Hershey's Raisin Dance is over

Two days ago, our raisin dancing, feet circling, incisor-less bunny made the trip to the Rainbow Bridge. His battle with head-tilt (severe inner ear infection) hit the point where antibiotics and prednisone could not touch it. He became so disoriented and dizzy that he could not right himself, and the stress on his body and mind was causing heart and breathing problems. We chose to end his suffering.



What am I going to do without him? He was such a joy!

Hershey came into our house about 4 years ago from our vet's office, where another patron had relinquished ownership. He kept us in stitches from day one, grunting in excitement over food and company, nudging our feet for attention, untieing our shoelaces, lop ears flopping up and down.... and then flopping with happy feet out the back and front in what we affectionately called "super bunny position". He quickly became free-range, taking over the living room.

He had no front teeth (removed due to maloclusion) but he didn't know that, and gummed everything in sight. Hersh also had overactive wax glands under his ears, causing lumps to form at the base of the ears. He had his first bout with head tilt about a year after he arrived, but despite being laid low, he bounced back with only slight nerve damage to his face.

I've never met a more forgiving creature - I'd pick him up to administer medication or to clean a poopy butt, and after flipping his feet at me a couple of times, he'd be back, nudging my foot, accepting pets. All is forgiven, forgotten, here I am, pet me and love me.

I can still see him in my mind's eye as I walk into the living room. Goofy, endearing, messy, loving, crazy, raisin and banana loving, never to be equaled Hershey. Farewell, my sweet bunny. Frolic at the rainbow bridge with bunnies Inky, Brigette, Patches, Sneakers, Albus, Missy, Crandall and Patty; Olivia and all the other ratties; and all the other sweet creatures that have touched our lives. We'll miss you.