I need advice on what to do for my ill rabbit.
My rabbit Snowie is 8 and a half years old. About a month after her partner died, she became incontinent and lost bladder control. She wouldn't get up, she'd just sit there and pee, and rabbits have delicate skin so it's caused skin burns and soreness that I've had to wash and apply Vaseline to help her [even letting her lay on cotton rolls used for babies to keep her comfortable].
When I took her to the vet yesterday, and he said he couldn't feel kidney stones, and prescribed baytril for a week in the event that it was a urine infection. The baytril started working and she's less sore below, however since this morning, she hasn't peed all day, and she stopped pooping midday [her droppings became small the last couple of days] Snowie only eats lettuce and curly kale and drinks some water, I can't get her to eat pellet food or hay. Not only that, but Snowie has been very sleepy, and keeps wanting to rest.
I understand Snowie an old bunny and I'm prepared for the worst at this point, but I need advice guys on what to do. I read up pineapple is good for a rabbit's gut so I've given her some of that through a syringe, but I don't know at this point if it's just her time or if there's anything else I can do to help her.
Any advice is appreciated.
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Wow jee, that really helps.
I am forever in your debt.
I'd suggest at least calling the vet. It may be a normal (or abnormal) side-effect of the meds. I'm really sorry to say it, but if her quality of life stays bad, it may be time to think about euthanasia.
Best of luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed that Snowie pulls through ok.
I don't know much about bunnies, but maybe you google and see if anyone else went through this and see what they did about it.
I'm also very sorry that it might be the end. I know what it's like.
Sorry to hear about Snowie...I have seen this before...it could be that Snowie is heart broken...don't laugh...some animals do feel loss. Have you thought about introducing a new bunny to the mix?
I've got good bunny news! Snowie finally peed, and did some poopy, then ate the poopy! She also ate a little solid food and had a go at the hay.
Pineapple must've done the trick to get her gut going again T.T not exactly out of the woods but it's good.
Well of course they do. Rabbits are very social animals so they can get really depressed losing a mate. That's why I've given her two little rabbit toys to keep her company. Snowie grooms and snuggles them like they're alive.
And I'm not getting anymore rabbits for a while now, that's why I can't get her another partner.
Rest in piece Bunny, big up. Wagwarn
I hope she continues to do well.
Good to hear! Hopefully it's a smooth recovery from here on out.
Buy her a new partner.
I can't, we're not getting anymore rabbits after her, not for a long time now. Although since bunnies are social creatures I've made that more of effect to spend time with her and given her some bunny toys to snuggle up to since those do actually help them emotionally like a kid with a teddy bear. She even licks them like they're real rabbits.
She's been eating pellet food this morning and some hay. Still not in the clear yet but she seems to be doing better at least.
My sister actually has quite a bit of rabbits, they're so damn precious.
I'm not very knowledgeable about rabbits, so the only advice I've got is to hope for the best and get any advice you can from the vet. I hope Snowie pulls through okay!
Funny thing though, I think I had a Rabbit named Snowie when I was a kid.
I used to keep ferrets and after the mum passed away the son who was a mummy's boy just gave up, he just wasted away there was nothing I could do. Depression is very serious for small animals and often overlooked, I guess you just need to keep the bunny company and make it feel loved but at the same time prepare for the worst im afraid.
Yeah I think it's the best I can do. She's improved but she's still not back to full health. I don't know if she will recover at this point. But Snowie went through the same thing too, that's why i make sure she always has a bunny toy in there with her to groom.
Thank you ;.;
And I remember wanting to call her Snowdrop because I love those flowers, but settled on Snowie for short ^^ you remember what type of rabbit you had?
No not really. Just that it was white and it's name was Snowie.
Scream at her until she decides to stop acting so ill.
Duh.
Snowie's gotten worse. She barely eats anything now, I've had to give her recovery food and light veg to keep her going. It might be her teeth but I don't think it is. I can just tell the way she's been looking at me and keeps wanting to sleep. My little baby's dying.
I'm going to be taking her to the vet tomorrow, likely she'll be put to sleep. It's just not fucking fair. I lost Snuffles two months ago and now her too. I feel fucking depressed.
I'm so sorry to hear that. Losing a beloved pet is beyond awful.
I'm sure you gave her a wonderful life, and you're doing the right thing by putting an end to her suffering. As difficult as it is to let go, she'll be in a better place soon, hopefully reunited with Snuffles.
I'm so, so sorry. This breaks my heart.
Just an update on Snowie. She's still with us. The vet gave us some medicine to give her, apparently her tongue is sore and that's why she hasn't been able to eat anything heavy, but not sure why that is yet, if it's from licking toys and her saltlick too much, the spur from one tooth at the back they found [which we had trimmed] or something internal. As a precaution I've taken them away to see if anything changes.
She's gradually started eating some grain food again, and she's looking slightly better and acting more like her bunny self, but it's still early days right now. I'm still keeping her indoors to keep an eye on her. Right now she's snoozing my lap.
I lost my miniature dachshund Rusty in October to cancer. We'd been trying to keep him with us for at least until Christmas but he was clearly in pain and struggling just to breathe (poor thing had two leaky heart valves in addition to the cancer). He had also been notably depressed since the tragic death of our other dog Gracie, which happened the year prior, and would often refuse to eat. It was only a matter of time and we couldn't bear to see him suffer anymore.
If she keeps improving, great! But if the opposite happens make sure her last days are comfortable ones. Tell her you love her and that she's a good girl, see if she'll eat her favorite treats, sleep with her even. Regardless of what happens I know how hard it is to see a pet go through this, and I wish the best for you.
Thank you. I know when it's time I'll do what's right. I just didn't want give up on her. That's why I'm giving her a chance. Snowie can be a tough widdle cookie, and bossy with me. Like when she's sitting on my lap and wants to go back, she'll start scratching at my clothes like she's digging and give me a nip, like she's saying 'bitch put me back!'
And I'm sorry you lost your doggy. That must've been hard for you ;_; at least Rusty and Gracie are together now.
Always wondered about having rabbits. I have a cat...do they get along?
I understand completely, do whatever you can. And thanks. :]
I'm happy to see that she's still hanging in there!
Eh, every animal is different. Dogs can learn to see rabbits as family and some cats too but you should never leave them on their own and it's not something i'd recommend with a cat, particular if you ever got a young rabbit/rabbits which are smaller.
If you were considering getting some bunnies, I'd definitely recommend doing some research first. They require a lot of work compared to something like a cat or dog, but it is rewarding.
Your rabbit is adorable
I went through a number of mood swings while reading this thread. I hope Snowie gets better
Snowie's still doing okay. She's not recovered though. She barely ever eats hay, still has a leaky bladder which is likely linked to her age [but fortunately hasn't been as bad as it was before] and I've been keeping her on her pain relief, since whenever she's off it, that's when Snowie goes downhill. It's been kind of a difficult month or so for me, having to take extra care of her and not really being sure what to do on putting her down or not. The vet said she's a healthy weight and looked alert, but the carrot paste he gave me to help kick start her digestion so Snowie will eat hay again, it hasn't worked. But she still eats her grain food, and tucks into her vegetables just fine, and loves sleeping on my lap getting attention [more so now she's on her own without Snuffles]. She needs proper care now, she can't stay out in a hutch, not at night at least.
I've been wanting to keep her indoors with me at night, since it gets so cold where we live. The times I've left her out there over insistence from mom, come morning she's been weak and shaking, I know she won't last out there like that this time of year. My mom keeps pressuring me though, that I should put her down, and she and my stepdad have been giving me a lot hell these last few weeks for keeping Snowie up in my room in the carrier box and on my bed where I've put a protective pee proof cover with pee pads on top so she can hop around on there. Hay gets everywhere, but I always give it a sweep each day and vacuum about every week or less. I even keep a trash bag present so I can put everything in there.
I'm at my dad's right now for the week since it was my birthday, and I've taken Snowie with me and she's in the cage downstairs where I can keep an eye on her. But while I've been away, my mom and stepdad have exploded in anger about the state of my room as if I left it a train wreck, when it was only just untidy and nothing else. They refuse to let Snowie stay indoors, and say she has to stay out in the garage, but it's still cold in there too, heck I don't even like how they've been leaving Twinkle our cat in there who's old but not ill herself right now thank god [and got a fluffy coat to keep her warm]. All of it's been putting a lot of stress on me, that I've been having bad dreams about it last couple of days. I don't even know if I want to go home right now.
Granted, years back when we had the rabbits indoors, my old bedroom became a mess because I let them go everywhere, and chew and poopy on everything, but that was when I was a teenager and didn't think too well on those things then. But god, I'm damn 28 years old now, and I'm being told how to take care of my room, which they seem to care more about than me, or the elderly rabbit who might not be around for much longer, and I just want to give her all the best love in the world. It's so ridiculous, of all the shitty things going on in the world, and I'm being attacked over something so trivial. It's pathetic, you would've thought I'd done worse by the way they're reacting.
They're going through some shitty shit in their marriage and it feels like they're just taking it out on me. I'm trying to get out in the world and overcome all my anxiety bullshit that I'm on medication for, and a tidy room should be the least of my worries. To say they're being unreasonable is putting it lightly. I'm getting upset about all this, and I just don't understand why I'm getting victimized when I'm not even a bad person, and neither are they. I'm not okay.
Can someone please pm me. I need to talk to somebody.
I don't follow directions well, so I'll reply out here instead of using PM.
I'm not sure how severe your anxiety is. For some, it's so bad that they really cannot function in the outside world. Others can function as long as crazy things aren't happening. Meds help some and not others. But I think that you're right that you need to get out and living on your own. As long as you are staying with your parents, you are a kid to them, no matter how old you get. Find someplace safe.
As for Snowie, would it be realistic to take her to your dad's house each night, as opposed to leaving her in the garage, and picking her up in the morning? I thought about suggesting a space heater in the garage, but mom and step-dad probably will rail about the cost, and unattended space heaters aren't the safest things in the world, anyway, especially with a cat roaming around.
Do your best to clean things up and give them less to complain about (though I'm sure they'll always find something). Maybe that will make things less stressful, even a tiny bit.
Cant you ask your dad if you can live with him for a while since your mum is being a little unreasonable about giving a sick animal some comfort.
I have to say I thought you were much younger your mum should not be going in your room at 28 that is a invasion of privacy next time leave a massive vibrator and some anal beads in plain sight that might make her think twice next time
I agree with Squishy, well except for the vibrator and the anal beads(smacks Squishy). No pet should be left out in the cold.
I'm so sorry for what's going on with your bunny. Just read through this whole thread, and this is just such a rollercoaster. I haven't had to say goodbye to a pet yet (well, a fish yes, long long time ago when I was about 7) so I dread the day when my dog's time is up.
I hope Snowie either gets better from whatever's going on, or at least leaves peacefully.
I don't know. The anal beads sound like a good plan. Maybe I should get that giant purple dildo bat from Saints Row. That'd freak them out.
Well, my anxiety was so bad I couldn't leave the house by myself. I still have issues with other things like long distance and certain means of transport or going out after dark, but it's all stepping stones at the moment. Since I've been on the sertraline, i've been making a lot of progress.
And erm, my dad lives a few hours away, so not practical for that. They said should could stay downstairs in her box with the doggys, so that's better. But I'm so mentally exhausted after today I'm going to be glad to get some rest.
Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.
How about the tentacle