sarcoma; help paying for radiation

[ratsrcute]

My friend's female rabbit was diagnosed with sarcoma. She lives on $800/month and can't pay for radiation treatment (between 2 and 3 thousand dollars, the vet quoted). She lives in the Los Angeles area. I'm interested in knowing if there are foundations that can help with rabbit vet bills. Also if there is a cheaper cancer treatment. Also any ideas that would help extend her life and in particular make her more comfortable. The vet already prescribed Metacam.

Also even if you don't the answers, if you can refer me to other forums or groups that are a good try.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[wendymac]

Hello Mike. I'm sorry to hear about your friend's rabbit. :-( I'm sorry that I can't help you, but hopefully someone here can answer some of your questions.

 

[tonyshuman]

I had to make the decision of whether or not to do radiation for our Benjamin, who had a tumor in his chest cavity. Every bunny's medical situation is different, but we decided it wasn't a good idea to do the radiation. The treatment can be stressful and uncomfortable for the bunny, and rarely leads to complete remission. I hope your friend keeps that in mind. We opted for hospice care and kept Ben happy and comfortable rather than putting him through a painful and stressful procedure with a low chance of success. The success probability may be better for your friend's rabbit since it is a different kind of cancer, I don't know.

I would check with IMOM (imom.org). They help pet owners pay for expensive vet care. Being in Southern California, there are also some rabbit rescues that can help with expensive medical treatments. Save A Bunny comes to mind, or just search for nearby rabbit rescues.