As most of you know I have a small zoo. I am the rabbit expert on this site. I have 4 rabbits in my home, all but one are rescues. My two older bunnies are getting close to 12 years of age. All but one are fixed, and the one that isn't is one of the older bunnies, a female name Oreo.
Well, I was cutting their nails today, and noticed a marble sized very red growth on Oreo's tummy, close to where a human nipple would be. I'm thinking abscess, or worse.
Here's the issue. If it's an abscess it will likely require surgery. Rabbit wounds are filled with puss just like human wounds, but the puss in rabbits is very thick, and almost impossible to extract. The best solution would be surgical removal, and even then there's no guarantee that the abscess won't come back. An abscess that isn't removed will eventually kill the rabbit.
The reason Oreo isn't fixed is that she was too old when we got her. The vet (who is a rabbit specialist) felt that putting Oreo under for the spay, would be a very bad idea. We could end up losing her on the table. So that's a concern if this is an abscess, as surgery would be the best option.
The second possibility is a tumor, in which case nothing we do would matter.
Either way, it's a rock and a hard place.
What would you do? I will spend whatever I need to if it will make her life better, but frankly, she's near the end, not the beginning. When I touched the growth she didn't even flinch. It doesn't seem to be hurting her. She's eating, she's drinking, and if you know rabbits, when they're sick that's the first thing they stop doing. So obviously this isn't bothering her.
Should I subject her to a vet visit, poking, prodding, possible surgery, or should I just make her comfortable, keep an eye on her, and be happy that I had her in my life for as long as I did?
I only want what's best for her.
What would you do?
It's so much easier to answer other people's questions, but this is one that even I can't answer. I can't diagnose online, any more than anyone else can, and in this case I do have blinders on, since this is my bunny, not someone else's. I really could use some advice.