Oscars grief, GI issue, breathing

Question
Hi,
My neutered bunny Oscar, who is about 9 years old, lost his mate Juliet to a heart attack about 3 weeks ago.  I was taking her to the vet for a routine appointment, and she fell over in the carrier and died before we got to the car - it was totally awful.  We've been giving Oscar extra attention, but he tolerates humans whereas he adored Juliet, so we're a poor substitute.  We were looking into finding him a new mate, but today he had a butt covered with squishy cecal, and hadn't ate much or drank any water, and had less and smaller poop.  Years back Oscar had a bout with GI slow down, and we treated under a vet's direction with yogurt, pedialyte, greens.  When I was gently wiping off his butt, his breathing started to become labored and it terrified me - I thought he was having a heart attack like Juliet.  I put him back in his partially enclosed private part of his cage where he feels safest, and his breathing gradually became normal.  I've never seen him have trouble with the breathing like that...  I don't know if it was a stress response or something else.  He started to do it again when I gave him a little pedialyte and yogurt, but again went back to regular breathing when back in his cage.  He also ate a plate of greens, which I made extra wet.  I'm scared to put him in a carrier and take him anywhere, given how we lost Juliet.  I'm inclined to continue home treatment, as I'm thinking he's grieving the loss of Juliet and the grief stress might have retriggered the Gi slowdown and the breathing thing... I don't want to stress him further by taking him to the vet...  He's grooming himself right now - that's a good sign, right?  I guess I am seeking your thoughts on this, based on your experiences with bunnies.  Thanks for whatever help you can offer.  If you could email me the response as well as post, that'd be grand so I get it asap.

Janet  

Answer
Hi Janet,

I was glad to hear that you were able to let Oscar be with her body after she died.  His behavior that you describe makes me think that you are right that he figured out she was gone.  He is depressed about losing her.  You didn't mention it but it sounds like they had been a pair for a long time together.

I would give him a month or so of extra care and love and attention, and see if your local House Rabbit Society may have an older gal who's been part of a pair before (or not) and try a few bunny dates.  If he still seems to be anxious about coming out of the cage or traveling, they may be able to come to your house and do the date there.

Often rabbits that had strong bonds to another can be open to taking another companion rabbit.  He is so used to having a gal that not only losing Juliet has made him feel bad, but being alone without another rabbit may be a good sized part of it too.  

You'll know better when it seems like it is time to try a few dates with him.  But I would definitely consider at least trying to pair him with a gal (try several times with different gals if prior dates don't work).  He's used to it and is probably missing not only Juliet, but the more general fact of being by himself after all this time.

Lee


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Hi Janet,

sorry to hear about you losing your gal Juliet.  You may want to reply back to me as I have some questions that could help me give you better info.

Was Oscar able to see Juliet after she died?  It is strongly recommended that with bonded rabbits, when one dies, that the other be able to be with the body for as long as it takes (up to a few hours or less in most cases) to realize their mate is gone.  Otherwise they can get very stressed out and anxious because their bonded mate just disappeared and they have no idea what happened.  They may be fearful that the same thing will happen to them.

And I suspect that because she died outside the house on the way to the vet, that you didn't bring her back to him so that he could get closure about this.  I would further suspect that being out of the cage and being so nervous is tied to this, because he may very well be worried that if he is out of the cage you are going to take him away too and that he won't come back.

Being three weeks there's probably no way you can do anything about it.  I would keep all the items that smell like Juliet around him.  Over time her scent will fade off them.  

I wouldn't take him to the vet unless it is an emergency.  He is stressed out big-time with losing her and you need to do all you can to keep him calm.  Especially at 9 years.  Extra attention and more petting and talking to are important.  Grooming is a great sign, it's normal behavior.

Make sure he's eating hay and drinking.  Hay is critical.  When normal exercise time comes up, let him run in the house like normal, if he wants to come out.  Our guys have ramps that we place in front of their cages and they will come out and go up themselves.  

The most important things to do are keep him eating and drinking, eating his cecals (you can reduce portions of sweet treats so that he will be more inclined to eat his cecals), giving him extra attention while in his safe area and when out exercising, and building up trust with you all again.  You have to understand it from his perspective as a prey animal: you took away his mate and you never brought her back.  That's all he knows.  And he's a bit freaked by it.  I would talk to him about what happened.  Talk to him while petting him.  Rabbits are empathic and can pick up nonverbal info from you as well.  Reassure him you won't abandon him.   Tell him whatever you think you need to to help him understand.  Ask God to help him know what you are trying to tell him.

I would also get some Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy drops from your local pet supply store or health store.  The drops can help relax him a bit.

Again, sorry to hear about your girl and what your Oscar is going through now.  Help him through the grieving process and cut him a little slack as he isn't going to be able to come to closure properly.  

Thinking long term, down the road, since Oscar did well as a bonded boy, you may want to at some point visit a local rabbit rescue group like a House Rabbit Society chapter, or local animal shelter that has rabbits, and see if they have a more mature female that may appreciate a friend.  If you visit www.rabbit.org, they can point you to various chapters around the country.

I also would suggest that if you ever have a bonded pair, especially older rabbits, that you do not separate them for any length of time unless absolutely necessary.  Many people take both rabbits to the vet even if only one has to go there.  She may have been stressed being without him and had a heart attack from separation and stress of the unknown and car trip.  Even if she would have died with him there, at least he could have been able to come to grips with it and understand what happened.

Write back if you want.  Just know if you believe in God like I do, you'll see your Juliet again.

Lee