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what else can I do for my rabbit?

22 11:34:34

Question
Dear Dana,

I just wanted to let you know that we lost Sprocket to head tilt almost four weeks ago. He seemed to be recovering well, but then one day within just a few short hours it seemed to get the better of him. By the time the vet could see us he was anemic, and soon slipped into a coma. We took him home so he could die there, rather than on the vet's table. In retrospect I wonder if this was the right decision. I hope he didn't suffer much.

Needless to say his friends and I were--and are--very much heartbroken. I picked up his ashes the other day and I'm now deciding how to honor them. I'm thinking I'll commission a fellow art student to make a ceramic or metal funerary urn.

To be honest I wasn't ready for another rabbit so soon after Sprocket's death, but since my boyfriend happened to be here for a visit (he lives in England), the timing was otherwise right to adopt a rabbit from Brambley Hedge.

We re-named the "new" bunny Alfonse. (Brambley was calling him Stumpy, which seemed a little mean to us!) He's a mini rex and a special needs rabbit who is missing some toes and has an old eye injury. The injured eye has had two corneal grafts and gets chronic infections, so we treat him with sulfa drops. He's also a bit overweight, and will have to be on a restricted diet when he's feeling better...

Yes, incredibly he came down with g.i. stasis in less than a week after we adopted him; the vet says the cause is his old pellet diet, plus stress and perhaps excessive grooming. He's recovering now, but we went through three different vets and a lot of conflicting advice before we found our rabbit expert. I just wish I'd found the expert earlier for Sprocket!

Thanks again for all your kindhearted and helpful advice. We're making a memorial site for Sprocket on the web and I'll send you the link when it's up, if you'd like. He was such a sweet rabbit. We miss him so much.

Thanks again.

Emi (and Richie and Alfonse)

______________________

I hope he gets completely better.  But if not, then you might want to ask the vet about both bicillin and also fenbendazole (not a bad idea, even as a precaution) in case there is some contribution from Encephalitozoon cuniculi.  You can offer the vet this article, if she's interested:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/fenbendazole.pdf

Good luck!  Sprocket is lucky to have such an attentive "mom."  :)

Dana  

Answer
Dear Emily,

I am so very sorry to hear of Sprockets' passing.  I know he will always be a very dear part of you.  

I hope things go well with Alfonse.  With such a loving, caring mom, how could they not?  Please never hesitate to write if you have any bunny problems you think I can help you solve.

Take care,
Dana