probably be punched in the nose. >___< And aside from that, it really wouldn't be fair to try to bond two bunnies who already have to get used to a new home, and I really don't have the space for a second cage, particularly in my dorm. So one bunny it is. Both of them are described more as people rabbits than rabbit-rabbits anyway, particularly the one I was first interested in. If he seems lonely I may eventually get him a companion, but if I'm going to do that I should probably wait until I have a slightly roomier living space.

Also, to answer BinkyBunny’s question, the vet really didn’t know what happened. Because it was Christmas the rabbit expert was off; when they called him his suggestion was more or less to try to rehydrate her but not to prolong her suffering, which is what they did. They did mention that she was very young, as I had known, and that perhaps she had been weaned to early and didn’t have the right bacteria in her digestive tract, which was a fear of mine from the beginning. When I was interviewed by the woman at the HRN (to see if I’d be a suitable mommy), she confirmed that this could have been the problem and said that a lot of her prospective adopters were people who had bought petstore rabbits, had them die of mysterious circumstances, and then decided that adoption was the way to go. She also mentioned that Winnie could have been much younger than I thought; I had guessed her age-at-buying at between 6-8 weeks, but she actually may have been as young as 4 weeks, which would have meant that she was only about 9-10 weeks old when she died– not yet out of the clear as I thought that was by that point.

Anyway, I really hope that everyone else’s bunnies are doing wonderfully, and that bunny peace and harmony will pervade during 2008.

[Ash]

I’m very sad and sorry for your loss. I wish your next bun with good health and luck.

[Gravehearted]

I’m so sad to hear about Winnie *big hugs* Sending you lots of healing wishes.
I am glad to hear that you’re opening your heart to a new rescue bunny though…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

My brother and his girlfriend bought a kitten from a petstore to have it become horribly sick within a week. Lots of money in vetbills and the vet said the cat was probably two weeks shy of ‘weening age’ when they brought it to the vets!!! My brother went back to the petstore and they denied the cat was that youngetc. He caused a big scene which made him feel a bit better…Apparently (he is following up with a trouble shooting agency) the rest of the litter has died…

[JK]

Oh how I wish pet stores would stop selling animals!  It’s just so awful.  They should encourage people adopt from shelters and rescues. And that breaks my heart about the kitten too.

[Scarlet_Rose]

I too am very sorry to hear about your loss. It’s a very hard thing on the heart to lose something so precious. I hope that in time it will get easier on you.

[osprey]

Binky free, little Winnie.  You left us too soon.

I will second the idea of bleaching the areas where whe had lived.  She could have had Coccidia or some other contagious illness, and you don’t want to chance your new bun getting sick.  There really is nothing you could have done, when they are so small they can die so quickly.

[Annie Fann]

very sorry to hear that. I had a bunny for two weeks who passed suddenly in the same way (I had named her sweatpea). glad to know other people went through the same thing. The vet said it wasn’t anything I did and she was just too little to be able to handle it. I too wonder if I missed something. My boyfriend kept telling me it wasn’t my fault and I had done my best for her. These things happen and you do what you can. Its great that your opening your home (and heart) to another bunny. I too wanted another bunny. Even after two weeks, I missed having a bunny around. So I filled the cage with two bunnies this time! Its been a year and these two are like my children. Hope you find a new bunny bond soon!

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Aww, this practically made me cry. I can’t imagine what that day must have been like. Props for adopting a homeless bun, though!

[Deleted User]

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your baby Winnie. I made the mistake of reading this at work and had to choke back tears. I know it is so hard not to wonder what you could have done to save her, but you really did do all you could do. That you can open your heart and home to a new bun is a testament to to the love and care you have given Winnie in her short life. From experience, I can tell you your memories of Winnie will soon bring more smiles than tears.

[skunklionshow]

I am so sorry for your loss!  She was a real beautiful bunny and I’m confident that her short life was full of happiness and love.  I think its a good idea to get some input from your vet, even if its too difficult or too late for a necropsy.  Try not to beat yourself up to much about it.  I say that based on my own experience.  I got very guilt ridden when Trigger passed and that didn’t help my own feelings of loss.  Warmest wishes to you during this time of need.  I’m sure that Winnie will send you the right bunny when its time, whether its the bachelor buns or not.  I believe that our rainbow bridge pets have a way to send us new pets when the time and need is just right for everyone.

[charlie82]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of baby Winnie. She looked so adorable, i’m sure she had a great time in her short little life so you should feel good that you were able to give her that.

When I lost my first house rabbit I was inconsolable. At the time I lived on my own and since I work from home I spent all day and night with her. She even chose to sleep on my bed right next to me every night. I think people thought I was mad when they saw how badly I reacted, I couldn’t eat or sleep for weeks. My rabbit vet called me in the evening to see how I was doing and told me to ring the rabbit shelter she did some work for and just to ‘go and adopt another bunny’. She didn’t mean it in a wayI that meant I would be replacing Charlie, she just knew how hard it was for me and having another rabbit in the house was a way to get through it. Anyway, the next day I travelled to a sanctuary over an hour away and that’s how the fostering all started for me….and Milly came home!! She was very aggressive but that didn’t matter to me, working with her gave me a purpose and so she is very special to me.

I recently went to a pet shop that doesn’t usually sell animals (I can’t go in the ones that do because I end up being verbal and interfering) and at the back of the shop in a tiny wire caged floor was this tiny bunny whose fur was all tangled. She only looked about 5 weeks old, six at the most and I just bought her there and then. The store owner told me it was a boy and attempted to sex ‘him’ there and then by feeling underneath him!!! I just looked at him and said, you can’t sex him that way. He didn’t have a clue and was fairly insistent it was a boy. They didn’t even tell me what food he was on so I had to ask and they just put him in a cardboard box with no bedding and handed him over..no care advice at all! Anyway, when I got home I checked and low and behold it’s a girl!

I would never normally advocate buying from a shop when there are so many other bunnies in rescues looking for a home, but something in me told me I had to take her. I couldn’t stand the thought of some child coming along, seeing the cuteness and taking her home where she would probably be over handled, stressed and incorrectly fed..then stuck in a hutch when she grew up and they got bored! Plus she was so small the risk of her fallen ill due to those exact things is greater. I wish they would stop selling animals in pet shops, it’s pure ignorance.

[JK]

Good for you Charlie82!  We all know it’s the absolute right way to go to adopt from shelters and rescues but as I have said in several threads there is this adorable white lop at our local pet shop who needs rescuing too!  He’s been there soooo long!  It’s not his fault the irresponsbile pet shop owner "bought" him to sell. I think you did the right thing and of course like you don’t advocate buying an animal but in this case, right on!

[wendyzski]

I’m so sorry to hear about Winnie.  I’m glad you could bring yourself to open your heart to another bunny who needs love.  I know I will be inconcolable if something happens to Pepper.

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