Sparkplug

I had to put beautiful Sparkplug down on 2/20/18. She was about 9 or 10 years old. She had long been struggling with an infection that we could not manage. When she began to suffer, when the infection became a deep abscess resistant to antibiotics, when she stopped eating, I put her to sleep. I miss her so very much.

She had a hard life – she was abandoned at a shelter in the sweltering July 4th heat of Las Vegas at about age 5 or so. Maybe no one wanted an older bunny; she stayed at the shelter for over a year and a half. I myself almost did not adopt her because of her age (7 or so when I took her home). But what a wonderful bunny!! She bonded easily with my other rabbit, and was the most friendly, chilled-out rabbit I have ever met and probably ever will meet. She was never aggressive (well, she would nip at the vacuum cleaner!) and was always affectionate, chattering her teeth loudly when I petted her. She loved her piece of banana every night, and would just about mow anyone or anything over to get to it!

She was exceptional; she was the sweetest rabbit in the world even after all the neglect and abuse. She was an unlucky bunny with her health. Whoever abandoned her obviously did not care for her. Her feet were malformed from growing up in a wire-bottomed cage, and she had chronic bladder sludge. I can only imagine what they were feeding her. She was skinny, even with good treatment at the shelter. I was able to fatten her up! She had terrible arthritis and developed a splayed leg after I had her for a year and a half, and never did hop gracefully because of the arthritis. Yet, she was such a great patient!! In her last 5 months, poor Sparkplug had to get medicine twice a day and subcutaneous fluids and butt baths and bladder flushes. Yet, she never tried to bite me when I cared for her ( I would have bitten me!!). She would wait patiently for a little piece of banana after her treatments, and then hop off, kicking her feet at me as if to say, “that’s enough of that, Pal!” She had such a positive bunny attitude! She still loved to hop around the house the best she could and chew everything and eat everything in sight and get petted and cuddle with her bonded partner.

Despite all of her problems, she was a happy rabbit! She taught me to stop complaining and enjoy life. If this little bunny could enjoy her life after all she had been through, I have no excuse to moan. Rest in peace, my dear Sparkplug. You are a gentle and loving soul.