Hi there,

I had a house rabbit, who was very much loved, she had the run of the house slept in bed with my daughter.
She was like a little dog around the house, running around our feet, an jumping on our laps for cuddles etc.

Anyway, over the last few weeks she hasnt been herself, sleeping most of the time, and wasn't eating or drinking much, an the weight just rapidly dropped of her, then she stopped eating her food an drinking her water, which is so unlike her as she was quite greedy before. She was not using her litter tray anymore, as she hardly had any energy to move.

I took her to the emergency vets, an she said my rabbit is quite old now (she was almost 6) she became skinny & very deyhrated, her breathing was bad and looked liked she had a very bad infection. She said we could try intesve care, like force feeding her every hour, put her on a drip to get fluids in her, an a course of antiboitics and then see what happens... Or we could put her out of her misery, so she wouldnt have to suffer any more.

After much heartbreak I thought the kindest thing to do was get her to put to sleep, as my poor bunny would of hated it being handled to be force feed, an it would of stressed her more out, and the treatment was not 100%, it was more of a try method.

This all happend 3 days ago, an i'm now regretting it, I wished i took her home and tried to save her, I can't stop crying, my house feels so empty without her. I just feel so guily! I'm full of what If's... We said our goodbyes to her, and I think she 'knew' as she was licking my childrens faces just before the vet took her down, as you can imagin it was so emotional.

I just feel I let my poor bunny down.

Thanks for reading x x x

Aw, I'm so sorry to hear that. As rabbit owners, that is our worst nightmare. You just don't know what to do for the best. Unfortunately, there is never a right answer. You obviously loved your bun very much though, so please please take comfort from the fact that you gave her a good life. There are so many rabbits out there stuck in rabbit hutches at the bottom of the garden, forgotten about and with no room to run about. Your bun was one of the lucky ones. Happy and loved. Take comfort from this. My thoughts are with you.

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My beautiful buns - Tess and (RIP my beautiful boy) Toby

Thank you for the reply.

She was very much loved, and very spoilt. Although she cost us a fortune over the years, as chewed all our carpets, wires, clothes etc lol. We had her from when she was a baby till now. I take great comfort that she had a good life and was very lucky, as you said a lot of rabbits are stuck in a hutch all day outside, my doughnut never had a hutch or ever caged up, she made our home her home.

About 8 weeks ago, she was on her littertray an she was making weird noises and a scream came out... I thought it was the end then, an rushed her to the emergency vets, he said then she had lost a bit of weight, but couldn't find anything wrong with her and put her on antibotics, since then she was not herself.

It just killed making that final decsion on Wednesday, I didn't realise how attached I had become to her, and can't belive how upset i've been. I just hope I made the right choice for her, she was clearly suffering. The vet said its more than likely old age, but after reading 5 1/2 yrs don't seem that old in bunnies, an house bunnies are ment to live longer, I was expecting her to live to at least 7yrs old...

I don't think I could handle getting another bunny, they are great to have but the heartbreak is unbearable

giants have shorter lives than standard bunnies so while 5 1/2 wouldn't be very old for a normal bunny it's not short for a conti.

I made the difficult decision to have my mouse pts yesterday and I understand how hard it is to second guess your choice.
I'm sure you made the right choice and it sounds like she had a wonderful life with you.

unfortunately there is never a quick guaranteed cure for rabbits. Sounds like with her age it was the right thing to do. She could have had a bladder stone, worms, or vhd from what u have described and i'm no expert.

Its amazing how they become such a huge part of our lives. I dont think I could ever be bunnyless again.

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You did the right thing. It sounds like she had an amazing life much better than being stuck at the bottom of the garden in a tiny hutch (I know not all outdoor rabbits are treated like this). If she was suffering it was the kindest thing to do for her

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"A dog is not "almost human," and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such."
John Holmes

Owned by Buster cairn terrier mix and Leo netherland dwarf mix bunny