Health

This week Gainesville Rabbit Rescue has taken in three rabbits, two of whom need serious medical care.

This is Nova. Nova was rescued by the Alachua Police Department when she was found outside. Her fur was so matted with feces that she could barely move, and her tail was stuck in an unnatural way to her body. We did not get any “before” pictures, because we were concentrated with getting her cleaned up as quickly as possible. These were taken 6 days after we got her, and she has been bathed, clipped, been given antibiotics, and fed as much as she can eat. As you can see, she has bad urine burns on her hindquarters, and she is very skinny. She also has a mass on her rear end that is likely an infection, but we cannot have her operated on until she has gained weight and begun healing some of her other injuries. It is likely that her former owner kept her in a cage that was much to small for her (or even a carrier) for the first few months of her life – before they dumped outside to fend for herself. If the police hadn’t rescued her, she would have made very easy prey. Currently, she is being fostered by a vet student and receiving excellent care; however, she is not out of the water, and she will need serious TLC for some time. We have seen a great improvement in her behavior and she is eating well, both of which are positive signs.

Another rabbit that we received this week has a badly broken leg. We will have her evaluated by the vet, who will determine whether it can be fixed or not. She is healthy, though, so there is hope that the leg can be healed. You can see her broken leg sticking out at the wrong angle.

The third bunny we received was given to us by a homeless person who could no longer care for him, and realized that he needed someone who could. He is a beautiful mini-rex.

While we realize that it has been a tough financial year for everyone, and this time of year is especially difficult, any donations to the rescue are immensely appreciated. Any money donated goes directly to paying the medical bills of rabbits like Nova, and towards the care of the other 100+ rabbits in rescue. Many foster homes pay for food and supplies out-of-pocket, and we try to help lessen that burden for them. In addition to monetary donations, we will also accept donations of rabbit food/supplies. Contact us if you would like more information about the things we need, or donate under the “How You Can Help” section above. Regardless of whether you are able to give, we appreciate your support and would like to wish everyone “Happy holidays!” 🙂