HELP! My bunny was attacked by a cat!

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Thanks for all the well wishes. I'vebeen able to peruse the site a bit more and love all your posts andpictures and ideas of cages, and the love for bunnies that everyone has.

Nemo attempted to sit up a few more times today. It seemsthat he does not like to eat laying down anymore. I'm hopefulwhen he does that.

But, for the last several hours, he has been laying on his sideextremely still again, and his eyes don't seem to focusagain. I guess he just over did it a bit, and is tiredagain. That's okay; we'll still be there for him.

Was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to clean the wound on theback of his neck. The vet treated it with saline, and i thinkput that invisible stitch on the puncture wound. But, it bledstill and well now, it stinks to high heaven. I don't plan toclean it just yet; but would like to prepare for when Nemo is up forhaving a little "sponge" bath. I have tried to clean hismouth up a bit from the food that doesn't always make it down histhroat; and instead caked to his fur on the bottom side. But,he really needs to be cleaned out on the neck where he is shaved andhad/has the puncture wound from the cat's teeth.

Tomorrow morning will be one week since the attack. SometimesI feel real hopeful because he does something other than lie there;other times, I just get so down and out. I'll keepyou posted; and thanks again for all the information on this site!

 
I would be rather concerned about the puncturewound as it would be very prone to infection. I'd have thevet check it out again, as I'm hesitant to offer any advise not knowinghow deep the wound is or if it invaded the spinal cord.

Pam
 
Agree with Pam. I would definately get the vet tocheck the wound, especially as it smells bad. The last thing you needis for an infection to set in. I check your post regularly as I'mhoping and praying Nemo makes it. Good luck- Jan
 
Lynanne, this maybe a rather long post, but I'm going to tell you two stories, both ofthem full of love. My first doglived a very long life, 16years.In her last days she was unable to move around on herown. She couldn't use her hind legs, she was too old and tired to pullherself with her front legs. My sisters and I would lift her rear endand "wheelbarrow" her outdoors to do her duty. She was always so happyto see us. She wagged her tail and she licked our faces. She was alwaysa happy dog. She wouldn't eat on her own but she would eat pieces fromour hands. Being children and being full of love and devotion to ourdog, we saw all of these things as signs that she wanted to live andwas going to get better. That wasn't the case. She really needed to belet go and eventually we saw the exhaustion in her eyes. She hung onlong enough for us to come to the realization that it was hertime.

My daughter had a cat who was deaf and had a penchant for layingunderneaththe cars in the driveway...my teenage son ran overhis head in the dark one night as we left town for the weekend. The catcurled up in a box in the attic for two days and nights. When we foundhim it was very clear he needed to be put down right away, so myhusband and my daughter took him to the emergency vet clinic. Two hourslater they came home and I learned that they hadn't put the cat tosleep. He was scheduled for surgery the next day. My daughter hadbegged her father to pay for the 200.00 surgery to have the cat'sskullfused and not "kill" her cat. He agreed. The two daystay turned into a ten day stay the surgery turned into threesurgeries. He ended up withhis teethsuper gluedtogether so that his jaw was immobilized.She had to feed himwith a syringe, his care programwas so intense and exhaustingI can't even describe it to you. His head was full of brokenbones. He had nervedamage in his brain and neck. He waspartially blind in one eye....But a year later you couldn'teven tell he was a cat who had his head ran over by a car.

Only you will know what is right for Nemo. He had to be given theopportunity to overcome this terrible thing. Watch his eyes and listento your heart. Don't mistake his pain or his plea to be let go forsomething else. At the same time, if the vet gives you reasonfor renewed hope and faith, and if Nemo shows the willingness to keepup the fight, you keep up the fight too!

You are in our prayers. A lot of us are checking in regularly to see how things are going. Keep us posted.

Raspberry
 
The vet knows of his puncture wounds... there aretwo of them, from the teeth of the cat. Actually, 3 vetstreated the puncture wounds. The emergency clinic that Ioriginally took Nemo to, and then his bunnyspecialist. His specialist and I talked of thespinal cord or other nerve being hit and causing problems.

His x-ray showed mostly his inner ear was damaged. OnSaturday's visit, the doc (not Nemo's specialist, but the on-duty docat Nemo's vet's place), gave me a "super strong" anti-biotic (herwords) to ward off any deep seated infections. I'm assumingthat she too looked at the puncture wound. She examed Nemo inthe critcal care area, and not in the normal animal exam room that Iwas waiting in.

I believe the smell is just old blood, and dried upfood.His critical carefood is not thebest smelling stuff.

I followed some links from the URL that BuckJones posted, and saw thatperoxide can be in a bunny's first aid kit. I'm thinking Ican saturate that area with some peroxide on a cotton ball to get itcleaned up. I just haven't cleaned him up much so as not tostress him out any more than he is/was.

After giving him about 10cc of water this morning, again, he struggledto sit up to his hunch. So,I have him sitting up,with a rolled towel supporting him. I'm just gettingconcerned because it seems that when he smells his food, and starts toeat it, he wants to sit up to his hunch. Then, in thatposition, he can't eat it, as I can't find his little mouth very wellwith the syringe. Which means, that since he's been gettinginto his hunch for the last day, he hasn't eaten much... which can't begood.

I'll check back here often tosee if anyone has an idea as tohow to get that blood cleaned up the quickest and the least stressfulfor Nemo. Since it's dried up, I need a way to break it down,loosen it up, and wash it away. Putting a warm wet rag onwill take much too long to get that blood re-wet and wipedoff. Maybe I"ll check a website with "Hints from Heloise" too.

Lynanne
 
Now that youmention it, I distinctly remember that our cat's food that was fed tohim via syringe was HORRID smelling. He would slobber all over becausehe couldn't close his mouth all the way and the wet food and theslobber would drip out all over the place and get in his fur. It driedin his fur and then he smelled awful. He didn't like being cleaned upand as you said, you don't really want to stress them out any furtherby spending much time cleaning them up. My daughter used a warm, dampcloth...good luck.
 
Well, it's been another hopeful day.Nemo is still breathing; and trying like the dickens to getbetter. I was able to give him a sponge bath; but that onlyhelped a wee bit on that nasty smell.

By the way, that website link that buckjones posted has some thingswrong!I did the peroxide thingy on the bunny, andwell, he didn't like that a whole lot. My husband called thelocal animal hospital and asked about cleaning him up, they said "OHNO, don't use peroxide, that will hurt him." Little late onTHAT issue... they recommended betadine (very little bit of b.d.because that too can be painful given in a full dose) and salinewater. So,I don't know why that link hasperoxide for the bunny first aid kit... but don't do that!

Nemo spent most of the day fighting to get into a bunnyhunch. And when hegot there, he would shift hisweight a little to maintain his stance. He even tried to turnhimself around a few times. That usually ended up in a spillafter several wobbly attempts to maintain his stance. But, hetried. I had to quiet him down as he positioned himself topounce a few times too. Not that he would be able to hopanywhere but over and down... but, he sure seemed to have that desire.

I am getting a little worried about his eating though. Itseems that every time I present the syringe for water or food, that iswhen he decides he wants to get into his bunny hunch and startsstruggling to sit up. Well, I'm starting to wonder if it'shim trying to stop me from feeding him. In hishunch position, I can't get the syringe into his mouth. Hedoesn't TRY to eat.. if the syringe manages to get into his mouth, hewon't move his mouth. I put a few strands of timothy hay infront of him, and he lowered his head to try to eat it; but that didn'twork too well for him. I gave him some fresh lettuce leaves,and he munched a little on them, but only a very tiny bit.

Finally, tonight, after I cleaned his bottom again, I presented thesyringe of food. He ate about 10cc of food. He waseating about 40cc a day of the critical care. Maybe I wasgiving him TOO much water and he was bloated or filled up onthat. I don't know. We'll see how he reacts to thefood tomorrow.

I gave an update to his bunny specialist and she seemed very surprisedto hear that he was still TRYING! She got the GRIM reportfrom the vet from Saturday's visit, and figured by now Nemo (orme)would have given up. I'm hoping that he willcontinue working hard like he is, and hope to get him to see her onSaturday, as she is off for the next few days.

I hope that baby guinea pig makes it... I think my drive to see Nemothrough this crisis is because I lost my guinea pig Harry in lateJune. What a fun guy he was. For 2 weeks, I'd reachto get bags of fresh veggies for him at the grocery store, and thenwould remember he's not here anymore... and, in my kitchen, cutting upveggies for our dinner salads... well that deafening quiet... no moresqueaking and hollering from harry...took some getting usedto. He and Nemo were pretty funny together too.

good night... it's about 11pm california time...
 
I was just with Nemo when he took his last breath at noon. He's playing freely in heaven now.
Thanks for all your prayers and support.... keep loving your bunnies, and each other.
Lynanne
 
Lynanne, we know you did everything you could tohelp your bun. Your compassion will be rewarded. My deepest sympathyfor your loss. I know otherbunnies will benefit from theirowners reading this thread. Thank you for sharing with us.

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I'm so sorry, lynanne. God knows you went 100 extramiles.

With Deepest Sympathy,

-Carolyn
 
I'm so so sorry. I've been reading butnot posting. I really didn't know what tocontribute. Your Nemo looks allot like my Baby.It's hard to even think of something like that happening.

I will give Baby extra kisses and pets tonight when I get home.
 
I am so very sorry Lynanne, thosephotos that you posted are absolutely beautiful. Perhapsyourexperience and support will be needed in the future forsomeone suffering a similar incident.



Pam
 
lynanne, I wasso hopeful after last nights post. I'm so sorry. We were all pullingfor you and know that you gave it everything you had. I'll be thinkingof you just as I have since it all began.

Raspberry
 
Thanks all... you'd think this came as a surpriseor something; asI can't seem to stop crying. I willbe going through this all over again in about an hour and half when mykids come home and find out.

I was hopeful too after yesterday being the 2nd day he seemed to try toget into hunch position. But, you'll see too by my post, inmy heart, I started suspecting he was getting to that position as a wayto avoid eating. Last night, he ate a very little bit; butthis morning, he wanted nothing to do with water or food. Hetook his pain medicine just fine. But when I presented thesyringe with food and water, he wouldn't move his mouth to take any ofit.

I accepted his desire to be "let go" and had called my husband to askthat he make THE appt. at the local vet. He did so, and wewere scheduled at 4:30pm. I prayed and prayed and asked Godto take Nemo, as I did not want to be the one carrying out that finaldecision. The Lord listened... he washome when he passed on.
 
Lynanne, I am so very sorry about Nemo. I waspraying he'd make it, and you did so much for him. At leasthe was at home with someone who loved him. He and Harry will betogether at Rainbow Bridge now. God Bless,- Jan
 
It's such a sad news. :(

May Nemo have peace and happiness in the bunny heaven.


 
Lynanne, I am so sorry about yourlittle Nemo. I had so hoped that he would recover.You took the best care of him that you knew how and I am sure that heunderstood how much you loved him. I know thatyouhave got to beexhausted and very sad rightnow. Please try and rest. Thank you forposting his pictures and sharing them with us. He was agorgeous bunny and he looks like he had the sweetestpersonality. Take care and come back to the bunnyboard. We are here if you need to talk.Beckie
 
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