Mass Removal

[JBun]

I'm so sorry about your buns cancer coming back. I hope the xrays show it's just in the leg. There is a memeber on here, that has a lop with one front leg removed. I think it was due to an abscess, and her rabbit seems to do just fine. Here's her blog if you're interested.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f18/beezilles-buns-2013-a-72461/

I hope you're able to get the leg removed, and hope that he will be ok.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Praying for you're little man!

 

[tonyshuman]

Hope things turn out ok. If you want, we can try to decode the scientific language for you. We have had at least one bunny on this forum that had a sarcoma, and it didn't go well for him. In this situation, the vet school may be your best bet, unless you think euthanasia is the most appropriate option. Vet schools have cancer specialists and may have additional types of treatment a normal vet may not have. I'm so sorry Unicorn is so ill and I'm hoping for the best.

 

[Usagi_Chan]

We have one of the best vet schools in the country here (University of North Carolina - UNC) but I tried them once before when I first became aware of Pegasus's problem. I found they charged for services and far more than any of the local vets. I had hoped that they would use the experience as a teaching tool.

I took him to the a vet today. He examined Pegasus and said the growth was now into his lymph nodes. This means it has most likely spread to the rest of his body. Amputating the leg would not help. He said there was really nothing that could be done for him except to make him comfortable and put him to sleep when the time comes that he no longer has any quality to his life. Any other actions would be very expensive and probably would not extend his life. He just isn't going to die of old age.

That vet was not a rabbit vet so I took Pegasus to another vet who does specialize in rabbits and other exotics. She confirmed the first vet's opinion.

I guess Thumper and I will just love on him all we can while we have him. I have a lot of wonderful memories of the time we have had together. I have a pet stroller and I used to take them both around downtown Raleigh where they both got pets and exclamations from many people. The local newspaper even did an article about them and described how they cheered up a lot of people when they saw and petted them.

 

[HEM]

We are sorry to hear about the news
Give him as much love as you can
And not only do you have the memories but obviously he made an impact on other people's lives in your community. What a special little bun.

 

[Pipp]

So sorry ... :sad:

 

[Usagi_Chan]

He's been eating okay. He also loves his treats still. (banana slices, grapes and a bite of an unsalted pretzel) I live in a terrible neighborhood but I am searching for a new place. I hope I can find him a nice place with some clover nearby that he loves so much. I'll keep him alive and spoiling the heck out of him as long as he seems to have a good quality of life.

I took him and his girlfriend Thumper to a friend's house a few days ago. She has a fenced in area with lots of clover. He loved laying in the clover and cropping all the clover that he could that was in his reach. He romped and played a bit and brought tears to my eyes.

He's limping very strongly now and is not using his right front foot. I am thinking of asking the vet to remove the growth that he has now. From what I'm told that would not save him but maybe he can use the leg again. I'm not positive if he's limping because of pain or that the mass is large enough that the leg is simply immobilized. He recovered quickly last September when the growth was removed. I expect he'd recover quickly again and it might save him more pain than it causes.

I am giving him meloxicam .3 mg twice daily. He's a 6 lb bunny so the dose recommended is .3-.6 mg daily. I've read that it wears off in less than a day which is why I've opted to dose him 2x per day.

I have read that tramadol is safe and effective. My vet said it's metabolized too quickly and she believes it to be ineffective. I believe I should and will insist that she prescribe it. Several experts swear by it. I don't want my baby in pain if I can help it.

The poor tyke is only about 6 1/2 years old if I was told his correct age when I got him. I feel terrible for that. I want all my bunnies to have a normal life expectancy and have happy lives.

 

[tonyshuman]

Some members have used tramadol effectively for chronic pain. I believe myheart used it with Luna, who had chronic painful kidney disease. Meloxicam can be hard on the kidneys so it's not recommended for bunnies with kidney disease. Tramadol can have some psychological effects, so it is important to dose correctly. It is given twice a day.
http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Analgesics/safe_analgesics.htm

It would be good if the mass could be removed to improve his quality of life if it is causing him a lot of pain and the surgery is likely to be successful otherwise.

 

[Usagi_Chan]

At the moment I'm using two vets, one is a rabbit vet and the other isn't. For most things a rabbit vet is not needed. The rabbit vet told me on the phone that tramadol metabolizes quickly and she didn't seem interested in prescribing it. I have joined a yahoo group "disabled rabbits" Several there use tramadol and state it works well.

Later on Monday, the 4th, I went to see the non-rabbit vet, to see about having the mass removed again to help give him a better quality of life. She said it's too late. I asked about tramadol and she gave me a few tablets. I mixed them up and gave him 2 mg, the lowest dose recommended at medirabbit,com. He snoozed quite a bit after that so it's obviously working since it's a narcotic and has the effect of making a bunny sleepy as well as deadening pain. He seems better with the tramadol. How I know, I don't know. I just sense it. I guess he's calmer, sleeping more. Before he would claw angrily at things. I know he expresses frustration by clawing at the ground or objects. I think the pain and/or the bulkiness of the tumor angers and frustrates him

So I'm giving him the .3 mg of meloxicam, twice daily and 2 mg tramadol, twice daily.

I found a new place to move to. The neighborhood is a LOT better than where we are living. We will have the entire upstairs. It's 3 bedrooms, a computer room, 2 bathrooms and a laundry room. You could almost set up a tennis court in the master bedroom. It is HUGE ! It will be wonderful for the bunnies.

@tonyshuman -- Thanks for the heads-up. I read up on the psychological effects of tramadol but most articles seem geared toward addiction in humans. Some of the negative effects are not feeling any pain at all, anxiety reduction and elated mood. Pegasus is terminal and all of those effects would be good in a terminal patient, bunny or human. The same is true for meloxicam. His liver is likely going to outlive the rest of him. I am keeping the dosage well within safe limits anyways.

bob

 

[Deliciosa]

This thread brought tears to my eyes. Usagi_Chan, best wishes for Pegasus & his girlfriend.
I hope bun is not in too much pain, just give him all the love you can possibly give during this time.
:clover:

 

[Usagi_Chan]

On the 15th I came home from work in the morning. Pegasus had been going in his cat-tunnel and then quickly going out of it yesterday. He does that when he's restless. He also claws at the tunnel to make noise. The morning of the 15th I picked him up to give him his meds for pain. He was whimpering softly as I gave him the meds. I followed them with a few raisins to wash down the bitter taste of the tramadol. He didn't seem to get any better and continued whimpering and licking my hand. I decided it was time. It just wasn't fair to him to keep him around for Thumper and me when he was suffering.

I took him to the vet along with Thumper. I stopped along the way to get a banana. At the vets I gave him all the banana he wanted to eat then the vet gave him a sedative to get him sleepy. As he dozed off, he was still making chewing motions, still tasting the banana, his favorite.

I've been crying off and on for two days. I miss snuggling with him, holding him and petting his soft fur. It hurts so terribly to know I'll never pet him again. His bond-mate Thumper is depressed and quiet but she is eating okay. I hope to bond her with Nigel She was fiercely protective of Pegasus and I'm sure she's not quite ready to have another man.

I found a new place to live which will be much better for me as well as the bunnies. The three bedroom one fell through because it was a scam. But I found another that is much better. The main difference is that my room-mates are very nice people and I can sense they can be trusted. We will move Monday, tomorrow. This place has a large yard for the bunnies to romp in. Being a new place and not having territories staked out, it may be easier to bond them there. I don't want Thumper to go through losing another mate. Nigel is only 3 and she is 9 so it's very likely she'll cross the rainbow bridge before him. But Pegasus was only 6 1/2 which is way too young for a bunny to die.

Pegasus, I love and miss you horribly:

"Goodnight Sweet Prince,
and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

 

[tonyshuman]

I'm so sorry. It sounds like you made the right decision and he had some great last days with you and his buddy. Binky free, Pegasus.

 

[PaGal]

I am so very sorry for your loss. It is evident through your writing that you loved Pegasus dearly. I wish for you and Thumper the strength you need in this difficult time. You did so very well to make his remaining time happy and comfortable. Binky free Pegasus.

 

[holtzchick]

Awh rip and binkying free Pegasus

 

[mollie07]

Just read this whole thread... Breaks my heart. My little bun seems to have a mass growing on him too. Im so torn on what to do.. I dont want to put him in any pain