what the vet said

clarem · Jan 10, 2011

I lost my boy Oscar last Friday. It was completely unexpected and he died in his run during the day. There were no obvious signs of injury and he had been well beforehand. I took his body to the vet and was asking whether I should bring his wife bun in for a check up. The vet said two things that worried me. Firstly that as I saw two small soft poos in his shed (not quite diorhea but not formed pellets either) that he could have had an infection that would be very contagious. What sort of infection did she mean and if contagious how would it be passed on? Secondly she said that we have had very cold weather lately and it could just be that. Can cold weather really kill a bun, considering he lived in a shed with his partner with plently of hay and vetbed and a snugglesafe at night? I know we may never know why we lost him but these two things are bugging me.

Jack's-Jane · Jan 10, 2011

I am really sorry about Oscar

Without a PM it is impossible to have any idea why he died. Sometimes even a PM does not give a conclusive answer.

The infection your Vet was refering to may have been Coccidiosis

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/171332.htm

Generally speaking Rabbits do cope with very cold weather as long as they have adequate accommodation, which Oscar obviously did. However, if a Rabbit has an underlying illness then extremely cold weather can tip them over the edge.

prettylupin · Jan 10, 2011

Soft poos could be something as simple as malformed caecotrophs which can have a whole list of possible causes from something like diet to dental issues, or are often associated with GI stasis and caecal dysbiosis - the two are often connected. Neither of these things are of course contagious. Pain of any sort can cause the caecum to respond like this, malformed caecotrophs are a common symptom in both otherwise healthy rabbits and in very poorly ones too.
The only highly infectious bowel disease that springs to mind would be coccidiosis - which can also present with soft stools and/or diarrhoea. This would require the companion rabbit to undergo treatment regardless of symptoms.

No, with what you describe as accomodation cold weather alone would not be sufficient to kill a rabbit, but cold weather combined with a poorly rabbit (who is unable to maintain body temp) could kill.

After making all these frightening suggestions did the vet not suggest performing a post mortem on your deceased bunny? This really is the ONLY way for them to have some idea of what caused his demise.

I am so so sorry for your recent loss

clarem · Jan 10, 2011

no the vet didnt suggest a PM. When I lost my rabbit Jasmine we were told a PM would be very costly and may not even give us answers so no point. I cannot be sure that the poos in the shed were his, the vet did say could be night time poo but these didnt look like the bunch of grapes type poo done at night. His partner bun Jess seems healthy and is eating, drinking and pooing but then so was he! I have a threesome of rabbits in another shed and I am worried about letting them run in the garden as Oscar has been out there to.

Jack's-Jane · Jan 10, 2011

Personally I'd call the Vet tomorrow, ask if he/she thinks Coccidiosis is a possibility and if your remaining Rabbits should be treated as a precaution. *If* it was Coccidiosis then ALL Rabbits need treatment even if they have no symptoms.

what the vet said

clarem

Warren Scout

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

prettylupin

Wise Old Thumper

clarem

Warren Scout

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

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