Prince Charming – Life wasn’t so charming

Prince Charming’s Bunny life hasn’t been so charming so far.

He recently was confiscated by the Sacramento County Animal Shelter due to being abandoned and left in horrible conditions.

Due to the condition he was in, Prince Charming required immediate Veterinary care.

He arrived at the shelter underweight, suffering from fur loss due to skin and ear mites, all of his feet were infected and abscessed from severe sore hocks from standing on a wire cage and his back right foot had a huge growth.

FUR volunteers rushed him to a local veterinarian to have him treated. X-rays were taken of his back right foot and the original diagnosis was Osteosarcoma (bone cancer). The Vet’s suggestion was to immediately euthanize him.

Despite his condition he was eating and appeared in good spirits. Euthanizing him didn’t seem like the right thing to do that night. If he was suffering and in pain surely this would have been the right course of action to take for him but this wasn’t the case. The FUR volunteer decided to take him home and obtain a second opinion. Her thought was this poor rabbit had not been cared for and had been abandoned, even if he only survived a few days at least he would experience being well cared for and loved. Pain medication and antibiotics were sent home with him.

How he earned the name Prince Charming.

The FUR volunteer spent the night comforting him and petting him. The rabbit was officiously starved for love and attention. As the FUR volunteer lay on the floor with him that night he laid his head on her arm. She told him about her first rabbit Princess Thumper who was now in heaven. She told him how she needed a Prince Charming and that her job was to love him and take care of him until it was time for him to be with Princess Thumper.

The Prince receives some Charming and not so charming news.

Prince Charming was taken in for a second opinion. The Vet didn’t think that he had an Osteosarcoma and decided to do a biopsy of the growth. The biopsy revealed that the growth was a synovial spindle cell tumor which comes from significant inflammation like a severely infected sore hock. Synovial spindle cells’ don’t tend to metastasis. Due to the size of the tumor growth it has dissolved part of the bone in his foot.  He will have to have his foot amputated.

Prince Charming’s vet bills are sizeable – right now they are about $500.00 – and he will continue to need treatment until he is fully healed. FUR and TEAM are asking for donations to help ensure Prince Charming the Bunny recovers fully from his wounds to give him the best change at hopping into his “furever’ home that he can have”

Any donations to help defray the cost of surgery would be greatly appreciated!

UPDATE 

A few hours after Prince Charming was taken to the Vet this morning for his surgery, I received a call from the Vet. I had included a note for her asking her to check out his breathing because something didn’t look right to me. Sure enough she took an x-ray of his lungs and they were in horrible condition. He was having a very hard time breathing. The tough decision was made to put our dear, sweet, darling Prince Charming to sleep. I left work and headed to the Vet’s office so that I could be with him to pet and comfort him during his final moments.
I am horribly sad that this precious rabbit had to be put to sleep all because he wasn’t properly cared for and was abandoned by his prior owner. If anyone out there is ever in a situation where you cannot afford to care for your pet or for medical care please please take him to a shelter; do not abandoned him to suffer. There are many rescue groups out there that rescue from the shelter all of the time. A rescue group can give your pet a chance at a good life and get him the medical treatment he needs.

In Prince Charming’s case he was obviously housed in a cage with a wire bottom. Rabbits do not have pads on the bottom of their feet like dogs and cats. There feet consist of fur, skin and bone. If left on wire, a rabbit can develop sore hocks which can become abscessed and infected which is what happened to Prince Charming. The infection was so bad in his back right foot that the cell growth changed and a spindle cell tumor developed. If that was all that was wrong with him he could have been saved but his prior owner abandoned him and left him starving, covered in fur and skin mites all of which lowered his immune system which I’m sure affected his lungs.

Our sweet Prince Charming is at peace and out of pain now. I have no doubt that he is doing binkies with Princess Thumper right now!

Although you weren’t with us for long Prince Charming, you will be missed! As your foster mommy, I’ll miss you laying your sweet little head on my arm and insisting that I pet you without stopping and the way you would scoot your little body as close to mine as you could get. I love you dear sweet bun!

Light a candle for Prince Charming and give your bunnies some extra cuddle time tonight. FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS!

We still have an outstanding medical bill for Prince Charming. If you would like to make a donation click here to find out.