Sudden Death, Looking for Closure/Answers

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

So five weeks ago I decided to bond Smokey with another rabbit. I have been wanting a Holland Lop for years now, and decided to go to the breeder I received Smokey from all those years ago. I picked up a four month old Holland Lop who was not only laid back, a kisser, but just downright adorable. Smokey wasn’t too happy (she DOES think she’s a cat, after all) but tolerated him somewhat. He never acted odd or sickly, other than the fact he was a little too underweight for my liking (you could feel spinal bones, to give you an idea) and would go through 2 bottles of water a day and was ravenously hungry all of the time. I just chalked this up to him being a baby boy bunny and thought nothing of it.

Everything had been fine until Thursday night around 10pm when he wouldn’t come out of his litter box. He was super friendly and loved people and attention, so it was odd. An hour later I looked over out of habit to check on him and noticed he was laying on his side. I thought he was sleeping, but decided to check on him anyway. When I went over, he didn’t get up. That’s when I noticed his head was tiled back towards his spine, like he was trying to look up but while laying down. He was breathing normally, his eyes were opened, so I found this odd.

I carefully picked him up, but he couldn’t hold his head up. So I laid him on a towel on my lap and proceeded to call my vet’s office where they have knowledge of rabbits and Smokey has gone for years. Since it was after hours, you have to wait for the on-call vet to return your phone call. They weren’t returning my phone call, I was looking for other 24hr vet offices with exotics vets. They were all so far away and he was already distressed, so I didn’t know what to do.

I laid him on my bed and I laid with him while I called my vet’s office again.This time they called me back and while I was on the phone with them describing Reese’s condition, his feet started twitching. Then he started kicking, as if he was running in place. Then he head went back even further, which I didn’t think was possible, and let out this awful sounding gasp. I told the vet I think this was the end, and thanked him for his time. I told Reese’s I loved him, I was sorry I couldn’t help him, and he could go now. He stretched completely out and took one last breath, and that was it. He was gone.

His body was completely rigid like all of his muscles tensed up. I’m guessing his final cause of death was a heart attack.

He had no toxins around his cage. He only ate hay and fresh romaine. He had purified water. Nothing was around him he could have eaten. And Smokey is completely fine, like always. She still is eating/drinking normally.

Has anyone seen this happen before? Was he just doomed to not be with me forever? I have never been around when any of my beloved animals passed on, and I’m having a really hard time with this. I just don’t understand why.

[Bam]

I’d say there was something wrong with him from the start, like a congenital heart problem or something kidney-related. The enormous thirst, his thinness despite ravenous hunger and no shortage of food. It indicates some kind of internal organ problem that lead to his system collapsing. I don’t think it has anything to do with you.

I have seen this with a puppy that belonged to a friend of mine. He failed to thrive, it was his kidneys. He died in spite of being on a special diet and getting massive medication. It was very sad, he was a lovely dog.

These things happen, and noone is to blame for it.

[Sarita]

I’m sorry this happened and honestly the only way to possibly know is to have your vet do a necropsy which may or may not be conclusive.

Otherwise you can only speculate on the cause of death as it could be numerous things.

[RabbitPam]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I agree with Bam, and there is every indication that he had an existing condition that caused it. You certainly took good care of him, so it was nothing you did or in your environment.

You gave him a loving home for his short life, and that’s the best you could have done. It does come as a shock – my Sammy passed unexpectedly last month and though she was over 6 years old, it was also fairly sudden and a real surprise. It makes you want to know, or to blame yourself, but unless you do a necropsy you should assume that it was just basic poor health genetically. We rarely see what is going on with our bunnies’ health – they hide it well.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I wish I could help you find an answer. But I do want to offer my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your bunny.

((((Binky Free Little Bun))))))

[BelarusianBunny]

I have no words or wisdom to offer. I just wanted to send my condolences. Poor baby.

[Author]

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