Things not looking great for Zoe...

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Jenk

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Location
, Illinois, USA
I'm seeking any last-minute advice regarding my girl, Zoe. She's only passed about six fecals in three day's time. She's been hospitalized several days in a row to receive injectables and fluids. The vet was concerned by today, since Zoe surpassed the "48-hour period" by when motility drugs should be effective.

Yesterday, Zoe got IV and sub-Q fluids. (The vet switched to sub-Q's because Zoe kept chewing through the IV line.) She passed four fecals that day, one of which was the size of a large grape and was rock hard.

Today at the vet's, Zoe got 120 cc's of sub-Q's, injectables, and two enemas (with warm, sudsy water). In between the two enemas, the vet saw fecal material stick out of Zoe's rectum, then go back inside. Zoe didn't wind up passing anything, and she continues to strain to do so. :(

I'm feeling anxious and desperate. The vet said we could bring Zoe back for another enema tomorrow morning, but the clinic is only open until 12 pm. In other words, if Zoe doesn't pass anything close to their closing time, we'll have a difficult decision to make. And I just don't want to.... :bawl:

BTW, Zoe has megacolon, and, in April, a mass was discovered in right-hand side
(partially obscured by a kidney). For all we know, her megacolon condition may
have made her colon function nil, or the mass has grown and is somehow impeding
on her intestinal tract.


Thank you,

Jenk
 
Oh, Jen, I don't know anything but I'm so sorry for you and your husband and Zoe!!! I so wish there were something I could do :(
 
plasticbunny wrote:
I'm so sorry, but I think it may be time. :bigtears:
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I hate to admit defeat in a situation like this, when a furry loved one's life is on the line; but we don't want to her to remain so uncomfortable/pained, either. I can't argue with you at all; I wish I had reason to. :bawl:


Jenk
 
I'm so sorry. When my megacolon girls died, one was from what was likely pyloric stenosis/bloat (malfuction of the stomach sphincter) which was pretty fast, and the other of old age/organ failure. For her it was drawn out over the weekend and she kept fighting to live even though I told her to let go. When she stopped having any light in her eyes or interest in her surroundings, I took her to the vet to be euthanized... and she passed in my arms before we got to a room. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can get a good idea of what is best for Zoe by paying attention to her. Is she still fighting, or has she lost interest? Is she interested in attention from you or your other bunny?

I wish I knew something that could help her, but this is beyond my experience.

:feelbetter:
 
naturestee wrote:
I'm so sorry. When my megacolon girls died, one was from what was likely pyloric stenosis/bloat (malfuction of the stomach sphincter) which was pretty fast, and the other of old age/organ failure. For her it was drawn out over the weekend and she kept fighting to live even though I told her to let go. When she stopped having any light in her eyes or interest in her surroundings, I took her to the vet to be euthanized... and she passed in my arms before we got to a room. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can get a good idea of what is best for Zoe by paying attention to her. Is she still fighting, or has she lost interest? Is she interested in attention from you or your other bunny?
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Tonight, Zoe seems very uncomfy. She's not breathing at what I'd consider to be a super-fast rate or grinding her teeth; still, she wants to lie down a lot, keeps straining to poop, and often reaches to hind end as if she's going to eat cecals. (I'm guessing that she feels the urge to "go," and, so, expects to get something out.)
 
That sounds pretty normal for a blocked-up bunny. Do her eyes still have life in them? If you walk up to her, does she look at you? Things like that are what made my decision for Fey, although each person will be different in how they make such a hard decision. Of course, by the time Fey gave up and acted like that she was literally on death's door, although that again will depend on the individual rabbit.

In case you haven't made your mind up by tomorrow, does your vet have ultrasound? If so, have they tried to find out more about Zoe's mass with it? Sometimes ultrasound gives them a better view of masses than x-rays.
 
Nickolas are last french lop just suddenly quit eating, peeing and pooing. He had a cancer the size of a baseball that shut his kidneys and intestines down. Up until 12 hours before hand we had no idea. He licked and kissed me as he died when we put him down. Darn it was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but for him the kindest. My thoughts are with you, it is a shitty decision no matter what.
 
naturestee wrote:
That sounds pretty normal for a blocked-up bunny. Do her eyes still have life in them? If you walk up to her, does she look at you? Things like that are what made my decision for Fey, although each person will be different in how they make such a hard decision. Of course, by the time Fey gave up and acted like that she was literally on death's door, although that again will depend on the individual rabbit.

In case you haven't made your mind up by tomorrow, does your vet have ultrasound? If so, have they tried to find out more about Zoe's mass with it? Sometimes ultrasound gives them a better view of masses than x-rays.
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At times, her eyes look normal; at other times, they look tired. When she's not straining to pass fecal material--or peeing on the floor from all her gut pressure--she's primarily staring straight ahead while lying in the sphinx pose. I've approached her several times, and she didn't really turn her head to look at me; she kept looking forward. I still kissed her all over her face and ears, though.
:big kiss:

My vet's office doesn't have an ultrasound machine; neither does the exotics-only vet who used to see our girls regularly. (It was a digital x-ray at the exotics-only vet's clinic that outlined the mass in the first place, after that vet felt it upon palpation>0
 
Jen, I know you'll make the right decision for Zoe!

This may be an unpopular opinion, but when Skyler was suffering from EC, we decided we would have him euthanized if he lost control of his back legs or had any other major and unpleasant development. I know a lot of people wait until the light has gone from the bunny's eyes and that's just fine if it's what they want to do. Skyler was dying anyway and we wanted him to go without having suffered extensively. Of course I would not just euthanize a bunny for acting sick. Thankfully it did not come down to making a decision as he died in my arms one afternoon after seeming fine the day before (though I did call the vet and was going to bring him in in an hour if he hadn't passed away on his own). I just want to point out it isn't completely necessary to wait until she seems like she's given up if there's no chance of her recovering and she's in a lot of pain. Of course, the decision is up to you.

Also a little note on the light in the bunny's eyes thing. Cinnabun was very sick a few months before he died and his eyes were completely blank, it's like he wasn't there. But the next morning he was feeling better and the light returned! When Tallulah died, I was so confused because even as she was dying, her eyes still looked vibrant and alive and gave me the impression that she was doing better than she actually was. I have pictures of her after her death and she still looks alive. So it can be confusing :(

Naturestee, not trying at all to contradict what you said or be a jerk, just wanted to offer my opinion on the matter.
 
No, I understand! Like I said, it really depends on the person and the bunny. You have to do what you feel is right for you and for them.

If my vet had been open over the weekend, I might have had Fey euthanized while she was still fighting to live because it was obviously a loosing battle, I just would have questioned myself more. But after seeing her decline so badly and then give up, it was like there wasn't any question for me any more.

Jenk: without being able to get any more information on the mass and whether or not it is causing part of the problem, I'd probably be thinking what you are and considering euthanasia. If it had been possible to determine that the mass was not actually affecting the stasis problem, I'd see if Zoe wanted to fight for a little longer. I'm really sorry, and I'm still hoping for a miracle recovery overnight. I always have to have hope.
 
gmas rabbit wrote:
Nickolas are last french lop just suddenly quit eating, peeing and pooing. He had a cancer the size of a baseball that shut his kidneys and intestines down. Up until 12 hours before hand we had no idea. He licked and kissed me as he died when we put him down. Darn it was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but for him the kindest. My thoughts are with you, it is a shitty decision no matter what.
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It's possible that the mass found in Zoe is cancer and is the cause of her current stasis woes. She's had blood work twice since the mass was found; her white blood cell and lymphocyte counts were normal both times. Still, I know how deceptive and ineffective blood work can be when it comes to rabbits.

Yes, it truly is a rough and crummy-as-hell decision to have to make. Frankly, I don't want to have to make it; I also don't want her to continue to suffer.

I have been nursing Zoe since she was just a babe. She had Coccidiosis at 5 weeks of age, which is when I first had to syringe her medication (a two-week course of Albon). She developed megacolon symptoms at 9 weeks of age, and her condition worsened with age; I've been nursing her more frequently, and for longer periods, for the past 1.5 years'. Honestly, I'd feel lost without her not simply because of her absence but also because I won't know what to do with myself without having a bun to nurse so much.
 
pumpkinandwhiskersmom wrote:
:pray::pray::pray: for Zoe and you.
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Thank you, pumpkinandwhiskersmom.

Everyone here has been so kind and supportive :grouphug, and I can't thank you enough. I tend to internalize my grief in a very non-constructive way, and it's helping me to read through your supportive responses--and, yes, to cry from them, too. Thank you!


Jenk


 
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