Hi, my name is Layna, and I never thought I would be writing something like this.

My 1 year old rabbit Peanut had been dealing with a minor eye condition, and we had been caring for it daily and seeing improvement. On Wednesday at his recheck appointment, our vet noticed that he was unusually pale and recommended immediate bloodwork.

Within hours, everything changed.

My baby Peanut was critically ill. His red blood cell levels were dangerously low. They prepared us for the possibility that the kindest option would be to let him go, so we brought him home thinking we were saying goodbye. We were told that surgery could be an option, but at the time it felt completely out of reach financially. It didn’t feel like something we could realistically pursue.

But that night changed everything.

I stayed up all night with him, thinking it might be our last time together. But despite how weak he was, Peanut kept trying. He ate small pieces of fruit and greens, drank water, groomed himself, and kept nudging my hand for attention. At one point, he tried to move closer to me just to be pet.

Even in pain, he wasn’t ready to give up.

Watching him fight like that changed everything for us. We knew we had to try everything we could.

We rushed him to emergency, where he received a blood transfusion. It helped temporarily, but his levels dropped again, and he is still in a very fragile state.

Initially, there was concern that this could be a surgical issue. However, after further testing, including an ultrasound that showed no signs of internal bleeding, the veterinary team now believes this may be an autoimmune condition.

This means there is still a real chance he can recover with continued treatment, including steroids, additional transfusions, and supportive care.

Right now, the only thing standing between Peanut and the care he needs is the cost.

Additional diagnostics, such as a CT scan, would help confirm the exact cause, but this would cost an additional $1,100 to $1,500. Based on the veterinary team’s assessment that this is more likely an autoimmune condition, we are focusing on the treatment that gives him the best immediate chance to stabilize.

His current emergency care, including hospitalization, steroids, and transfusions, is estimated between $5,000-$6,000, which is more than my family can afford, especially given the recent costs of treating his eye condition and how sudden this has been. We are setting our goal at $7,000 to help cover ongoing treatment, including additional transfusions, extended hospitalization, and the CT scan needed to help confirm the cause, along with any further diagnostics he may need as he continues fighting.

If he does not respond to treatment as hoped, surgery may become necessary, which could increase the total cost to $7,000-$10,000 or more. We are doing everything we can to prepare for that possibility while focusing on giving him a chance to stabilize right now.

The hardest part is how hard he is still trying. He is still here, still fighting, and still responding to care. We don’t want to lose him just because of finances when he is showing us he wants to stay.

I know it’s a lot to ask, but I can’t ignore the way he is still trying to be here. I can’t let the only reason we lose him be money. If you are able to help in any way, even a small amount, it would truly mean everything to us and make an immediate difference in his care. And if you’re unable to donate, sharing this could help us reach someone who can.

Thank you for taking the time to read Peanut’s story and for giving him a chance to keep fighting.