Dilemma thoughts advice please

Hi
I have a dilemma and need advice from people knowledgable about rabbit keeping please.
My daughters beloved rescued pet rabbit died suddenly a few weeks ago. She was from the Spca and we'd only had her 7 months
She is still devastated and is asking if she can have another rabbit. We said no straight after loosing Nibbles, but it's now weeks later and she is still asking. The thing is even though Nibbles was looked after very well and I'm sure it wasn't a care issue. We don't know what actually caused her death and I would hate the same to happen again if we got another rabbit.

We followed all the advice on the websites and had Nibbles checked by our vet and vaccinated etc as soon as we got her, I asked the vet to give all necessary vaccinations although I now think they only gave her one for mixemetosis.
We fed her the right things, she lived inside but had an outside run, she was given social time etc etc...
I'm at a loss as to what happened.. She seemed to have some kind of hemmorage (not cerebral) and was dead in a very short period of time, we didn't even have enough time to get her to the vets.. So she died quietly in her cage.

We do have a lot of wild rabbits locally and I have been reading about the types of illness which can be caught by rabbits. So I'm wondering if we just don't live in the right place to have a pet rabbit
Other info we have dogs, a cat and chickens, who all lived quite happily with the rabbit and didn't bother her.

We are thinking possibly a couple of guinea pigs might be a better choice? Although my daughter has her heart set on another rabbit.
Any thoughts or advice about what I've said above would be welcome.

To confuse the matter further before Nibbles died we had already bought a brand new indoor house for her, which is supposed to be our daughters main Xmas present.
So we don't know wether to give it to her but tell her it's a guinea pig house, or let her have another rabbit.

Any input?




Thanks

I am very sorry for your loss of Nibbles


It sounds as though your he may have died from VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease also known as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease)


VHD is a nasty virus for which there is no cure. Fatality is almost inevitable But there is a vaccine which offers good protection. The vaccine can now be given in a combination dose with the Myxomatosis Vaccine.

http://www.future-of-vaccination.co.uk/vhd-disease-rabbits.asp

If you do obtain another Rabbit I would first destroy ALL accomodation/food bowls/toys etc that your previous Rabbit had. VHD is highly contageous and the virus can survive outside of the host for many months.

If you do obtain another Rabbit I strongly advise you to obtain one from a Rescue, one who has already been vaccinated against VHD

What happened at the time of her death? Was she bleeding from anywhere?
If she wasn't jabbed against vhd it may have been that. obviously impossible to know without a post mortem.
So sorry about your loss.
If you do feel you want to get her another bunny, you could pop to a rescue and get a bonded pair.
They are generally vaccinated already and neutered and spayed too.
if you decide on piggies then as you said a pair is ideal, as they like company of their own kind. Just like bunnies do.
Just make sure the accomodation was big enough for two piggies.

natsusakura said:

What happened at the time of her death? Was she bleeding from anywhere? .

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Hi thanks for your reply.
Nibbles was a girl rabbit about two years old.
At the time of her death she bled from her back end... Not cerebral... It was difficult to say where she was bleeding from, but I think it was more her reproductive/ or maybe urinary.
We live quite remote and the drive to get her to a vet would take about two hours, by the time we realised she was in trouble, it was too late to get her there.
I comforted my daughter by saying if we'd tried Nibbles would have died in a cold car getting bumped along a road in the dark.
Whereas at least she died in her own familiar house on her own hay bed.

We all loved the her, and I'm terrified that it might happen again.. So if it was this VHD thing.. Maybe it's best not to try another rabbit.
The house we bought is brand new Nibbles never got chance to go in it... So shouldn't be contaminated.. But maybe guinea pigs would be safer... Might be a stupid question, but does this VHD effect piggies too?
We bought the extra large house so should be more than large enough.
What a shame, but I wouldn't want another rabbit to die.
Thanks

P.s just to say she 100% for sure hadn't been with any other rabbits so wasn't a miscarriage or related problems as no way she could be pregnant.

Jack's-Jane said:

I am very sorry for your loss of Nibbles


VHD is a nasty virus for which there is no cure. Fatality is almost inevitable But there is a vaccine which offers good protection. The vaccine can now be given in a combination dose with the Myxomatosis Vaccine.

http://www.future-of-vaccination.co.uk/vhd-disease-rabbits.asp

If you do obtain another Rabbit I would first destroy ALL accomodation/food bowls/toys etc that your previous Rabbit had. VHD is highly contageous and the virus can survive outside of the host for many months.

If you do obtain another Rabbit I strongly advise you to obtain one from a Rescue, one who has already been vaccinated against VHD

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Hi
thanks for the link and info that's very informative.
I'll have to double check her vaccine record the vet gave and see if it was the double vaccine or just the single one.
Must admit the depression, collapse and high temp.. Doesn't really sound like what happened. It was more she was perfectly normal and just suddenly started bleeding and then it was very quick.

Not sure if I'm willing to take the risk of bringing another rabbit in just in case though as it sounds a nasty virus and there are things around that Nibbles had which would break my daughters heart further if I said they had to go... My daughter has kept Nibbles blanket which she liked to hop around on in the living room and a jingly ball Nibbles used to play with.
We do live on a farm and lots of wild rabbits, so I suppose the virus could have walked into the house with us or the other pets like the dogs, cat etc.. What a horrid thought.
Thanks for your help and advice

I'm sorry you lost her.
Was she neutered (sorry if you've already said) because the incidence of uterine cancer is very high in un-neutered females.

Babsie said:

I'm sorry you lost her.
Was she neutered (sorry if you've already said) because the incidence of uterine cancer is very high in un-neutered females.

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Hi
we're not sure if she was neutered.
She was from the SPCA a rescue rabbit and they said they couldn't confirm to us if she'd been neutered. We'd only had her 7 months and I must admit I didn't know how important it was to have them neutered until we'd lost her.
I very stupidly thought as she was not going to be near male rabbits she was ok, I didn't know about the cancer thing.

Just been discussing with my husband, and he's said it's sad but no more rabbits.. Just in case.. As we can't risk it. So looks like it's Piggys or nothing.
Poor little Nibbles she was so lovely.
Thanks for the info

We all learn as we go along - I've always had my rabbits neutered/spayed as I thought they would be happier; certainly didn't know about the cancer risks until I joined the forum.

Please don't let this put you off having more bunnies - although I love g/pigs too.

Tree sprite said:

Hi
we're not sure if she was neutered.
She was from the SPCA a rescue rabbit and they said they couldn't confirm to us if she'd been neutered. We'd only had her 7 months and I must admit I didn't know how important it was to have them neutered until we'd lost her.
I very stupidly thought as she was not going to be near male rabbits she was ok, I didn't know about the cancer thing.

Just been discussing with my husband, and he's said it's sad but no more rabbits.. Just in case.. As we can't risk it. So looks like it's Piggys or nothing.
Poor little Nibbles she was so lovely.
Thanks for the info

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We have three guinea pigs in addition to our three rabbits and I must say they make lovely pets. They have a wide vocal range and they popcorn which is similar to a rabbit's binkies. Before getting one please do your research as they have very different dietary needs, then rabbits.

Tree sprite said:

Hi
thanks for the link and info that's very informative.
I'll have to double check her vaccine record the vet gave and see if it was the double vaccine or just the single one.
Must admit the depression, collapse and high temp.. Doesn't really sound like what happened. It was more she was perfectly normal and just suddenly started bleeding and then it was very quick.

Not sure if I'm willing to take the risk of bringing another rabbit in just in case though as it sounds a nasty virus and there are things around that Nibbles had which would break my daughters heart further if I said they had to go... My daughter has kept Nibbles blanket which she liked to hop around on in the living room and a jingly ball Nibbles used to play with.
We do live on a farm and lots of wild rabbits, so I suppose the virus could have walked into the house with us or the other pets like the dogs, cat etc.. What a horrid thought.
Thanks for your help and advice

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Because they are prey animals rabbits can hide if they are ill etc very well, and when they do get ill they go down very quickly.
It's impossible to say for sure what it was but it's very sad you lost her.
I think there is a sister guinea pig forum to this one, if you wanted more info about piggies.

It's difficult to be certain, checking the vaccination would give you an idea if she was jabbed against VHD.

Guinea pigs can't get VHD, but there is no guarantee they won't get ill in future or that another rabbit wouldn't live ten years.

Guinea pigs are quite different to rabbits so I'd think about visiting some before making a decision so you can see if they are the right option for you and your daughter, particularly if it's a bunny she's set on

Snowytoshi said:

We have three guinea pigs in addition to our three rabbits and I must say they make lovely pets. They have a wide vocal range and they popcorn which is similar to a rabbit's binkies. Before getting one please do your research as they have very different dietary needs, then rabbits.

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Thanks, we did foster some guinea pigs a few years ago for a couple of weeks. (Lived near an animal rescue centre at the time and the girl who run it was on holiday)
I can remember them being really cute and entertaining.

I might look for a guinea pig forum similar to this forum, to read up and consider things.
Wish I could wave a magic wand and bring Nibbles back.. But that's not going to happen, so all we can do is try and make the best decision now.
With hind sight I should have joined a forum like this before we got her and then would have been better informed instead of just trusting the SPCA and the vet to advise us.
I've learnt a lot more here from you guys just in the last few posts.

Thank you all so much for your help.

Sounds like VHD and cancer are both possibilities I'm so sorry Binky free Nibbles xx

But you know about this forum and the vaccinations, neutering now, so probably highly unlikely that this would happen again, as you will have learnt things from the loss of poor nibbles. Your poor daughter as well though. I lost my amazing bunny last September, and being able to rescue and help another, does give some comfort. My daughter has guinea pigs and although they are lovely, they are very different to having a bunny, and aren't what I would choose to have instead of a rabbit. Obviously it is up to you, but you know sometimes, with all the best will and care in the world, some people, pets just aren't meant to be here for a very long time, and we will never know why, but possibly not reason enough to give up on all other bunnies. Good Luck.

RogerRabbit999 said:

But you know about this forum and the vaccinations, neutering now, so probably highly unlikely that this would happen again, as you will have learnt things from the loss of poor nibbles. Your poor daughter as well though. I lost my amazing bunny last September, and being able to rescue and help another, does give some comfort. My daughter has guinea pigs and although they are lovely, they are very different to having a bunny, and aren't what I would choose to have instead of a rabbit. Obviously it is up to you, but you know sometimes, with all the best will and care in the world, some people, pets just aren't meant to be here for a very long time, and we will never know why, but possibly not reason enough to give up on all other bunnies. Good Luck.

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Very wise words.. Thank you.

Captain Helen said:

Sounds like VHD and cancer are both possibilities I'm so sorry Binky free Nibbles xx

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Thank you x