RebeccaUK
Well-Known Member
Twinkle, my beautiful adopted doe suffers from arthritis and has very severe splayed legs, over the past few months her legs have been getting worse to the point where she's not hopping around properly, although she does her best, bless her.
As a result of the lameness she has begun urinating down her legs and is no longer taking her cecal pellets - presumably because she is unable to bend down to take them. The cecals all began getting stuck to her undercarriage and the urine is scalding her underside and legs. I've been wiping her 2-3 times a day with a mild rabbit shampoo and water to try and wipe away the urine and I've been cutting off the poo-matted fur - this has been going on for around 3 months on a daily basis.
Over time her fur has become completely discoloured and a lot of it has dropped out. She is still urinating on herself all the time.
Twinkle used to be a friendly and sociable rabbit - always jumping around on me but now she sees me and runs away and hides - she must be convinced that I'm here to wash her down again or clip her bottom. It breaks my heart to see her afraid of me.
I phoned the vet yesterday to explain that things were getting bad and to book her in so the vet could give her a good thorough clean up but the vet suggested that I should think about doing the kindest thing to Twinkle, which is putting her to sleep. The vet said although I can continue to wash her down she is at a major threat of flystrike and also she is in considerable pain from the arthritis and burning skin on her legs.
I'm hoping that when the vet sees her she will decide that euthanasia isn't the best answer but I have to accept that it might well come to that. I wouldn't want my baby to suffer at all.
I have another problem though....Twinkle is bonded to my buck rabbit Benjamin, and if the worst comes and she is recommended to be put to sleep - how should I approach it with Benjamin? I know a lot of people suggest that when one of a bonded pair dies you should leave the body in with the other bunny for a short time so the bunny can groom and 'grieve' and understand what has happened but what do others recommend when one of the bonded pair is being euthanised?
I have decided to separate them for this short time that I take Twinkle to the vets as it is only 5 minutes from home and Benjamin goes through such stress when he's forced into the car - I've separated them before for vet visits withour incident. Obviously if the worst happens I will be bringing Twinkle back home to bury her - should I let Benjamin see her?
Another issue that worries me is that we're going to Canada for a month in September. I have planned for the rabbits to stay in a cattery which is owned by a friend - the rabbits will have a nice sized 'chalet' and will be well cared for but may not get the attention and strokes they are used to but at least they would have had each other for company. I'm now thinking that if it is time for Twinkle to cross the rainbow bridge tonight I really don't want Benjamin staying at the cattery alone as he is such a sociable bunny. If the worst happens do you think it's wrong to adopt a new bunny and begin a new bonding process within the next couple of weeks bearing in mind that he will have just lost his true love?
A very sad Rebecca xx
As a result of the lameness she has begun urinating down her legs and is no longer taking her cecal pellets - presumably because she is unable to bend down to take them. The cecals all began getting stuck to her undercarriage and the urine is scalding her underside and legs. I've been wiping her 2-3 times a day with a mild rabbit shampoo and water to try and wipe away the urine and I've been cutting off the poo-matted fur - this has been going on for around 3 months on a daily basis.
Over time her fur has become completely discoloured and a lot of it has dropped out. She is still urinating on herself all the time.
Twinkle used to be a friendly and sociable rabbit - always jumping around on me but now she sees me and runs away and hides - she must be convinced that I'm here to wash her down again or clip her bottom. It breaks my heart to see her afraid of me.
I phoned the vet yesterday to explain that things were getting bad and to book her in so the vet could give her a good thorough clean up but the vet suggested that I should think about doing the kindest thing to Twinkle, which is putting her to sleep. The vet said although I can continue to wash her down she is at a major threat of flystrike and also she is in considerable pain from the arthritis and burning skin on her legs.
I'm hoping that when the vet sees her she will decide that euthanasia isn't the best answer but I have to accept that it might well come to that. I wouldn't want my baby to suffer at all.
I have another problem though....Twinkle is bonded to my buck rabbit Benjamin, and if the worst comes and she is recommended to be put to sleep - how should I approach it with Benjamin? I know a lot of people suggest that when one of a bonded pair dies you should leave the body in with the other bunny for a short time so the bunny can groom and 'grieve' and understand what has happened but what do others recommend when one of the bonded pair is being euthanised?
I have decided to separate them for this short time that I take Twinkle to the vets as it is only 5 minutes from home and Benjamin goes through such stress when he's forced into the car - I've separated them before for vet visits withour incident. Obviously if the worst happens I will be bringing Twinkle back home to bury her - should I let Benjamin see her?
Another issue that worries me is that we're going to Canada for a month in September. I have planned for the rabbits to stay in a cattery which is owned by a friend - the rabbits will have a nice sized 'chalet' and will be well cared for but may not get the attention and strokes they are used to but at least they would have had each other for company. I'm now thinking that if it is time for Twinkle to cross the rainbow bridge tonight I really don't want Benjamin staying at the cattery alone as he is such a sociable bunny. If the worst happens do you think it's wrong to adopt a new bunny and begin a new bonding process within the next couple of weeks bearing in mind that he will have just lost his true love?
A very sad Rebecca xx