Why did my bunny die?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 11sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by MomOfStink.

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- 01/11/2016 at 5:28 PM
  MomOfStink
  Participant
  13 posts
  Last night my 3 year old jersey wooly died (he was the runt of the litter and had a heart murmur). I’m hoping someone here can give me some insight. At around 11pm, he ran quickly but crookedly in front of me. He seemed very disoriented, so I picked him up. He had a bloody nose. I pet him and comforted him after cleaning up his nose. He seemed better, if not shaken so I put him back down to see what he would do. He ran very crookedly and stumbled around. I picked him up again and just held him to comfort him. All of a sudden his head was starting to fall back and he had a funny look in his eye. All of a sudden blood started pouring from his nose and he started jerking like he wanted down. I set him on the floor, and he convulsed in circles on the floor and blood sprayed everywhere. I quickly picked him up. After holding him for a few seconds, his heart stopped beating. He died at 11:21. It was very traumatic and bloody, and I’m devastated. I know I can’t know for sure without a necropsy, but I’m so upset and just want some idea of what may have happened. Thanks in advance for your responses.
- 01/11/2016 at 6:38 PM
  HopsiclesMommy
  Participant
  33 posts
  I am very sorry to hear about your loss. It is very hard to lose a family member so suddenly.
  
  What you are describing sounds to me as the Viral Hemorrhagic Disease, but I am not a vet. If you have other rabbits you should separate them and disinfect the areas your jersey wooly has been.
- 01/11/2016 at 6:39 PM
  Bumbleberry
  Participant
  57 posts
  I am so so sorry for your loss. When we loose a pet, they take a part of out heart with them. I’m not a vet or anything, but maybe he had enternal bleeding?. Before he died, was he acting funny? Like the day before? Was he eating? If not, then that might help you figure out what happened.
  Once again, I am so so sorry for you loss of your little bunny. I know how hard it is to loose a pet.
  I hope this helped?
- 01/11/2016 at 8:09 PM
  MomOfStink
  Participant
  13 posts
  Thank you for your answers. He seemed mosh normal that day, although I have a rambunctious nine month old so it’s possible I could have missed signs. He was eating fine, though. In hindsight it seems like he had fewer poops than usual, and my husband thinks he seemed lethargic yesterday. It was just so sudden and we’re so devastated.
- 01/11/2016 at 10:57 PM
  Q8bunny
  Participant
  6345 posts
  I’m so sorry for you loss – it must be devastating to lose a loved one so suddenly and in such a fashion. (((binky free, sweet bun)))
- 01/12/2016 at 12:36 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17033 posts
  I’m so sorry for your loss. I don’t know what took your bun’s life. Sometimes with runts there are multiple malformations of inner organs that will shorten the animals’s life.
  
  RVHD (Rabbit viral hemorragic disease) is very rare in the USA. The gushing nose-bleed makes me too think of RVHD, but that’s so rare that you don’t even have a vaccine for it in the USA, and it’s even more unlikely if he was an indoors bunny with no contact with wild rabbits. Here is an article from the House Rabbit Society about this illness:
  http://www.rabbit.org/care/vhd.html
  
  And here’s the Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease
- 01/12/2016 at 1:18 AM
  blubudgie
  Participant
  178 posts
  I’m sorry for your loss. It sounds like he may have had some seizures. A vet and necropsy might help if you feel able to go through with one.
- 01/12/2016 at 12:34 PM
  MomOfStink
  Participant
  13 posts
  Thanks again for the input. I guess it will remain a mystery. I knew he wouldn’t live very long being a runt, but I was hoping to get a little more time. He was such a good boy and didn’t deserve to go like that. Bam- he looked a lot like your little guy.
- 01/12/2016 at 4:38 PM
  Tia
  Participant
  36 posts
  So sorry for your loss. I just lost my baby bun suddenly this week as well.
- 01/12/2016 at 4:57 PM
  MoxieMeadows
  Participant
  5375 posts
  I have no information to share, but I’m very sorry for your loss.
- 01/12/2016 at 5:06 PM
  LittlePuffyTail
  Moderator
  18092 posts
  My condolences for the loss of your bunny. ((((Binky Free))))
- 01/13/2016 at 10:09 AM
  MomOfStink
  Participant
  13 posts
  Thank you everyone. He was my best friend and baby. It just still doesn’t feel real that he’s gone. He should be sitting in front of the heater watching tv with me and my son right now
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