Poor little bun bun. Give her gentle pets and hug for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
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Poor little bun bun. Give her gentle pets and hug for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
I will - she now has an appointment at Tufts Veterinary on Saturday. The other vet she sometimes sees at our vet's office called, and sometimes they can do radiation on a thymoma to shrink it so the pressue is less on the heart, and so the bunny can breathe better. We'll see, Saturday, what it involves, how uncomfortable it is, and if they even would reccomend it for a ten-year-old little bunny.
The intern at Tufts started a "chart" to make the appointment. Name, age - those we got down. Breed - well, "Maybe a Netherland Dwarf/Rex mix? We don't really know, but she's bigger than a ND, and has bigger ears, but smaller than a Rex, and has smaller ears than they do ..."
I think her breed could be Heinz 57? I hope all goes well, and that some of it can be shrunk.
I sent you an email...don't know if there is any point taking it to Tufts?
Miss Hoppy is an original, one of a kind, Pet Talk mascot, loved by people from all corners of the earth! ;)
There are Dr's and nurses in many, many hospitals that have seen Get Well cards signed by Karen, Paul and Miss Hoppy. The nurses at Washington Hosp Center asked who Miss Hoppy is and I explained that she was The Mayors bunny. :D I received some very strange looks I must say ;)
Thank you for sharing this slice of life with Miss Hoppy. How sweet to think of her enjoying all her different treats. I do hope that Tufts can offer you some plan for lessening any discomfort she may be experiencing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Karen and Paul, please forgive me for only just now seeing this thread. :o
I pray you have many more happy, hoppy, healthy years with Ms. Hoppy. :D
Uh, wouldn't you do everything possible for your loved furry ones?Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
Absolutely!!Quote:
Originally Posted by dukedogsmom
Loving thoughts and fervent prayers that Miss Hoppy will continue to be around and feisty for a long time yet.
I'll be saying a prayer that they'll be able to do something to make your Miss Hoppy more comfortable.
(((HUGS))) to you and Paul
Keeping Miss Hoppy in my prayers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
I could be wrong but I read the it in Catty1's post as being the e-mail she sent Karen not Miss Hoppy.Quote:
Originally Posted by dukedogsmom
She sent me an email about a procedure developed a while ago, but as it was for brain tumors, and this is a chest tumor, it didn't really apply. But it was a nice thought, and we appreciated the effort.
How is HRH (Her Royal Hoppiness) today?
A little sneezy, but currently hiding somewhere for a nap! I hear a wee sneeze, but don't know where it's coming from!
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Reminds me of Boots, da Kat, and his talent of *darting* into opened closets ...
then refusing to *chirp* to his name when he couldn't be found. :mad:
Dumm Kat spent a lotta days trapped in closets or cabinets till we came home
from the Shop and STILL couldn't find him! He'd even ignore the Pounce Can Shake ...
I had to **FIND** him before he'd vocalize just how long he'd been *waiting*!
:rolleyes:
Give the Napper a *skritch* when you find her.
She came out, and startled me just as I was opening a box of crackers ... not even bunny food but the ones you end up sweeping up and throwing away have less calories, right?
I did give her some nose pats, as she let me use the broom without "helping" which makes the job much easier!
Good luck, Miss Hoppy -- Our fingers and paws are crossed for you. Karen, could you please give Miss Hoppy a pat for me?Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Miss.Hoppy will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Good luck tomorrow, Karen! :)
There is a breed called Mini Rex. Maybe that is her heritage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Best of luck at Tufts. :)
Hi God ~
Sorrie fur the short notice ... but we missed this one >>>
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
http://petoftheday.com/i/our_smilies/eek.gif
We kinda need You to sit in onna Exam at Tufts tumorrow ... Wiffa PT Maskot Miz Hoppy!
Kan you find anudder set of Kleen Skrubbies, wiffa Halo Hat an Booties?
Take da Big Book along, Please ... read up on shrinkin tumerz.
We'll *jangle* over at Transportation to get Tubby & Peanut alerted to have da Klowd ready.
THANKS, God!
BEEP - BOOP (3-6)
<riiiiing>
Herrow ... Transportation, Peanut speakin ...
Peanutter! --- Hi, Prayer Pups here ... izza Silver Klowd ready to Fly?
http://petoftheday.com/i/our_smilies/rolleyes.gif Izza Pope Catholic? ... 'Course it's Ready to Fly!
All we gotta do is print a MappyQuest. We're we goin?
Tufts Critter Hopsbittle - near Boston.
We been there - it's already entered inna AutoPilot.
Hey - are we takin Da BOSS along?
You betcha!
We better remember to swing by an pick Him up.
We'll set da 'larm klok and warm da Klowd up first thing inna AM.
THANKS, Guys ... Safe Flight!
Just checking in on Miss Hoppy - I will be very interested to read what you find out from Tufts tomorrow. ((HUGS))) to Karen, Paul and small gentle pats to Miss Hoppy.
It's almost raisin time, I will give her nose pets from everyone after them! We are interested to see to see what the vets says as well, if this procedure is even recommended for a ten-year-old bunny, what it entails, if it is painful ... or anything else we can learn.
I hope that Miss Hoppy's visit to Tufts is a pleasant one and that they're able to help her. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.
Oh Karen, I'm so sorry to learn that your beloved Miss Hoppy is so sick!
Sending lots of positive thoughts,
Kirsten
Just a thought for Miss Hoppy, Karen you are all in our thoughts today!
I'm just seeing this for the first time (thank you Staci for directing me.)
Poor Miss Hoppy! Hope she gets better soon. :(
Thanks everyone. We saw the specialist at Tufts today. Nice guy - and Miss Hoppy didn't even try to bite him, which is a first. We have several options for Paul and I to discuss, and Dr. Joerg Mayer was very helpful and carefully explained everything, and even has a boy bunny that looks a lot like Miss Hoppy. He knew just how to pet and handle a bunny, and even massaged her face with one hand while listening to her heart - so his fingers were in chomping range, but she didn't feel she needed to, I guess.
Sounds like da Bunny had a nice visit with the New Doc!Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Being a Bunny Dad himself prolly helped a lot!
We'll say a Prayer or two that you Bunny Parents will make the BEST decision
for Miz Hoppy.
Give her a Welcome Back Home treet from all of us!
{{{HUGS}}}
Awe... hope the vet had some good advice for you regarding Ms. Hoppy. Hope nothing too drastic or invasive.
Good thoughts going out to Ms. Hoppy!
Glad she was a good girl and the vet was such a "bunny person". Miss Hoppy deserves only the best!
I hope you have some good and viable options...I know you and Paul will do whatever is truly best for your little fluffy girl! :)
HUGS!
Karen, I'll be keeping Miss Hoppy, you and Paul in my thoughts and prayers.
Wow; having a good vet can be so comforting in good times as well as the not so good times. It made me smile to know she'll be in good hands.
It's nice that she has a bunny dr that really knows and loves bunnies!!!
Prayers continuing here.
When we saw Dr. Mayer on Saturday, he presented us with several options. If we are going to proceed with any course of treatment, we first have to determine what the mass is. If it is a thymoma it would be treated differently than a thymic lymphoma, which can mean the cancer is more places in her body. So that was new information, we hadn't even known it could be anything other than a thymoma.
The first step, then, is to do a fine needle biopsy, guided by ultrasound, and determine which of the two it is. He said he's pretty sure it is a thymoma, but wants to know for sure.
If it is a thymoma, there are several different treatments for it, not just "surgery or nothing."
Surgery is one option, but it is invasive and traumatic - they'd have to crack her chest open. We were already shying away from even considering that, considering Miss Hoppy's age. Then Dr. Mayer said that doing the surgery isn't necessarily a cure. He had one bunny that had the surgery done, and in a matter of weeks, the tumor was back, and just as big. So there's no way we'd go that route - we want to make her MORE comfortable, not less. As my Dad said "She's just a widdle bunny!"
There are two kinds of radiation treatments to consider. There's the "curative" kind, which is more intensive, every day for up to a month. It uncomfortable, and can result in burns on the bunny's skin. It's supposed to "cure" the cancer, but there's no guarantee. There are other side effects. And it is several times more expensive than the next option.
The "palliative" radiation is more focussed, and Miss Hoppy would likely not feel a thing. Its goal is to shrink the size of the tumor considerably, so it isn't pressing on her heart, and so she can breathe better and more freely, her eyes won't be bulgy, and she won't be sniffly/sneezy. He has had good results with other rabbits with this treatment, had one that lived for three years afterwards - it just died recently, he doesn't yet know what from, maybe old age. While there are no guarantees with this either, he thinks she could live a couple more years. And one good thing is, if in a year or so she begins to have breathing trouble again, confirming the tumor has regrown, it could be done again, if we chose to. It would be maybe three or four treatments, a week or so apart.
The last option is just treating the tumor with steroids. This is the least expensive option, but, while it may temporarily shrink the tumor, it will get to a point, maybe in six months, maybe in two months, where it no longer works. Then the cancer becomes resistant, and more virulent, and is not treatable. The bunny doesn't last long after the prednisone stops being effective.
The good thing is that Dr. Mayer answered all our questions thoroughly and carefully. We asked "Is it even okay to give a ten-year-old bunny anesthesia?" And he said, "Some people would say "No, you cannot anesthetize a rabbit, they die." But that attitude is outdated by 15 years, and the science of anesthesia has changed a lot in the intervening time." He described what they would do, both for the biopsy/ultrasound, and for the radiation, is put a little bitty "oxygen mask" on her, and give her an inhaled anesthetic, so she'd just breathe it in, and remain still for the procedure. As soon as they stop the gas and remove the mask, she'd be right back to normal. Paul asked if, because the tumor is pressing on the heart, the radiation would damage the heart. Dr. Mayer explained very carefully what how the radiation effects the cells, and why there would be very little damage to her heart at all, small parts of her heart would be damaged, but that her heart would still function.
There are no guarantees with any of the procedures, but he has had very good results with the palliative radiation treatment, and said that's what he'd do if it were his bunny. (By the way, he has a little boy bunny that looks very much like Miss Hoppy!)
I have called, and we will schedule the biopsy, and will keep you all updated as to how that goes, and what's next.
I am trying to be as thorough as possible, because I know we have many bunnies and bunny owners on Pet Talk. Remember, this all started because she had a case of the sniffles that wouldn't go away.
Dr. Mayer did listen to her heart, (after telling her "now, stop grunting so I can hear this!") and said it wasn't just a simple murmur, her heart is working so hard it sounds like a machine more than a heart. My poor bunny.
The Foster Veterinary Hospital at Tufts' Cummings School for Veterinary Medicine does seem like a world-class facility, and we are fortune that it is less than an hour's drive away.
Oh, it would be so nice to relieve the pressure on widdle Miss Hoppy's heart! She must be pretty healthy, all told, if her heart is working that hard and well.
I hope they can do the biopsy pretty soon.
I smiled when the doc told her to stop grunting! :) What does it mean when she does that, if anything?
Prayers going to Paul and you and Hoppy for only good things to come.
Bunny Doc >>>
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/facpages/mayer_j.html
Wishing the BEST for Miz Hoppy, You and Paul!
Miss Hoppy .............our whole house is praying......please be ok fpr you your mom and dad!
Sometimes rabbits make little grunting noises when they are playing (she makes that noise when we are playing "toreador") or when they are angry. But even though I am sure she wasn't playing, that was the most polite she's ever been with a vet - usually she skips the grunt and goes straight to "bite first, ask questions later" mode.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
He did say, except for the tumor, she is very healthy, very good lungs, her eyes are nice and clear, even though they are a bit bulgy right now, she's still "bright, alert and responsive" with just a little sign of aging along her vertebrae visible in the x-ray, teeth are good, nothing bad at all ...