Won't Eat (RIP)

[DeepSeaGoddess]

On your previous note, we must have been typing and hit reply at the same time!

I definitely want to bring her home. The ONLY thing that makes me hesitate is that my local emergency vets do not treat rabbits and if somehing happened in the middle of the night, it is an hour an a half drive to get her back! It just makes me nervous.....I have neves dealt with this before...I know that I could probably do it but at least there she has 24 hour care.....they are monitoring her 24 hours...I agree DEFINITELY less stressful at home....

When this is over and she is better (I hope she GETS better), I do not know that I would visit this place again!

 

[DeepSeaGoddess]

Oh, this is so hard, I'm actually sitting here crying as I type this. We went to visit Ginger last night and she just looks pitiful. We held her and comforted her but she was just laying there on us...not trying to move or anything. Definitely not her bright cheery self. I don't want her to be suffering or in pain. But, I also do not know what the right thing to do is.

I just spoke with the Dr. No change much from yesterday...still not stool production or anything. She said yesterday she actually would eat some of the critical care on her own but not today. She seems more concerned with what the underlying problem is that is causing the GI problem.

Here's what she knows/said:
- Her Heart is ok
- Her temperature is normal
- Her white blood cell count is high though which is a concern
- She said this morning her stomach seemed slightly smaller but still no stool production
- Not much change from yesterday as far as how she is acting.

I told her I want to do what is best for Ginger. I don't want her to be suffering but, if there is a chance that we can figure out what is wrong and fix it, I'd like to give her that chance. She doesn't want to try the gut motility drugs just yet because she is concerned that they could do more harm than good with us not knowing the underlying cause. She is recommending another xray to compare to what they took Sunday to look at her gut. In addition, she wants to try to get a blood pressure on her and an oxygen count on her. She is supposed to call me back between 12 and 1 with these results.

I just do not know what to do. I can't stand seeing her like this yet I want to give her a chance if she will make it. What is the right thing to do? I guess all of us struggle with that. I'm just looking for any thoughts you have. I haven't made up my mind yet except to wait and see what she says at noon. Is it worth trying the motility drugs? Is it worth giving her this fighting chance? So hard...

 

[DeepSeaGoddess]

RIP Ginger. She started to decline very quickly. The Dr. could not get many pulses or blood pressure. She said her circulation and oxygen levels were not good and she was declining. I made the only decision I thought I could do and so did the Dr. I am so sad....this is horrible. She mostly thought she has something else going on with her...and if we leave her the way she is, she is going to probably pass away on her own. Basically, she has done everything she can do for her at this point. She had declined even since yeseterday.

This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I mean I have cats and have had to deal with this with them but, this is just so different.....and harder. I am so sad.

And her mate, Kanga, well, he is so sad too......he won't eat his morning veggies the past 2 mornings unless we are in the room with him. This morning and yesterday morning, my boyfriend had to sit in the room with him and then he would eat them. I mean he has been eating and stuff but, just his veggies...I think sharing and eating them with her was a highlight in his day.

 

[Maureen Las]

Oh... I am really sad to hear this. What a tragedy :hug:
:bigtears::angelandbunny:

RIP Ginger :tears2:

I know that you are really far away from the vets office but it would help Konga grieve if hecould see her body ; some rabbits will wait for their bonded partner to return and if they are able to see and sniff the body they do know that death has occured ;

WhatI have done with death of one of a pair is place the deceased rabbit in the area where his partner can see him , leave it there for a few hours , then I have rubbed the scent of the deceased bunny on a stuffed rabbit and left the stuffed animal with the remaining bunny

Once again I am so very sorry that you lost her ...

Ihad a bunny dies awhile back at the vets office after remaining overnight andI was extremely upset that she had died without me.

:hugsquish:
Maureen

 

[Maureen Las]

If you cannot retrieve the body take something with a strong scent of Ginger on it ( towel in carrier , blanket etc) and make sure that Kanga has it .


I have lost a partner each of 2 bonded pairs and the remaining rabbits did do OK with extra attention.

 

[DeepSeaGoddess]

Thank you. Stupid me did not opt to retrieve the body as I didn't even think about that. I will get her ashes back though. I didn't want to wait till I got there because it would have taken me 1 1/2 hours to get back up there.....it sounded like she was already suffering and declining rapidly...at least that is how the vet felt. I just didn't want her to suffer anymore. At least I got to see her last night which was hard because even last night she looked pitiful and had declined a lot since Sunday.

I will have a towel that she layed on in the pet carrier when I get it back. I'll be going up there probably before the weekend so will bring that back and put it in his room with him.

He lives in his own bedroom (him and Ginger shared it). It is a pretty good size room and they have been quite happy there. He's a VERY social rabbit though. The past two mornings, we have let him out to run around the hall way and another bathroom...of course all rabbit proof. I put up a VERY tall gate so he couldn't go too far. Plus, I have 4 cats....they can't jump it. Although I don't think they would hurt him, they do still have their claws...I would NOT trust him to be very close to them unsupervised. But, they do sit outside the gate and just look at him. He has had a WONDERFUL time the past 2 mornings running around in the bathroom and hallway....he did his little what I call static bunny jumps. This morning he came right up to the gate where one of my cats was laying watching him. He sniffed her, she sniffed him and then he hopped away. So, at least with this, it seems to lift his spirits some.

I so miss Ginger already and every time I go in the room I get sadder. Of course, I think he senses this as he reacts a little 'guarded' towards me.

It all just breaks my heart as I'm sure you guys understand. And, seeing him lonely also just further breaks my heart even further.

I have spoken with the lady I worked with that does rabbit rescues. Should I decide to try to find him another buddy, she said they have plenty of females right now that need good homes. I'm pondering it....not as a replacement to Ginger but as a companion for him. I want what's best for him now...

Thank you all for your support and thank you for this forum.....it helps to know that there are folks here that TRULY understand how I feel. I'll post some pictures of her in the memorial forum some time this week when I feel up to looking through them.

 

[Maureen Las]

Give him a little time to get over Ginger. if you try to bond him right now he most likely still feels bonded to Ginger and may reject anothe female.

However you know your rabbit...maybe he will bond easily soon
but I personally would wait awhile

 

[Maureen Las]

I know it is aheartbreaker to see them sitting alone instead of snuggled with their partner.
you can still give him a stuffed rabbit ( maybe it will make him feel better and maybe it will just make you feel better)

 

[DeepSeaGoddess]

Yeah, that is a very good point that I didn't think of. One of the bunnies she has currently is a little girl that is just 6 months old. She is not spayed yet. They always spay them before letting folks adopt. She's going to get this one spayed so perhaps after she gets her spayed and she has fully recovered from that, it will be a good time to try with her first....4-6 weeks. Then, if that doesn't work out, I'll check with some of the other bunnies they have.

I like the idea of a stuffed bunny for now! I may just visit Target or walmart tonight!

 

[Fancy77]

So sorry about your loss...u did everything u could

 

[tonyshuman]

I'm so sorry. What a sad ending to this. I know you and the vet did all you could for Ginger. Give Kanga a snuggle for me, and I hope you feel better too. I agree that something else must have been going on to cause her so much distress. When it's time to find Kanga a new buddy, you'll know. I do suggest you wait at least 2 weeks, maybe even a month, to make sure you're ready for a new bunny too. A new member of your family has to be there not just for Kanga, but for you too, and if you choose a bunny to keep him company, you may end up with one that you don't personally connect with.

Binky free, sweet Ginger.

 

[Pipp]

So very sorry.. :sad:

They should do a necropsy for you to find out what the problem was. A learning experience.


:rip: ginger

 

[Nancy McClelland]

we're so sorry for your loss of Ginger. Sometimes, no matter how hard we strive, we still lose. No matter how much time we have with our loved buns, it's never enough. I'm so glad you took her in and gave her a good forever home and a happy life. Rest in peace little one, you are loved and greatly missed.