Saturday, August 25, 2012

Despite the Best Efforts of Mice or Men

Edith

Born 2011, Died August 25, 2012

 
It is with a sad heart that I have to report that Edith died this morning at Dr. Layhe's office.
 
She seemed to be doing better last night. We got her to eat some romaine and some more pineapple juice. She spent the night on a heating pad to help keep her comfortable. Sean and I went to bed at 2 am, hopeful that she was on the road to recovery. I awoke at 6:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep. I did not want to disturb Sean so early, so I went upstairs to check on Edith and enjoy the stolen moments of solitude while they were mine to have.
 
Edith did not look good, but she did not look a lot worse, either. I gave her a gentle tummy massage, rubbed her ears and left her to rest while I checked my email. She startled me around an hour later when she jumped violently down from the top floor to the 2nd floor of her pen. While I watched, she jumped again into the bottom level and lay on her side in the litter pan. She didn't look good and I feared that despite all our efforts and care, she might die, anyway. I rushed downstairs to wake Sean. He agreed that Edith needed to visit our vet again immediately. With her so dehydrated, we felt at the best course of action was to have some sub q fluids infused. Edith was a young bunny. She had only come into our care within the last year and had been adopted only months before by her previous owner. The situation was certainly serious, but as I posted yesterday, bunnies do sometimes get these impactions and usually they can be helped. Our hope was that the infusions of fluids would rouse her and get her stabilized to the point where we could start her on a course of Reglan to help get her digestive tract moving. (This is the standard in treatment when the problem is located in the upper GI track, but it would do no good to try to dose her, limp and clearly sick. Think: inducing BM while completely exhausted and you get my point. No fun and certainly dangerous for a 5 lb bunny to suffer through.)
 
We did not wait for Dr. Layhe's office to open. Sean and I were there by 8am. It was too late, though. Just after bunny was examined and before an IV could be started, she was gone.
 
Even though we did not have her long, she will be missed by us all. I am dreading having to tell the girls what happened when they return from their Dad's house this evening. No matter how inevitable the eventual passing of a pet is, it still hurts when they leave us. We love them. Provide for them. Talk to them and they hold our hearts in ways words fail to express. Why do we (people who love animals and keep pets) put ourselves through this almost certain loss time and time again? The only reason I can think of is the unconditional love, joy, and devotion they give us while they are alive to do so.
 
I am glad that we met Edith. She was a good bunny. ♥

2 comments:

  1. I am so sorry for your loss! You did all you could for Miss Edith. I hope the girls will be O.K.

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  2. Oh, I am so sorry about Edith. She was such a cute little girl. A few months ago after some horrible losses I, too, was asking why I let myself get so attached when I know I will lose my pets in the end. I came up with the same answer you did - because they give me so much love and immeasurable joy while they can. We owe it to them to give it right back.

    Hang in there. Sending positive thoughts your way. *hugs*

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