Sabrina's House~~The Rescue

[slavetoabunny]

How are the two spinal trauma buns doing?

 

[ra7751]

Both of them are doing better than expected. The Jersey Wooley does have movement in his rear legs and is getting stronger. I doubt he will ever fully recover but he can use those legs. The rex is hanging in there. Since his spinal cord is severed, there is no hope for him to regain any function in the rear legs. He is off the steroids since they won't do any good for him. We have him on metacam right now. The only sign of discomfort he is showing is a condition called phantom pain in which he thinks he feels pain or some discomfort in his feet. This leads to self mutilation. We are working with dealing with that as well as controlling any possible infections. I have worked up a plan that might help him overall by having a catheter inserted into his bladder to help him empty it easier and not all over himself. We can deal with the bad legs. One of my vets is looking into doing a catheter for him. Time will tell. He had adapted well. Allows us to do anything we need to without protest even though some of the stuff has to hurt. And then he licks us when we are done. We're going to do everything we can to help both of them.

Randy

 

[Whiskeylousmama]

I have completely fallen in love with the Rex, please keep us updated on both! I hope so much that they both find perfect forever homes that can deal with their handicapps!



Ande and Whiskey Lou

 

[slavetoabunny]

I glad to hear that they are doing better. That poor little rexie! Such a sad case. I hope that he has a favorable outcome. I know you'll do everything you can to help. Do these sweet boys have names yet? Keep us updated.

 

[Whiskeylousmama]

How is my favorite Rexy doing? Has anyone seen the Drew Carey show? He had a dog with a hip problem named speedy, and speedy had his back end suspended in a little cart to help him get around... Do you think it'd be possible to do that for this little boy?

Please send us more pics! I just LOVE that sweet little boy!

 

[MsBinky]

Oh what a beautiful Rex! I'm sorry about the wooly I really hope things work out for the other though. Sending lots of good vibesyour way!

 

[Whiskeylousmama]

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDICAPPED-PET-DOG-WHEELCHAIR-CART-EDDIES-WHEELS-20-LB_W0QQitemZ170160327846QQihZ007QQcategoryZ20745QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



What do you think about this? Brand new they run $275, so this would be a great deal if it fits the little sweetie. I just want to see that precious baby happy!!

 

[Whiskeylousmama]

I found more! These are made by a vet, and are rather inexpensive... If it is an option, I think it would make his life a lot more fun!



http://dogstogo.net/index.html:brownbunny

PLEASE UPDATE!!!:mrsthumper::bunny18:big kiss::bunnybutt::happyrabbit:

 

[ra7751]

Thanks for the site on the cart. That is in our plans for him if everything goes well. We have contacts with an animal physical therapist in the Raleigh area and he has worked with some of our buns previously. They have told us before that they have a couple of clients that have some smaller carts that might be willing to let us use. And the site from the vet you sent is very interesting and I will look into that.

In the immediate future for Rembrant is a surgery to insert a catheter into his bladder. That will eliminate the constant leakage and also me having to manually express his bladder for him. We also hope to route the cathter in such a way that his bladde will void away from his body preventing scald and other issues. A couple of my vets are working on ideas for that right now. Then, we plan to have have spine staibilized and fused to prevent further injury down the road. Needless to say, there are risks involved in each of these procedures. So, we plan to do what is in his best interests for his long term well being. Right now....he is eating well and seems to have adaopted quite well to his situation. He is a fighter and as long as he wants to fight...we will be right there with him.

Randy

 

[Bunnicula]

Randy,

Does the catheterization open up more risk for bladder/kidney infections? Also, what would you have to do to make certain that Rembrandt wouldn't pull or chew at it? Just wondering.

I know how much work it can be to express a bladder - have had to do that for 2 kitties in the past...one quite long-term...and he was very moody about it. Hope it's "easier" with a bunny.

Glad to know both he and the wooley are hanging tough.

-Mary Ellen

 

[ra7751]

Hi Mary Ellen,

Those are topics of discussion with the vets. This might be a situation where we have to take the lesser of the evils. I am concerned about the catheter causing an infection...and the location of it to prevent him from chewing it. I have mentioned those concerns to both doctors that are working on a surgical solution to this challenge. But you are so right...those issues do come into play and will be discussed...quite a bit I'm sure.

Randy

 

[ra7751]

Hi Guys,

This little guy needs some healing vibes. Came into rescue a few days ago. Has a severe head injury. His head was so swollen that he could not open his eyes. I really didn't expect him to make it thru the first night. I treated him for shock and pain and tried to make him comfortable. He ate a little the next morning but was not in good shape. Over the past few days, he has been making remarkable progress. He is showing some neurological deficiencies. Possibly some brain damage or impaired vision. He tends to wander and turn in circles. I will have him looked at by the vet at the wildlife center in a few days. I don't think his life is in danger now but I am not not optimistic on his prognosis. But, he has fooled me so far....maybe he will recover fully and be released.

Randy

 

[Whiskeylousmama]

Aww! What a sweetie! He looks like he is napping! I hope he pulls through alright!

How are the two bunnies looking? Has Rembrant had his surgery yet?

 

[ra7751]

Hi All,

This is something a little different from us. This is a video of a pioneering surgery on one of our rescues. For those of you that like PBS, it was originally broadcast nationwideon NOVA some time ago. The surgery is being performed by Dr. Greg Lewbart of the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State University. His wife is our primary vet for all of our critters. The surgery is for a mass on the side and back of a rather large goldfish named Comet. While some question spending this type of research money on animals like this...it was a win-win for all. Comet got state of the art surgery to repair the growth, the staff at CVM got some experience on a cutting edge procedure and the lessons learned are applicable to human medicine. In fact, every procedure and drug usedare being used in human medicine.In many lab tests, the animal is sacrificed. In this case, Comet came thru with flying colors and spent his retirement happily swimming in a very large tank. He has since crossed the great waterfall (due to a drastic pH crash in a tank that had been up for years)but his contributions will ensure his legacy.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3214/04.html

Randy

 

[polly]

That is so clever Randy its amazing how far animal surgery is going and what they can do!!

 

[ra7751]

Hi All,

Tonight is a very special evening of remembrance here at Sabrina's House. On Halloween night of 2000, a very special little girl came into our lives and became the namesake and inspiration of our rescue.

We already had a rabbit..a neutered Holland Lop named Yoda. He was the first of our "modern" era rabbits. He was the first that was neutered and the first to live his entire life inside. He had a huge condo. And we found he loved to play with us. But that particular night, we went to the local mall. It was fish night at the pet store and I wanted to see what new salt water fish came in. We got there right in the middle of the trick or treaters. Right out in front was a tiny little black lop. She was terrified. She was so stressed that she was wet all around her nose and mouth. And her left rear leg was dragging....we were told her leg might be broken and that we could have her since she most likely wouldn't make it thru the night. The leg was just a clue of what was to come. I picked her up and calmed her down. I held her for nearly half an hour. When I put her back into the pen, a most amazing thing happened....I could swear that she talked to me. I was thinking maybe I was working too hard. But to this day, I can still hear that squeaky little voice...."please don't leave me here...I'm scared". Before I knew what happened, I had me another bunny. In total disregard for mall rules, I held her in my hands as we left the mall. And I made her a promise that she would never be treated like that again.

We were thinking about names as we came home. We had left the TV on for Yoda while we were gone. When we got back home, the show "Sabrina-The Teenage Witch" was on. Umm....Halloween and a black bunny...her name is Sabrina. We introduced her to Yoda and the bonding was instant. And their bond became tighter each day...but we also saw that something was terribly wrong with Sabrina. She started getting sick. And you only think it's hard to find a rabbit vet now....it was nearly impossible back then. She started staying wet all the time and her urine was quite smelly. Another clue of things to come. Her teeth grew at really odd angles....she had incisor malocclusion. Later she developed molar spurs. She sneezed and did something that sounded almost like a cough....except rabbits can't cough. The pupils of her eyes starting filling with white flakes. She started showing some neurological issues...she would pull and eat her own fur and she started having seizures.

Late in 2003, her problems accelerated and we went to numerous vets looking help...but none was to be found. Nobody knew what was wrong with my little girl. Just after Christmas of that year, she lost her appetite and started losing weight rapidly. A huge bulge came into her side. Her liver was cancerous. I was going to lose my little girl.

On January 13, 2004 I got to hold my little girl for her last moments on earth. I never knew that the tiny little bunny I brought home that night could mean so much to me. She went peacefully during emergency surgery. I was devastated and couldn't believe that I lost her. As we got her body ready for me to bring her home, I couldn't help but notice the other animals in the kennels. Not a bark, not a meow as we walked by. They were all sitting at the front of the kennels....it appeared they knew. On the way home, I really thought I had lost my mind. I felt Sabrina there....and like so many times before, I heard that little voice again. She told me not to worry about her...she would always be with me. She told me that she had been here longer than planned due to our love for her....and that love allowed her to go to a special place where she wasn't sick or hurting anymore. She said "help others like you helped me...I'll be waiting". I really felt I needed professional help. I made it home with her body and brought her over to Yoda. He came over and sniffed her body and groomed her. He then turned around and just sat staring at her empty condo. He knew what had happened. That was tough. The next morning, we took her body to a pet cemetary to have her cremated. It was there that I saw the Rainbow Bridge Poem for the first time. And it all suddenly made sense. "Help others like you helped me..I'll be waiting". It was then and there that I decided to start rescuing rabbits...and especially the "special needs" rabbits that remind me so much of my little girl.

Sabrina's House Rabbit Rescue was born....and it will always be a labor of love for my little girl.We now know that my precious little bunny suffered fromE Cuniculi. Had we known then what we know now...we could have helped her. But her life still has meaning as she is a part of every rescue we do no matter what the species. We also lost Yoda just over a year ago due to complications and infections brought on by EC. I am determined to continue my research into the treatment and prevention of this devastating disease as well as any others that affect our rabbits.

Sabrina's body was cremated and she is in a beautiful pink marble urn that stays right beside my bed. And I have a special little key chain that has some of her ashes that stay with me all the time. I think about my little girl all the time....and I miss her just as much today as I did when we lost her. But you know...I look around here at all these bunnies....and she is here, maybe not in body but certainly in spirit. Many people ask me how I know what to do with these rescues no matter what the species or what the issue with them is....it's that little voice in my head....it's Sabrina guiding us on our rescue.

Sabrina will always be a very special little bunny to us....and now you know some of the specialthings about my beloved "Breenie Girl"

Randy

 

[tundrakatiebean]

What a sweet and touching story.

I really enjoyed reading that Randy and I am so glad that Sabrina came into your life so that you could help so many other bunnies, bird, squirrels and everything in between

 

[MsBinky]

[align=center]:cry4:[/align]

[align=center]That made me cry...[/align]

[align=center]What a sweet yet sad story.[/align]

[align=center]I have always admired the work you do and I wish one day to have even helf the knowledge you have order to help animals the way you do![/align]

[align=center]RIP Sabrina[/align]

[align=center]:rainbow:[/align]
[align=center]Ps: How is the lil squirrel doing? [/align]

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

That is a very sweet story Randy. I totally believe the voice too. You came into her life her a reason, and her into yours and you know why...:hug:

RIP sweet Sabrina:rainbow:

 

[ra7751]

Hi Everyone,

Please meet a very special rabbit....Danny. He is a real fighter. He was found by a young man named Daniel. This rabbit had been abandoned outside and had to fend for himself. He was nearly starved, very dehydrated, had no fur due to parasites and urine scald and his eyes and ears shut from infection. He was found under a car after a storm...wet and hypothermic. He was in such bad shape that the young man that found him didn't know it was a rabbit. But he made it into a rescue and then was transferred to us. We started him on an aggressive treatment and he responded well. He gained weight immediately. But the ears and eyes were a problem. His ear drums were destroyed. He is now totally deaf. His eyes were severely infected and the right cornea was collapsing. We cleared up all the infections except the one eye. Many of you have heard me mention about resistant bacteria and my disdain for using the common antibiotics like Baytril. We cultured his eyes several times...and grew pasteurella each time...including after he had been on Baytril and Septra for several months.This was a truly resistant bacteria. We have some very graphic pictures if anyone would like to see them.But if we didn't heal that eye, he was going to have to undergo surgery to remove it. Finally, after much discussion, I convincedmy vettogive me some Zithromax as a last ditch effort to take care of the infection...and it did. Danny responded immediately and has been healthy since then....over three years ago. Danny is a very good bunny. He is getting on up there in age now and has slowed down quite a bit...but he is always ready to be petted or to be held. His once damaged fur has returned and is just so soft. He has a young girl friend now that keeps him young at heart and she is very protective over Danny. She seems to know that he is getting older and she is right there with him...and she is a rescue herself. Say hello to Danny.

Randy