I keep losing bunnies

[thelordsofhoppington]

2 years ago I got the first rabbit I’ve had since childhood, Monty. After about a year I decided Monty would like a friend, so I got a male named Percy to bond with him. After 4 months of a difficult bonding time, they were finally getting along and happy together. I thought everything was fine. Then I just woke up one morning and Percy was gone. No signs of trauma, he hadn’t been acting weird, found some weird poops around his house, but that was it. Our normal very wouldn’t do a necropsy on him, so I just chalked it up to bunnies are fragile, and sometimes they just have a heart attack and die. It was tragic, though, and he was very young, only about 2 years old.

Went on a hunt to get Monty a new friend because he seemed a little lonely. Ended up falling in love with a special needs bunny with overgrown teeth and a splay leg and the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. He was 1.3 lbs of snuggle bug and would jump in your lap and stay there until you stopped petting him. Took him to the vet to get neutered and his teeth trimmed, since they were about to grow into his nose if untreated. He didn’t make it through anesthesia at the vet. They said his heart stopped and they performed CPR on him for an hour, but couldn’t get it to start again. Ok, that one definitely wasn’t my fault, and though heart breaking Monty still needs a friend.

Found another bunny, this one already spayed (I didn’t want to go through another surgery on a rabbit) and Monty loved her. She seemed like the perfect match, not as cuddly as the previous one, but hardly any bunnies are. Got her from a family that the kids got bored of her after they got a dog. She seemed well cared for, and not neglected, though. Seemed in good health. I only had her for 4 weeks. I hadn’t taken her in for a vet check up yet. Was in the process of bonding her with Monty, and things were going well. They spent 16 hours on the patio with me supervising before they started squabbling at 2:30 in the morning. I separated them and we all went to bed. The next day I noticed she looked tired, but I chalked it up to a long day the day before, until she didn’t eat her pellets when I put them down that night. Then we rushed to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. They said she had a fever but couldn’t tell what was causing it. Her stomach was nice and squishy, not tight or bloated. Gave her fluids and pain meds, told us to force feed her at home and go to the normal vet in the morning. We got home at 2 am, and she started nibbling on some hay. I watched her for about 10 minutes, and since she was eating on her own I decided not to force feed as that would have been traumatic for everyone involved and likely end up in all of us wearing most of the food rather than in her stomach. Woke up at 7 am and she was gone.

I can’t help but blame myself for that one at this point. I should have force fed her like the vet said to. Found a very that would do a necropsy on her, but haven’t received any conclusive results yet. They said enterotoxemia which led to GI stasis which led to death, but not sure what caused the enterotoxemia. I should have force fed her. I know bunnies are fragile and how quickly GI stasis can affect them, but she was eating on her own so I thought she would at least be ok until morning.

Now I’m wodering if Monty (my original bunny who is still alive) could be a carrier for some sort of disease that isn’t affecting him? I’m not sure if I can bring any more bunnies into the house if they’re just going to get some sort of disease and die. Plus I’m not sure if my heart can handle any more bunny deaths. And I’m terrified Monty is just going to keel over at some point. He doesn’t seem to be upset about this most recent passing. If anything he has been more interactive with us, begging for treats and such (he’s never been much for attention from people.) I’m just at a loss and scared. I have an appointment on Friday to take him in and have bloodwork done because if he is a carrier for something I want to know about it so I can stop bringing bunnies innocent bunnies into my home and murdering them accidentally. I looked into RHD and RHD2 because I know there have been a couple cases in the US recently but since it hasn’t been found in my area (FL) I don’t know if the vet will test for it.

Sorry that was really long, I think I just needed to tell my story to people who would understand. I feel like a terrible bunny owner.

[Pinkbun]

hi

this definately brought tears to my eyes! i just have to help. first off dont blame yourself, ive a feeling theres something in the environment. whats puzzling to me is that the first bunny that you got is still here. and all the rest arent did any of the buns have any vaccinations? im gonna put link to things ive found

https://kb.rspca.org.au/what-is-rabbit-calicivirus-and-how-do-i-protect-my-rabbit-from-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease_630.html

https://www.raising-rabbits.com/bunny-enterotoxemia.html

https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/coccidiosis

ive a feeling that possibly there maybe coccidiosis in your water supply (it harmless to people) but it can potentially cause the symtems you decribed as it does severly affect the gut bacteria of rabbits leading to diarrhoea which would lead to gi status. all the symtoms are in the article and it seems to be very similar. 

can i ask was monty from the area you were from? eg you get him locally? was he a kit or adult when you got him? as i read that rabbits can gain immunity to coccidiosis (or was monty treated for it in the past?) as this would explain why he’s not getting the symtoms. where the companions for monty from far away area or close by (i ask due to water supply sources)? as this would explain why they arent immune to this parasite.

RHDV is also a potential cause but i dont think rabbits can get immunity to it unless there vaccinated. from what i recal RHD kills within 2-3 days after infection. coccidiosis takes longer.  however RHD can stay in the environment too and can spread via birds, wild rabbits, feaces etc. so if you have wild rabbits in your area be careful.

this is only my opinion. im not a vet, so i cant diagnose your pet, but i do enjoy helping! its worth checking to ensure its not in the water. 

[thelordsofhoppington]

-“whats puzzling to me is that the first bunny that you got is still here. and all the rest arent”

I agree, that’s also been troublesome to me. I’m starting to think that Monty actually just really wants to be an only bunny and he’s smothering them in the night. 

I believe Monty is locally from this area, I got him from a local pet store that re-homes owner surrenders when he was about 6 months old, so I don’t know anything about his background or where or how he was kept before I got him. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t handled very much, though as he’s very skittish so I’m guess he was just kept in a cage somewhere and didn’t get very much attention or care. The other 2 I found on Craigslist, and they were both about an hours drive away (in opposite directions, though) so the water source thing is interesting. I will have the vet run a fecal while I’m there.

Thanks for your help!

[thelordsofhoppington]

-“whats puzzling to me is that the first bunny that you got is still here. and all the rest arent”

I agree, that’s also been troublesome to me. I’m starting to think that Monty actually just really wants to be an only bunny and he’s smothering them in the night. 

I believe Monty is locally from this area, I got him from a local pet store that re-homes owner surrenders when he was about 6 months old, so I don’t know anything about his background or where or how he was kept before I got him. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t handled very much, though as he’s very skittish so I’m guess he was just kept in a cage somewhere and didn’t get very much attention or care. The other 2 I found on Craigslist, and they were both about an hours drive away (in opposite directions, though) so the water source thing is interesting. I will have the vet run a fecal while I’m there.

Thanks for your help!

[Author]

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