I park the car at the animal hospital and turn off the radio. Flopsy in her carrier is making soft sounds — not moaning, but something like singing along with the music. Or so I tell myself. A few days ago she got sick and began to lie on her left side. We think she may have had a stroke. She doesn't seem to be in any pain. We pet her, and hold her water bottle to her mouth so she can drink, and hand-feed her berry-flavored yogurt drops, her favorite "candy".

A caring neighbor puts us in touch with a home-rabbit rescue society and the kind person there suggests that instead of a stroke it might be an ear infection or parasite. She recommends a local veterinarian, the same one whom we took Flopsy to a couple of years ago. That was the only other time she left the house. Paulette's glasses are stained with tears that have dried on the inside of the lenses. We think of Flopsy when we go into the room where she lived with us for the past decade and turn on the light, glance at her cage, start to talk to her.

The animal doctor puts her on an IV and an antibiotic, but warns us that she's "one sick bunny". After a couple of days she still can't do anything but lie there. The vet regretfully tells us that it's time to say good-bye. Paulette and Gray go to give Flopsy one last hug. Her ashes will come home next week.

Flopsy the Bunny — 1997-2007

(cf. DickersonZimmermann2004 (23 Dec 2004), DickersonZimmermann2005 (24 Dec 2005), DickersonZimmermann2006 (23 Dec 2006), ...)

TopicProfiles - TopicPersonalHistory - 2007-02-24

(correlates: MasterAndCommander, SublimeNight, NoProblems, ...)