IS TIME TO PUT HER DOWN?

[mrianah]

Hello,

My lion-head-Netherland-dwarf mix, Furry, is 4 years old. She is blind, has been for two years, eye doctor doesn’t advise cataract removal but eye removal. Also, she has malocclusion. The doctor has recommended extracting the four front teeth. I have no problem with doing both however, everyone tells me that it would be better to put her down. Who would want to live a life eyeless and toothless? I don’t know if I am trying to keep her alive when she is just waiting to die. Other than that she is healthy. What do you guys think? Am I being selfish? Should I let her go or put her to painful procedures so that she continues”living”? 

Please advise. 

[Boston's Mama]

Personally I think disabilities do not have to be live hindering. Who’s to say a blind man has less quality of life?
My bunny has limited vision – and he’s def a happy bunny.
If there comes a time he is blind but otherwise healthy – I’ll do what I can to make life great still
Lots of bunnies are blind ( from birth or acquired from illness ) they actually get along so well with it that you wouldn’t even know in most cases. The main thing is to keep things the same – make sure she has a clear path in her area to get around along the middle like a walkway. Keep hideAways and bowls in the same place all the time.

[LBJ10]

What does the vet say? Do they think that she has a good chance at a quality life? If so, then I don’t see why you wouldn’t give her a chance. There isn’t much information to go on, but it sounds like she has the will… it’s just “other people” who are suggesting she be euthanized.

Being blind is not the end of the world for a bunny. There have been many blind bunnies on BB over the years. Sure, they have some special needs. But they all seem to do well despite not having their vision to guide them. As Boston’s Mama said, there are blind bunnies that you wouldn’t even know are blind. As for the teeth, incisor extraction is not horribly uncommon. Bunnies do fine with this since their incisors are not used for chewing. But all of them need to be removed, otherwise you would have to continually trim the remaining ones. These bunnies may have a little trouble picking up food, but owners have gotten around this by cutting veggies up into smaller pieces, for example. As long as their food is manageable, they have no problem getting food into their mouths and chewing with their molars.

[sarahthegemini]

Being blind and toothless isn’t a death sentence so I don’t understand why people would suggest you euthanize the little thing :-/

Give her a chance. She’s only 4 years old, she can easily adapt.

[joea64]

We often talk of rabbits being delicate creatures, which they are, but – and this is a very gigantic but – they have an astounding will to live, too, particularly if they have a human behind them to lend them unconditional emotional support. Don’t give up on Furry; get her back and help her fight. If she has to have her teeth removed to fix her malocclusion, then that’s what has to be done. Rabbits depend far more on their senses of smell and hearing than on their sight, and as far as I know, those are intact. Actually, you might even consider getting her a bondmate if she finds one she wants; I’ve read of numerous cases where the bondmate of a blind bunny acts as their guide.

[RC92]

Posted By mrianah on 9/05/2017 8:34 PM

She is blind, has been for two years 

I think you may have inadvertently answered your own question here. If she has lived almost half her life blind then she has already adapted. The biggest aspect in all of this I think is the support you give your bun; as long as you continue to provide loving support, keep her in a safe and healthy environment and keep her happy then I see no reason why she can’t live a fulfilling and potentially long life.

I wouldn’t be overly concerned about what other people think when it comes to making such a big decision. It’s very easy to say put her down if they have no connection with your bun. I am very much under the belief that people wouldn’t put down a human just because they were blind, so should not be done to animals either.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By joea64 on 9/06/2017 6:11 AM
We often talk of rabbits being delicate creatures, which they are, but – and this is a very gigantic but – they have an astounding will to live, too, particularly if they have a human behind them to lend them unconditional emotional support. Don’t give up on Furry; get her back and help her fight. If she has to have her teeth removed to fix her malocclusion, then that’s what has to be done. Rabbits depend far more on their senses of smell and hearing than on their sight, and as far as I know, those are intact. Actually, you might even consider getting her a bondmate if she finds one she wants; I’ve read of numerous cases where the bondmate of a blind bunny acts as their guide.

Yes! Agree with all this!

[Deleted User]

Posted By joea64 on 9/06/2017 6:11 AM
We often talk of rabbits being delicate creatures, which they are, but – and this is a very gigantic but – they have an astounding will to live, too, particularly if they have a human behind them to lend them unconditional emotional support. Don’t give up on Furry; get her back and help her fight. If she has to have her teeth removed to fix her malocclusion, then that’s what has to be done. Rabbits depend far more on their senses of smell and hearing than on their sight, and as far as I know, those are intact. Actually, you might even consider getting her a bondmate if she finds one she wants; I’ve read of numerous cases where the bondmate of a blind bunny acts as their guide.

This is a brilliant point. I was also going to suggest that when the time is right another bunny might be a good idea. I have also seen rabbits who become their impaired partners guides. It’s actually really lovely to see and really shows how deep a rabbit bond can actually go. As others have said there are ways and means around these things and being blind and toothless does not have to mean suffering

[Mikey]

Well, shes been blind for two years and has been very happy and content. I dont think her being toothless will make anything worse. She might need a new diet and her pellets might need to be mashed, but nothing will really change otherwise. She still has her sense of smell and her hearing, too.

Does she still play? Flop and relax? Enjoy being around you? Show trust in you? If she does, then I say her quality of life is fulfilling her wonderfully

[DanaNM]

I once heard someone say that bunnies don’t really “see” with their eyes very much anyway: they “see” with their whiskers, ears, and noses… plus they feel vibrations in the floor. As other’s have said, she seems to have gotten on without her vision just fine for the past two years, so that doesn’t seem like an issue.

And it is not that rare for the front incisors to be removed in cases of severe malocclusion, so I wouldn’t worry about that either. Do make sure they check her molars too. Lionheads are prone to dental issues, so her molars may need to be trimmed from time to time. Is there a reason why the vet wants to pull the incisors, rather than just trimming them periodically?

There are many people out there who do not think of rabbits as pets that get substantial veterinary care, and that any illness is a death sentence, not worth treating… but if you suggested putting a 2 year old dog down because it was blind and needed a tooth pulled, those same people would gasp in horror.

I think if you are confident in your vet, she will be just fine. If you are not confident in your vet, find another vet.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[joea64]

My Fernando is an albino, a red-eyed white (REW). His eyesight will never be too good, even by rabbit standards, because of the lack of pigmentation in his eyes, and I’ll always have to take great care to make sure that what eyesight he does have isn’t damaged, but he gets along just fine. In fact, he’s an active, curious bun who loves jumping up on top of hidey boxes and will dare great heights if he smells treats nearby! His eyes may not be so terrific, but his ears and nose are so preternatural in their ability that it actually spooks me a little sometimes.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree with the others. I would be hesitant to say “go for it” if she was a very old bunny but 4 is still young. She may have many wonderful years ahead. As long as you make sure your vet is very experienced and are willing to do what it takes to keep her thriving. Bunnies are very good at adapting.

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