Theo and Angus have been my rocks since 2017 and 2020. Ang passed last April and both of our lives dramatically changed. This was a loss I was terrified for since the day I adopted him. This year has not been easy on Theo or I. As if multiple moves in that time wasn’t enough, Theo is now experiencing poor health, and he’s quickly declining. We’ve been to multiple vets since mid-June with no answers.

Theo was born with one ear and some deformities on the side with stunted growth. It was never a problem until now. My theory is that his ear needs to be drained or surgically operated on. This is where I need your help.

After my former ESA Ang became sick, I maxed out on CareCredit and Scratchpay, which are the two financial assistance offers at veterinary offices and hospitals. I am in a position where I am not able to do the required testing and this is drastically affecting his quality of life. As of the past week, he’s been grinding his teeth in pain, forming a head tilt for pain relief, excessively drooling which is causing mats under his chin or dewlap, and losing weight. Within three weeks, he’s lost 0.65 pounds. For a rabbit who weighed 5 pounds, this is not good.

His veterinarian in Poughkeepsie is an exotic specialist and has prepared an invoice for testing to get to the bottom of the issue. The estimate was 1500-2500. Lab work ranging from white blood cell count to E. Cuniculi to pasteurella, draining the ear without an opening to check for pus or wax buildup, an xray, and potentially a CT scan, this is a lot. This is not including his pain meds or what comes after the test results. He could be facing an invasive surgery, which I am mentally and emotionally planning for.

I could truly use any help if you’d be willing to share or donate. Theo is all I have left of a life, memories, and an identity which I hold dearly to me, one that isn’t foreign to me. Everything in my life has completely changed within this past year. And for him, I can’t even imagine just how much he’s really been through.

He’s my best friend, and I truly don’t know who I would be without him. I don’t want him to be in pain, and rabbits can live anywhere from 8-13 years… he deserves to live out those years. For those of you that know me and my views on animals, you understand that he truly is my family. I went cruelty free and vegan because of Ang. One rabbit changed the world for me, and in turn changed it for Theo.

I will be uploading a photo of the invoice to break down what we have to test and prices. I appreciate any help we can get.