Gerald is gone

Gerald's health had been slowly failing.  He had pasteurella, arthritis, kidney disease, and who knows what else.  In the last 2 months he ate less and less, a sign that kidney disease was turning into kidney failure. I was taking him in for fluids twice a week, and increased his metacam.
 
During that time I had made plans to visit my parents in Florida, something I couldn't change at the last minute so I decided to take Gerald to Special Bunny for boarding. I knew he would get great care there, including receiving daily fluids (much needed for kidney disease).

When I came back from Florida we went to pick up Gerald at Special Bunny, at that time we all decided that he should stay there. I just could not give him the medical care he needed. Unfortunately he eventually stopped eating and we made the decision to help him find Clint, and Gerald was put down the evening of November 8th. 

After Clint died Gerald became a much more friendly bunny. He would run to us when we came in his room (he always ran from us, even when he was out in the rabbitat).  He enjoyed being petted and seemed to enjoy our company. Gerald and I had a routine at night: I sat on the floor and pulled out the plastic tub with all the bunny treats and meds. He would always come over to me, no matter how he felt, and he received his cheerios, oats, metacam and pumpkin seeds (the oats and seeds were given only his last few months to help him keep weight on, just to get him to eat anything).

Gerald was a curmudgeon. We felt he was an old bun when we first got him. When all 4 Reno Rabbits arrived here, he was the last to come out of the carrier. He was always the most shy of all the buns. When living outside he did have a good time running around and digging in the dirt.

Gerald 2006

Gerald and Clint 2007

 

 

Gerald 2008

 

Gerald 2009, he loved digging

Clint and Gerald 2011

 

When Clint was sick with head tilt Gerald was always by his side

 

 

I rarely saw Gerald with his head down like this 2012

 

 

Gerald and his stuffed bunny friend 2013

 

 

Last time we saw Gerald

 

 

I hope the boys have found each other again. We will miss you our sweet blue eyed bun.

 

Gerald

Well, Gerald has been making it without Clint. The first few weeks were hard, for both of us. I hated seeing Gerald alone. A week after Clint's death I got online and found a black and white stuffed bunny on Ebay and purchased it. When the bunny arrived I gave it to Gerald right away. The minute Gerald saw the bunny he came running out of his cardboard box to greet him. Gerald has been by his side ever since. Gerald grooms him and always lays with him. Once in a while I move the bunny around.

A few weeks after that Gerald's appetite changed. He stopped eating his pellets (well, he ate some on occasion). I knew the change was from the kidney disease. I talked to a few bunny people for advice, so I'm doing what I can to keep him comfortable. He also has arthritis which has gotten worse. He is unable to sit on his back legs to clean his face.

Gerald had an x-ray done, months ago (at the moment I can't remember why). But the x-ray confirmed that Gerald is 10 years or older.

Clint is gone

On Friday, July 19th, I took Clint to the vet and the vet helped him to the bridge. The vet was wonderful and I was with Clint the entire time.

Clint just continued to get worse. Last Wednesday I noticed he was dragging his right front paw. By the evening he was dragging the right front and rear left. I spoke with the vet. She thought since he was still taking syringe feedings to keep going since we just started the new meds, but it was possible that the infection had gone to his brain. By Friday morning he was not able to swallow and was not able to move around (but could only hold himself up). We knew he was miserable and there was nothing else we could do for him.
 
We miss Clint so much, and it hurts us to see Gerald alone now. Gerald is having a hard time too.  We sit with him, but he doesn't want our company (he never has). Now he gets extra tree twigs and timothy cubes. I purchased a jingle ball for him and some stuffed toys. Gerald has had Clint by his side for 7 years, it will be a tough adjustment and we will do what ever we can for him.
 
Four Reno Rabbits is now 3. Clint had a wonderful life here and I'm always so glad we got to care for him after his rotten start in life. Clint was the only rabbit that didn't like Strawberries, and I recently discovered that he loved peaches. The shelter that rescued him originally named him Dumbo, because of his one bad ear. I named him Clint, after Clint Black. Some think he was named after Clint Eastwood, that would have been fitting too, he was one tough bun. After years of outdoor life in the Rabbitat, I'm glad we moved both the boys into the house, we got to know them better and they became less afraid of us.
 
Clint, during his first few months here in 2006

 
 (I didn't know he didn't like strawberries....)
 

 
 Gerald & Clint 2007

 
Clint 2008
 

 
 Gerald and Clint loved the chair 2008
 

 
Enjoying fresh grass and clover 2009

 
 Gerald and Clint. Brought inside when Clint became very ill 2012

 

 

Clint enjoying the sun in the office April 2013

 



 

Clint's last time outside July 2013

 

 Love you sweet boy.

 

 

Update on Clint and Gerald

Clint had recovered from his gut blockage. But then in June I could tell there was something wrong with both boys and we went to the vet, both were diagnosed with ear infections. They were placed on meds and seemed to be on the road to recovery. Then Clint's head started tilting again and his eating decreased. At the same time I noticed Gerald's eyes and nose were runny. So off we went to the vet again, last week.

Gerald received meds for pasteurella and Clint for another ear infection. Actually, we don't know if Clint's ear infection is leftover from last month, or new. After a week of meds he is slowly getting worse. I have been syringe feeding  him. I spoke with the vet today and we are going to try different meds. Right now Clint is hardly eating and he has lost a lot of weight.

During the vet visit in June I asked the vet to do a blood draw on Gerald (I was concerned about his long term use of metacam for his arthritis) results came back and he has kidney disease. If you have any experience with this I would welcome your stories and advice.

Here are the boys at the vet office:

 The boys back in June:

All bunnies are well, including Bambi and Cinnamon:

Clint is not well

I noticed Clint's eating habits slowly change over the course of a week. He is still very active, and eating, just very little. So I took him to a rabbit savvy vet on Saturday and she said he has a blockage in his gut. In or near his stomach actually.  Started metocloprammide and metacam Saturday night. After Clint's xray, the vet agreed with my guess on Clint's age, between 7 and 9 years.

It is now Monday and I have not seen any improvement, but also not worse. A friend came over today to do sub q fluids, I really hope that makes a difference.

What Clint eats depends on the day. Sometimes it's grass and dandelions. Others it's kale and celery. I just never know.

Clint and Gerald love living in the office and are free roam 24/7. They are good buns.

I haven't had any luck helping buns with blockages, so please send Clint your good thoughts.

Time to go outside

Since I have some extra time, Dora and Hazel got to go outside (separately) for a bit yesterday. Great weather. They are also both shedding tons right now, so it was a great time to get gobs, and gobs, and gobs of fur off of them.

Dora:

 

 Hazel:

 

 

I am still visiting Special Bunny.

 

A young Flemish Giant, she has already been adopted, along with her sibling. *Those ears!

 

 

Calvin! Do you guys remember Calvin? He was our first foster (along with his mom and brothers). He is a permanent resident. It's so nice to see him and give him treats.

 

Mick's candle

Recently there was a contest over at Mick's blog and I won! It really made my day. The candle arrived yesterday. It now sits on the kitchen counter with the picture of Raisin and Jasper, and my other favorite bunny candle holder.

In the last month I have become unemployed, which really, really sucks. Just about the only good thing about it is that I can volunteer at my favorite rabbit shelter, Special Bunny. My favorite bun there is a resident, Thump.

Dora needs a friend

Dora was spayed last week. Surgery went well and she is back to zooming around the dining room. Next step is to find her a friend, I already have one in mind.

 

Thanks so much to those of you that donated to help Christine's bunnies. Since the needed dollar amount was not raised, I will get a gift card to the local farm supply store so she can buy timothy hay and food for the buns. It will be used and much appreciated.  Here are a few of her buns from a few months ago:

 

Christine and her mom have done a great job taking on 8 rabbits at once and they are all well cared for.

 

The Reno Rabbits are all getting older. I now notice that they look older too.

 

 

Bunnies need a better house