Poorly Bunny ***updated ADVICE NEEDED***

[Helen]

Our bunny (see left) is poorly.

He's been weeing all over the place and not looking after himself properly for a few months now (see thread from a few months ago about vet saying bunny has "behavioural problems").

Anyway I noticed the other day when he hoped back into his cage he caught his back legs on the way in. He looked sorta lazy/old. Anyway he was in his run in the garden yesterday and his back end had completely gone. He was dragging his back legs behind him

DH rushed him to the vets and it's not looking good. We have some medicine for him but vet thinks it is a tumour that's been growing on his spine and basically there is no hope.

DH brought him home to give the medicine a chance, but we've decided we'll see how he is over the next few days and he may have to go back to the vets for *whisper* you know what

 

[Imi]

Aww im sorry hunni

xxx

 

[Wobbles]

Oh no Helen

I'm sorry to see that x

 

[Steph]

AWWWW nooo thats awful, he's so cute too...

poor little guy

xxxx

 

[Suz]

Awe Hun.......Give him a pet for me.....and a kiss and hug to.

 

[Cheyanne]

That's so sad...Hope the medicine works.

 

[Jo]

aww no thats awful
((((hugs)))))

 

[Tezzy]

awww helen (((hugs)))

 

[Lauz_1601]

aww no Helen poor little thing Hope you ok xxxx

 

[Arcanegirl]

Awww Helen, so sorry (hugs)

I hope the medicine works for him

 

[hypnorm]

My little Bunny went like that, so sorry to hear all you can do is keep him comfortable and on dry bedding. He may get sore legs from dragging himself around.

 

[ablaze]

aww no poor bunny xxx

 

[Wobbles]

Hows bunny Helen?

 

[Helen]

Thanks for asking, Wobbles. TBH we have a bit of a dilemma on our hands at the moment.

He finished the course of medicine yesterday and he seems bright enough in himself. Doesn't appear to be in pain. His back legs aren't great and certainly haven't been cured by the medicine but he's still moving around reasonably ok BUT he's still incontinent so letting him out (he's a house bunny) is a real hassle cos you're just mopping up a constant stream of pee and I'm finding I don't really have the time to cope with that plus he can't clean his back end up properly so putting him into the garden in a run is a worry in case he gets fly-strike (it's horrid and fatal for them).

As it stands, he's stuck in his cage with not a great quality of life but is reasonably happy in himself. The vet offered to put him down when DH originally took him in as he thought he would just detoriorate. We just don't know what to do. It feels like jumping the gun (despite the vet's offer) to have him put down, yet his quality of life is pretty low but he seems happy(ish) enough.

If you were me, what would you do?

 

[Suz]

That is the hardest choice we as pet owners have to make. What is quality of life? What is happy and not happy. Those are the tuff questions. Hun I think that if bunny is not in pain and can some what hop around I would wait a bit more. But the second it seems that he is hurting that is when i would put him down. I would just try the best you can to spend time with him and pet him and maybe even let him hop around the kitchen where there is no carpet. Would make picking up abit easier. (I know it is hard because of the twins too) You will know when the right time to let him go will be. No matter how many pets I have ever had, it never becomes easier to make these choices. Just give bunny loads of love.

 

[Trinity]

Aww Helen .. I dont know what to suggest. I do know how hard it is to make these decisions though.

 

[hypnorm]

Speaking from a vet Nurse point of view and as a pet owner (rats, rabbits, guinea pigs) I've had to put alot of my own pets to sleep and it never gets any harder.
These are the things i always asked my self for my own pets, and if you can answer them honestly from the pets point of view then i think you have your anwser:

Can he get around on his own with out distress
Can he eat and Drink
Is his quality of life good
Is he happy
Does he still have dignity

To me i think i know what i would do, but its never an easy choice to make.
Remeber him how he was not how he may become.
I had my bunny with the same and it was very distressing as the disease progressed.
My thoughts are with you

 

[Wobbles]

Oh Helen how awful for you

I would do my best as I know you must be - Everything Suz said to be honest I echo & only you will know if that time has come for bunny.

x x

 

[Tilly]

Aww sorry to hear that I don't know what to suggest either, very hard decision to make.. it's like losing a family member.

 

[Steph]

I think if he seems brighter in himself then maybe he does still have a good quality of life...if a bit stiff and incontinent. I know it's a nuisance cleaning up pee all day but it comes to us all eh?

I know i couldn't do the deed if he seemed happy enough and not in pain.

Good luck and lots of love for the wee guy xxxx