(RIP) Lop Eared Rabbit eating his own ears

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Amour

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Joined
Nov 14, 2010
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Location
Martins Ferry, Ohio, USA
Well dang, this is weird as hell.

Today I woke up and went to check on my new bunny. Turns out he ate almost half of his left ear and nipped at the right one just a little bit.

They're not bleeding very much but there's blood there.

What the heck? I tried searching the Internet and couldn't find anything about it.
 
Something I forgot to add and that I feel is very important:

Yesterday I had the bunny in my room and my cat came and played with him for just a little bit. Didn't seem like he was being too rough or anything but it seemed like the bunny was getting scared so I separated them pretty quickly. When I picked him up I noticed he had a few scratches on the tipon each oneof his ears but nothing nearly as bad as what's on there now. Just one or 2 very minor scratches. I wasn't very worried about it but wasn't gonna let my cat around the bunny anymore.

And then today, about 1/4 of his left ear was gone and the tip of the other one was bleeding slightly aswell. And I actually caught him eating on his ear just as if he was chewing on one of his little apple flavored trunks. And he stops for a bit and then goes right back at it.

We taped his ears together so that they lay on his back and out of his reach to stop him but the damage is done. I'm pretty sure it'll heal alright and once it does he won't look TOO bad but it's obviously not going to grow back. What a shame. He was so cute. Still is, but you know what I mean.

As of now, I'm trying to find someone at work who would want him 'cause I'm afraid to keep him for many reasons; main reason being that my cat just won't stop trying to get to him, even when he's in his cage he'll try to stick his paw in there and scratch him. So who knows, it might be a reaction to the stress from having my cat around?

I don't know I hope you guys can help me understand this better.
 
I am unsure as to why he would eat his ear?? :?(this must be an English Lop?), however, even a small scratch from a cat's mouth is full of deadly bacteria and can be very serious for a rabbit.
best to separate him from the cat permanently

Iwould havehim looked at by a rabbit knowledgeable vet ; an antibiotic may still be the best option for both the cat scratch and the rabbit's self mutilation .
 
It's gotten worse. His ears are huge, both of them. They're very swollen, heavy and inflamed.

He seems to be in a lot of pain and is barely eating or moving. And the inside of his ears is all bruised and black.

Here's some pics:
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I would take him to the vet but this is happening at the worst possible time for us. I was out of a job for a while. Started a new one but I don't get any money until the 4th, which is this Friday, so I can't afford a vet 'til then, and even then we have a lot of backed up bills to pay so a vet bill is the last thing we need.

I'm gonna see if there is someone at work who would want him and who can take him to the vet. Otherwise I'm considering putting him down since he's in so much pain. Don't know what else to do? His ears are getting worse everyday and honestly I'm not sure he would even make it until Saturday, which is the soonest I could take him, IF I can take him there at all.

I have been giving him small doses of baby Aspirin and applying ice to his ears, to try and reduce the swelling but can't tell if it's working or not.
 
Cat scratches are notorious for getting infected. I would think it is possible that they got infected and he was eating his ear to prevent the spread or even out of pain. I don't know that there is much you can do without vet care right now. I hope someone else can advise you but I'd seriously rush this bun in and I don't rush to the vet's too too easily. Do you have a vet that knows you? Maybe they'd be willing to help him and keep him until you can pay on Friday... I know it sucks but it would be terrible for him to lose his life if we can prevent it. Maybe you can post in the Rescue Me section and see if anyone from here would be willing to take him. I'm only saying these things so that we can help you help him and only put him to sleep as a last resort. I do not know how quickly it spreads but I hope we can get you guys help in time.

Hopefully people can advise you more. I will see if I can get someone to contact the main mods to help.

If I were anywhere near you I would take him.

Hang in there lil one!
 
That sounds really serious, either he's not eating because of the pain, or is sick because of infection.

Is there anywhere you can take him, like a shelter or somewhere?
 
Yes that's a good idea to post in the rescue me section. Or some vets will take in an animal and rehome it, do you know any that would?

It mightn't cost that much for the vet, maybe just antibiotics. To be honest it sounds like a real emergency.
 
Nevermind. He passed. I just woke up to check on him and found him laying on his side. Eyes closed. Picked him up and he was pretty rigid so must've happened at least an hour ago or somewhere around that 'cause his body still feels a little warm. Man that sucks, he was the sweetest Bunny I've had. He really really liked me too. He'd climb up my shoulder when I laid in bed and nap on me. And sometimes he'd climb up my chest and start licking my face. One time he bit my upper lip and my wife and I laughed a lot 'cause we said he was trying to get kinky!

I will definitely miss this guy.

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R.I.P Brownie. My little buddy.

I think the stress from what happened to him was too much. He was barely 2 months old today.

Guys I hate to ask this since it's so fresh and obviously pains me but I'm an adult and need to know. I've never had this happen before so my question is: What is the most proper way to dispose of him? I'm too old to bury him in my backyard.

I'll put him back in his cage for now and try to go back to sleep 'cause I have to work all day. Ugh. Already such a bad day and it hasn't even really started.

Thanks for trying to help me so much, by the way. I really wish I could have helped him. He was very special. The sweetest bunny ever. :/
 
:cry4:

I was afraid of this but I had hoped we could get him help in time. I'm so sorry about your lil guy.

Binky free lil one...
 
This is so sad. :( I cried for Brownie. Binkie free little guy. :pray:

I wish I lived near you, I would of payed for the vet bill/taken him in. :c

I hope you don't dispose the body in a bad way.

I'd bury it, didn't know there was an age limit on burying animals.

Whatever you decide just don't dispose of Brownie in a saddening way.
 
Vets will take the body. I am not sure how much it costs but I think it is cheap. There aer other options like cremation etc, but they are very expensive. A lot of us still bury them but I did hear that it is not legal anymore in certain places. Not sure how that works. Disposing of the body in the garbage was not legal either in the area I was in. I had my heart bunny creamated and the others I brought to the vet's. I can't remember how much it was though as it was a long time ago... You could always call the vet office and see what options are available to you. They could easily advise you. :)
 
Oh yes go to the vet like Nela said. Cool didn't know this was an option!

Sorry for your loss Amour, at least Brownie is no longer in pain. :pray:
 
Yeah he was suffering pretty bad. And no, the reason I asked is cause I didn't just want to put him in the trash. I'll take him to the vet. I think it's somewhere around $10 bucks, which I can do.

Thanks everybody for your help and good thoughts.
 
): I'm so sorry to hear this.

It really makes my heart ache since I'm having problems with my little guy who's around the same age.

He sure was a cutie. Poor little guy.

Rest in peace Brownie. :rip:
 
I'm really sorry.
Vets should take him, if you have a vet you regularly go to they'll probably take him for free. Otherwise the proper route would be your sanitation department's dead animal pickup. In many places it is illegal to bury an animal in your yard.
 
I didnt know it was illegal to burry your animals in your yard. I have buried many of them..

Sorry for you loss. He sure was a cute bunny. I also think he ate hes ear because it was in pain, and infected.
 
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