Could more have been done?

Hi everyone,

I'm brand new to this forum, I've joined as my gorgeous Jake died yesterday and I'm hoping someone can give me some answers.

Jake lived outside, during the day he had free rein in the garden and I would shut him in his hutch at bedtime. He was very tame, we would play chase with each other (he knew when it was his turn to chase or be chased) and he would jump up into the kitchen for treats. I don't know exactly how old he was, we rescued him from a neighbour almost 3 years ago and at the time they thought he was about 4.

He was fine on Sunday, he had been out in the garden and there seemed nothing wrong on Sunday evening when I put him to bed. He was eager for his dinner, as usual.

When I went out on Monday morning he was lying on the floor in his hutch, he looked like he was attempting to move. His head was leaning to one side and he tried to shake his head a few times unsuccessfully. He had no balance.

We brought him inside and made a vets appointment, however, within an hour he had died. There was a slight bit of foamy mucus from his nose, which looked like it could have had a very small amount of blood in it.

Does anyone know what could have caused this and if there was anything that could have been done to prevent or cure it. Jake was vaccinated.

I am heartbroken and just hope that he didn't suffer. I'm so glad my husband and I were able to be with him at the end.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Rachel.

Rachel, I can shed no light on this as my rabbit knowledge is limited, if it was a guinea pig with a piggie problem I could help. All i can say is that I am very sorry for your loss, he sounded a proper little character. I will watch this thread just out of interest as his death was really sudden.
Take care of yourself and if there is a rabbit rescue close by I am sure they would welcome you with open arms if you needed to go and have some rabbit stroking time.

Thank you.

I have 2 piggies so I'll be in touch if anything happens to them. Thanks for the idea of rabbit cuddling. I don't know if it would make me more upset or if I'd end up taking them home! Someone asked me today if I would get another and my immediate thought is 'no, I can't stand the pain', but who knows what the future holds.

Rachel

Hi Rachel, I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm a bit stuck on suggestions here I'm afraid, I would've said VHD because of the blood but your bun was vacinated so I guess that rules it out.

Either way I'm sure you did everything you could.

Rachel this sounds horrible, I don't know what I would've done if this had been my bun. I dread waking up and finding this one day. There will be some more people on this thread a bit later I'm sure - PrettyLupin, Jacks Jane and Sky-O are excellent on stuff like this and can often offer help with health issues. In the meantime, try and take care of yourself and if you are feeling like it, post some photos/rememberence of Jake in Rainbow Bridge (one of the forum threads down at the bottom of the page) for buns who have died.

Just bumping this one!

Hi im so sorry for your loss, im sure someone with more rabbit health knowledge will come along, it sounds like vhd but like all the others that have posted, your bun had been vaccinated im not sure if they can still catch this disease,but im so sorry, thinking of you.x

Can't help with what happened but just wanted to say sorry for your loss.

Rachel WD said:

Jake was vaccinated.

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For VHD? or just Myxi?

I'm so sorry to hear about your bunny you must be feeling very sad.

Failing VHD I would suspect a little haemorrhage perhaps, stroke, heart attack, or perhaps he had a tumour that ruptured somewhere. I'm sorry to ask this but have you had a post mortem done? It might provide you with some answers, but I know it will not bring him back.

Thanks for all the messages so far guys.

Prettylupin - didn't have a post mortem. It probably would have given me the answers I need but I just didn't want to put his little body through it.

I had thought he was vaccinated against both but having just looked at his medical card it looks as though it was just myxi. I guess that could explain things. How do rabbits contract VHD?

I'm so sorry for your loss Rachel.

Rachel WD said:

Thanks for all the messages so far guys.

Prettylupin - didn't have a post mortem. It probably would have given me the answers I need but I just didn't want to put his little body through it.

I had thought he was vaccinated against both but having just looked at his medical card it looks as though it was just myxi. I guess that could explain things. How do rabbits contract VHD?

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If there hadn't been the blood from his nose then I would have said a stroke or heart attack but I fear it may have been VHD. It can be brought in on your feet, airborne on birds feet, biting insects - fleas/mozzi's, anything that has had contact with the virus. It is a nasty virus sadly and although less common than Myxi, sporadic outbreaks do occur around the country some years. The virus tends to cause death within 24-48 hours I believe and there is nothing that can be done to save an unvaccinated rabbit, so if it was this there was nothing you could have done. I'm sure you holding him at the end and being with him gave him comfort whatever the cause. I am truly sorry for your sudden loss It sounds like you gave him a wonderful happy life.

(I haven't gone into too much detail re. the virus as I don't wish to upset you, but just to say that if you do consider another bunny in the future you should really throw away/burn as much stuff as possible and heavily disinfect the rest. If you wanted to know more the RWAF leaflets/articles sections on the RWAF website will tell you what you want to know. I would not read this just yet as I fear you will find it rather upsetting. http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/index.php?section=leaflets.html) I'm so sorry. RIP little Jake x

Hi Rachel I am so sorry for your loss, you really must be heart broken, my heart goes out to you.

I have just had a look at the link prettylupin added and to be honest hun it does sound like it could have been VHD, if so you must rest assured that you really could not have done any more.

I understand what you mean about not wanting to put him through the post morterm I dont think i could do it either.

If you do consider getting a new bun any time soon or in the future I really would advise either purchasing new hutch etc or as it states on the website ask your vet what disinfectant is suitable to kill any remaining virus as it can linger for some time.

So sorry, binky free Jake

so sorry for your loss. sending hugs to you. binky free jake xxx

Ive just seen this.Im so very sorry for your loss ...and for Jake too.Sleep well Jake.xxxxxx

Try not to beat yourself up over why he died, he was a good age and it could have been a number of things. Remember the good times you had with him and that he was happy.

I do know how you feel though as I found my Sooty one morning when I went out to feed her, it is such a shock

You are all so nice, you keep making me cry!

Thanks so much for the info Prettylupin, I think I will wait awhile before looking at the link, but I really appreciate your help.

I will definately take your advice with regards to Jakes hutch. I actually found myself looking at a rehoming site yesterday but to be honest, at the moment I just want Jake back and that wouldn't be fair on another rabbit who maybe didn't measure up in my tearfilled eyes

There are a lot of lucky buns out there who have such caring owners.

Just to say that it could also have been a stroke - my Quickthorn did a very similar thing with the laying down and shaking his head etc and died after another stroke about 36 hours later.

Bunnies do have strokes.

It sounds to me as thought it might well be a stroke.

In humans, there are two types of strokes. The first is the common and well-known one, where the blood clots, and causes a blockage in the flow to the brain. The second one, which sounds likely to me, is where one of the blood vessels in the brain ruptures and blood leaks into the surrounding soft tissue, which may explain the Head Tilt, the disorientation, and the nose bleed.

If it was a stroke, then it will have been very sudden. As it affects the nervous system, he should not have been in too much pain, just a headache towards the end and a bit of confusion, he will have been too tired to panic too much, and he will certainly have been reassured when you were with him. There would have been absolutely nothing for you to do, and it is probably one of the easiest ways for the little mite to pass, especially snuggled up under the loving gaze of his Mummy and Daddy.

I really hope I haven’t got too technical or graphic and upset you. From the sound of it the proximity of his symptoms to his passing means that it is likely to be something you could not have stopped, nor could the vet.

I would definitely not rule out VHD, and I would definitely think about a new hutch and new accessories for any new bunny, if and when you can bring yourself round to falling in love all over again.

It is extremely hard to lose a pet; I still haven’t got over the loss of my dog 18 months ago to leukaemia, some days I can’t bear to look at a picture of him. At least you always know that you looked after him, and gave him a happy forever home. He is in the big meadow now, binkying with bunnies as far as the eye can see.

xxx