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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

not to take ancient rabbit to the vet.

27 replies

Charis1 · 29/05/2015 12:00

He is 13, losing weight, and has now just got a bit of an upset stomach. Still munching away happily. If the upset stomach lasts until tomorrow, I suppose I'd go, but at this age, won't he just be PTS? And if he is happy and alert at home, won't just staying here until he dies be better?

OP posts:
AlpacaMyBags · 29/05/2015 12:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 · 29/05/2015 12:05

If he's eating fine I wouldn't be bringing him to the vet.

WaywardOn3 · 29/05/2015 12:06

He may be in a fair bit of pain. They're not the type of animal to show it as it highlights vulnerability.

I'd take him just in case

Ludoole · 29/05/2015 12:08

Can you ring and explain his symptoms and see if they think a visit is warranted?

HeresMyBrightIdea · 29/05/2015 12:09

I'd take him. I wouldn't want to waste away at home, and rabbits are very good at hiding their illness - their survival depends on it, sick rabbits are left behind and easy prey for predators.

He won't be PTS without you agreeing. The vet will assess what's wrong, and suggest treatments, or possibly say that it's just age. I have had many rabbits that have died of old age, though, and none wasted away, so he may well be "saveable" with treatment.

Whether just staying home to die would be better would depend on whether he's in pain. Rabbits hide that very well.

DayLillie · 29/05/2015 12:10

I used to just keep my rabbits clean and comfortable in a nice bed of hay. They hate going to the vets and used to stamp all the way home. If he is eating fine, let him be.

DontTurnAround · 29/05/2015 12:14

Bunnies hide it well. Please take him to the vet. It may just be metacam to ease his pain but please don't let him suffer.

Original poster
Charis1 · 29/05/2015 12:14

ok, appointment made, you are right, I don't really know if he is in pain.

OP posts:
FarOverTheRainbow · 29/05/2015 12:16

There's plenty of things he vets can give him to help settle his stomach and replace the nutrients he's losing and also some pain relief, if he's happy in himself there's no way they'll suggest a PTS without treatment first

Lonecatwithkitten · 29/05/2015 13:02

Diarrhoea is relatively rare in rabbits. If he has soft mucky faeces around his bum these are most likely his caecotrophs that rabbits pass at night and eat. Not eating them is a massive indication of pain, particularly back pain. A course of pain killers may dramatically improve his life.

helenahandbag · 29/05/2015 13:05

Glad to see you've made an appointment OP, prey animals always hide pain very well so as to avoid looking weak. My guinea pigs did this - one of them kept eating right up until a few hours before he died Sad

I hope it's something simple and your rabbit feels better soon.

littlefrenchonion · 29/05/2015 19:09

"Better a day too early, than a day too late"

Meaning - if you wait, you run the risk of him dying a painful, undignified death, which would be solely on your shoulders as his caregiver. You don't have to have him PTS if that is not your wish but the vet could provide you with pain relief for now (rabbits are a prey species and hide signs of pain).

Also - don't forget out of hours vets are very expensive, you'd be looking at £100+ if he went downhill overnight.

Take him to the vets, it sounds as if you've done a good job up until now as he's a grand old age - why stop now?

littlefrenchonion · 29/05/2015 19:14

Sorry, just seen you made an appointment :-) hope all goes well x

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 29/05/2015 19:16

13yo rabbit -

I know it's not the same but we keep guinea-pigs.
Our young boar (huge big 18 month old) became ill and despite having 2 vet visits in the space of 3 days , (he had infusions and antibiotics the second visit) he died ( diarrhoea ) . I've never had a pig with this condition,.
They go downhill quickly Sad

In restrospect , would I have taken him (an hours drive each way) ?
Don't know. I reckon I did what was right at the time. Maybe if I trusted my instincts, I'd have let him slip away at home .

He did die the next day, my DD didn't want him PTS. The vet and DD said give him a chance, which we did.

Animals don't make it easy do they?

Good Luck Rabbit.

Royalsighness · 29/05/2015 19:18

13! That's amazing I didn't know rabbits could live that long.

Good luck with the vets and I hope it's good news x

Original poster
Charis1 · 29/05/2015 19:26

well, he is on antibiotics and stomach medicine. Lungs and heart not great, but no sign of pain, the vet says. We have decided on non invasive treatments only, and see what happens in the next few days.

If he is going, I would like him to just curl up and die in his sleep at home. He has to go some day soon, I suppose. It is amazing how attached you can get to a rabbit!

OP posts:
pineapplecrush · 29/05/2015 19:32

We were in a similar predicament last August OP. In our case, our rabbit was 7 and appeared unwell, hiding away and not eating much. We rang the vet and DH took him to the vet's in the car, the vet came out to the car and had a look, she said he was ill and didn't have long to live and put him to sleep whilst DH held him in the car. This might not be the case with your rabbit, but I was reluctant to take him to the vet like you said, as he didn't appear in obvious pain. However, I'm so glad we did as the vet said he was dying and it was comforting he went quickly and painlessly. Hope it all goes well for you.

Original poster
Charis1 · 19/06/2015 19:34

Well, he is now fully recovered! And bounding round the house with oodles of energy, chomping hay, chewing the wallpaper, and making burrows in the laundry basket!

He is not allowed to eat rabbit food any more Confused apparently rabbit food is very bad for rabbits!

OP posts:
Twodogsandahooch · 19/06/2015 19:36

A good news story on mumsnet! Well done bunny.

yoshipoppet · 19/06/2015 19:46

He must be the Duracell bunny :)

corgiology · 19/06/2015 20:41

Curious to know what the vet said about the rabbit food? :)

Is it the pellet stuff or the mixed stuff?

Millais · 19/06/2015 20:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BagsyThisName · 19/06/2015 21:03

Well done bunny. I have a 10 year old and thought that was old.

RabbitDeNiro · 19/06/2015 21:14

Wow, 13! What a great age. Glad he's feeling better. My oldest rabbit lived until he was 11 and I was amazed by that. He ate rabbit food too

bellegold · 19/06/2015 21:44

Aww, yay for bunny making a good recovery. When my hamster was dying I didn't take him to the vet as I thought it would be too traumatic and he did die the next day peacefully in bed. Took me along time to check the body as I read (maybe on here?) about someone's hamsters head exploding Shock

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