# Did my rabbit die because I got a dog?



## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

I had to have my lovely rabbit put down and the vet said that the reason his fur was coming out was because he was stressed. I thought he'd been moulting. Since getting the dog he rarely came and sat with me anymore and started to nip at my clothes. I've looked it up and a rescue centre said that they don't like to rehome rabbits with a dog as some get ill because of the smell and barking. My rabbit was a house rabbit and had his own space and never met the dog. I feel so guilty that getting the dog made my rabbit ill and I would never have got it had I known.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

What was the actual reason for having him PTS?


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

If introduced correctly dogs and rabbits can become good friends. My Laddie loved Sophie, they practically grew up together. Even when Sophie was pts Laddie kept going to the garden to look for her then coming in and looking at us then at the back door wanting us to follow him to help find Sophie. In fact it was when Sophie died that Laddies health started to go downhill he went into a kind of mourning where he went off his food and started chewing his feet.










As Nonnie has said, what was the reason for your bunny to be put to sleep? When his fur was coming out was it leaving big bald patches and did it look dry and flakey or sore?


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## Emmiiee (Jan 3, 2010)

I have 2 chocolate labs, who don't bat an eye lid at the rabbits, lily will often soft mouth them, and take them back to her bed and clean then, normally when shes due in season lol she loves to be a mummy!


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

I didn't introduce them as my rabbit was 3 and I didn't think it was fair to introduce a very bouncy puppy into his space. The vet said that he had lumps in his stomach, but I still worry that he changed because he could hear the dog bark and I would have had its smell on me.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Did the vet not investigate the lumps in his stomach???


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

crofty said:


> Did the vet not investigate the lumps in his stomach???


Now I feel guilty that I didn't make the vet do more. She thought it was kinder to put him down and so I went with her proferssional judgement.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry for your loss of your beloved bun. Try not to feel guilty or blame yourself.

When you noticed something was wrong you brought him to the vet, which was the right thing to do. You had only your bunny's best interests at heart when you followed your vet's recommendation.


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## Matrix/Logan (May 7, 2009)

I really don't think that your dog was the cause of your bunnies hair loss. I would say that the body reacted to the 'lumps' this way, sounds like the vet thought your bun had cancer and therefore the hair loss was more likely due to that. I had a bun with abdominal cancer and i had her put to sleep too so you definately made the right decision hun. 

Please try not to feel guilty about getting your pup, i have 2 rabbits now, used to have 8, and i have always had dogs and have introduced new pups in and it has never caused any health problems with the rabbits. 

We always look for someone or something to blame when we lose a loved furry friend but i think you should just accept that your buns time had come and remember all the good times you shared and know that your bun had a fab life with you, and now enjoy your pup. X X


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I dont think that it was your puppy that caused the problems, sounds like it was cancerous or something like that  Don't blame yourself, you did what was best according to the vet and thats all you can do.

Rabbits and dogs can definately live together. I have 6 bunnys and a GSD and they are not bothered by him in the slightest. When I bring a new bun in, they jump when he barks for the first couple of days but they soon get used to it  He is very good with them aswell, he moves out of the way for them!

*Heidi*


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Its not your fault, im just shocked the vet didnt look into it more. There arent many good bunny vets out there unfortunately. Im sorry for your loss x


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

Thank you. After having Snuggles for 3 years I'm more attached to him than my puppy and the thought that getting the puppy could have caused him so much stress really upset me. I also worry that I should have tried harder to save him.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Please don't pile guilt on yourself, your vet advised you that it was for the best & I think you have to accept that you did the right thing for you rabbit.
A few years ago my cat (only 6yrs) was very ill, the vet found a lumps in her stomach. He told me that he thought it was cancerous but they could do further investigations under a GA which would determine if it was cancer. If the tumor was cancerous they wouldn't have been able to remove it due to where it was in her body so they would have just let her go under the GA.
I thought it about this all night; should I let her have the op, what if it was cancer & they let her slip away under the GA then the last things she would have known was being with strangers.
I didn't have the examination, I felt she was too ill for a GA so made the really difficult decison to have her PTS. It broke my heart, I kept thinking about whether I had made the right decision, maybe I should've tried harder to find out what was wrong, etc. It ate aways at me for ages until I convinced myself that I had done my best for her, I had taken expert advice & made my decision.... still feel tears welling up just thinking about her though :frown:


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