Mysterious Death---Please help me understand this!

Thumper was two years old and I got my rabbit Thumper[a holland] about a month ago from my friend. When he started hopping around we noticed that he would barely use his hind legs. He would just take two steps with his front legs and then just barely push with his hind legs to move but it was more like he was scooting his hind end. He wouldn't even We first thought that this was wierd and that he was just stiff since he was kept in a 2x2 cage so I just figured he wasn't used to being able to move around so freely[my cages are about 2x's the normal cage]. So we blew it off and I bred him with my doe holland.A couple weeks later and we realized that he wasnt eating as much as normal and it slowly decreased throughout the week. About two weeks ago he was barely eating at all if he even was at all. We left on vacation a week later and he died 5 days later. There was always cold water running over my rabbits cages and they had ice blocks inside of their cages so they could lay against it to keep cool. Unfortunately, that obviously didn't help so, I was wondering if maybe this was something that would be hereditary.Thanks....
BarbieBug

Sorry for your loss I think a vets post mortem will help

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I agree with above - only a post mortem would have been able to give you the answers I am afraid. Could be absolutely anything and we aren't going to be able to tell you as were not not vets and haven't seen your bunny.

Binky free little rabbit.

Did you visit the vet with him when he started showing symptoms?

You absolutely need to do a post mortum he could have had EC (which by the way is easy to treat if dealt with by a vet) or something hereditary , without doing a post mortum you will never know and you other bunnies could be at risk including your doe.

Hoppla said:

Did you visit the vet with him when he started showing symptoms?

You absolutely need to do a post mortum he could have had EC (which by the way is easy to treat if dealt with by a vet) or something hereditary , without doing a post mortum you will never know and you other bunnies could be at risk including your doe.

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................... and any kits delivered as a result of the mating.

Cant quite understand why you would breed an obviously 'not right' Buck though

http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/ecuniculi.htm

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Encephalitozoonosis.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/Starsky.htm

Biny Free poor Rabbit

If you're not going to take obviously ill rabbits to the vets please don't get or breed any more.

I agree with the above, can't understand why you would breed him when he's clearly not right, go on vacation and not bother taking him to the vets. :? Poor boy

nursecroft said:

I agree with the above, can't understand why you would breed him when he's clearly not right, go on vacation and not bother taking him to the vets. :? Poor boy

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My feelings, too!

i think that it is difficult to say without more information on him, diet, lifestyle etc.

Any bunny stopping eating or eating significantly less is a very sick bunny.

Bunnies are not like cats or dogs. Bunnies hide their deseases so by the time you see obvious symptoms the bunny is a real emergency.

You need to always have a close eye on your bunnies and check them constantly for any change in behaviour.

Pls get a post mortem done with an experienced bunny vet, to ensure the rest of your bunnies are ok :wave:

Hoppla said:

Pls get a post mortem done with an experienced bunny vet, to ensure the rest of your bunnies are ok :wave:

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It will be too late for a post mortem now as that has to be carried out pretty soon after the death.

Note to OP: It would be awfully spiffing if you didn't breed from this rabbit as it clearly has health issues which could be passed on genetically.

I trust that is polite enough.

BarbieBug said:

A couple weeks later and we realized that he wasnt eating as much as normal and it slowly decreased throughout the week. About two weeks ago he was barely eating at all if he even was at all.

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Even if you dismissed his mobility problems, you obviously know that a rabbit not eating = sick, possibly very sick, rabbit. As you had identified the fact he was not eating over such a long period of time you equally obviously would have taken him to a vet for advice.

You haven't said in your post what your vet told you and / or recommended or what medication the vet prescribed. Can you tell us and then members will have more information.

Did you check his teeth to establish whether they were too long to allow him to eat easily?

I'm so sorry for your loss; a post mortem would be the only way to tell for sure what happened though as it could be any number of things but it sounds like it happened at least a few days ago and it would be too late by now.

Rabbits are prey animals so hide their illness very well and a rabbit who isn't eating properly requires prompt veterinary attention. There are some stickied threads in the Health section that you may want to have a look through for some more information about when to seek a vet and signs of pain etc for future reference with your other bunny:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=297802
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=298713