My rabbit, Phoebe, died on Thursday night. When we got home from work, we let her and Douglas out of the bun run, and Phoebe wouldn't come out. Usually, they are both itching to come out to have a run around the garden. When we coaxed her out, she just sat underneath the patio table and chairs. We knew something was wrong. We tried to tempt her with some pellets, but she wasn't interested. We then took her out for a closer look and she just didn't look right - she was very subdued - she's usually full of energy. She had a strange look on her - her eyes and her mouth just didn't look right. She looked like she had been shocked. We decided to take her straight to the vets. When we got there, she started fitting and was bleeding from her nose or mouth. She died at the vets. There was nothing they could do for her.
We collected her little body from the vets the next day. We thought the best thing to do was to bring her home in one piece and bury her in a place that she loved - our garden. It was so sad.
She was a beautiful rabbit - a chocolate-coloured Rex. She had long eyelashes and cute cheeks - a great girl-rabbit face. She looked so cute when she was eating. She did the most elaborate binkies on the lawn, and would climb all over Douglas and lie on top of him.
Having spoken to the vet and other (bunny) people, they think that it may have been e Coniculi. I had never heard of this before. I've had both of my bunnies vaccinated against VHD and Mixy, and treated with Rearguard against flystrike - I was completely unaware of e Coniculi. I feel so annoyed. I thought I had done everything. I was unaware that you could lose a bunny so suddenly. I am gutted.
The vet has check over Douglas and put him on a course of antibiotics (Baytril) and wormer (Panacur) just to be safe. Now, I can't work out if Douglas is depressed or drugged-up. I think it's a bit of both. He seems fine, but so lonely. He sniffs round the garden like he's looking for Phoebe. He's not as enthusiastic to get out the run or hutch. Usually he wolfs down his food but not so much now - but he still manages to eat it all. He doesn't seem as playful as he was before, but he has managed a few binkies on the lawn.
The death of a loved bunny brings on so many emotions. At first it was disbelief - I couldn't believe that bunny would not get better from this, I couldn't believe that a bunny could die so suddenly when I thought I had done everything I could for them in terms of vaccinations and protections. I thought it must have been me - I thought that I must have done something, feed them something wrong or that there was toxic plant in my garden that I should have known about. Then sadness - for Phoebe to die like that - she was only four months old - only a baby. She must have been so scared. Now, I worry for Douglas. I will be getting another bunny - Douglas needs a playmate - although, I will be waiting until he finishes his medication first. I would be grateful if you could share any kind thoughts or advice you have with me as only a bunny-lover would understand my loss.
We collected her little body from the vets the next day. We thought the best thing to do was to bring her home in one piece and bury her in a place that she loved - our garden. It was so sad.
She was a beautiful rabbit - a chocolate-coloured Rex. She had long eyelashes and cute cheeks - a great girl-rabbit face. She looked so cute when she was eating. She did the most elaborate binkies on the lawn, and would climb all over Douglas and lie on top of him.
Having spoken to the vet and other (bunny) people, they think that it may have been e Coniculi. I had never heard of this before. I've had both of my bunnies vaccinated against VHD and Mixy, and treated with Rearguard against flystrike - I was completely unaware of e Coniculi. I feel so annoyed. I thought I had done everything. I was unaware that you could lose a bunny so suddenly. I am gutted.
The vet has check over Douglas and put him on a course of antibiotics (Baytril) and wormer (Panacur) just to be safe. Now, I can't work out if Douglas is depressed or drugged-up. I think it's a bit of both. He seems fine, but so lonely. He sniffs round the garden like he's looking for Phoebe. He's not as enthusiastic to get out the run or hutch. Usually he wolfs down his food but not so much now - but he still manages to eat it all. He doesn't seem as playful as he was before, but he has managed a few binkies on the lawn.
The death of a loved bunny brings on so many emotions. At first it was disbelief - I couldn't believe that bunny would not get better from this, I couldn't believe that a bunny could die so suddenly when I thought I had done everything I could for them in terms of vaccinations and protections. I thought it must have been me - I thought that I must have done something, feed them something wrong or that there was toxic plant in my garden that I should have known about. Then sadness - for Phoebe to die like that - she was only four months old - only a baby. She must have been so scared. Now, I worry for Douglas. I will be getting another bunny - Douglas needs a playmate - although, I will be waiting until he finishes his medication first. I would be grateful if you could share any kind thoughts or advice you have with me as only a bunny-lover would understand my loss.
