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› Forum › DIET & CARE › A horrible thing has happened tonight
I have a female bunny (milly) who I have to keep away from my other rabbits because her aggression goes beyond that of a typical rabbit. I don’t like the fact that she is on her own so she lives in the summerhouse in a seven foot by 3ft cage and the rest live free range in there. Tonight by freak accident she managed to get hold of my five month old lionhead and although I managed to break it up very quickly the damage had been done.
I checked Phoebe over (five month old bun) and on first appearance seemed fine, then I noticed a chunk of her fur and picked it up to find a huge piece of skin and other matter attached to it. I turned her over and she had a hole three inches long by two inches wide and I could see her thigh muscles and stomach muscles. She is only a 1.3kg bun and is so tiny. I took her straight to the emergency vet and they have taken her in. She wasn’t sure that there was enough skin to hold it together tightly enough so I am just praying that she gets through this. She was spayed last week and went into stasis, I have only just managed to get her over that. I hope she is strong enough to cope with this. I am feeling so guilty and upset and can’t stop crying. If she can’t be helped I will never ever forgive myself.
oh you poor thing, how very upsetting! i’m so sorry this has happened. dispite our best efforts sometimes accidents still do happen. i’m sending sweet phoebe lots & lots of (((((((((healing vibes))))))))). keep us posted ok?
Oh my god oh my god *HUGS* that’s sooo terrible I am sooo sorry this happened to you. It’s not your fault and don’t for a second feel guilty. *hugs* oh my god that must, I can’t even imagine keeping my head in that situation I feel so badly for you. *hugs* You just try to keep you mind off of it until you know what’s happening at the vets and what the prognosis is. No sense worrying your head off, I know easier said then done, but nothing can be done now. It’s good you broke it up and got her help as soon as possible. *HUGS*
*hugs* Oh my gosh. I hope she’s okay…
OMG I am so sorry for you and the little one. They’re like kids, no matter how close you watch them, they manage to get into trouble, you certainly can’t blame yourself, it sounds like you took extraordinary care to keep her separated. *hugs* to you and the bun. Maybe they have some synthetic skin like they use on people, or something. We’re all pulling for you.
I’m worried that even if she has enough skin to stitch her up (which was not a very likely outcome because the skin is so thin and so much was missing for her size) that the wound will split if she tries to move, and how do you immobilise a bunny? It’s impossible. I can’t believe this has happened and especially to phoebe who wouldn’t have even tried to retaliate she is such a sweet bun. There wasn’t a speck of Milly’s fur on the ground it was all Phoebe’s…that upsets me even more to know that she could barely defend herself, Milly is three times her size. I just don’t know what to do with her. I keep her caged in the Summerhouse because she will not bond with another rabbit and although she can’t be right next to them I think she likes the fact that there is company, however the worry of this sort of thing happening has now resulted in it actually happening. I don’t want to rehome her because she has a lot of issues and not many people would put up with her behaviour, but if I have to move her out of there and away from the others I would feel so guilty.
I am so sorry, poor little Bunnie. ((((((((((Healing vibes for Phoebe))))))))))))
i would think that phoebe would need to be kept confined to a smal enclosure while ehr stitches healed much like after a spay. for milly… could you surround her cage with an xpen maybe? something that allows a visual connection but puts a gap between her & the other buns.
When will you hear back? Do you have a timeframe that you’ll hear?
I just spoke with the vet. She came through the anaesthetic really well, we were worried that she wouldn’t because she was just spayed last week and they sometimes have a poorer reaction to another one so soon after. The vet had to trim a little bit of skin because the edges were rough, but she thinks that there should be enough to hold it together. The area is a little swollen because she had to give it a saline flush but she said she was very lucky that her stomach wasn’t penetrated in which case things would have been a lot worse. She will stay on antibiotics and pain relief for a while now and the hardest job is going to be getting her to eat again….she tends to go into stasis over the smallest amount of stress and she was pretty much in shock. She is staying at the vets until 7.30am tomorrow (it’s 11.15 pm here and I won’t be able to sleep) so they can syringe feed and give her some sub-q fluids if she won’t drink. The bill is going to be more than £500…..I’m hoping her insurance will pay out!!!!!
oh i’m so glad to hear she made it through surgery! ((((((phoebe)))))) it’s good they’ll be tending to her until tomorow morning to be sure she’s eating & staying hydrated. take some deep breaths & try to rest even if you can’t sleep. you’ll feel so much better tomorrow if you can get some rest. ((((((hugs))))))
((((Phoebe))))
Yes, maybe just lay on the couch with the lights off and watch TV. I find reading works when I’m stressed out but if your tired you won’t be able to keep that up. That’s fantastic she made it throught the surgery. Sounds like she’s lucky. *VIBES* *HUGS*
oh i’m so glad to hear she made it through surgery! ((((((phoebe)))))) it’s good they’ll be tending to her until tomorow morning to be sure she’s eating & staying hydrated. take some deep breaths & try to rest even if you can’t sleep. you’ll feel so much better tomorrow if you can get some rest. ((((((hugs))))))
Thank you….It’s strange because I have been feeling ill all day today, intended on having a really early night but as soon as that happened I forgot how ill I was! No doubt it will hit me for six tomorrow when I get Phoebe home. I know she is in the best place at the moment because I have a right job force feeding. I think it’s because she is so closely bonded with me so knows she can put up with a fight, hopefully they won’t have as much trouble. I’ve asked if I can give her antibiotics by sub-q as opposed to orally. I hate sticking them with needles but at least that way I know she will be getting it into her system.
Posted By Kokaneeandkahlua on 03/31/2008 3:34 PM
Yes, maybe just lay on the couch with the lights off and watch TV. I find reading works when I’m stressed out but if your tired you won’t be able to keep that up. That’s fantastic she made it throught the surgery. Sounds like she’s lucky. *VIBES* *HUGS*
Thanks…I’ve filled a hot water bottle and had a cup of tea. I’m feeling so tired and it’s creeping up on me. I’ll get some sleep because I will be no good driving early in the morning otherwise. I just realised I am so lucky that I work for myself because I don’t know how others who go out to work would be able to deal with things like this!
BIG BUNNY HUGS TO YOU. All my thoughts and prayers are with you and your wee one.
I agree with you, I would never be able to hold my head at work dealing with something so terrible. Although you have to keep busy or youll go nuts. I agree with Kokanee. Reading is great to get your mind of things. Just grab yourself a steamy romance and relax
I’ll be eager to hear about your baby in the morning.
ooo my goodness charlie – how frightening!! i am VERY glad to hear she made it out of the anesthesia so well. i truly hope she’ll start eating and that the overnight at the doctor’s office will help with the healing.
please don’t beat yourself up over it, really it’s not your fault!
sending lots of calming wishes to you and of course lots of healing to Milly!
Oh Charlie I’m just reading this. I am so sorry. Please don’t beat yourself up. Just be glad you got to her when you did. You are one of the best bunny moms out there. I am so glad the little one is doing ok. Get some rest and give us an update when you get her back. Poor baby girl.
Charlie – plenty of ****healing vibes**** for Phoebe and ((((HUGS)))) for you. I hope that all is well and maybe do a bit more with the bunny proofing in the are where Milly is. Is it possible to put up plexi-glass between her and the other rabbits? What exactly is separating her from them?
I hope everything turns out ok for your little lion head. I’m thinking about you and hope to hear soon how she (and you) is doing!
Charlie,
I just read this and am so relieved for you that Phoebe is coming through the crisis so well so far. You’re probably in shock a bit yourself.
Can you put her in a separate place for a while so she won’t even have to see Milly? Maybe a little x-pen enclosure on a blanket in your bedroom so it’s quiet and she can be with you where you both can rest while you can see each other any time you want to?
I’m wondering if the vet has any advice on how to calm Milly down. Maybe there’s something she can be given for a short while that might relax her and give her a break from her aggression. It’s so hard for you, who loves them both, to cope with a tough situation. I know there are behavior specialists for dogs, any chance of getting behavior help for Milly? I’m reminded of how effective the bonding sessions away from home have been. Maybe she needs bunny camp for a week or two.
Well, not to worry about these things right now. I’m sorry for rambling. Please just have your tea and a bath and a soothing rest. Pheobe is in good hands and they won’t send her home unless she’s ready. You reacted wonderfully. (((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))
{{{{{{{{{{{{{healing vibes for Phoebe}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
I am sending all good healing vibes for your dear Phoebe and hugs to you too! As if you haven’t had enough to deal with lately, you poor thing!
That’s marvelous that she’s come through the surgery so well. I’ll keep you both in my prayers and hope that all continues to go well and that Phoebe heals quickly. She sounds like such a sweet, precious little bunner!
All will be well. Just hold that thought!
Oh my god, I really hope she pulls through! We’re here for you no matter!
My thoughts are with you …. reading these threads has put shivers up my spine.
Hope Phoebe is ok Girl … remember we are here for you any time, any day.
Hugs
Dawn xx
Thank you every body!
Phoebe is home and seems to be doing really well, nibbling on hay and veg. I have to inject her meds which I am not looking forward to, I just wouldn’t be able to get them into her orally. Her underside is swollen and very bruised, especially her hind leg because there was a lot of trauma there, but she seems better in herself as opposed to how she reacted to being spayed. She has had a vetergesic, and I have some strong doses of metacam give to her.
I’ll try and explain my set up so you can understand how they are living a little better. I have four rabbits living in the summerhouse which is 12 ft by 10ft. Milly has a 7ft by 3ft hutch at the back of the summerhouse. I had it made tailored to her needs so it is four foot high and has a door on the left hand side and a door on the right hand side. The left door is cladded up to half way and meshed with very fine mesh the rest of the way so that she can not try and intimidate the others through the wire. The right hand door is cladded part way up and meshed the rest of the way up, again so she can’t intimidate the other. She has a second level in on the right hand side so that she can sit up there and look out into the rest of the summerhouse and see the other rabbits but is high enough so that she can’t try and nip the others. Saying that the mesh is so fine that there would be no chance of that happening. She has padlocks on her cage :-(. Teddy and Thumper, my two bonded bucks have free range of the rest of the space which is 9ft by 10ft. Phoebe is only living in there until I try and bond her with my two house rabbits, and her cage is a nic cage on top of Milly’s hutch so she can’t even see her. It is six cubes long and two in depth and she has another level which is three cubes by two. To be honest she only goes in there on a night as she comes inside during the day. Milly generally only goes in her hutch on a night and the rest of the time she is either in the garden or playing in the summerhouse and 10ft pen attached when the boys have their turn in the garden. I alternate days in the garden between them. Last night was a freak accident because I put Phoebe in the pen attached to the summerhouse to let her have some fresh air, and I left her alone for two minutes while I nipped in the house to get some rubbish bags. I had shut the summerhouse door because Milly was playing in there and I didn’t turn the latch thinking the door was securely shut. Obviously it wasn’t and I think Milly pushed it open so of course Phoebe hopped in and all hell broke loose….
I don’t think the same thing would have happened if it were one of the boys because Milly seems to tolerate their presence and doesn’t try and get them through the mesh like she used to. It’s Phoebe and any other rabbits that she hates so normally I’m so careful. I have tried her on a herbal rescue remedy when her behaviour was so bad that I couldn’t walk near her for fear of having my feet bitten (which she used to do regularly). Ideally she should be a single house bunny with someone who is understanding that she doesn’t like attention or other rabbits…or other animals for that matter. I don’t want to rehome her but if a home like that came up I would have to let her go so that she would be happier. I hate caging my animals, and that’s why I can’t have any more and I don’t want to give up Milly, but I feel so sorry for her living on her own and me not being able to have her in the house. I should have stopped at her when I first got her from the rescue, but then I wouldn’t have been able to help other rabbits.
We are moving next month so they will be moving into the garage which is actually bigger than the Summerhouse, and it will be heated/air conditioned. I’m thinking perhaps I could split the space in two and double fence it and keep her on one side and the two boys on the other. I won’t be able to put any other buns in there for fear of something happening again. I know it was a freak accident but I’m even more paranoid now. I’m going to build her her own pen too for the garden and no other buns will go into it, I would like her to have more space but I just can’t give her that at the moment. 🙁 x
I’m so glad to hear she’s doing alright today.
(((((((((((((Phoebe))))))))))))
i’m happy she’s going to be okay. where did you deicde to put her while she heals? what a troublemaker MIlly is… please don’t beat yourself up over this, you’re doing the best you can… i commend you for not giving up on Milly. can Milly be a house rabbit all by herself, or do you have other pets inside the house, i don’t recall…
Phoebe is residing in my bedroom at the moment, I had only just let her back outside yesterday after her spay 🙁 I have two other house rabbits that live upstairs. When we move I’m not allowed to have any in the house so for perhaps the next year until I am in my own house again they will all be living outside 🙁 Well I say outside but it’s not really. I’m moving my two house bunnies into the summerhouse and re-carpeting it and painting it out so it will feel new for them and will hopefully have Phoebe bonded with them. I will be working in there as a studio so will be with them every day all day. It has heating, lighting and electricity etc. I’ll be penning off a section of the garden directly in front of the summerhouse for them. The buns that are in the summerhouse at the moment will be living in the garage which again will be heated etc…I’m putting two huge rugs down for them in there and they will be in huge pens in the garden during the day. I am lucky in that the new house has huge gardens and to the right of the house I am having my own garage and garden which will be fenced off from the rest of it. My sister is having her garden to the left of the house and has decking etc and loads of space and the garden directly to the back of the house is actually more like a small field and the dogs can have that area to run around in. I’m lucky that my sister puts up with me and my needs (demands he he) x
Oh I also have a dog who is great with the rabbits but Milly HATES him and is petrified. She is scared of all other animals including our cat who doesn’t bat an eyelid at her. She found it extrememly stressful when she did used to be a housebun and spent all of her time hiding under things.
oh thank goodness phoebe has pulled through! the poor poor dear. (((((((((phoebe)))))))))
your set-up sounds very very well thought out and carefully planned… this was a freak accident as you say. poor millie being such a handful. it would take a very very specific & special circumstance to give her a better life than what you are giving her i think.
good luck with the meds for phoebe… and keep posting about her progress please. i’ll be checking in
oh thank goodness phoebe has pulled through! the poor poor dear. (((((((((phoebe)))))))))
your set-up sounds very very well thought out and carefully planned… this was a freak accident as you say. poor millie being such a handful. it would take a ver very specific & special circumstance to give her a better life than what you are giving her i think.
good luck with t;-he meds for phoebe… and keep posting about her progress please. i’ll be checking in
Ahhh thank you
I love Milly, I’ve just been giving her some cuddles and it’s hard to be mad at her, especially because she didn’t actually do anything wrong. It’s just the kind of rabbit she is. I’m pleased the rest are relatively laid back! I agree, I don’t think anybody else would be able to give her a better life to be honest because there are so many issues she has going on. I’m going to hang on in there with her and hopefully when I get my own place she can move indoors with me if I can get her used to having the dog around.
OHHH my goodness I’m sooo glad she’s home and well! Phew! Keep us posted Charlie.
How are you managing? Do you feel better yet?
Oh I’m fine thank you! 🙂 I feel a whole lot better now. Phoebe is really surprising me with how well she has reacted to all of this. My usual ‘stasis at first sign of stress’ bun is proving me wrong. I just took her a plate of greens and she tucked right in. I checked her underneath and it does seem very swollen but the vet did say that would happen. There is no sign of leakage so I’m hoping that’s all it is, I take her back to my vet on Thursday for a check up. I have to say usually in these sort of situations I wouldn’t have panicked as much had it been someone else’s pet. I can cope with looking at gorey things, but when it’s your own pet it’s different and it really did make me feel quite sick. I’m still not looking forward to sticking her with needles because she is so small and delicate!! I wish they would make needle smaller
Angela x
Angela,
I am very relieved to hear she is doing ok still and will keep sending lots of good thoughts her way.
It really just sounds like a freak accident that she pushed it open, I swear where there’s a bunny will, there’s a way!
ow poor bunny ((((vibes)))) keep us posted!
Hi!
Gravehearted you are right! When they have their minds on something they will find a way to get it! Milly is probably feeling very pleased with herself that Phoebe isn’t in the summerhouse at the moment he he.
So, I gave Phoebe her baytril via sub-q and it wasn’t a problem….she did go to flinch but I managed to get it in before she could move away. Giving her the metacam was a different story….it hurts them more because it’s a thicker needle and it is big for a little bunny 🙁 I got it in, managed to draw it back to check I didn’t hit any veigns etc and she started freaking out because it must have hurt so it ended up ‘on’ her as opposed to ‘in’ her! and I made her bleed a little…:-( I’ll try and give her an oral dose later on. She seems quite content though…content enough to get up on my bed and PEE!!!!!!!!!! thankfully I put some old blankets on there in case of such a drama. She has been eating a bit of everything which I am so pleased about and I think she will be recovered in no time at all! Soooooo not looking forward to giving those shots again tomorrow.
I think someone suggested putting the metacam in a raisin and feeding it to them…Maybe that’ll work for you?
Some pics of the little lady herself….excuse the fact she looks like she could do with a brush, she always looks like that!!
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Aooohh Whata wittle cutie!
She’s adorable, and I’m so glad she is doing better.
I’m also really impressed with your setup – taking the needs of each bun into account like that – I’d need a spreadsheet!
He he…I am so obsessive about it to the point that I just don’t trust anybody else with the care of my buns. I have things done in a certain order and they all get their fair share of time and affection from me. I have to say I am looking forward to moving so I can give them all more space in general and assign more space to each bun. I am sad that I can’t have George and Maisy indoors but I know it’s not forever and I’ll still get to spend all day with them. Hopefully phoebe will bond with them, she is generally ok with george but i have yet to let her meet Maisy. I think I’m going to wait until we have moved so it is all neutral territory. If it doesn’t work I’ll split the summerhouse in to two sections and keep her in there where she can see them. Once I have my own place again I’ll get her a partner of her own. Saying that, she is best buddies with my dog so maybe she will be happier spending her time with him.
what a darling puff ball she is! good for you for doing the injections. i’m sure you’ll get better & swifter & more comfortable so that she won’t wear as much! i’m like that with eye drops. i usually waste a drop or 2 before i get the hang of it and those are easy compared to needles!
I’ll never like giving injections, I just can’t get comfortable with the way it feels. I have to give sub-q’s to another of my buns and he tolerates it well but I don’t like doing it. At least I know she is getting what she needs though…..well, some of the time! ha ha
Oh what a precious bun! (sends a gentle hug and kiss) She is so lucky that she has you as nurse, Charlie. She’s going to do just fine! ^^
Ugh, needles. Always hated them, always will. Wanted to be a nurse or doctor when I was younger, but can’t stand the sight of blood, my own or anyone else’s! >.<
I couldn’t imagine giving my wee little bunny shots! Girl, you’ve got some strong nerves to be able to do that! Good for you!
Keeping prayers going for the both of you. And Milly too, bless her heart. I have a feral cat who’s like that. Love her dearly, but she’d rip into my other two and not even leave bones if she could…but who else would take care of her if not me?
› Forum › DIET & CARE › A horrible thing has happened tonight