Fez Has Joined Abby at The Bridge

Hi Everyone,


I know that I don't post much anymore, and haven't since Abby passed away. However, I still follow many of your blogs, and know that some of you have been wondering how we are doing.


Recently, Fez passed away. His loss has been very hard. We believe from the bloodwork that the lump that was on Fez's face was likely a secondary tumor and that he had cancer. The cancer also seemed to have prompted some kind of auto-immune response because his white blood cells were completely messed up, and his red blood cells were "chewed up" and extremely low. Although I am comforted that I did all that I could for him, and that in the end there would not have been any way to save him, I still am in shock over the loss of my "baby." Fez was the youngest of my rabbits and I did begin to foster him when he was just a baby, maybe 6 weeks old. He was a Barrie Bunny, rescued from a deplorable meat farm in March of 2008 along with about 300 rabbits. His buddy Norbert was part of the same rescue, though Norbie was an adult. Norbert is doing well. The vets were amazing at the end, and allowed me to bring Norbert to say goodbye. We all sat on the floor in a nice room together, and I told Fez how much I loved him, and held him as he died. I will miss him every single day.

Fez was an amazing rabbit, full of personality. Despite the fact that I had to hand feed him while he was a baby, he grew up not particularly "needing" me. He had Norbert, and also Abby who passed away in October 2010. He always preferred to snuggle with them instead of me, but was always full of hilarious antics to keep us all entertained. With his goofy ears, you could not help but smile and laugh, even as he got into the worst trouble (like eating my birth certificate... after jumping onto my kitchen table to do so...). Fez had cocked ears, always, that pointed out 5 o'clock... reminding us that it really is 5 o'clock somewhere. I always said that was his motto as he really did grab life and live each day, always having fun. He ate all the best bits of hay first, loved to make messes in order to binky around when I "yelled" at him, and really had a pure heart as he was such a good friend to Abby and Norbert. He taught me a lot about living life, as all our small friends do, although his was much too short.

I will continue to check in and follow many of your blogs. I may even share more in the future. But I want to thank you for thinking of us, it means a lot to know that people out there were as touched by Fez as I was.

-Amy

Dedicated to Abbey

I have bad news to share. Be prepared; this is a long post.

On Sunday, October 24th, my dear Abbey passed away suddenly after a brief, two day illness. We don't know what happened. We did everything that we could. By the time that the cause was actually showing (an absess behind her eye) she was so weak and unstable, that the vet was not able to stabilize her. I lost her.

The vets and some friends of mine and I have concluded that Abbey was older than we thought. She must have been slowly losing weight (she was down 3lbs when I took her to the vet - and I hadn't noticed any change in her habits until that day). As bunnies age the small issues they have can overwhelm their systems. This is what I now believe happened. But it doesn't make her loss any easier. I miss her every moment and feel her absense when I even just walk past the rabbit room. She is gone. I would like to share her story, as a catharsis, and to help myself remember that although she is no longer with me, memories of our time together always will be.

Abbey was my first "foster" with Rabbit Rescue Inc. She came to my home in July (I think) of 2007. She came to us from a lady who had rescued her but couldn't keep her. Abbey had been living in an outdoor hutch year round. She was attacked by a dog, and when the lady rescued her she had a large absess on her back. She was not in good shape. She took her in and the absess was removed, and Abbey healed. She was a fighter, and she pulled through. Her fur in the back area always grew in differently, like soft baby bunny fur, after that. I could always see where her "scar" was. It was about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Abbey lived in my kitchen and from the start I enjoyed sitting beside her and having her there, giving my fingers kisses and leaning against me for pets. She was quite demanding and greedy, and would relentlessly head butt anyone around her for attention. She loved to stretch her back legs out behind her, and stretch her head down and foward, and look as long as she could.

One day the adoptions manager emailed me with a potential adopter. She asked, "Is Abbey available?" I clicked reply and began to write that she was, then burst into tears at the thought of her leaving. I deleted the text, and wrote back, "NO, she's mine!" and sent in the papers. I just couldn't imagine my life without her.

Abbey was so much to me. She made me laugh when I needed it most. After Cappuccino died in December 2007, it was Abbey who I snuggled into, breathing in the bunny smell. When Abe died, who I had intended to bond to Abbey, I came home devestated to find Abbey waiting at the door, and when she saw me she started to binky around like a mad-woman. Abbey did these mini-binkies. She would toss her head, and binky with her back legs only, and turn around in a 180. It made me laugh, even though I was so upset. It was like she was telling me that Abe was okay, he was at peace, and that things would be okay again.

She was my companion on sleepless nights, when I sat in the bunny room and absorbed the calmness, she would come and lean against my leg and fall asleep, silently comforting me. She was my little clown, with her little binkies, and her love of bananas! She was very ladylike, unless there was banana involved. I think she could fit more in her mouth than a person, just through sheer determination. She bullied Fez and Norbert, and made them groom her from head to toe, she picked the best pellets from each food dish and if the boys were in the way of anything she wanted, she climbed on their heads. She greeted each new person by running over and periscoping up for an ear rub and never showed fear. She was so very special to me, and I feel her absence in every way.

I am coping well, the boys are doing fine and Jack is business as usual. The boys are snuggling a lot and treating me pretty normally. Norbert has been made to endure more pets than normal, and he seems to slowly be getting slightly more comfortable with that. Fez refuses to submit and continues to toss his head and pounce away. I am remembering to cherish each one for their individuality. They are all my favourites, truly, in their own special ways. Abbey's way was her silent, mighty, courageous spirit. I will never forget the lessons she taught me.

What NOT To Say When Adopting a Rabbit

How to Adopt a Rabbit from a Rescue or Shelter:

Rule Number 1

When told the minimum cage requirements, don't tell the adoption counsellor that it seems "too big" for a rabbit. Furthermore, when the adoption counsellor insists that the requirements are the SMALLEST they will accept, and that bunny needs a lot of exercise outside of the cage, DO NOT say, "Well, if I bought a smaller cage, and the bunny didn't get exercise, you would never know, would you?"

I know now, thank you. Application denied.

Today's Lesson: Don't tell the adoption counsellor that you intend to lie on your application.

Asiago, available for adoption from Rabbit Rescue Inc., Ontario, Canada.

Renovations...

Hi Everyone,

I have decided to make some changes to the blog, and also to begin to devote more time to blogging once again. Instead of writing about the antics of strictly Fez and the bunnies, I will be focusing on my life here in Virginia.

I live with my four house rabbits, Fez, Abbey, Norbert, and Jack, my partner, and our beagle. I volunteer with rabbit rescues, the local shelter, and work as a professional pet sitter with a small company.

After much soul searching, a few years ago I quit my career path at the time to work with animals. It is a journey I am still on, as I strive to gain a foothold working in a shelter to help people and animals alike.

Each day I come a tiny bit closer.

Fez and the bunnies here are all well. However, I am quite sad to report that my dear Bambi, who I left back in Canada with my mom due to her age, passed away last week from cancer.

She was with my mom, who loved her very much, and we miss our sweet little girl dearly. She was about 12 -14 years old.

Too Busy for Blogging

Hi all,

The bunnies and I are all doing fine. I have been so busy working two jobs and with life in general! I just wanted you all to know that they are doing great though, everybun is happy and healthy, and I am getting started on a new blog that will be up shortly that is less centered on just the bunnies (though they will be in appearance) and more focused on the whole picture over here.

Hope you are all great, will get a bit caught up :)

Amy

Pancakes has crossed the Bridge

Hi all,

I'm very, very sad to report that Pancakes has crossed to the Bridge, early this morning.

His family is devestated and to be honest, so am I.

My one thought is that Pancakes is now pain free, and before he died he had 5 weeks of unconditional love and care from two amazing people.
                     
Dustin has stated that any donations that have been made and are still left, he will donate to other rabbits in need.

For those of you who would like to email him directly, with any words you might be able to scrounge up (I know I'm having a hard time) you can contact him at campbell.dustin@gmail.com

Thank you all for your thoughts and support on behalf of Pancakes and his family.
           

                        

Another Pancakes Update

Hi again everyone. Pancakes is in the hospital tonight, getting IV fluids, pain meds, etc etc. I just wanted to share the post that his Dad put on BunSpace earlier, it is very touching and at the very least will make us all go immediately to hug our own special bunnies, kitties, doggies, fishies, turtles, or whatever else that is special to us in our lives...

"Pancakes was not getting any better. He keeps going through, what looks like progression and then falling two steps worse than the last round.

Today, we decided to hospitalize him to help him get better. We had hoped so much that he would be able to do it on his own and I know that each and every one of your parents who has ever had to hospitalize you will understand the horrible heartache that Maria and I are feeling right now. We don't like the fact that he is in a different environment with new people and without us to be there to cuddle and support him and I reaaaaaaaaally hope he doesn't feel abandoned (it is breaking my heart just thinking about it.)

I spoke with the doctor on the phone (because I was at work all day) and he said that so far Pancakes is on IV, a catheter (sp?), and has a concoction of medications and pain killers. He has been incredibly co-operative (moreso than one of the staff has ever seen a bunny be.) He has voluntarily eaten pellets and critical care food. The doctor won't say if he is out of the woods yet or not because it is too early to tell but so far, he is progressing really, really, well.

I had a long and earnest discussion with him about options. We talked about Bicillin (thank you bunspace because I had never heard about it until the wonderful bunnies here had told Pancakes about it.) The vet is going to investigate it because I wanted him to be absolutely certain that a bunny in Pancakes condition can handle it.

I also spoke with him frankly on the matter of his mouth and in particular, options regarding his experience with bunny mouths. He was kind (and honest) to share where his expertise is at and where it isn't. Thankfully, that too, is not a worrisome issue as there is a hospital not very far from our town that specializes in it...so...while Pancakes gets stronger, his mouth will be fully assessed to find out if the problem is in the Doctor's skillset to fix or if the other hospital will need to join in the Saving Pancakes program.

I thank everyone who has supported Pancakes in his fight and I am doing everything I can think of to keep that support going because I am not sure how the hospitalization will affect us financially....

I need LOTS of moral support (because although people at my work understand how important Pancakes is, it's still no excuse for crying at work :P)

So, if you are reading this, please make your next click to be toward leaving a comment because although I haven't come anywhere CLOSE to replying to everyone and saying hello to all Pancakes' new friends, your comments, are very very very very very very very important to us. We are (in our city) surrounded by people who would have long given up on Pancakes who simply do not understand why we are fighting so hard for this sweeet (ok, now I am crying)...sweet bunny.

Bunspace is full, and I mean just packed, with bunnies and bipeds who do understand how special a bunny can be and I cannot possibly capture just how your words, how bunspace, how BiN, how Winston, Rocky, Binky, and soooo many other bunnies (no offense to anyone I haven't listed, it would just take me about 5 pages to list everyone), how this entire community has given Maria and I the exact words that we needed to hear.

I am not saying we would have ever given up on Pancakes if we didn't discover bunspace but what I am saying is that without bunspace:

1) Pancakes would not be getting the care he is receiving now. His options would have been far less open.

2) I would have struggled 1000 times harder to make options available to him

3) We would have never known about Bicillin or these recommended bunny-expert health care places

4) Maria and I would have been fighting this battle with our hearts shredded to pieces. Our morale has been crushed with each downfall.

Bunspace bunnies have been there to help us with everything. Pancakes owes you everything and although Maria and I only took Pancakes into our care to avoid him being sent to the rainbow bridge before his time...we have in the past month discovered that we owe Pancakes for all the joy and happiness he has brought into our lives. Little magical moments like him hopping up to you for no other reason than he wants to cuddle and feel safe in your arms.....it makes you think..that this little tiny bundle of sweetness, looks at our touch and our embrace as a safety and comfort feeling for him....how could we not fall in love with him?

In about 3 hours time, he will have been personally away from my arms for a complete 24 hours. This has been the hardest day that my memory can think of.

-Dustin (ever-loving Dad of Pancakes)"

He is on BunSpace for those of you who are as well under Pancakes, from London, Ontario. The support you all send means a lot as you can tell. I know we have all felt this way - and knowing there are people there who understand and who genuinely care, even though they are strangers, somehow makes things just a tiny bit easier.

I hope everyone and their bunnies are well tonight! And stay that way! The gang here is all fine. There is a special anniversary coming up on March 12th (The Barrie Bunny Anniversary). I, too, am grateful to have a caring community and feel lucky to know that somewhere I am understood!

-Amy