Sad Bunny News

One of the "geniuses" here at UMich in technical support upgraded my cpu and I haven't been able to get on in a couple of weeks! Whew, it's good to be back!

At any rate, my loving Noah bunny died last Friday afternoon. He had pnemonia for a while and it was only getting worse despite all the big gun medications he was given by the rabbit vet. I'm not quite sure where my head was at the time.....

When the vet first told me his prognosis was not good I must have decided to overlook that remark. After all the meds appeared to be working...he had perked up a lot, didn't have a lot of rattles in his breathing, was eating well and pretty active. Then he started to fail and we went back to see Miss Vet and when the she suggested the "E" word, I was so shook up that they gave him another dose of the big guns. Again he perked right back up, ate well, etc........ But when he started to fail again I made him an appt for the big "E".....but he died in my arms this past Friday afternoon on the way there.....

In the past when I've lost a bunny like this I usually tell myself that I gave him a good life, that he was spoiled and loved and he knew it. But it just didn't work this time......this time the loss really, really hurt..... So I've been feeling really lousey.... And then started wondering if I had done right by Noah or did I prolong his suffering.....

To make matters worse his partner Gracie has gone almost psycho on me. I haven't been able to get close to him, pick him up or make a move in his direction without Gracie running away and hiding. Then on Monday evening I really wanted a bunny to cuddle, Gracie wasn't buying that, so I brought Maple in to the living room where we sat on the sofa and had a nice long talk and a bunny massage. Up comes Gracie, peeks over the edge of the sofa and jumps up and I'm thrilled...Oh great! They are going to be friends! Wrong!!! Gracie started this terrible growling and then lunged at both me and Maple (who is deaf and had his back to Gracie) and then tried to bite us both. I gently pushed Gracie to the floor but he jumped right back up and did it again. When
Gracie....sounding really scary now with the growling and lunging did it a third time I took Maple back to his living area...with Gracie chasing and trying to bite my ankles all the way there.

I've had rabbbits 9 years, been a volunteer at the rabbit sanctuary for 5 and I have never seen a rabbit display this kind of grief before...... Surely it has to be grief, what else could it be?
I am not about to add to Gracie's grief by confining him to his cage or giving him up...... Does it sound logical to let him work through this anger, or am I applying human emotions to a animal and wwwaaayyyy out in space somewhere? Any advice on handling this kind of situation would be greatly appreciated.
(and my apologies for the long novel!) :( :( :( :( :(

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure Noah is at the Rainbow Bridge and in no pain now.

Poor Gracie! It will take time for him to grieve over Noah. He's probably so confused and sad, he doesn't know what is happening.
Prayers on the way for peace for all of you.

Please don't second guess yourself, Daisylover. If Noah had not been "perking" up, you would have done something sooner. I'm glad you had the extra time with him.

We will keep all of you, especially Gracie, in our prayers in hopes that the grief will end soon.

Logan

Give it a little time for Gracie to adjust before you make any hard-and fast decisions, okay?

Rest in piece Noah-bunny, dear!

A friend had a little boy on the 8th and his name is Noah! Maybe he'll be a bunny lover when he grows up!

RIP Darling Noah. You will be very missed!

I don't have any advice to give about Gracie. Of course he is grieving, just as you are --- but I'm sure he will do it in his own different way.

(((HUGS))) during this difficult time.

::hugs:: You are the most wonderful buny mommy there is!!! Noah loves you and knows that you loved him. ::hugs::

I agree with Karen, give you both some time before making any decisions.

Ashley

:( Im so sorry to hear about your loss :(

R.I.P sweet Noah:( Have fun hopping around at the rainbow bridge!

*hugs*

Dear Cathy,

I am so, so, soooooooo sorry for your loss. I don't think you prolonged Noah's suffering, only his memories. You know as well as I do that Noah traveled to a far better place and for that journey he packed a lifetime of sweet, sweet mommy memories. He's there for you, friend -- he's just there in a different way.

I'm sure Gracie is grieving just as much --if not more-- than yourself. Give him a time to come 'round. I think I'd approach the "discipline" in a different manner though. Just because he's grieving doesn't mean he can give up structure.... that structure might just be the best thing (comfort?) for him. If that means 15 minutes in the time-out cage, so be it. He probably feels that his whole life has been lost, let him know that his friend may be gone but mommy and her rules are still there.

It's not easy, is it? I don't know that it's ever easy. There are days when I want nothing more than to hold sweet Soph.

I wish you the best of everything and hope happiness hops it's way into your life again.

{{hugs}}

Zippie, Bratt Katt-K'Cee, and Hyper-Piper

So sorry to hear about Noah.
Hugs Karen

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_121.gif

We're sorry!

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

Gracie has calmed down...but then again I haven't tried to take another bunny in to the living room so that may be part of it.
I've been so worried, I've been trying to spend more time with him, down on the HARDWOOD floor.... I was kinda of tired the other night and I covered up with an afghan and put my head down and some time later I realized by knees were warm (it's gotten very cold here).....and there was Gracie laying on the afghan against my legs.... Still can't walk towards him and he still hides a lot but hopefully this is progress!

As you know, I was sorry to hear od Noah passing.

I am glad that Gracie is feeling a little better now.

Thinking of you xx

No! Noah!!! You DID give him a happy life! YOu know it! You spoiled him rotten just like all your other bunnies! Do9n`t forget that or think differently!!

RIP Sweet Noah

RP sweet Noah, you will be missed. :(:(

Well, I think Gracie has gone a step or two backwards...... That little stinker has gotten up and PEED on me three times!
I'm thinking that maybe getting him a new friend is in order now...????? :D

I'm so very sorry to hear of the passing of Noah:( We all second guess ourselves during these difficult times. But there is no doubt that Noah was the most loved bunny and you did everything in your power to help him. Rest easy now, sweet Noah. You are greatly missed.

Daisy must be hurting so badly after the loss of her bunny pal. Sorry about the little setback. Maybe a new friend will help ease her saddness:)