Volume 5, Issue 2 - May 2005

News from the Sanctuaries and Satellites

The Welch Sanctuary
The snow is receding around the homestead, the best sign that another winter has past. Everyone is looking forward to the summer season as we begin our Springtime activities. Soon the heated water bowls and heat lamps will be put away for another year, the barn cleaning and repairs will resume and the bunns will get their semi-annual tune-up. We will continue with our fencing project. This summer, we hope to complete the back half of the fence. This will afford all of the critters more protection and additional room to roam.

Unfortunately, Cardamom, our elder bunny, died in mid-April. She was about ten or eleven years old and had spent the past six years with us. She was the last surviving member of the group of seventeen rabbits we rescued when a local wildlife rehabilitator closed up shop and moved to Southern California. All of the bunnies were able to experience the feel of dirt beneath their feet and the companionship of their fellow rabbits, something they didn't get prior to coming to our family. We miss all of them and, with Cardamom’s passing, reflect back on the excitement of their arrival; the memory of their "shantytown" setup on our porch; when Fall arrived and it became too cold to leave them there, the move of the entire group into a bedroom; and, finally, the start of the New Year 2000 when, on New Years Day they relocated to their new outdoor facility, where most of the sanctuary bunns reside today.

We eagerly look forward to this summer, not only because we anticipate the completion of the barnyard renovations, but also because we will be able to accept additional groups of rabbits and provide them with sanctuary for the rest of their lives.
--Dave Welch and Lynn Halpern

The Ewy Sanctuary
This winter was a mild one for the rabbits at the sanctuary. The greatest amount of time, beyond normal maintenance and rabbit care, was spent dealing with Vanilla's middle ear infection. We first noticed symptoms on Christmas Eve. Vanilla stumbled and had difficulty balancing. For the next few months Vanilla was treated without success.

In early March we took her to Colorado State University for a more thorough analysis. Vanilla suffers from an all-too-common and frustrating malady of our beloved bunns called otitis media-interna . . . or a deep ear infection.

Rabbits make thick infection material (pus), so this infection, when trapped in a small, inaccessible and enclosed space surrounded by bone (the middle ear), becomes a nearly impossible problem to solve. We see it as an unresolvable head tilt. The surgeon sees it as a challenging case.

We brought Vanilla to the CSU veterinary teaching hospital recently for a bulla osteotomy. In this operation--performed March 22--an incision is made deep up under the corner of the jaw, through lots of muscles and bypassing many important blood vessels and nerves to the bony encasement of the middle ear called the bulla. The surgeon gently and meticulously drills into the bulla and thereby gains access to the wily pocket of tenacious infection. The pus is physically removed, then antibiotic-impregnated beads are implanted into the clean bulla and the incision is closed.

Vanilla, the experienced surgeon--Dr. Julie Smith--and the skilled anesthesia team did great! Vanilla is making a slow but steady recovery thanks to intense and loving home care. The next step is acupuncture and some massage and physical therapy to assist Vanilla in regaining her balance and recreating normal neck muscle tone!!

Look for an update on Vanilla's progress in the next newsletter.
--Leslie & Stewart

News From the North
Several volunteers from the Fort Collins/ Loveland area visited the Broomfield shelter in January and again in April to help clean the foster bunnies’ condos. One of the helpers brought her recently widowed lady bunn for pairing. With Nancy's help, Max (formerly known as Spuds) now has a wonderful home in Loveland.

We will be going to the Longmont Sanctuary in mid-May to do bunny tune-ups and help with any extra projects necessary to keep the sanctuary in good condition. “Many hands make light work” so if you would like to join us, please call or email me. We could always use the help. Christine can be reached at 970-493-6965 or bosshaas@msn.com.

We were recently asked to take a bunny who had been "dumped" on another local rescue group that deals mostly with farm animals. We took this bunny in and had him neutered. He is awaiting a new home and we hope to have him placed soon.

Thanks to Cindy Bushong for fostering Cadbury!
-- Christine Haas, Satellite Manager and Educator, Fort Collins, 970-493-6965, bosshaas@msn.com