4.22.2007

Claire-Bear, Angela, Tilly, Tucker, Shelly, Colorado, Penny & Butterscotch

Hello All.

Sorry I have been slow this week at blogging for those of you who look forward to it! I had the week off, painted the downstairs of my house, still need a few touch ups, but it is a pale and glorious beachy-blue. Our rooms look cleaner and bigger than ever with all the white accents! OK, on to the bunny run... Claire-Bear died during her massive internal surgery to remove a major abcess. She was worked on by 3 different doctors who had not one seen such a large abscess. Too many people do not know the signs of illness in their rabbits and then when they pass they aren't taken in for Necropsy's. We do it all, we need to know, and the vets need to learn too. From what I understand, when they went to remove the one large one, there were many others and she just could not live a pain free life. We are all sad for both Claire and the Thibaults who had taken her lovingly into their home with all her medical issues a few months back. She will be deeply missed by all of us at the Hollow. Penny went through a series of X-rays this week and both she and Butterscotch have been diagnosed with Chronic Pneumonia and are both on Baytril and Bicillin injections for the next 30 days and then will go back in for chest X-rays. On a high note, Tilly and Tucker are going to their new home this week, along with Shelly and Colorado. Colorado was up on line for about an hour before his adoption went through! His new home just sadly lost their 21 year old free-range Chinchilla. A nice ripe old age, and what a lucky chin. We are so excited for Col! I took in a third rabbit from Trumbull Animal Control, a bunny with head tilt that I still have yet to name. He was swaying a bit tonight in his cage, like Pumpkin does, so I fear that I have cost the Hollow more money as if this doesn't clear up on the Otic Ear Drops and Baytril he is on, we will have yet another candidate, along with Cinni, for Marquee to treat EC. We shall see... Bandit was adopted and Fawn is adopted to the same family now, I will do the bonding of the two - Yeah! Also this week, I'm going to try bonding Chelsea's 3 bunnies Meadow, Kicker (sp?) and Love-Bug this week. Wish us luck as I am totally excited to see these 3 together and haven't done a triple bonding, oh wait, in a couple of weeks! Did I mention before that Rags and Cinnie have let Annabelle live with them? I'm sure I have, all grooming each other and in love, but I think it's because Rags loves big buns and Annabelle and Cinnie have Dain Bramage.

I did a short-version of an animal party today taking Rags, my Chins, the Bearded Dragons still homeless, and Sammy my cockatiel and Dovey my Dove (I'm all out of names!). It was fun! I have 4 more hamsters coming in tomorrow and we have two gerbils up for adoption, a black male and a fawn female (in separate cages of course!). One of Bryne's bunnies is showing signs of illness, so we will get him to the vet tomorrow, one of us anyhow! Things are really hectic for all of us right now, and once again, I can't wait to go back to work tomorrow and get back into my routine!

Here is the e-mail from Linda this evening:

A miracle has happened..... Angela has been ADOPTED! A friend of Chelsea's who already has 7 bunnies had a lone male who needed a friend. She brought him over today and her boy Snow chose Angela. I am sorry to say that Angela started sneezing during the bonding, I flipped her over and thick white gunk encrusted her nostrils. Here we go again. She is still here and will be getting her Zithromax for a week before leaving for her new home and wonderful life with Snow!! Now we have to hope that Snow didn't already catch it! Cross your fingers....Update on Tapioca and Tootsie Roll
Hi! We're just writing to give you an update on Tapioca & Tootsie Roll (who we call Emma & Max). They're doing very well, in good health and good spirits. They have plenty of space and attention here. They're still a bit timid sometimes, but are usually full of curiosity (and boy, do they love to chew!)

Also, Emma appears to have fully recovered from that recurring sneezing issue -- thank you so much for your help with that! We're so glad that you and the other volunteers are doing this important work for the rabbit community.

Best wishes,
Josh & Erin (and the bunnies!)

4.19.2007

Claire, Daphne

Hi All: Lots of news, some good, some pretty sad....Starting with the sad....Our friend Claire who has been with us so long is very sick. Claire went into stasis two days ago and I thought her teeth needed trimming again. We visited the vets today and discovered that she has a serious problem and probably will not be with us much longer. She has either a tumor or a huge abscess encircling a loop of her large intestine. It has constricted it so nothing can pass through. I have her home tonight, she is getting fluids and force feeding to try to get some strength into her little body and tomorrow or Friday they will try to operate. Depending on what they find (the tumor location) when they open her up it will be either a simple matter to remove the tumor or a totally impossible situation and she will be put to sleep then and there. There is no way to know what they will find till she has her surgery. Everything depends on tumor placement and if it is cancerous. She is very weak and may not survive the anesthia. I am trying my best to do what we can but it looks ominious. She is worse tonight and I truly wonder if she will be with us in the morning. She needs your good wishes and thoughts.Penny finally has a diagnosis. The sneezing beauty has pneumonia. We had a series of x-rays done on her to try to locate the cause of her constant sneezing (over a year) and while the sinus films showed nothing the chest films showed a very wide spread chronic pneumonia that she has had for a long time. She will be given two antibiotics for a month and then we will do another film to see if it clears at all. It will take many weeks to clear it up if it can be done at all so Penny is no longer considered adoptable for a while. (Unless a certain member of the Hollow decides to take her home). Butterscotch also has been diagnosed as probaby having pneumonia and is being treated for it though we did not take x-rays tpo confirm it. Money is running short and we have a lot of sick bunnies at the moment. Both are feeling fairly well and are moving to Brandees tomorrow into quarantine.It's been a tough month in many ways...Now the good news.First, Most of you will not remember Dancer now known as Daphne. She was one of the first adoptions we did at the Hollow. Bryne, you remember her I'm sure. It's so nice to see how happy she is. Made my night. See the letter and photo below.

Hello, it's been a long time since I was able to email photos... This is our
adopted bunny enjoying Disney Channel with her loving Rhiannon. She has come
such a long way.. She has the run of the house, and enjoys lots of love and
Kale.... I will send you more photos... Thanks for allowing us to give her a
great home !!
Sincerely,
The DeMartino Family

4.13.2007

Crazy Babbits!

Can you get ringworm from a bunny that has ringworm and sprays you in the face? Little BUGGER! I haven't had so many hormonal freak rabbits in, well, EVER! Lucky is trying to eat me and squirting up a storm, the new white dwarf who I still haven't named tried to kill me today by lethal teeth injection. Thunder is now spraying, and yes, thumping like some kind of physco killer maniac, Ringo the ringworm bunny just sprayed me in the face as I was trying to catch Penny the attack rabbit to give her her Bicillin shot, along with Ivan and Cleo. Buster, who was calm before he left here must know he has a hot little chick waiting for him in a new home because he is now not the perfect potty trained rabbit, but some demon in a little fur coat studly paper shredding humping machine! Heather is OK when she isn't trying to get at me from petting her, and Cleo, oh, what a mess! WHAT IS GOING ON???? I'm thinking we all have SPRING FEVER! I'm having a spring headache! I'm not looking for sympathy, just a couple of laughs! Cinni and Rags are now living with Annabelle, the Flemmie that came in. Ok, I'm gonna go watch Stargate.

4.12.2007

Flemmish Giant, Ringworm, Merri


Well, Merri went into full blown stasis and Linda ran her to South Wilton. She thinks that she will be fine, say a prayer! Nixon had to be put on Antibiotics for an abscess that has formed where he was bit when his new family came in to see him. They are patiently awaiting to take him back home. That is great for Nixon, he is part of a family, even though he's still at the Hollow temporarily. Today was my day to clean. I was so exited when a woman named Ellen came down today to have her bunny's toe-nails clipped. He looked just like my Arthur that had passed away last May. Their bunny, Bonny, is a Flemmish Giant about 16 lbs I'd have to say. It was such a joy to see him, I was in tears! What a beauty he is! And Thank you Ellen for the $25 donation you left us today. Every bit helps! This evening Linda called to let me know that Merri is pooping now. YEAH!

4.11.2007

TAC Buns, Choice Pet, NZW's, Fundraising, Rosie

Welcome Ringo
I can't believe how long it has been since I have written, nearly a week. Rosie had passed away last Thursday surrounded by her loved buns. I will miss her very much. She is being cremated and will be sprinkled in our lettuce garden this year. Ivan is doing the same and I moved him downstairs today. He's in a pen now on a large blanket so he can get a grip and be more mobile during the day. He had several visits from Jo-Jo today, sweet ones, she went right up to investigate him, and I will put Cinni with him later for a little companionship since he can't hurt her and she doesn't know which end is up. I'm worried to put him in with Rags and Cinni right now so we'll wait on that. Jo-Jo is quite the character, she is curious about everything, a love! She follows me from room to room investigating everything I do, climbing up my back when I'm on the floor. Hallie is doing great (bathroom bunny) and she, like Jo-Jo, is going to be an awesome bonding candidate! Penny is STILL sneezing her head off, and is more than likely going to be going in for the deep nasal culture very soon. Shaylah and Steve are now a bonded pair, with very, very little work on my part. It's great that they can be together again!

This morning I went to meet with a woman that took 11 bunnies that I sexed for her (she was told they were all males, 4 are females). I'm not worried about babies, as all the girls are babies themselves right now. There are two older males ready to be neutered, one is a Netherland dwarf, an albino Acorn or Pumpkin, but smaller even, maybe even smaller than Sterling is. He has a tattoo in his ear that says DJ. The woman is really nice, and I am happy to help. I dropped off 3 cages and some water bottles, in a couple of days I'll see if I can't get over and get some pictures and names and get them up on Petfinder. 3 are just babies, maybe 7-9 weeks old.
Michele C. is bringing in babies possibly this weekend too. It's very busy at the Hollow! I went to Trumbull Animal Control and picked up the two bunnies that we said we would help them out with. An albino one, of course, small like Laurel and a beautiful grayish tan boy that is still being treated for Ringworm. They were running around thumping like crazy when I put them in their cages, they had been living in large pet carriers.

I spoke with a gentleman today at Choice Pet and they are willing to have us come into each and every store to do rabbit education, and said that they would like to see us do their care sheets. I'm meeting with him next Thursday at the Danbury store to sit and chat and see what we can do to get the rabbits that they are selling into better educated homes. We can't fight it, but we can help so what else do we do? I'm looking forward to our possibly doing adoption center locations at Petco. I'm excited to try working with them and doing adoptions. It could be a really, really great thing. All that is going on is heavy on the heart, but fulfilling to the soul as we see that through talking with people and offering education, we can slowly but surely make a difference. Does that sound right?

Michelle M. had her kids go out with their bunny and a collection jar and they collected $120 for the Hollow last Saturday. She has 6 foster rabbits for us right now and her kids are having a ball. Walmart brought us in $330 dollars last Sunday! We also had 4 adoptions last weekend, Buster is going out to a new home, Fawn, Bandit and Laurel. Rain gets picked up to go to her new home soon too! We have been getting lots of adoption calls, growing is great, but also a crusher. The more people that know us do know to call us for adoptions, but also more people know to call us for dumps. Well, we are doing what we can. We are only 13 people right now ya know! THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE HOLLOW-ERS!

4.03.2007

Jack, Rosie, Stratford & Trumbull Animal Control

Cinnie, Rags & Rosie


Well, thank goodness the earlier part of the day has been slow, and if I don't answer my phone tonight... Rosie is doing the same today as yesterday and the day before. Jack, my cockatiel, has decided to try to commit suicide. He has begun picking his feathers again and today there was blood all over the cage. I'm sure that Dr. Pieper was quite happy to see me once again, I am now 2 for 2 this week, and tomorrow I'm picking up Jack, so he'll get me 3 days in a row. He said I made a nice Elizabethan Collar for Jack, which he will more than likely have to wear for the next 2 months, and he has to go into a cage by himself to see if he's just too stressed out with the other birds right now. I hate to separate him. He got a shot of antibiotics and some ointment. One more on meds in the house, halleluiah! I went from there to Stratford Animal Control where they have a large rolling medi-rack that Rachael is getting the demensions for me on. If it will fit at the Hollow I think it would be great for the back room and to use as a "medical ward." It would be easy to sterilize and has 3 walls. I'd love it at my house, but it would never get into the basement! I grabbed a couple of tiny dog-crates to have on hand for transport, and some blankies. Lynn from Trumbul Animal Control called and the 16 rabbits are ready to go. We are taking in two. They'll have to be isolated and watched for a bit as they have been exposed to ringworm. My fish tank pump broke, so I have to go get another fish tank, and I think I'll be getting Fluffy a friend too. I've grown fond of this little gold-fish!

4.02.2007

Rosie, Victoria, Storm, Mikey Fitch, Ivan, Dakota, Annabelle, JoJo


Saturday evening Rosie started to do some mouth-breathing (not common unless illness strikes these nasal breathing animals). It confirmed my worst fears. When Dr. Pieper did her spay last month (maybe 2 months ago?) he took out a large tumor that tested cancerous. He had mentioned that a lot of times they spread to the lungs next. We were holding out for an x-ray after giving her about a month or so. I decided that she couldn't be sitting in a cage by herself for what might be her final stage of life, and Linda gave me the OK to try her with Cinni and Rags, two of my permanent residents. They took to Rosie with no problem at all, all of them grooming each other and sleeping together. I had to take Rosie into Dr. Pieper today. Her x-rays showed that her lungs, both, are covered in tumors. There is nothing we can do, no surgery to fix the damage. She had some lasix today and a shot of steroids, and now we wait. I just can't believe it, I can't believe after all she has been through in her life that it has to come down to this so soon. I just want so much for her to have more time, more time with Cinni and Rags, more time with me. It's just not fair. The two bunnies from last week, the Flemish and the mix that came in are doing better. They had been found outside and are so malnourished I believe in my head that they were hutch bunnies that weren't taken care of. I have trapped 6 plus rabbits this year, none looking "starved." They had ear-mites so bad that pieces of their ears are missing. They have been gobbling down food and critical care. They have had baths and I took them with me to have them weighed again at Dr. Piepers today. He just shook his head at their condition.




Annabelle is what the Flemmish girls name is. Dakota is the brown mix.
They were treated with dog-mite medicine, which can kill a rabbit. I was pleased to see them still alive the next morning. They have been bathed (coats were a mess). Yesterday I gave them oral promectin and tonight I will start with Vaseline with vitamin E in their ears where the bloody scabs are. Dr. Pieper says it looks like the mites are moving out! They both have huge bald spots in several places on their bodies. They are unsteady on their feet, and more than likely, muscle atrophy. I really believe they were hutched. Ivan is totally tripping again. I will be going to pick up more of the Chloro to continue on (not a single dose missed since day one!) his hopeful road to recovery. I started him on Bicillin injections. I need him to get better, I really do.
Mikey Fitch, now known as Arlis, is now happily bonded to Emily. I'll get some pictures up soon! They are back at Emily's house with her bunny slaves the Huber's. Bonding didn't work out for Hoppy and Victoria, but Victoria and Stormy went to their new home this weekend too! They looked very happy together! It's been a great couple of months of adoptions! Oh, we need to all welcome Jo-Jo, our new spayed bunny girl that is looking for a home. Free range cuteness, very outgoing, doesn't care about my dogs or cats. Very cute and curious, very good with her litter box!
We have a new foster mommy, Michelle Malone. She is currently housing Shaylah's 3 girls and Jellybean for us. Shaylah and Steve will be accompanying me to work next week so I can try to see if they will bond back together now that they are altered and their children are grown. Flash, one of their sons who is the best Bunny-500 bunny, has now taken up residence at the Hollow in Norwalk.