Sad News

This is perhaps the saddest day I can remember at the Hollow. We lost two beloved Himalayan bunnies today. Blossom and Gracie have both crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Blossom who has been in our care for about 8 months had developed a hock sore which grew to an internal abscess which ate away the joint of the leg. We took x-rays today and confirmed just how bad the situation was. The only answer was an amputation which I would have done in an instant except that both of her front legs were badly compromised by the horrible injuries she came in with. Her remaining leg in the rear was getting a hock sore similar to what happened to the abscessed rear leg. Blossom would not have had any mobility and probably would have lived with a considerable degree of pain. Gracie, the sweet little bunny who came to us with two horrible hock sores on her rear legs had been gradually improving and we had hopes that soon one leg could shed the heavy bandages she had to wear and with an amputation on the remaining back leg she could have had a happy life as a tripod bunny. Suddenly just before noon today Gracie developed the worst head tilt I have ever seen. It was instantaneous and she flipped and flipped as though she was having convulsions. It took a very heavy dose of valium to keep her still enough to be examined. The most likely cause seems to be an abscess of the brain, After having worked so hard for many many months I choose euthanasia for both of them. You all need to know this choice was made out of love - not from money considerations or lack of caring. Both of these gentle rabbits have become like best friends to me and losing them breaks my heart. Treating both bunnies would have been difficult, painful to them and most important of all probably would not have had a good outcome. I choose to put both painlessly to sleep rather than put them through more that they had already been through. I have lived with and loved dearly both Blossom and Gracie and while I do believe they had many good days living here - I don't think it would have been fair to let either or both live with no quality of life. I was with them both as they were put to sleep and I can say it was peaceful and they felt loved, safe and felt no fear. I think that is all any of us can ask for ourselves or our pets. Both crossed to the bridge and left behind some very sad friends, doctors and technicians who had all cared very deeply about them.A special thanks to those who made their time here happy and pleasant. To all of you who gently cleaned around them in their cages as they "helped" and gave them safe run time. To the techs at South Wilton who changed their bandages over and over and over again, all with gentleness and compassion. To the Doctors Fahy and Hammond who did their best to heal them and kept them comfortable while they tried. To those who supported their care financially and to my family who tolerated all the time I spent with these two special creatures. Blossom and Gracie have joined all our other friends on the bridge free of their pain and illness.Linda