Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum RAINBOW BRIDGE Death of my beloved bunny

Viewing 3 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Kendall
      Participant
      1 posts Send Private Message

        I’ve had my bunny since I was a child and she just passed away today and I have no idea what to do I spent so much time with her and I did everything with her we grew up together. Yesterday I went to check on her like I always do and noticed a few flies on her. I started to get worried because my worst fear was her getting fly strike. I thought maybe they were just on her cause she got poop stuck in her fur and I was cleaning her up when I picked her up I saw hundreds of eggs in her fur around her butt. I am aware of the dangers of fly strike but of coarse it was a Sunday so my usual vet was closed I started training the fur off around her butt to try to get the eggs out then I found maggots that had made a cut into her behind. I then started uncontrollably crying I got off as many maggots as I could then called every vet in the area trying to serif they were open and could treat a rabbit. At this time it was around 8:30 at night and I was having no luck I knew my bunny wouldn’t make it till morning and every vet that was opened wouldn’t treat rabbits or didn’t have an exotic animal vet who was working the ones who did treat rabbits were closed… finally one of the vet offices called me back and I was lucky enough that they had a vet that took care of bunnies at the office and they were still open so I quickly drove over there the vet told me she had a UTA and some flies that got somehow got into my house noticed and laid eggs on her I knew the drill this was fly strike the vet removed all the maggots he could find gabe my bunny a few injections and shots and then prescribed me some antibiotics for her UTA. Now I’m not a vet but I assumed that the vet got rid of all the maggots and the shots that he injected her with would kill any of the maggots he missed so I drove home put some mesh around her cage so no more flies could get in and killed all the flies that got into my house and went to bed (it was 2 am at this point). I woke up went to my bunnies cage and saw her looking worse then yesterday I tried to give her the antibiotic and she would not eat it I tried tons of different ways to get her to eat it none worked she wouldn’t eat anything except 1 leaf I gave her. She also did not poop once I then called the vet and made an appointment. I drove my bunny to the vet but there was a horrible thunderstorm and traffic. When I was about a street away from the vet I looked at my bunny in her carrier from my view all I could see was her feet but she was completely on her side and her feet started to shake I drove quickly to the vet ran her into the office and the vet took her straight back. The vet told me she had passed away on the car ride there and that the maggots must of gotten into her stomach before I got her there the pervious night. He showed me under her leg and it was crawling with maggots. I drove home and I can not stop crying I thought she was going to be okay once I got her to the vet I literally don’t know what to do I was extremely close and bonded to her I haven’t been able to eat all day last night I got 2 hours of sleep I just can’t stop crying I still remeber when I first got her I can’t explain how sad I am I thought last night that the vet cured her and killed all the maggots she must of been in horrible pain I can’t even think about the fact that she was getting eaten alive I literally don’t know what to do with myself. My heart stopped when the vet told me she passed away I already had a feeling when I was driving but when he confirmed it I just coulndt belive it. I’m still in shock I can not belive she is dead I can’t belive after how much I tried to prevent her from getting flystike (my friends bunny got it a few years ago and ever since then I’ve been so afriad of my bunny getting it ) I’ve had 2 other bunnies but I’ve never been as bounded to them as I was to this one (her name was Hazel) I literally can’t stop crying and I can’t even think about getting another bunny because I’m so afraid of that bunny getting it. I absolutely adore bunnies and Hazel was apart of my life 24/7 I’m so upset I don’t know how I’m ever going to get passed this I’m also so afraid of my dog getting maggots from her cage idk if I should like burn it or something but I’m also afraid for my family to get maggots too. I don’t know what I would do if any of us got it. I feel so empty. I have no idea how to cope with her dealth I have horrible grief and guilt plus my 2 chinchillas just passed away a few months ago and I feel like a horrible pet owner the only animal I have now is my dog and he is 13 years old I’m a huge animal person and I grew up with all my animals I just don’t know what to do.


      • Cupcake
        Participant
        14 posts Send Private Message

          Kendall, I’m very sorry for your bunny Hazel. I thought that’s a beautiful name. Firstly, I’d like to mention I feel you’re a wonderful pet owner, and your love for animals truly shows it. Please don’t beat yourself up. Guilt seems like a common trait for grieving, “why I didn’t do this or why I didn’t do that.” My pet boy Cupcake passed away not too long ago on jun 19th. You can read up on him titled, “Just few years, but Memories of a lifetime.” Still grieving and have some residual guilt left over. One of the things my grief counselor pointed out was, I need to forgive and go easier on myself for anything I feel I COULD HAVE done, but I didn’t. That forgiveness for me is a process and done progressively. So whether or not you feel guilt, it seems like you did everything you possibly can to free her from the maggots and the eggs that protruded itself around the rectum.
          So yeah, no need to feel guilty, but if you, work through the grief and guilt, in time you will feel better & my sincere empathies are with you. I can relate about your closest bond with Hazel. although my boy Cupcake was the 1st and only rabbit I raised, he made almost 3 & half years of my life. He was (he is)like they say “my joy and pride.”  Thank you for this thread and expressing your love for animals.


        • Bam
          Moderator
          16835 posts Send Private Message

            I’m so sorry. Fly strike is terrible. It can happen very fast in the summer when it’s warm. 6 hours is all that’s needed, so bun owners should check their bun’s butts three times a day when it’s hot, according to Richard Saunders, a very well-renowned British vet. And sometimes, even when a bunny gets the best of care, like your rabbit did when you took her in the first time, fly strike can be fatal when maggots start to die from the meds. I’m sure the vet gave her a painkiller in one of the shots she got, so she wouldn’t have been in a lot of pain.

            Your dog and your family wont get maggots from her cage. Fly strike happens when there’s an underlying condition like a UTI or sticky poop. Your bunny was old and she had an underlying condition that you weren’t aware of, and that made it possible for the flies to target her.

            Try not to be too hard on yourself. I’m very sorry this happened to you. Fly strike awareness needs to be raised in the bunny community, so hopefully your story can help other rabbits and their owners.

            To process your loss you could post a few pictures of Hazel here and write something about your life together, like an obituary of sorts.

            Binky free ***Hazel***


          • Tim&Alfie
            Participant
            70 posts Send Private Message

              I send my sincere sympathy to you, Kendall. I can not possibly imagine what you are going through, but don’t blame yourself. You obviously loved Hazel very much, and you did everything in your power to save her. Maybe it was just her time to go. I am positive Hazel is safe and happy over the Rainbow Bridge. If you need to grieve or post pictures to help recover, the people of this forum are always supportive. Sending love, sympathy, and good vibes. <3

          Viewing 3 reply threads
          • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

          Forum RAINBOW BRIDGE Death of my beloved bunny