Please help – My wonderful rabbit Niblet recently died

[Nina]

Hi everyone,

Please excuse the length of this message and thank you in advance for taking the time to read this…  My rabbit suddenly died on Thursday afternoon, we are immensely grief stricken and so confused. 

My husband and I got Niblet from an animal shelter, we were told a building landlord had brought him in, as his previous owners had moved and abandoned him in their apt.  My husband and I fell completely in love with him and adopted him.  Niblet was a Netherland Dwarf, and he had a few issues.  He had digestive issues and issues with his left eye getting inflamed and crusty with no known cause.  We took him to a rabbit savvy vet after we adopted him, and worked on those issues.  His digestive issues completely resolved after about a year, but he continued to have issues with his left eye. 

He was such a sweet, affectionate, and gentle bunny, and we felt so lucky be his parents.

When Niblet got to be 4 years old, he had a bad bout with EC which left him with paralysis of both hind legs and head tilt.  They also found a heart murmur.  The vet cardiologist we were referred to said that the murmur seemed to be caused by the EC.  Niblet was put on a round of fenbendazole.  After a few months, we managed to nurse him back to regaining mobility in his legs, though they were still not at full strength.  His head tilt never resolved.  However, Niblet seemed happy, ate very well, and we felt so grateful that he had recovered in some ways from the EC.  His heart murmur also went away several weeks afterward.  His hind legs never went back to how they were, but Niblet could use them enough to get around and not rely solely on his front legs. 

2 years went by after the EC.  In the last several weeks, we noticed that the mobility his hind legs seemed to get worse.  He seemed more tired at times when we played with him, and seemed to want to hop around less and rest instead.  He also seemed to want to raise his head highly upright often when resting, which I hadn’t seen him do before.  He was well otherwise (eating well, and very affectionate as usual).  We had booked an appointment to see the vet for next Saturday. 

Before the appt, on Tuesday of this week, I gave Niblet some water from a syringe because my building had to do some maintenance work in our unit, and he was moved from his pen to another room in our place.  The box where I put him in temporarily for the day was smaller than his sizeable pen.  He couldn’t maneuver as well in this box and kept dunking his body into the water repeatedly and spilling it everywhere, hence the syringe water.  He got back to his pen late in the afternoon.

Wednesday went by as normal.  Actually, Wednesday night Niblet was especially active and playful when we played with him.  As of Wednesday evening, Niblet was eating.    

Thursday morning, I noticed that Niblet wasn’t himself at all.  He wasn’t resting in a comfortable position (he didn’t seem to be able to sit or lay down, but kept standing up as much as he could), and was standing over his water bowl, just hanging his head over the dish.  I pet him and moved him to a more comfortable spot, but he would go slowly go back to that same spot.  I tempted him with his favourite foods, but he was also not eating.  I called the vet right away and we brought him to the clinic for an emerg visit at 11:30am that day.  While we were waiting for vet, Niblet started to breathe audibly, in a raspy way, for a few minutes before the vet came to the room.   

The vet said his decreased hind leg mobility may be due to an EC flare up and suggested a round of fenbendazole (he’d been to the vet regularly, but had only ever received one round 2 years ago).  She examined him and said there were no signs of abdominal pain or bloating.  Because he was breathing loudly for a few minutes, I was really scared that perhaps he had aspirated some of the syringe water I had given him somehow, though he had not coughed, gagged, etc. when I had given the water on Tues.  I told the vet about this, just in case, and she vet listened to both lungs and his throat and said there was no evidence of aspiration.  What then alarmed me though is that she said his heartbeat was slower and his body temperature was on the low end (about 98.78 fahrenheit/37.1C).  Despite this, she didn’t seem overly concerned, gave him subQ fluids with Vit B, and sent us home with some meds (pain killer, cisapride), and asked us to syringe feed him till he regained his appetite.

Right on the drive home, all of a sudden, Niblet started to roll around quite forcefully in his carrier.  He did this for a bit, while I tried to calm him but he was jerking about quite strongly.  It seemed as though he was having a seizure.  After that stopped and he fell to his side and his front and hind legs started to move in a back and forth motion.  He left out a few breaths with his mouth open.  Then our beautiful, precious Niblet was gone. 

When we took him to get cremated on Saturday, we noticed that there was some blood coming from the corner of his left eye, the one he had always had issues with.

We are absolutely torn apart and heartbroken, and are so confused. 

Can anybody shed absolutely any light at all into what might have caused or contributed to his death?  Did he die from having a seizure?  Did he seem to have a heart attack?  Do signs point to EC re-infection or something else?  We are so shocked that he died so suddenly on Thursday, when on Wed night, he was especially active and well.  We’ve been crying daily and have hardly been able to sleep these past few days because of all these unknowns.  We miss him so, so very much.                       

Any and all input would be so appreciated.  Thank you again for reading all of this.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I’m so very sorry for your loss.

My boy Bombur struggles with EC. EC is never really cured. You can manage the symptoms, and some buns only ever have one or two flare ups in their life. But ultimately, I think EC can be a very silent killer because it affects so many organs. Especially with a heart murmur as a complication and the neurological issues, it could be likely that the EC is what ultimately killed your poor bun.

*Binky Free Niblet* <3

[Bam]

I’m very sorry about Niblet. I think he seized because he was dying. This is very common with rabbits and horrible to witness. It’s believed they are not aware, seizures normally include loss of conciousness.

As Asriel and Bombur says, its highly likely that EC took your Niblet. EC is caused by a microsporidian parasite that, in many cases but far from all, can be controlled for shorter or longer periods of time by the bun’s immune defense in combo with medication. The parasite is never quite eradicated though, and flare ups tend to occur when the bunny’s immune defense is weakened by age and/or other factors.

EC can affect all organs that have a good blood flow, most commonly manifesting in problems with the central nervous system, the kidneys and/or the heart. EC is not fully understood yet though.

Niblet was very lucky to get the humans he got. You gave him a great life.

[meridiian]

Losing Niblet is just too sad and I feel for you.

Regardless of the cause, Niblet was a very fortunate bunny to be adopted by you and have several years of love and care. You gave him his forever home and he loved you for it.

You tried and you did everything you could to save him. I’m really sorry you lost him.

Binky free Niblet. xx

[Nina]

Hi Asriel and Bombur,

Thank you very much for your message and your kind condolences.  I am very sorry to hear that your boy Bombur also struggles with EC.  May I ask what it is you do with Bombur  to try to manage the EC?  Would you by any chance have an insight as to what might have caused Niblet to breathe in a loud raspy way for several minutes when he was held while we were vet waiting room?  Has your bunny ever done that?  We’d never heard him do that before.    

I am so incredibly upset and angry at myself that I didn’t recognize the signs of EC reinfection or flare up sooner.  We noticed that his hind legs got weaker in the past several weeks, and didn’t attribute that the an EC flare up.  He was still able to move around, but was dragging one of his legs more, and tripping more. 

The first episode Niblet had with EC was very dramatic.  He was found looking totally lifeless lying on his side in his litter bin with eyes closed.  We actually thought he had died.  When we picked him up to check, he fell out of our arms and started rolling forcefully. 

We thought that another episode of EC would be as dramatic…  I am so upset that I didn’t know that this might be an EC flare up.  Had I known, I would have taken him to the vet for a round of fenbendazole the moment we noticed his hind legs weaken more.  Maybe starting the fenbend then would have saved his life.  I so wish I had known this sooner.  It feels horrible knowing that perhaps this could have been prevented.                

[Nina]

Hi Bam,

The dark-coloured bunny in your avatar is really adorable.

Thank you so much for your reply, and providing me with your thoughts and kind words. 

Thank you for letting me know that it is common for rabbit to have seizures when they pass.  Is it the seizure that causes them to die in the end?  I guess I am wondering what it is that caused him to die so quickly and suddenly.  He was well enough when he was at the vet clinic, that the vet didn’t ask to hospitalize him.  I’m wondering if he had a stroke or a heart attack, or if it’s the seizure that killed him.      

The whole thing lasted only a few minutes.  I was in a state of shock and tried to comfort him.  I was in shock/denial, and didn’t realize he was passing until the last five seconds or so, when he inhaled his last breaths with his mouth open.  It was hard to witness this, but I am very thankful that we were able to be present for his passing, pet him, and tell him that we love him. 

Would you have any ideas as to what might have caused his raspy breathing for several minutes while we were holding him in the vet waiting room?  We had never heard him breathing like that before and I am wondering how that may fit into his EC infection.

I understand the EC can be managed by bunny’s immune system and meds.  By meds, do you mean the fenbendazole?  The vet gave us meloxicam saying some rabbits have improved mobility with it and take it for life.  We didn’t find any improvement to his mobility with it so we decided not use it long term. 

As I was saying to Asriel and Bombur in the message above, I am torn apart and so angry at myself knowing now that his hind legs looking weaker in the past several weeks may have been due to a EC re-infection or flare up.  As I wrote above, the first episode was so dramatic.  This time, he was still able to get around, but was dragging his left foot and tripping more.  Had I known sooner, I would have taken him to the vet at the first sign of his hind legs looking weaker, and maybe that would have saved him. 

[Nina]

Hi meridiian,

Thank you so much for your words of condolences.  They mean a lot to me.  I am at the point where I am so upset at myself for not knowing that his hind leg weakness in the past several weeks may have been due to EC re-infection and didn’t take him immediately to the vet then.  I tried overall, but it feels like my efforts fell short.  I am plagued by thoughts that perhaps I could have saved him if I had taken him at the first sign of added leg weakness. 

He was a very special bunny and we are so fortunate he enriched our lives the way he did. 

Thank you again for your kind words.  By the way, the bunny in your avatar is really cute.

Nina

[Nutmeg]

Hi Nina,
I can not offer any help with the cause, my senior bunny (in my avatar) passed away at just over 8 years old from seizures, that the vet said could have been from something in the brain – such as parasite like EC or a tumour – but it all happened so fast they couldn’t do the testing to be sure.
So I can say that if it was EC related that it can happen fast. But I am no expert on that and there are others on here (like those posted above) that would be way more knowledgeable than me to give their thoughts.

But I did want to say that 1) I am SOOooo Sorry for your loss! People do not realize how amazing bunny’s can be. I was very bonded to my bunny and took that just as hard as someone who would have lost a dog for any one who has had one and opened their hearts to one..

which leads me to #2 – You truly opened your heart to your bunny and did everything you could for him. You did more for him that a lot of other bunny owners would have, as sadly some still see them as pocket pets. (look at who had him before you!) He was surrounded by so much Love and had the best life he could have ever had – as that EC would have activated anyway.

I hope you can open your heart to another bunny (or bunnies) in the future as they would be lucky to have you as fur parents!
Big Hugs xoxo

[Asriel and Bombur]

Honestly even if you had put him back on the meds, there’s no guarantee they would’ve worked right away. They usually take 2-3 weeks before they really start taking affect. Bombur has the urinary symptoms of EC, so his isn’t dramatic at all. Poor boy will dribble urine and have scald, and sit in his own pee all day. He’s a had a little hind leg weakness and terrible Stasis caused by it, but nothing drastic. It’s taken us about 4 rounds of Oxibendazole since being diagnosed in February to get it to be even slightly manageable. He’s on the mend now thankfully.

He honestly could’ve really been getting weaker from EC for the past few years and you just wouldn’t have known. I think that’s a common misconception with EC is that every bunny gets the head tilt and the hind leg paralysis, but it really is so much more. I think you gave him and amazing life, and if the EC was really advanced there’s nothing that you could’ve done. A bun with EC often succumbs to renal or heart failure.

[Bam]

I completely agree with Asriel and Bombur, and I mean completely. Do not blame yourself for his death in any way. EC can be insidious. There’s research going on, but still way too little is understood about this parasite and what it does.

Rabbits tend to seize in their dying moments, perhaps it’s what happens when their hearts give in. You were with him to the very end,.and even though I know how horrible that is, it’s how it should be.

[DanaNM]

I’m so so sorry for your loss. I’ve now had two of my bunnies pass for completely different reasons, and the exact moment of death was very similar to what you witnessed with Niblet. I agree with bam that it is probably seizing due to imminent death, and that it is completely horrible to witness.

When bunnies go, they often decline so rapidly and there isn’t anything that can be done really. The initial symptoms can present like things you’ve dealt with before, but then all of the sudden they crash. It is heartbreaking.

Please don’t blame yourself, it sounds like you gave him wonderful care and a wonderful life.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[kurottabun]

Sorry for your loss

EC is one of the most common issues found in bunnies, yet so little is understood about it. There are “typical” symptoms like head tilts or balance issues, but symptoms manifest in so many different ways that it’s often difficult to even link symptoms directly to EC as a cause. Kurotta is just over a year old and he has already been suspected of having EC twice now. His first symptom was major weight loss. Diagnosis was never confirmed but he improved after a round of Fenbendazole so it was most likely EC, but who knows.

Bunnies are so fragile and not much research has been done on them as house pets, but we all know how much they mean to us. Niblet lived a great life with you and I’m sure he’s binkying free without any pain over the rainbow bridge with so many other bridge buns.

Take care xx

[Nina]

Hi Nutmeg,

Thank you for sharing your experience regarding you senior bunny.  I am sorry to hear of his passing.  EC is such an insidious parasite, I wish it wasn’t so common in rabbits.    

Thank you so very much for your very kind words of understanding and condolences.  The way you felt about your senior bunny mirrors how I felt about Niblet.  He wasn’t just a “pocket pet” and we had a connection with him that was very deep.  We did completely open our hearts to him, and I do know he had a happy life with us.  Thank you reminding me of this.

One day, I hope that the pain will have subsided enough to adopt another bunny.  The pain is so strong that right now I feel like I don’t want another, but I know Niblet would love it if I gave another bun a good life.  Your senior bunny in your avatar is beautiful, and I hope that Niblet and him are playing together at the Rainbow Bridge until we can join them there.   

Hugs,

Nina 

[Nina]

Hi Asriel and Bombur,

Thank you for your perspective, I appreciate it.  I miss him so much.  I keep looking for ways I could have saved him.  We were very bonded.  Ultimately, I know I will have to accept that he is gone, but that I truly adored him, and gave him a good life. 

I truly hope Bombur good health moving forward, and I am glad to hear he is on the mend. 

Best wishes,

Nina

[Nina]

Thank you very much, Bam.  I am very glad that I was there for him to the very end.  It was excruciating to see him go, but I wouldn’t have wanted otherwise.  Thank you for helping me with your replies during this difficult time. 

[Nina]

Thank you so much, Dana.  

How quickly he declined was truly a shock to me.  The vet didn’t see a need for him to be hospitalized, and we were eager to bring him home and help him back into regaining wellness.  Exactly as you mentioned, it’s so scary to see the initial symptoms present like familiar things you were able to manage in the past, only to see them crash with such speed.  Thank you greatly for providing this perspective as I am trying to make sense of this all and what just happened.  

We completely adored him and I do know that we gave him a happy life.  I only wish he had had longer with us.  

Thank you very much for your words of understanding and kindness.  

Nina

[Nina]

Hi Kurottabun,

Thank you so kindly for your condolences.  I think you hit it on the nail when you said “symptoms manifest in so many different ways that it’s often difficult to even link symptoms directly to EC as a cause.”  I keep replaying things and thinking I should have, could have, and only if, but I did not know what was the root of the vague recent symptoms, and it all happened so very quickly.  He had been to the vet regularly all his life, and many times in the past 2 years since his first EC bout, but no one saw this coming.  EC is so enigmatic and insidious, I wish there was more research done into its effects and treatments.   

I miss him so much, but do know that he is at the Rainbow Bridge, health restored, playing with the other bunnies there.  He was such a sweet and affectionate bunny, and he will always be in our hearts.    

So sorry to hear about Kurotta and his suspected issues with EC.  It is a relief to hear that he improved after a round of fenbendazole.   I send Kurotta many healing thoughts and vibes to keep the EC at bay. 

Thanks again,

Nina  

[kurottabun]

Thank you! It’s hard losing a bunny. Take care of yourself xx

[bbbunzo]

Hi Nina. I hope you’re healing ok from such an awful loss. I’m sorry I can’t be of much help, but I wanted to let you know how sorry I am and lend some support. I’m crying reading through this post – no one should ever have to experience something so painful. As others have said, it sounds like you loved Niblet very much and did your best to do everything for him. Please don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault that he was sick or that his life came to an end from illness. He was very lucky to have you and to be comforted until the very end. You rescued him and loved him and I bet it was everything to him.

[Nina]

Hi bbbunzo,

Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts.  I take comfort in your words of support, they actually help, and mean a lot to me.  Thank you very much for your kind empathy and condolences.

Hugs,

Nina

[bbbunzo]

Of course you’re welcome. I haven’t been through what you have, but if you ever need to vent or could use some encouragement, please feel free to message me.

[Sarah]

Oh my word I am so sorry you are going through this!! I recently had someone tell me that pets are like our children- NO! They ARE our children, no “like” involved and I know losing one is soul crushing. I’ve been right where you are dealing with a sudden and shocking death and I still remember that pain. I was very much where you are thinking I never wanted another pet because I just hurt too much. You need to give yourself the proper time to grieve the loss of your sweet baby and if the time becomes right to bring another bun into your heart you will feel it and you will know that it’s Niblet going “pssss mom! This one needs you”. It is obvious that you loved Niblet very much and I’m and positive that Niblet not only knew it but loved you very much right back. You gave him a wonderful and love filled life and I’m sure he’s at the RB bragging about how he has the best momma ever!! We are all here for you to help you navigate this so please reach out for whatever you need.

[Author]

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