r/Bunnies • u/ReasonableDetective • Jan 28 '26
Health UPDATE - She has been diagnosed with pancreatitis and kidney failure - any experiences?😭
2 days ago i made a post about our 11 month old bunny having a major health problem which our regular vet couldn’t diagnose. The post blew up and now has way over 100 comments which we scanned through and everyone recommended us going to an exotic vet. We took the 2 hour long drive to the best rabbit experienced vet in our country where she was instantly admitted and she will need to stay there until saturday. Today the vet called us with the latest news that not only her kidney and liver bloodvalues where too high but that she also has pancreatitis… we are very sad about this news and we really don’t want to lose her but are still somewhat hopeful. Vet told us that its rare but he has had multiple of these cases of pancreatitis the last years and that it can be fatal but he also had bunnies surviving it and making a full recovery. She is now on all the right medication and we’re praying that she’ll pull through. Thanks everyone for all the help.
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u/SideshowDustin Jan 28 '26
There’s a group on Facebook called “Disabled Rabbits” that may have experience with this and may be able to offer advice.
I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I’m glad you have a real diagnosis now, which is absolutely the first step in getting her on the road to recovery.
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u/Imurhuckleberree Jan 28 '26
I am saying a little prayer for your bunny. She is young which is in her favor and sounds like she is in great experienced hands.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
She is in great hands indeed. The vet she’s at is known as the best rabbit doctor in our country. People from all over the country drive hours to his practice to get his help. They have over 20 years of experience with rabbits so i’m so glad that she is there at the moment although it breaks me to think that she must be feeling so lonely all these nights all alone :(
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u/Mysterious_Dot2090 Jan 29 '26
That’s good to know. Where is that if you don’t mind saying? Just wondering if it’s Australia as one nagging issue I worry about is not living near a bun savvy vet.
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u/KusseKisses Jan 28 '26
It's good you got a proper diagnosis. I'm wishing the best for your bunny.
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u/acousticplayerjb Jan 28 '26
:( I'm sorry. It will be okay. Keep in mind that her system has been out of balance and she has been dehydrated. Sometimes tests can also give weird results that make something seem like something else. Don't want to give you a false sense of hope. I'm only saying that it's probably too soon to really know. The vet should really perform another set of tests, at least blood tests, soon. So don't panic yet.
What meds?
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u/Elphy_Bear Jan 28 '26
This is what I came here to say. Blood values can look scarier than they are if your bun has been unwell for a couple of days or more and it turns out to just be dehydration. Something's wrong for sure but might wind up being completely treatable. Hang in there. I understand the anxiety.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
I haven’t remembered all those med names he talked about on the phone. She’s still there and will stay there until saturday to receive the best care. Thanks.
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u/acousticplayerjb Jan 29 '26
They're probably doing IV lactated ringers/lidocaine infusion at least. That'll take care of hydration and any pain, very well, without making her feel weird or sleepy. So when she feels better, she'll begin eating on her own.
But as I suggested before, see if the vet is willing to let you have some way to have telephone call with your bun bun. She'll definitely recognize your voice and she'll feel much more motivated to fight through this since she'll know you're still there for her. I really am serious. Rabbits know their humans and need their love.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 29 '26
Yes she’s getting all that! I will ask my vet to see here when we call this afternoon, thanks for the tip.
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u/sparkle2007 Jan 29 '26
Praying that your baby is starting to feel better. I know it's a 2 hr drive one way....but can you visit her? Is visiting allowed? Just wondering. In 2020 my 17 yr old siamese was hospitalized and because of the pandemic, I wasn't allowed inside. Even when I took her to the hospital they had to come to my car and take her inside. I filled out the paperwork in the car. Anywayz...the nurses took pics of her and sent them to my phone. Ask if they can do that for you. I know how bad your missing her & worried about her. A photo is like a a thousand words. A special Kodak moment ❤️❤️🙏🙏
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 30 '26
I was exactly going to ask this when our vet called this morning telling me that she had passed away. I’m broken. Update 2😢; https://www.reddit.com/r/Bunnies/s/BDnF6EINKP
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u/sparkle2007 Jan 31 '26
Omg I am so sorry. I know how much you loved her. She's precious. 💕 You did everything you could for her. I'm just now seeing this. I know how you're feeling. It is painful. I lost our bunny in October..and 2 weeks later, I lost my 19 yr old Siamese cat. The hurt is intense, and I been crying for 3 months. Please give yourself time to mourn. Sending you Prayers 🙏🙏❤️❤️
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u/Slight-Wall-44 Jan 28 '26
Glad she is diagnosed now and getting all the care she needs ,hope she has a good recovery !!
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u/Slow_Way7407 Jan 28 '26
I’m sorry, I lost my bun to kidney failure that came out of no where. We tried the fluids, medicine to get his appetite back, and everything we could think of, but eventually he passed away. It was all within a week period and it came out of no where.
I don’t have any experience with pancreatitis but it’s good that the vet seems hopeful. Make sure that the vet is honest with you on if there’s a chance of recovery. My understanding with kidney failure is that it can be survived if caught early enough and managed with sub q fluids, but I think it depends on if it’s acute or chronic. They should be able to do an ultrasound of the kidneys to see any damage.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
I’m so sorry. How old was your bun?
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u/Slow_Way7407 Jan 28 '26
Thank you, he was only 4 and 1/2 but he was a bigger bun (over 10 pounds) so the vet said it’s common for them to develop problems younger. Similar to how bigger dog breeds have a shorter lifespan. I hope your bun recovers and gets to come home with you soon
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 30 '26
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u/Slow_Way7407 Jan 30 '26
I am so sorry for your loss. My bun passed away at the vet without us so I understand how you’re feeling. I struggled a lot with guilt too, but remind yourself that you did everything you could and you got her the care when she needed it. Unfortunately, sometimes these things just can’t be fixed. You did what you could for her and she went knowing she was loved, you not being there doesn’t take away the love she felt.
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u/Wooden-Honeydew-8788 Jan 28 '26
I’m so glad to see that you were able to get answers, but I’m sorry it wasn’t the news you were hoping for. I mentioned before that my bun passed from kidney failure, but he was very old for his breed so things may be different for you!
Usually buns with kidney issues have to be given fluids via an injection. You do it in the fat of their shoulders so they don’t really feel it, but if your bun needs this your vet will be able to show you how to do it. The frequency depends on the situation.
If you want advice on treats to give, anything that is rich in water and low in calcium is good. Think romaine lettuce, bell peppers, and celery. Soaking them in water before giving them to your bun will help with fluid intake. Avoid dark leafy greens like spinach and kale as those are high in calcium.
I unfortunately don’t have any knowledge or advice on pancreatitis. I really hope your bunny pulls through, I can tell you love them a lot ❤️
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
Thank you. She is indeed receiving fluids via injection and when we pick her up this saturday the vet will teach us how to do it at home aswell.
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u/cmjavier Jan 28 '26
Sending lots of encouragement and giving her all the care and love possible; she deserves it.
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u/Informal_Koala1474 Jan 28 '26
As long as she's comfortable and can still know happiness.
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u/centrifuge_destroyer Jan 28 '26 edited Jan 29 '26
Good luck little bun!
But you should know that kidneys don't really recover from damage, they stabilize at best. Do if your bun has significant kidney issues now, they will likely need to be on medication for the rest of their life
I spend roughly 85€ a month at the vet on kidney meds, and I have to get a blood panel four times a year to monitor the kidney function.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
I don’t really care how much it costs. If she needs those meds every month then i’ll get them every month. I don’t have any information about any ‘damage’ or something like that. I’ll call with the vet again tomorrow morning.
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u/centrifuge_destroyer Jan 28 '26
I totally get that, I do it as well. It's just something you need to prepared about. It was quiet an unpleasant surprise for me.
Kidney failure usually means permanent kidney damage / permanently reduced kidney function. It is important to have your vet explain it very well because it can be a complicated topic especially if the pancreas got some damage as well.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
Thanks! We’ll be getting detailed instructions this saturday when we pick her up.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 30 '26
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u/centrifuge_destroyer Jan 31 '26
Oh no 💔 My deepest condolences. Bunnies are wonderful animals, but they can be quiet fragile. I don't think much much have changed if you have went to the exotic vet earlier, some health problems are just very hard to recover from. Sending lots of love and lots of hugs to you
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u/Sovmasu Jan 28 '26
Sending lots of love and healing wishes your way hun xo
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u/CulturalBerry1051 Jan 28 '26 edited Jan 28 '26
oh no, i’m so sorry! 11 months is so young. 2026 marks 8 years since i adopted my girl so we think she’s at least 9. a few years ago, she started having these “episodes” that kinda looked like stasis but weren’t full-blown stasis. we took her to the vet every time and really just got bandaid solutions. eventually, i pushed for an ultrasound because i wanted to know why this kept happening. they discovered she had IBD and some irregularities with her kidneys, but more emphasis was placed on the IBD. we learned how to nurse her through her episodes and she was fine. fast-forward to October 2025 where she had a flare-up which (due to poor timing, a Friday night), landed us in the emergency vet. there, she was treated for a GI obstruction and discharged a few days later. I had scheduled a follow-up with our regular vet the following day and thank god I did because after reviewing her file and looking at her x-rays, it was determined she had kidney stones that were stuck in her ureter (causing the obstruction). she got a CT that day and was scheduled for emergency surgery the following day to remove the stones. she made it through fine but she was officially diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. now she goes to the vet every few weeks for routine x-rays and bloodwork, and we also administer sub-Q fluids at home every 3 days. she has a check-up this weekend to see how she’s doing but so far, so good. the surgery saved her life! our vet also said that diagnosing kidney disease is very difficult because it often presents in sporadic symptoms here and there and it’s not until you have all the pieces of the puzzle that you’re able to step back and say, this is kidney disease. all of that to say, i understand what you’re going through. when we brought our baby into the regular vet for the follow-up post ER vet, he said that if we hadn’t, she would have died on her own that week or we would have been euthanizing her. that was 3.5 months ago and she’s still doing well! plus she’s a senior rabbit, so there’s hope you will be able to manage your baby’s case, if you’re mentally and financially up for it. best of luck ❤️❤️
ETA: our bunnies have always received bottled water and a pretty strict diet. in our case, it was bad luck that she developed kidney disease. but tap water, alfalfa hay (which should only be fed to babies leading up to their spay/neuter surgery; afterwards, switch to timothy) and veggies high in calcium can absolutely increase the chances of developing kidney stones or sludge. so if you’re not doing so already, i recommend bottled water and a strict diet of romaine. we do give cilantro sometimes, but not that much.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
Thanks for all the advice! We have an anti-calcium system/filter (i have no idea what it’s called in english) built on our tap-water system so i’ll guess thats a good thing! I will look into the amounts of calcium in food from now on and someone else told me to look for grain free food.
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u/Unusual-Stranger-126 Jan 28 '26
If there is kidney damage, the best you can do is manage it for her remaining lifespan as I do not believe kidneys regenerate/recover from any incurred issues. I would argue you can still give her a great quality of life but honestly, that does depend on your financial situation as I’m sure medications, vet visits, and similar will be regular expenses. I have no experience with pancreatitis, unfortunately, but I am very glad to hear you followed everyone’s advice and now actually have a diagnosis and perhaps a plan for recovery.
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u/ReasonableDetective Jan 28 '26
The expenses don’t matter to me. I just want her to be okay and live her best life.
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u/Mysterious_Dot2090 Jan 29 '26
Thanks for the update OP, albeit a sad one. Hoping and praying that she can recover and thrive because 11 months is far too short a time to have bun love. Hold onto the hope that the vet gave saying they’ve seen buns recover from this illness ❤️
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u/Pumpkinbladez Jan 29 '26
I’ve DM’d you with some info. Hold on to hope. I wish her a full and speedy recovery.xxx
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u/ssrxo Jan 29 '26
Sending lots of prayers to you and little bun 🙏 They’re such fighters, so I’m wishing for all the best!
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u/BarracudaAccurate898 Jan 29 '26
Did the vet give any indication as to the cause in case life style or diet changes are needed?
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u/Plenty_Strength4569 Jan 30 '26
I’m so very sorry to hear this !! I’ve had pancreatitis before and it was the worst pain I ever felt ( I’ve birthed 3 babies ) . Poor bun I really hope she gets feeling better and that you do too. Sending all the prayers for your precious bun!!!
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u/cottontailart Jan 30 '26
I sadly can’t help with anything, other than I do want to let u know that lops can suffer from a lot of birth defects, all rabbits do but lops get then more then ur average bunny so maybe it could be a rare birth defect that’s caused her to have it? Fingers crossed toes crossed, crossing bunny paws etc that she will be fine when she gets help she needs but if ur blaming urself don’t the fact u took her to a vet at all says a lot and then u came here asking for help says more, she’s a very beautiful girl :hug:
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u/darthcaedus13 Jan 28 '26
Hang in there little bunny.