• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Two dead in 48 hrs... ETA again: Maybe not??

Dustbunny

Warren Scout
Hello everyone.. some of you may remember me.. I haven't been on in a while, and didn't leave on the most positive note, but I wish i could come back with better news.

Dustbunny (nethie dwarf) died unexpectedly on Thursday. Found him laying stiff in the hay box, half covered in hay... No signs of sickness, he was eating fine, drinking fine, no runny noses, fine bowel movements, no blood, clean bum, nothing wrong with his eyes.. nothing at all. He was up to date on mynxi and all other jabs... I know rabbits are quite sneaky with illnesses but there were absolutley NO signs whatsoever of anything wrong. We were all obviously upset, but Peanut seemed to accept it fine (possibly because he was able to hang around the body for a while before I went out to them that evening).

This afternoon, we go out to bring peanut (bigish nethie dwarf) in to give him some affection. Last night, he had seemed a little lonely and happy to be held and cuddled, but i figured it was normal after being alone for a day and didn't think much. We find him laying out, stiff.. same thing that killed his mate as well. Same non-existant symptoms... I have NO idea what has killed my two little rabbits. I've no other rabbits and don't plan on getting anymore, as we'll be moving away in a couple of months anyway, but for closure if nothing else i'd like to have your opinions on causes. I'd prefer not to go for an autopsy, as we don't have any other animals this could possibly spread to and we'll probably bury him beside his friend tommorow anyway...

They live in a shed now, in a run that they easily escape from, but there is nothing that could poision or injure them (i checked thoroughly).

Thanks for your responses... We're dealing ok but it's just a massive blow for the two of them within 48 hours..

-C
 
Last edited:
Can i just ask you if they were done for vhd.If it was just the one but then you could of put it down too heart attack but 2 is something else.
 
Sorry I cant give any helpful info on what might have caused this. Just wanted to say I'm so sorry to hear about your bunnies. It must have been a terrible shock to lose both of them so quickly. :cry:
 
I'm not sure if they were done for vhd but will enquire the vets on Monday. Thanks for the help and everyones comments x

Eta: didn't notice any breathing problems or nosebleeds but will enquire anyway
 
Last edited:
bless

That is awful, bless them. Cant help i'm afraid just wanted to send our love and thoughts as that must have been such a shock.
I know here in the North East serious epidemic of myxi apparantly the humid damp weather is causing it to spread so fast. Just the other day a Park had to put over 30 bunnies to sleep because of it. Your vet prob be able to give a rough idea of poss things just for curiosity. Although I would warn anyone near by who may have pets to get vaccs up to date etc.
 
Without a pm we could give you a long list of possibilities. Although two deaths close together can indicate an infectious disease eg VHD it could also be the second bun had an undetected health issue that the stress of losing a partner exacerbated eg a heart problem.

Tam
 
I can only suggest that you disinfect everything in the cage and the surrounding area. Best guess is, there is some sort of bacteria in the area, or it could be some sort of insect's nest under a big rock that has an air gap at the bottom.
 
Just back in from looking at Peanut... It's VHD. i didn't notice any symptoms before but his nose is bleeding (PM), legs are straight out, and head is pointed upwards (trying to get breath)... I hadn't seen the body yesterday as I was away all day, but my brother said there was nothing unusual, similar to dustbunny.. no bleeding when he found him.

Positive it's my carelessness.. Volunteer at the animal shelter on Sundays.. just started last week. incubation is 3 days, death approx 2 days after- everything matches. Dustbunny was smaller and lighter, so would have succumbed first... Rinsed my wellies off before i went in to the rabbits but clearly should have done more.. probably had faeces from a) wild contaminated rabbit, or b) stray dog that had eaten a contaminated rabbit or it's faeces. Nothing I can do now.. I didn't know anything like that could possibly happen but just a warning from any of you who do volunteer at a similar place..

Thanks for the closure everybody... Don't know if i'll be back but I appreciate all the help and kind words

-C xxxx
 
I'm so sorry :(

I'd suggest you contact the shelter asap as even if they don't have rabbits they may have staff who do. It may also help to warm vets in your local area that you had a death that could potentially be a VHD case.

There is a vaccine against it so anyone who who has rabbits that could have come in contact should vaccinate immediately.

VHD can exist outside the body for several months so do disinfect everything well. You need proper vet grade disinfectant to get rid of VHD.

Tam
 
Im so sorry.I lost some buns to VHD before there was a vaccination and only one of them had blood coming from his nose.I always found that the buns died at the same time of year,May which was when the wood pigeons started coming into the garden.Bugsy had to be PTS a couple of months ago and he had quite a lot of blood coming from his nose and he didnt die from VHD and I have had other buns that have had bleeding from the nose after they were put down.
 
:( sorry....i was asked if willowhad been vaccinated against vhd as the way she died was so fast.

its why i tell everyone who comes in now to take off their shoes or put on plastic shoe covers like the csi team....safer than sorry in hindsight as we all learn the hard way:(

its hard to remember how long it thrives for....and how easy it is to bring it in....


yes please please notify the shelter and your local vets........its how the spread of the disease or areas of intense infection are calculated and bunny owners notified as even near booster time its dodgy...
 
Oh i'm so so so sorry :cry:
It's strange that your vets didn't suggest having a VHD vaccination :?
Binky Free Peanut and Dusty.
 
I wouldn't immediately assume VHD. After a rabbit dies they may bleed from the nose due to deterioration of the tissue and 'leakage' of fluid from this, it is not specific for VHD. I would recommend a post-mortem for any rabbit that dies suddenly with no obvious cause, especially if others are kept close by.
 
ok well news, anyway... Vet didn't think it was VHD, as she said that usually there's a large outbreak all at once and nothing else has been found or reported, so she thinks it's probably just a bacterial infection. I told the shelter yesterday, but they don't have any smallies (dogs and cats only) so they're not overly worried, which is understandable. Vet also said that they don't often give rabbits VHD jabs as it's highly unusual and no cases have been reported around here for quite some time. So maybe it's not what I thought it was, but regardless, it won't change anything... but no regrets- they had spoiled rotten, fat and sleek lives while we still had them.

Bit of good news, though... In a couple of weeks we'll be taking on a lovely opal girlie who needs to be rehomed because her current owner doesn't have the space.. (so much for no more rabbits :roll:) She mentioned it to mum when she rang her about disinfecting everything, etc, so once i've totally cleaned every inch of the shed several times over, and replaced all the blankets, flooring (heavy duty plastic), water bottles, and bowls (that i got rid of last night as I was clearing everything out :roll:) and given whatever bacteria it is a little more time to die off, we'll be getting a new addition :oops: .So yeah.. you'll probably be seeing a bit more of me than I thought...

oh, ETA- the only one that keeps smallies is away to university for a while, but i'm sure if theres still any risk she'll be notified
 
Last edited:
Not sure about your vet, to be honest - it's standard practice to vaccinate against VHD. It may or may not have been the culprit, but I would definitely vaccinate your next bun.
 
Back
Top