blood on Carrot's bottom, vet not in until tomorrow (RIP)

[pappy1264]

I just went back and reread the section on GI Stasis. Remember I said I was so surprised when Carrot ate the carpet.....now I wonder if he ate it BECAUSE he was having GI Stasis and I didn't know? That would explain things (the chewing in the first place). I didn't even know about this. And in retrospect, I do remember the last time I changed his litter box (a few days ago) the amount of poop in it was less then normal (but he had started going outside of the litter box, which was something I was wondering about, as he had always been a really clean bunny). I really messed up, I realize all of these things were adding up to something wrong, but he SEEMED fine. I have only had two other rabbits and never had a problem with them. Now I feel I did this to him.......my head and heart hurts!!!!

 

[Flashy]

You did NOT do this to him.

hindsight is a wonderful thing, but equally, you could be making interpretations that are not actually there.

For example, he could have eaten the carpet because someone was spilt on it and it smelt good. This could be unrelated to that, or it could be related, but equally that doesn't mean it was something you could have prevented because often abdominal surgery on rabbits is not successful. That is probably what he would have needed if it was a blockage.

We do often blame ourselves because we want to believe it could be different, that they could still be here, but really, no one knows that.

All you did was your best and thats all anyone can do.

 

[pappy1264]

I know, you are right, but I can't help feeling I did (or didn't) do something that could have prevented this. I had been wondering why he had started to potty outside of his litter box, as he had always been super clean (I began to wonder if maybe my vet was wrong, and he was NOT neutered, as he was peeing out the sides of the cage, and pooping all over the cage). Well, maybe the necropsy will shed some light. Thanks.

 

[Flashy]

Yes, the necropsy will hopefully give you some closure and understanding.

With situations like this all you can really do is learn from what has happened. I have a couple of buns that I lost and they WERE due to my error, but I know I will never, EVER make those errors again. The guilt is still insane though, but I try to honour their memory by learning from the mistakes I made with them. It's hard but its the only thing you can really do.

 

[pappy1264]

I know. Funny thing, I have been handrearing a wild cottontail (a dog ripped the nest apart and killed its mom). He has done great and is about ready to be released. I have been dreading it, worrying about how he will do. This certainly does not make it any easier!!

 

[Flashy]

I can understand the worry but hopefully he will do fine. At the end of the day though you have already given him more than he would have had without you.

 

[pappy1264]

I know. And I know I have done my best to 'keep him wild'. I just went and fed him an apple (his fav!) I also gave him the rest of Carrots hay (he never ate it, but loves to sleep on it...

 

[Flashy]

There's nothing quite like spoiling a bunny, especially when you feel so wretched yourself.

 

[pappy1264]

True!

 

[ra7751]

Please accept my condolences on the passing of Carrot.

Might be a difficult time to discuss potential causes at this time....and I agree with you on the necropsy.....but I would at least consider the fact that Carrot may be an unspayed female. When I hear of rabbits bleeding bright red from the rear end....and I just got a similar call from one of my vets regarding a client's rabbit a few days ago.....I think female and uterus. It can be difficult to sex rabbits and I admit, even with all my years experience, that the gender fairy visits here from time to time.

Binky free little friend. And I am sure I speak for all of us in that our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.

Randy

 

[pappy1264]

No, pretty sure we had a boy. He had testicles (and so, I think my vet was wrong about him being neutered, not that it matters). Thank you. I will be bringing him in today and hopefully get some answers. I won't change things, but I have to know what happened, if they can find out.

Of course, my daughter said last night 'mom, there are so many that need homes, can we get another one'......kids ya gotta love em'! I told her I could not think about that right now, it was too soon. There will never be another Carrot, and truthfully, I had not planned on a bunny, my dogs found him in my yard and we never found his owners so that is how we ended up with him. But truth be told, we loved him so much and were HAPPY he ended up in our yard. I miss him so much. I went in the room this morning and just seeing that empty cage....heartbreaking. He would normally run to the side so you would pet him. UGH.

 

[Flashy]

You're right, there won't ever be another Carrot but there can be another friend and maybe another friend might help you heal your heart a bit.

 

[pappy1264]

Thank you. Just got back from having a necropsy done. No blockage, no tumors. The blood was from a UTI, but everything else looked fine, including the fecal matter in his system. She said the fact he had started going pee outside of his box a little while ago (I had thought maybe he was not neutered and was beginning to 'spray') that would explain things (as far as the blood). In and of itself a UTI should not have killed him, but pain resulting from such most likely started GI Stasis and the end result was yesterday (although until yesterday, aside from his starting to sometimes go outside of his litter box, I never really saw any 'signs' something was wrong.) She said actually his insides and organs looked fantastic, that he was a very healthy looking bunny on the inside and this was just a very sad thing. Nothing definitive as far as what she saw to say 'this is what killed him', but with the history (and one thing I remember yesterday, he 'smelled' very urine smelling yesterday, something he never did. He was a very clean rabbit), it is most likely GI Stasis is what he died from.

Thank you for all the kind words and thoughts. Losing Carrot is very hard. I don't know if or when I will get another bun, although I am not saying I never will. Right now, it is too fresh and it hurts. I need to grieve my sweet bunny boy and will go from there.

One thing I do intend to do is read more. I had never heard of GI Stasis, and I can't say if I had it would have changed yesterday, but it is scary and what happened with Carrot (any signs were so subtle), I never want to go through that again. My heart will always ache for him, as I know he had to have been in pain. I wish they could just tell us when something is wrong.

Does anyone know if UTI's are a common thing in rabbits?

 

[Flashy]

UTIs are pretty common in rabbits. I've dealt with a few in some of mine.

Do you feel better having heard that it was not due to the carpet?

Has this brought you some comfort in some way?

 

[pappy1264]

Yes, it has. Although, I wish I had known he had an infection. I was wondering why his litter box habits had changed, but it didn't click he could be sick, he was acting fine (until yesterday). My vet said it was just a sad circumstance, as on exam, he was overall a very healthy rabbit.

 

[Flashy]

Sometimes we do just suffer tragic losses, and this is one of them.

Hopefully this can bring closure, not give you something to beat yourself up with. You did your best. What else can you do?

 

[pappy1264]

I know, it helps to at least 'know'. I realized I have a lot to learn about keeping rabbits (I had never heard of GI Stasis). I actually was looking at some pics of bunnies needing homes and one has caught my eye, so I MAY get another. I wrote to ask about him, so we shall see. He is another lionhead (I really like them). I still feel such shock over everything, but realize I did do what I could with the knowledge I had. I also know Carrot KNEW how much he was loved.

 

[Flashy]

Maybe it's worth having a read through the Library forum here and also the Bunny 101 forum. Even if its something you know about you may pick up some useful tips.

If you chose to get any bunny they would be lucky to go into such a loving family.

 

[pappy1264]

Thank you, I have already started doing that. I appreciate your saying that. My friends all joke when they pass, they want to come back as one of my pets, so I guess I must be doing something right!

 

[tonyshuman]

I haven't been on the forum much while this was going on, but your story really touched me. I can tell how deeply you and your kids loved Carrot. I just wanted to put in a word that bunnies are very very good at hiding things from us and often we don't know anything is wrong until it's too late. I hope you can find room in your life again for another bunny.

Binky free, Carrot.