Hi everyone, I need advice on what to do right now. My rabbit Raina is lying down flat on the bottom of her cage and won't even lift up her head. Her eyes also look watery. She stopped eating regularly two days ago and has barely poop and what she does looks mostly like cecal. I took her to the vet yesterday and they thought she was starting statis. They gave me Oxbow critical care, cisapride solution for her stomach and metacam for her pain. She seemed a little better last night and when I stopped by to give her food at noon she was eating a little hay and ate all of the lettuce I gave her. I need any advice I can get to keep her going until I can get her to vet tomorrow morning. Some additional information that she is possibly 5 years old and her breed is a Rex.
Very sick rabbit - need advice - RIP
- Thread starter ranibun
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Imbrium
Jennifer
I'm so sorry! 
First of all, what did the vet do/check/test to determine the underlying cause of the stasis? Stasis is a symptom, not a diagnosis. When I took Gazzles to the vet today, she was palpated/physically examined, had her teeth thoroughly checked out, plus of course I was asked a lot of questions about the onset/progression of her stasis symptoms. It was determined that she had gas, but not a particularly severe case - I was sent home with metacam and metoclopramide (US equivalent of cisapride), plus instructions to feed her Critical Care (which I already had) and administer simethicone for the gas (which, ironically, was something I tried to coerce her into taking at 6 am this morning while running through my checklist of "at home" remedies... but she was so opposed to it that I gave up. I didn't give CC prior to the vet trip because she's molting explosively and I suspected that a hairball/blockage could be to blame (and if that were the case, force-feeding would make things worse)).
Gas, a blockage, tooth issues (like overgrown teeth, molar spurs, an abscess, etc.) and anything else that causes pain and/or discomfort are the most common culprits for stasis. Most causes are fairly easy to remedy once diagnosed and addressed... however, on rare occasions, the issue is something far more serious.
If there's a bunny-savvy emergency vet in your area, I would get her in tonight if at all possible, as it sounds like she's going downhill. If an exotics e-vet is not available but a regular (ie cat/dog) e-vet IS, then I would call around to major cities (proximity doesn't matter - anywhere in your country will do, really) and see if you can locate a clinic with a rabbit-savvy exotics vet on duty. If/when you find one, explain the situation and lack of exotics e-vets in your area and ask if there's any way their on-duty exotics vet would be willing to do a phone consult with a non-exotics emergency vet in your area... then find a regular e-vet nearby that's willing to attempt to treat your bunny AND to call the rabbit-savvy vet you found for advice/guidance. Clinics that normally only treat cats/dogs will still have pretty much everything needed (equipment/medication wise) to treat a bunny - all they're lacking is a knowledgeable rabbit vet. Find one willing to work with the regular vet, and it's nearly as good as having an actual exotics e-vet available .
A full day after a vet visit that involved being sent home with metacam, cisapride and Critical Care, she should be getting better, not worse - if that's not the case, then the underlying cause of the stasis has not been addressed and could potentially be quite serious if pain killers and a gut motility med aren't at least countering the cause while the rabbit is actively being given those medications. Watery eyes could potentially indicate a tooth abscess... if that were the case and the abscess burst and/or the infection started to spread, that could potentially cause her downturn.
Also, out of curiosity, is she spayed? Just covering the bases here and trying to think of what could be causing her to continue to deteriorate - it's worth mentioning that if she's not, then cancer is a distinct possibility at her age.
ray: I really hope you can get to the bottom of this and get her back in good health quickly!
First of all, what did the vet do/check/test to determine the underlying cause of the stasis? Stasis is a symptom, not a diagnosis. When I took Gazzles to the vet today, she was palpated/physically examined, had her teeth thoroughly checked out, plus of course I was asked a lot of questions about the onset/progression of her stasis symptoms. It was determined that she had gas, but not a particularly severe case - I was sent home with metacam and metoclopramide (US equivalent of cisapride), plus instructions to feed her Critical Care (which I already had) and administer simethicone for the gas (which, ironically, was something I tried to coerce her into taking at 6 am this morning while running through my checklist of "at home" remedies... but she was so opposed to it that I gave up. I didn't give CC prior to the vet trip because she's molting explosively and I suspected that a hairball/blockage could be to blame (and if that were the case, force-feeding would make things worse)).
Gas, a blockage, tooth issues (like overgrown teeth, molar spurs, an abscess, etc.) and anything else that causes pain and/or discomfort are the most common culprits for stasis. Most causes are fairly easy to remedy once diagnosed and addressed... however, on rare occasions, the issue is something far more serious.
If there's a bunny-savvy emergency vet in your area, I would get her in tonight if at all possible, as it sounds like she's going downhill. If an exotics e-vet is not available but a regular (ie cat/dog) e-vet IS, then I would call around to major cities (proximity doesn't matter - anywhere in your country will do, really
) and see if you can locate a clinic with a rabbit-savvy exotics vet on duty. If/when you find one, explain the situation and lack of exotics e-vets in your area and ask if there's any way their on-duty exotics vet would be willing to do a phone consult with a non-exotics emergency vet in your area... then find a regular e-vet nearby that's willing to attempt to treat your bunny AND to call the rabbit-savvy vet you found for advice/guidance. Clinics that normally only treat cats/dogs will still have pretty much everything needed (equipment/medication wise) to treat a bunny - all they're lacking is a knowledgeable rabbit vet. Find one willing to work with the regular vet, and it's nearly as good as having an actual exotics e-vet available .A full day after a vet visit that involved being sent home with metacam, cisapride and Critical Care, she should be getting better, not worse - if that's not the case, then the underlying cause of the stasis has not been addressed and could potentially be quite serious if pain killers and a gut motility med aren't at least countering the cause while the rabbit is actively being given those medications. Watery eyes could potentially indicate a tooth abscess... if that were the case and the abscess burst and/or the infection started to spread, that could potentially cause her downturn.
Also, out of curiosity, is she spayed? Just covering the bases here and trying to think of what could be causing her to continue to deteriorate - it's worth mentioning that if she's not, then cancer is a distinct possibility at her age.
ray: I really hope you can get to the bottom of this and get her back in good health quickly!Sage's mom
Member
Get the critical care in him. Sage goes through molting and stasis every few months. The critical care hydrates him, provides him with healing fiber and enzymes and always puts him right as rain. Good luck!
Imbrium
Jennifer
I really hope no news is good news (or at least neutral news), heh... I'm nervously awaiting an update - stasis can be so scary! My bunns and I are keeping Raina in our thoughts.
In retrospect, I realize I wasn't all that clear about exactly why I'm so concerned despite some positive signs... just wanted to say that it basically boils down to the lethargy.
Also, I forgot to notice/mention before, but welcome to RO! We love new members... though of course we always wish we never had to meet anyone new due to circumstances like this. Hopefully she makes a swift recovery and then we can get to the FUN part of having someone new join RO - getting to see pics of their bunny!
I just can't see Critical Care having enough of the enzymes to matter. Yeah, it contains pineapple and papaya (or the apple-banana formula does, anyway), but they're pretty darn far down the ingredients list. In fact, CC contains more SALT than it does papaya or pineapple, and it contains no bromelain or papain (ie the pure enzymes). Of course, whether or not the enzymes in *any* quantity matter is a fairly debated issue... personally, I'm not entirely sold on the enzymes but figure there's no harm in giving them a try *if* the ratio of enzymes to sugar content is reasonable (since sugar can cause problems during stasis). If you feel the enzymes are helpful for your bunny, I recommend getting the Oxbow Papaya tablets - they're actually quite low in sugar and have extra, concentrated enzymes added to them.
Also, fwiw, Critical Care actually *doesn't* really hydrate unless you add extra fluids - it's generally recommended that when syringing Critical Care, the bunny is also given extra water via syringe.
All that said, yeah, Critical Care IS good stuff... lots of vitamins, nice fiber content, easier to make and get through a syringe than homemade pellet slurry, etc. Metacam, metoclopramide/cisapride and Critical Care tend to be the keys to stasis recovery.
In retrospect, I realize I wasn't all that clear about exactly why I'm so concerned despite some positive signs... just wanted to say that it basically boils down to the lethargy.
Also, I forgot to notice/mention before, but welcome to RO! We love new members... though of course we always wish we never had to meet anyone new due to circumstances like this
. Hopefully she makes a swift recovery and then we can get to the FUN part of having someone new join RO - getting to see pics of their bunny! I just can't see Critical Care having enough of the enzymes to matter. Yeah, it contains pineapple and papaya (or the apple-banana formula does, anyway), but they're pretty darn far down the ingredients list. In fact, CC contains more SALT than it does papaya or pineapple, and it contains no bromelain or papain (ie the pure enzymes). Of course, whether or not the enzymes in *any* quantity matter is a fairly debated issue... personally, I'm not entirely sold on the enzymes but figure there's no harm in giving them a try *if* the ratio of enzymes to sugar content is reasonable (since sugar can cause problems during stasis). If you feel the enzymes are helpful for your bunny, I recommend getting the Oxbow Papaya tablets - they're actually quite low in sugar and have extra, concentrated enzymes added to them
.Also, fwiw, Critical Care actually *doesn't* really hydrate unless you add extra fluids - it's generally recommended that when syringing Critical Care, the bunny is also given extra water via syringe.
All that said, yeah, Critical Care IS good stuff... lots of vitamins, nice fiber content, easier to make and get through a syringe than homemade pellet slurry, etc. Metacam, metoclopramide/cisapride and Critical Care tend to be the keys to stasis recovery.
lovelops
Well-Known Member
Hi what is the update? I'm very curious if everything is ok.... I hope it is!!!
Your in my thoughts and I hope Raina is improving.
Vanessa
Tammy B
Well-Known Member
I just saw your post I am so sorry to hear about Raina
has there been any improvement in her condition?What did the vet say?
has there been any improvement in her condition?What did the vet say?
Sage's mom
Member
Jennifer,
Clearly you are the expert and I am just a novice. However, I have experienced amazing results with critical care mixed with apple juice. Sage likes the taste as well...Also, and inch or two of petromalt really helps. Sage's vet agrees. Both of these combined with fresh spring water always clears up stasis in Sage.
Clearly you are the expert and I am just a novice. However, I have experienced amazing results with critical care mixed with apple juice. Sage likes the taste as well...Also, and inch or two of petromalt really helps. Sage's vet agrees. Both of these combined with fresh spring water always clears up stasis in Sage.
Sage's mom
Member
Sage has his own bedroom in the house, a bed, blankets, and lots of love... I'm sure most folks believe I have gone overboard with him, but in the 2 years since I rescued him from the streets, he has become the most loving, personable, charming little guy around... I suppose we all do things differently...
lovelops
Well-Known Member
If I could I would have different rooms for each of my buns as well. That would mean I would have to buy like a 6 bedroom house! 4 for the rabbits and then one for me and an extra for guest! I for one don't think that you have gone overboard. I've got my two rescues also that I picked up in Nov 2013 in addition to my two original guys and am still working with the rescues to make them feel more loved. I think they are coming around but it takes time. It sounds to me like you have done a great job with Sage and hopefully the relationship will do nothing but get better and better with time.
Vanessa
Imbrium
Jennifer
Lol, at my house in San Antonio, my *entire* living room is one big bunny pen - over 120 square feet of running around room, plus a 3-story NIC condo. People who give their bunn(s) their own room aren't exactly "weird" around here - many who don't opt to free-range their bunnies are quick to give them their own room if space allows! As for "going overboard"... there is NO such thing as loving a bunny too much! We're all bunny-slaves here, lol.
I'm sorry if I came off as being judgy about your first post in this thread... I really wasn't trying to dismiss your methods; I just wanted to point out that the Critical Care, while definitely effective, may not necessarily be effective for *all* of the reasons you suggested. It's an amazing recovery food (which, quite frankly, I strongly encourage ALL bunny owners to keep in their first aid kit); I just don't think it provides anything special in the way of enzymes and fluids.
In Sage's situation (ie hairball issues), the high fiber content of Critical Care combined with the fact that you push lots of fresh water as well definitely = bunny on the way to recovery. Fiber and fluids are the keys to moving excess hair through the digestive system (and are both very beneficial for other causes of stasis as well). Basically, I'm not disagreeing with your methods; I was just trying to clarify some of the science behind why they're effective.
Out of curiosity, what are you using to groom him during his molts? Having to fight stasis as part of pretty much every molt is something that you may be able to remedy, at least to some degree. I've got a Holland lop and her molts are freaking brutal. In theory, brushing/combing 1-2x a day during molts should go a LONG way towards preventing hairballs (and for many bunnies, that's true); however, something about Gaz's coat type (which I suspect is very similar to your mini lop's) makes grooming with a typical brush seem like an exercise in futility - with that route, I felt like I was just moving the loose hair around instead of collecting/removing it.
When I bought a Furminator, it was a true game-changer! It's the only thing that I've ever found effective on Gazzle's coat, and I honestly think I'd be battling stasis regularly during her molts if it weren't for the Furminator. Even with it, I really pretty much NEED to groom her outside... and change clothes as soon as we come back in... but at least after a session with the Furminator, I can actually pet her without literally watching a big cloud of that darn fur filling the surrounding air.
If you don't have one, I highly recommend giving it a try - you can usually find one on Amazon for around $20-25 (including shipping)... and they come with a money-back satisfaction guarantee. I happen to have the one for long-haired cats under 10 lbs; however, the ones for small animals, short-haired cats, cats over 10 lbs and small dogs (pretty much anything with a comb width no larger than 1.7-2.3 inches) are all equally viable for bunnies - there's honestly not nearly as much difference as they'd like you to think, lol.
I'm sorry if I came off as being judgy about your first post in this thread... I really wasn't trying to dismiss your methods; I just wanted to point out that the Critical Care, while definitely effective, may not necessarily be effective for *all* of the reasons you suggested. It's an amazing recovery food (which, quite frankly, I strongly encourage ALL bunny owners to keep in their first aid kit); I just don't think it provides anything special in the way of enzymes and fluids.
In Sage's situation (ie hairball issues), the high fiber content of Critical Care combined with the fact that you push lots of fresh water as well definitely = bunny on the way to recovery. Fiber and fluids are the keys to moving excess hair through the digestive system (and are both very beneficial for other causes of stasis as well). Basically, I'm not disagreeing with your methods; I was just trying to clarify some of the science behind why they're effective
.Out of curiosity, what are you using to groom him during his molts? Having to fight stasis as part of pretty much every molt is something that you may be able to remedy, at least to some degree. I've got a Holland lop and her molts are freaking brutal. In theory, brushing/combing 1-2x a day during molts should go a LONG way towards preventing hairballs (and for many bunnies, that's true); however, something about Gaz's coat type (which I suspect is very similar to your mini lop's) makes grooming with a typical brush seem like an exercise in futility - with that route, I felt like I was just moving the loose hair around instead of collecting/removing it.
When I bought a Furminator, it was a true game-changer! It's the only thing that I've ever found effective on Gazzle's coat, and I honestly think I'd be battling stasis regularly during her molts if it weren't for the Furminator. Even with it, I really pretty much NEED to groom her outside... and change clothes as soon as we come back in... but at least after a session with the Furminator, I can actually pet her without literally watching a big cloud of that darn fur filling the surrounding air.
If you don't have one, I highly recommend giving it a try - you can usually find one on Amazon for around $20-25 (including shipping)... and they come with a money-back satisfaction guarantee. I happen to have the one for long-haired cats under 10 lbs; however, the ones for small animals, short-haired cats, cats over 10 lbs and small dogs (pretty much anything with a comb width no larger than 1.7-2.3 inches) are all equally viable for bunnies - there's honestly not nearly as much difference as they'd like you to think, lol.
Hi everyone, sorry I have not replied since my original post. Raina passed away about an hour after I made the thread. I'm miss her very much and am sadden that I couldn't save her. She was a shelter rabbit and had numerous issues due to the abuse and neglect of her previous home. I was told when I got her that her life would be likely shorter than normal but I never expected to lose her so soon. I take comfort that I gave her an additional three years of life in a loving home. Thanks for all of the advice. Not sure if I will be back - I haven't made up my mind if I want another rabbit. I enjoyed our time together but vet bills were considerable over her life. I have two cats, one of them is almost 11. I have the think about the care an aging cat will need. I'm going to wait a few weeks and see. I miss her very much and I keep thinking that she will be in her cage waiting for me to let her out each day I go home.
lovelops
Well-Known Member
Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry to hear that she passed away. I had been checking the thread after you had posted to see what the updates were and I was hoping that it would have a positive outcome. I'm so sorry to hear that she passed so suddenly and the whole illness caught you off guard. It always does.
No matter what happened, you did give her a wonderful three years that she would have never had with anyone else and that means something. You gave her love, you gave her encouragement, made her play and showed her a different side of life that she would have never experienced if she had never met you and you had never made the decision to take her in.
You enriched both of your lives.
I understand about the vet bills. When I had Buttons one time he was ill and him getting Xrays and MRI's cost $5,000.
I gladly put it on a couple of credit cards and worried about working it out later. Two days before he died from the illness that contributed to him passing I ran up around $2500.00 of emergency vet and normal vet bills. Within weeks I was scouting for his replacement due to the deep pain and hole in my life I felt from his passing. I too thought he would be there in the house for me to check up on after entering the house and I wonder why it was always a surprise he wasn't there any more.
Even now after all this time, he passed away in 2010 I find it hard to deal with his passing. He was the last "joint' pet between me and my mother while she was living with me (she loved all my pets and I loved hers), so in his passing was the closing of a bridge that linked him to her and me to him. It was to me my last living tangeable connection to my mother and with that gone brought the issue into a bigger focus.
I have always liked these quotes from Bridge of San Luis Rey even though Peru is not one of my fav countries (my husband is from there and I have been there a number of times). When my mother passed in 2005 I used a few of these on the program. I felt they summed up how we were feeling at the time.
Please hang in there and know that you gave her the best years of her life. Without you, her life would have been a brief life filled with hardships and unhappiness. Because of you, you made a huge positive difference in her unfairly short life and made a huge impact.
Vanessa
“We ourselves shall be loved for awhile and forgotten. But the love will have been enough; all those impulses
of love return to the love that made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.”
― Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey
“We ourselves shall be loved for awhile and forgotten. But the love will have been enough; all those impulses
of love return to the love that made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. "
“Esteban fell face downward upon the floor. "I am alone, alone, alone," he cried. The Captain stood above him, his great plain face ridged and gray with pain; it was his own old hours he was reliving. He was the awkwardest speaker in the world apart from the lore of the sea, but there are times when it requires a high courage to speak the banal. He could not be sure the figure on the floor was listening, but he said, "We do what we can. We push on, Esteban, as best we can. It isn't for long, you know. Time keeps going by. You'll be surprised at the way time passes.”
― Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey
If there were any plan in the universe at all, if there were any pattern in human life, surely it could be discovered mysteriously latent in those lives so suddenly cut off. Either we live by accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan.”
No matter what happened, you did give her a wonderful three years that she would have never had with anyone else and that means something. You gave her love, you gave her encouragement, made her play and showed her a different side of life that she would have never experienced if she had never met you and you had never made the decision to take her in.
You enriched both of your lives.
I understand about the vet bills. When I had Buttons one time he was ill and him getting Xrays and MRI's cost $5,000.
I gladly put it on a couple of credit cards and worried about working it out later. Two days before he died from the illness that contributed to him passing I ran up around $2500.00 of emergency vet and normal vet bills. Within weeks I was scouting for his replacement due to the deep pain and hole in my life I felt from his passing. I too thought he would be there in the house for me to check up on after entering the house and I wonder why it was always a surprise he wasn't there any more.
Even now after all this time, he passed away in 2010 I find it hard to deal with his passing. He was the last "joint' pet between me and my mother while she was living with me (she loved all my pets and I loved hers), so in his passing was the closing of a bridge that linked him to her and me to him. It was to me my last living tangeable connection to my mother and with that gone brought the issue into a bigger focus.
I have always liked these quotes from Bridge of San Luis Rey even though Peru is not one of my fav countries (my husband is from there and I have been there a number of times). When my mother passed in 2005 I used a few of these on the program. I felt they summed up how we were feeling at the time.
Please hang in there and know that you gave her the best years of her life. Without you, her life would have been a brief life filled with hardships and unhappiness. Because of you, you made a huge positive difference in her unfairly short life and made a huge impact.
Vanessa
“We ourselves shall be loved for awhile and forgotten. But the love will have been enough; all those impulses
of love return to the love that made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.”
― Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey
“We ourselves shall be loved for awhile and forgotten. But the love will have been enough; all those impulses
of love return to the love that made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. "
“Esteban fell face downward upon the floor. "I am alone, alone, alone," he cried. The Captain stood above him, his great plain face ridged and gray with pain; it was his own old hours he was reliving. He was the awkwardest speaker in the world apart from the lore of the sea, but there are times when it requires a high courage to speak the banal. He could not be sure the figure on the floor was listening, but he said, "We do what we can. We push on, Esteban, as best we can. It isn't for long, you know. Time keeps going by. You'll be surprised at the way time passes.”
― Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey
If there were any plan in the universe at all, if there were any pattern in human life, surely it could be discovered mysteriously latent in those lives so suddenly cut off. Either we live by accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan.”
Imbrium
Jennifer
*Hug* I'm so sorry you lost her... it's always so devastating to have to say goodbye to a beloved pet; worse still when we feel especially robbed of time we could've spent with them because they die young. :tears2: I lost a sugar glider last summer that was only 9 months old (avg. lifespan is 10-15 years) to a liver infection - she died 2-3 minutes before we reached the emergency vet; she was my breeding female and was carrying their first joey in her pouch at the time, too. It took me three months before I felt ready enough to find another female that was a suitable match for Lemmy; it probably would've been much longer if I hadn't had to worry about the risks of Lemmy going without a cagemate for too long.
While you may not have gotten to have her for very long, you turned her whole life around in the short time you two had together. She didn't have to die in an abusive and neglectful atmosphere where no one even cared that she was suffering. She got to know what it was like to have a loving owner, a warm and welcoming home, a proper diet, veterinary care, toys/interaction/enrichment and all the other things she had to go without for much of her life. Because of you, she died knowing that she was truly loved!
Sadly, sometimes the physical damage done before a rabbit gets rescued is simply too great to repair... but being placed in a wonderful home certainly goes a long way towards repairing the emotional damage, and that counts for an awful lot as far as the rabbit is concerned!
It's pretty hard to walk away from being a bunny slave... I wouldn't be surprised if you found yourself back here eventually. I'm sure that if/when the time is right, even if it's years from now, you'll recognize that you're ready to have a bunn in your life again.
[A side note on the cat thing... you might look into pet health insurance for him (I would steer clear of VPI, though - benefit schedules tend to screw you over!). I'm actually getting ready to purchase a policy for my boyfriend's older cat, who turned 16 last month... it's going to cost me $800 a year and I'll have a $200 per incident/illness deductible (annual deductible is much better), but the policy will cover 100% of the vet costs up to $22,000 a year. Plus, I don't have to worry about ending up in a situation where we have to weigh a surgery costing thousands of dollars against the chance of it saving Roo's life. (I'm going with PetPlan, by the way - it was the best for us out of what was available for cats his age.)
As your cat gets older, fewer and fewer companies will be willing to insure him and some of those that do will offer very limited benefits. Also, "pre-existing conditions" includes anything where symptoms were present prior to the insurance being purchased even if the illness hasn't been diagnosed by a vet yet... and an aging cat becomes progressively likely to show symptoms of age-related illnesses. We're incredibly fortunate that Roo hasn't shown any signs of a pre-existing condition at his age!
Anyway, just some food for thought from someone else who's also looking ahead at the potential for a senior cat to rack up financially-crippling vet bills.
If you do decide to look into insurance, I found these sites particularly helpful when I was doing my research:
http://seattletimes.com/html/tailsofseattle/2019713693_shopping_for_pet_insurance_part_3.html
http://seattletimes.com/html/tailso...shopping_for_pet_insurance_the_hunt_ends.html
10 best pet insurance companies of 2014 ]
Binky free, Raina! :rainbow:
While you may not have gotten to have her for very long, you turned her whole life around in the short time you two had together. She didn't have to die in an abusive and neglectful atmosphere where no one even cared that she was suffering. She got to know what it was like to have a loving owner, a warm and welcoming home, a proper diet, veterinary care, toys/interaction/enrichment and all the other things she had to go without for much of her life. Because of you, she died knowing that she was truly loved!
Sadly, sometimes the physical damage done before a rabbit gets rescued is simply too great to repair... but being placed in a wonderful home certainly goes a long way towards repairing the emotional damage, and that counts for an awful lot as far as the rabbit is concerned!
It's pretty hard to walk away from being a bunny slave... I wouldn't be surprised if you found yourself back here eventually. I'm sure that if/when the time is right, even if it's years from now, you'll recognize that you're ready to have a bunn in your life again
.[A side note on the cat thing... you might look into pet health insurance for him (I would steer clear of VPI, though - benefit schedules tend to screw you over!). I'm actually getting ready to purchase a policy for my boyfriend's older cat, who turned 16 last month... it's going to cost me $800 a year and I'll have a $200 per incident/illness deductible (annual deductible is much better), but the policy will cover 100% of the vet costs up to $22,000 a year. Plus, I don't have to worry about ending up in a situation where we have to weigh a surgery costing thousands of dollars against the chance of it saving Roo's life. (I'm going with PetPlan, by the way - it was the best for us out of what was available for cats his age.)
As your cat gets older, fewer and fewer companies will be willing to insure him and some of those that do will offer very limited benefits. Also, "pre-existing conditions" includes anything where symptoms were present prior to the insurance being purchased even if the illness hasn't been diagnosed by a vet yet... and an aging cat becomes progressively likely to show symptoms of age-related illnesses. We're incredibly fortunate that Roo hasn't shown any signs of a pre-existing condition at his age!
Anyway, just some food for thought from someone else who's also looking ahead at the potential for a senior cat to rack up financially-crippling vet bills
.If you do decide to look into insurance, I found these sites particularly helpful when I was doing my research:
http://seattletimes.com/html/tailsofseattle/2019713693_shopping_for_pet_insurance_part_3.html
http://seattletimes.com/html/tailso...shopping_for_pet_insurance_the_hunt_ends.html
10 best pet insurance companies of 2014 ]
Binky free, Raina! :rainbow:
