My rabbit was put to sleep this morning, I gave consent because the vet said there was no chance of a recovery but I feel like I should have pushed for more tests or something now.

On Monday she seemed fine, she was less than 2 years old, all up to date with vaccinations, spayed etc but yesterday I noticed a huge solid lump on her cheek, it had come up overnight, I took her in this morning and the vet said he thought it was a tumour.

I asked if he was sure, I had expected it to be a dental problem, he tried to see if he could drain any fluid from the lump but he couldn't, he said if there was fluid it would indicate an infection which could be treated but when no fluid could be drawn he said it was definitely a tumour and the kindest thing would be to have her put to sleep.

She had been eating and drinking and other than the lump was her usual self so I was shocked to find out she had something so badly wrong with her.

I have come home, googled like crazy and am now beating myself up that I didn't ask about more tests, biopsies, blood tests etc, what if I let her go and she could have been saved?

I am so heartbroken that she is gone and now I am angry with myself for not trying harder, I keep telling myself that the vet knows best and he said there was no hope for her and the end would have been painful but if I could have done more I will find it so hard to live with myself.

I lost my other rabbit in August to old age, he was 9 years old and this is such a massive blow, they were my babies, I don't know really why I am writing this, I feel sadness and guilt, I am questioning my decision to sign the consent form and now it's too late.

I honestly went in thinking I was about to pay out for dental surgery and medication which was no problem, I wish it had been that, I would have done anything to keep her alive and well and now I am thinking I gave permission out of shock and should have researched more before signing that form.

I have to tell the children when they get home from school too, they are going to be so upset especially losing her so soon after the older one.

I just keep telling myself that I am not a vet, he knew best and would have seen this before but the guilt is terrible

Trust your vet, it was best for the circumstances. You have nothing to feel guilty about, two happys years and proper medical attention (a damn sight more than some pets get).

I think guilt is a natural part of the grieving process. I had to have my dog put to sleep last Thursday, and I feel massive guilt wondering if we could have done more.

Try and think good thoughts. You did the very best you could for your bunny .... and the fact that you are worrying shows you cared.

Take care, and cherish the memories.

Different animal but similar fast lump. Earlier in the year in found a massive lump in my gerbil's groin. It had not been there a couple of days previously. These things can come up very quickly, believe me.

It's natural to feel guilt after you have any pet PTS under any circumstances, I think. We all have done it.

Chances are, the vet was certain because they do see those bunny dental things all the time and it would be immediately apparent that it was not dental, from a look at bun's teeth. So the fact the lump wouldn't drain was probably not the only factor in his diagnosis. (Not that I'm an expert, just a long time bunny owner and haunter of bunny forums).

We just lost two buns within a month or so - both eating and pooing perfectly normally right up to their last day. Both had no symptoms of anything. Just there - then, gone. It's very hard to cope with - they have their own little personalities and quirks and you grow to love them as much as a cat or a dog. I think vets are unlikely to want to expose buns to lengthy procedures and investigations, if they are sure what they're looking at is incurable.

Neighbour's cat had a tumour the size of my hand, appear in its tummy within a really short span of time and she was PTS immediately the morning the neighbour took her to the vet's.

I once had a dog with a similar lightning fast tumour (in the brain, so nothing the vets could do) and although we did take him home after diagnosis for a day or two for it to sink in, and prepare the kids - he was PTS a couple of days later, even though at that point he was presenting as apparently healthy and happy, still and the vet even said as she put him to sleep, what a shame it was as he looked so fit and strong. But they said there was no point doing lengthy investigations as the outcome would have been the same. And I have often since wondered if he was in pain those last couple of days - and wish we'd acted immediately. The chances are even if you had brought her home today, she might have gone in the night and been in pain.

You did what was right for her, not what was easy for you. That is the hardest thing in the world. xxx

Thank you everyone, it's such an upsetting time and so shocking because it all happened so fast too.

I keep telling myself that the vet knows his job and would have made alternative suggestions if they had been viable and given her a realistic chance of survival, he would have known there was no hope for her before suggesting that we let her go.

And I never would have wanted her to suffer in any way, it was the kindest thing to do even though I am questioning myself but yes I think guilt does play a natural part in the process.

I am so sorry for those of you who have had to say goodbye to your own beloved pets, it's so painful, they become an extension of the family, she was such a lovely girl, a bit bossy at times and she would certainly let you know when she was fed up with you fussing her lol.

I will always remember her, I need to clean out the hutch completely, I have been crying all day and couldn't bring myself to do it yet but I will keep her toys and bowl as memories.

Off to collect the children now and break the news to them, no doubt there will be lots of tears and cuddles and asking for a new bunny but I am not ready for that yet and as much as I would love any bunny that I owned it would never replace the one I have lost, I considered it when the older one died but they really do have their own personalities and each is irreplaceable so we all just need some time to grieve before we consider that.

Thank you all again x

I am very sorry for your loss. Please don't feel bad about it though, or blame yourself. Rabbits, like all small animals will hide pain and illness extremely well, so well even the most dedicated owner can't spot there's a problem. By the time it's apparent there is one, it's usually far too late to do anything. It's nature's way of helping them stay alive in the wild, a rabbit showing weakness will be an instant target for something to catch. On top of being able to hide illness and pain, they also tend to go downhill extremely quickly, literally within hours, so the odds of everything going ok are sadly already stacked against you no matter how quick you get down to the vets.

Tumours can develop literally overnight in rabbits and rodents, I've had a hamster put to sleep after a tumour appeared overnight and forced his leg from the socket, and a chinchilla who in a matter of two days developed three lumps under his face which stopped him eating. If your bun had a tumour in her cheek she wouldn't have been able to eat properly, and as it grew would stop her eating at all. Rabbits are designed to eat constantly, if they stop their gut stops working and unless your extremely lucky, they die a horrible death.

If it wasn't a tumour, but an abscess, she wouldn't have fared much better, abcesses in rabbits are near impossible to cure completely, they tend to keep returning. If it's in the mouth that means having to have regular surgery to have it drained. Rabbits do not do well with anastethic, so it wouldn't have been fair to keep taking her. Test and biopsies would have taken time and if she was in pain, would have prolonged it and you may very well have had the same outcome anyway. Don't feel guilty, you did the best and kindness thing you could for her by letting her go peacefully, that's what any caring owner would do and your bun would thank you for it if she could xx

Thank you CollieWobbles, your post has helped me so much, I was feeling awful that I hadn't noticed sooner but I did know that rabbits hide pain very well and in a way that has helped me to accept that it was the right decision because she was very likely in pain already and I wouldn't have known so her suffering would have quietly continued if I had said no to having her put to sleep.

I had no idea that tumours could develop so quickly, I think a lot of my guilt was because I was convinced that I should have seen it sooner but it helps to know that it is something that happens that fast, I handled her daily and there was nothing there on Monday, it was so sudden.

It also helps to understand the complications of tests and what she could have gone through if I had pushed for them or pushed for treatment, not that it would have helped anyway, the vet said that if she was his pet he would let her go and that tells me that he knew the situation was hopeless and nothing could be done for her.

I still feel absolutely awful of course but if I had prolonged her suffering with tests or a refusal to let her go and she had died painfully I would have felt so much worse, she deserves to be at peace and at least I know that she has that now, I just have to remember that I did what was best for her and even though that hurts me terribly it was more important to end her suffering than to keep her alive for a bit longer for the sake of my own feelings.

Thank you again, your reply was a huge comfort to me xx

Your more than welcome, I'm glad it's helped ease the pain a little.

I have been in that position far too many times, it is the single hardest choice you ever have to make with a pet. Back in february my rabbit developed a mystery illness out of nowhere, which caused his nose and eyes to go all sticky and white. As he wasn't in pain, I had all sorts of tests done and various medications, none of which made a bit of difference and had the vets completely baffled as to what it was. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't very comfortable, he didn't like me having to clean his face up constantly and I started thinking that when the warmer weather hit, he'd be a sitting target for flies.

As the vets didn't know what they were dealing with they'd never be able to cure it and he was starting to find it hard to breathe as the amount of white stuff increased, so deciding that was no way to live, I had him put to sleep. He was the sweetest natured rabbit I've ever known, only 18 months old, should have had years left, and like you, I felt awful and guilty, wondering if I'd done the right thing, but nowhere near as bad as I'd have felt if I'd kept him like that simply because I couldn't bear to be without him. I still miss him like mad, but I'm comforted knowing he's not suffering any more, and if he was when he was here, that I stopped it as soon as I could.

The promises you make for the bad times are equally as important as the promises for the nice ones, and it really is better to let them go a minute too early for you than a second too late for them, however much it hurts to do so.

Take care and with time, your sadness will turn into gladness at the memories she's given you to cherish - and nobody can take those away from you xx