Save John's Life: Needs Urgent Surgery

I just want to curl up in a ball right now, my rabbit might die and I feel like it's all my fault.

He's litter-boxed trained and free roams. I've had him for years and he's been through so much with me... Long term relationships ending... My mom dying... Losing my job while needing to move... etc. etc. he has been my one constant through it all.

I stayed for a few months with my grandma recently, then after seeing how much John (my rabbit) perked up around her cat and had a crush on her, I felt bad... I know rabbits pair bond and feel bad about him being alone when I'm not home... So when I finally got settled in to my own place, I thought I'd get him a friend.. another rabbit. And maybe the company would even help him to live longer?

So I found a rabbit at the humane society named Ivey who is also used to being mostly free range, so I thought it seemed like a good fit. But I introduced him and her too soon. They got in a few tussles the first night. He wasn't aggressive at all to her, but being scared in a new place, she but him on the stomach and pulled out a lil bit of hair on his butt. Fortunately they didn't fight much at all, by day 2 they were already friends and falling in love. He seemed fine so I wasn't worried.

About a week later I felt a scab on his stomach, and that's when I noticed the bite mark. There was some hair tucked in it... it was too healed to clean or get it out. And everywhere I asked said, as long as it doesn't look infected, it should be fine.. and it didn't. But then he started staying in the same spot all day.. I got worried and took him to the vet on a Monday. She didn't think it looked infected either or seem to think he was in pain... Just that "the scab probably feels weird when he tries to walk". But still, he seemed off to me and I emailed the vet my concerns throughout the week.

By Friday, I woke up to hearing him panicking. I look over and he's stuck on his side unable to get up. I picked him up (after days of trying to leave him alone, in case it was sensitive) and noticed he felt a bit thinner.. so I looked at the wound again and suddenly there was a big mass underneath.

I called the vet and brought him in instantly, she said bacteria must've traveled and although the wound itself wasn't infected, he was starting to get an abscess by it. She prescribed antibiotics and sent me home for the weekend without really doing much else.

The next day he wasn't pooping or eating much, like he was going into GI Statis (which can kill rabbits quickly), so I took him to the emergency vet, and then booked an appt that week with a specialist vet.

Apparently the antibiotic the first vet prescribed can cause ulcers in the throats of rabbits if given orally! Fortunately I think he's okay in that regard... The specialist said if the first vet would've cleaned the wound the first time I took him in on the Monday, he'd probably be fine at the moment. But instead she didn't do anything and it wasn't til Friday I took him in a second time. It's now been a couple weeks and the swelling isn't going down. I just got back from a checkup today. The antibiotic isn't working. He needs the whole abcess removed but they have to remove all the swollen tissue (since rabbit abcesses are a bit different), so the fact that the swelling isn't going down for them to have much skin to work with, isn't good either.

I just got my taxes back (thank goodness) and have already spent a grand on his vet bills from visits and all the medications he needs at the moment so that the infection doesn't take over his body. The surgery is going to be about $3,000 and he might even need one more surgery after that... The doctor said his chances are good but he has a long road to recovery.

A chart of all the meds I have had to give him...

The quote for surgery I got today...

As soon as I get ahead a lil (like get taxes), something seems to happen... And after all I've been through, moving, death, breakups, I just don't want to lose him... My one constant through it all. Especially before his time has come and all because of me. It's going to be so hard to cope with. And all because I just wanted to get him a friend. She's so sweet though, her name is Ivey and they love each other now. I can't even be mad at her, but idk how I'll be able to look at her everyday if I lose him..

To anyone who donates: thank you. From the bottom my heart. I can't tell you how sweet and precious of a soul John is, and how much he means to me.

❤️❤️