# Did I do the right thing?



## sherlshine (Mar 16, 2007)

I am so upset right now.Last night, at around 11pm I had my little bun bun Thumper put tosleep.  She was born in late December, not even three monthsold yet! I am just really doubting myself right now.It all started when about 3 weeks ago (maybe a month) she wasattacked by a cat! I jumped over the fence and got her and tookher to the vet immediately. She was put on antibiotics and seemedto get over her shock after about 2 weeks But thenseveral days ago Thumper started acting different. She seems tojust sit in her litter box a lot and didn't seem to be eatingmuch. I wasn't having to refill her pellets. She was stilleating veggies and hay, but even the hay didn't seem to excite her asmuch as it used to. I took her to the vet and he said she wasperfectly healthy and might just be becoming sexually mature.That afternoon my daughter entered the hospital (she swallowed somepennies) and we didn't get hom until the next night.Thumper looked REALLLY bad! She was breathing in this weirdrythmic way and her nose was covered in snot. Her cage wasalso soaked with water (I discovered her water bottle had aleak). She look miserable. After making some calls Idecided to take her to the emergency vet. He said she was inreally bad shape!  He advised me to put her to sleep. Hesaid she was barely getting oxygen. He said we could xray her, dotests, put her on an IV and she'd probably not make it anyway, becauseof the condition she was in. There was no way I could afford$700-800 especially if she probably wouldn't make it. I wouldhave definitely tried to make it happen if he had given me some hope,but he was very grim. I decided to put her to sleep. Itwas after midnight, I was heartbroken and exhausted from the hospital,I just felt so helpless!


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## petkeeper (Mar 16, 2007)

Sometimes quality of life is better thanquanity. I think imo you did the right thing.Putting your rabbit through all those test would have stressed her outeven more to the point she probaby would have had a heartattack.

I am sorry for your loss, but don't punish yourself.

S.


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## TinysMom (Mar 16, 2007)

I have seen rabbits die when they've had respiratory problems....and all I can say is - I think you did the right thing.

It is not pretty and it is painful and even though it came on us as ashock (I didn't really have time to get to the vet)...it still hurtbadly.

I think you did the right thing - both for your rabbit and yourself.

Forgive yourself and enjoy the memories you have.

Peg


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## sherlshine (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks for the support.  She didlook really bad, she looked like she was suffering.  Hermouth was opening and closing in this really weird way. It tookme an hour to decide. I couldn't stop crying. It's soweird to look at her empty cage. I just can't believe we'renot rabbit owners anymore! I know we'll probably getanother one soon, but it's just not the same. I was just sorelieved and happy that she had survived the cat attack and now this.


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## Butterfinger (Mar 16, 2007)

I'm very sorry your baby had to golike that....making that decision is always so hard. I knowmy dutch girl, Clover, had to be euthanized because of respiratoryproblems too (She had pneumonia) and it was really hard forme. Whenever you need to make the decision to put them out ofsuffering, it always seems like they're taken away from you beforetheir time, like they were cheated of life, or there was something youcould have done that might have solved everything... 
But you did the right thing, despite all your worries...I'm sure she'sin a much better place, now, with no pain or trouble breathinganymore. 
I know I lost my lizard recently, and since her cage was in thelivingroom, I'd pass by it all the time....it was always a reallyawkward feeling when she wasn't there. So I get what you mustbe feeling right now. 
:hug2::hug2::hug2::hug2::hug2: Much hugs for you
~Diana and Butter


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## ahri22 (Mar 16, 2007)

What a hard thing to go through  It soundslike your poor bunny was suffering...but knowing it was so young, Iunderstand how hard it must have been!

Having recently lost a bunny myself I know how hard it can be! Justknow that you did do the right thing, and you stopped Thumper fromsuffering any more!

Binky free little Thumper

:angelandbunny:


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## CaityMac (Mar 27, 2007)

i am so sorry
i know what it is like to put a pet down and its not easy to do.
i keep blaming myself for my animals death (my dog) but i got to realizing
that she is now in a better place and is watching down on me.
i think that when one of your animals gets put to sleep or dies
that he/she is dying so that another animal who is in pain
and needs a home can get one by you.
so another animal can get the love that that animal had gotten before.
you tried your hardest and now she is watching down on you.
and isn't in pain anymore.


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## sherlshine (Mar 28, 2007)

Today my daughter asked me how I "knew" thatThumper had died and I told her how the vet had put her to sleep andexplained the process. She became completely hysterical, she wassobbing uncontrolably!  Even though I had told her whathappened before, I guess she hadn't understood it. Now she feelslike the vet and I "killed" Thumper! She knows she was verysick, but she doesn't understand why we didn't try to make herbetter. She doesn't want us ever to mention Thumper's nameagain! She says she wants to forget about her because it hurtstoo bad. I know she'll probably change her mind about that, butthat just makes me sad.


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## Butterfinger (Mar 28, 2007)

*sherlshine wrote:*


> Today my daughter asked me how I "knew" that Thumper haddied and I told her how the vet had put her to sleep and explained theprocess. She became completely hysterical, she was sobbinguncontrolably!  Even though I had told her what happenedbefore, I guess she hadn't understood it. Now she feels likethe vet and I "killed" Thumper! She knows she was very sick,but she doesn't understand why we didn't try to make herbetter. She doesn't want us ever to mention Thumper's nameagain! She says she wants to forget about her because ithurts too bad. I know she'll probably change her mind aboutthat, but that just makes me sad.


Children can take death very hard....Sometimes they just don'tunderstand that not everything can magically get better, like in theirstories and movies... 
Unless she is totally unresponsive right now, I'd probably try toexplain it like.... 'If the vet had not freed Thumper to the RainbowBridge, she would have been in really bad pain until she died, and wedidn't want her to hurt anymore and to be happy and play with all theother bunnies up there in the sunshine.' (Maybe using therainbow bridge would make it less harsh and let the mind think of that,rather than just that Thumper is dead )
Just a suggestion.. 
I hope you both feel better soon, regardlessinkpansy:
BestWishes,
Dianaand Butter


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## pamnock (Mar 28, 2007)

I'm so sorry for your loss and for the difficult decision you had to face. 

It's normal to be angry and to second-guess yourself, but you knew what you had to do at the time and you did the right thing.

Pam


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## TinysMom (Mar 28, 2007)

First of all, your daughter's reaction is a verynormal one. When we're younger and something goes wrong - wewant to blame someone or something. We need to blame someone (or so itseems).

Your daughter (at her age) still feels this way. It is just a naturalreaction. I was very much the same way when I was younger - even intomy earlier twenties. 

You have to remember though that you ultimately did what was best for the rabbit with the resources you have.

I may get flamed for this - and that is ok...but if I had a rabbit thatwas ill and it would cost $700 or so, I too would have to allow thatrabbit to be put to sleep. I have a husband and children and we have amortgage and we need to put food on the table, etc. (ok - so my kidsdon't live at home right now). The point is - I have others who needthat money more.

Do I love my rabbits? You bet. And I would do whatever is in my powerto help them get well....but it isn't within my power to spend hundredsof dollars on them (no credit cards - or at least small ones). 

Don't beat yourself up. You helped the rabbit transition from a painfulexistence...you thought about what the rabbit needed at that point intime. 

There are times when we just can't spend a lot to help an animal - even if we want to.

In time, I think your daughter will grow to understand this and accept it. 

I'm just sorry that in the midst of your own grief - you have to help your daughter through this too.

Peg


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## polly (Mar 28, 2007)

you are right Peg i don't think many people havethat amount of money sitting spare and it is relly horrible to see yourbun like that she is happy now i try to think of ny buns that havepassed in a big field binkying daft and causing mischief 

Rainbows:rainbow:


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## missyscove (Mar 28, 2007)

I certainly think you did the rightthing. It sounds like she would have died soon anyway, youjust allowed that to happen much less painfully than it would have hadshe died naturally. 

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your rabbit. If youare thinking of getting another, there are often alot of rabbits inshelters shortly after Easter that will need homes.


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## Starina (Apr 1, 2007)

I want you to know that you did the right thing.The surgery would have just caused more pain, and she probably wouldn'thave made it. Why cut her open when you can just let her go peacefully.Maybe you could explain to your daughter that she was hurting so badand there was only one way to help her not be in pain anymore. Youloved your bunny and it was very hard for you to decide to put her tosleep, but it was for the best. It would have been selfish for you tokeep her alive and in pain. I don't know how old she is, but hopefullythis will help her understand. Death hurts, and so she may just needsome time to deal with it. Just make sure that it is dealt with,sweeping things under the rug never get better.

Good Luck, and you were very compassionate to help your Thumper the way you did.:hug2:

~Star~


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## jcottonl02 (Apr 28, 2007)

It is always so hard when you lose someone youlove, and it's even harder when you have to make the decision whetheryour pet lives or not, and sometimes you feel like you shouldn't putthem to sleep because they might get better etc. but if a vet suggestsyou should put your pet to sleep, it is definately the right decision. 
Your rabbit sounded as if she needed to be put to sleep-and sounded asif she had had a fantastic life, loved and cared for immensly, untilthat moment.
Please don't feel guilty or remorseful- you gave her a fantastic life and you couldnt have made any other decision.
All she knew was that she was loved, and now she's at peace 
Jenny n benny


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## ~BunBuns~ (May 5, 2007)

R.I.P


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