My bunny died-help!!! Sorry, a long read.

Hi all. Would firstly like to say, what a fantastic forum, shame I didn't find it earlier. Only came across it when trying to find out what killed my beautiful bun, Cassie.
Last Wednesday morning, Cassie seemed fine, but I had noticed she hadn't pooped during the night. I went down to stroke her and thought I had made her jump a little as she rocked.
A little later, I picked her up for morning cuddle and she seemed a little lethargic but I put it down to her enjoying her snuggle. After a short while, I put her back down on the floor and noticed she was rocking a little when she walked. Me and the hubby made the desision to take her straight to vet. I went up to get myself washed and dressed and on coming back down and checking on her she had deteriorated alot. She was struggling to walk at all. We are only talking about 20 minutes I was gone. I was stroking her and then she stretched her front legs forwards, her back legs gave way and she stretched her head up and forwards. She then collapsed. I gathered her up in a towel and we rushed straight to the vets. I think she may have had a seizure in the car, although not sure as I have never experienced this before. She did the same thing in the vets waiting room and then her lips and nose went blue.
The vet at first said it could have been an inner ear infection but on having a consultation with a senior vet at the practice, he came back and said that they thought it was a neurological disorder and that nothing could be done to save her as they had done a pain test and she had no feeling! The poor litle thing couldn't even move at the end and was just looking at me with her lovely red eyes as if she was thanking me for looking after her and giving her a lovely life with loads of love.
Anyway, she was put to sleep at around 11 am and I was wondering if anyone here has any idea of what might have happened. From appearing a perfectly happy healthy bun at 9am, she was dead within 2 hours. It was the most gut wrenching thing I have ever had to deal with, even my hubby who doesn't get too emotional had tears in eyes at the vets.
Any help would be great.
Thanks for your time.

Mel xx

RIP Cassie darling. I miss you so much.

Oh im so sorry you lost Cassie and im also sorry as i have no idea what could possibly have been wrong. Im sure someone will give you some clues XX

I am so sorry to hear about your bun, but I like Phill have know idea but someone on here will probably be able to tell you.
love
Kayx

Oh how terribly sad for you. Of course anything I suggest can only be guesswork, and not sure if guesswork is what you really need...??? But for what its worth it sounds as though your bun had some sort of Cerebrovascular Accident(Stroke). It may well have started with an infecction by a parasite called ENCEPHALITOZOON CUNICULI. The parasite sheds spores which migrate to the brain and /or kidneys. This causes significant damage to the tissue/blood vessels of the effected organ. So a bleed in the brain is a possible consequence. Or your bun may have had a cardiovascular disorder leading to raised Blood Pressure causing the rupture of a blood vessel in her brain. Sadly without Veterinary examination of your deceased bun you will never know for sure. But it really sounds like you could not have done anything more as what happened to Cassie was so sudden. I am truely sorry for your loss and hope that you will be able to hold on to the many happy memories she will have left with you. Jane and Buns xx

Oh Mel - you poor thing. That is a terrible thing to happen and such an awful shock. As Jane says, any suggestions are pure guesswork, so I don't think you'll ever really know. The thing to remember above all is that you did everything possible for her and she died knowing how much you love her.

Binkie free in the eternal sunshine Cassie bun, and Mel, I hope you and hubby feel better soon.
xx

Sorry for your loss of Cassie Bun

so sorry for your loss I hope you find the answers you are looking for, must have been a shock for you.
binky free cassie bunny!

Sorry for your sad loss



Ali and Barney

Thank you all for you kind words.

I did wonder whether or not it could have been VHD that made her poorly. My vet had never advised me to have her vaccinated against it and the first I heard of it was when I was scouring the internet for bunny illnesses.

RIP Cassie bunbun

Melndan said:

Thank you all for you kind words.

I did wonder whether or not it could have been VHD that made her poorly. My vet had never advised me to have her vaccinated against it and the first I heard of it was when I was scouring the internet for bunny illnesses.

RIP Cassie bunbun

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The symptoms you have descibed really do NOT sound like VHD. I wish I were able to offer a definitive explanation as to why Cassie died but as I previously stated no-one can tell without a Veterinary PM. I would try to take comfort in the fact that Cassie's passing was not prolonged and painful. She had your love and care right up to the end and will have benefited so much from that. Losing a Bun is just so excrutiatingly painful and I wish I were more articulate and could post something more helpful. Try to think of Cassie as she was when she was well.With time the memory you have of her actual passing will fade, but probably wont go away. But all the good times she had will be foremost in your thoughts. Sending hugs to you. Jane and Buns xx

So sorry to hear about Cassie.

I can really feel for you as I lost my bunny Pheobe in a similar way in November.

I was woken by her at 1am, she couldn't stand up or walk. Time I got her to the emergency vet at 2am she was laid on her back and could hardly move. The vet gave Pheobe a 50/50 chance but unfortunatley she slipped away. She was only 5. How old was Cassie?

It seems a common way for bunnies to go, completely out of the blue and very much unexplained.

X

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Binky free at the bridge little Cassie.

Hells said:

So sorry to hear about Cassie.

I can really feel for you as I lost my bunny Pheobe in a similar way in November.

I was woken by her at 1am, she couldn't stand up or walk. Time I got her to the emergency vet at 2am she was laid on her back and could hardly move. The vet gave Pheobe a 50/50 chance but unfortunatley she slipped away. She was only 5. How old was Cassie?

It seems a common way for bunnies to go, completely out of the blue and very much unexplained.

X

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Cassie was a little over 2 years old.

Now the next question, do I go get myself another bun? Thing is, I get so upset when I lose an animal. One of my cats was run over last year, ( by my hubby, poor man) and it broke my heart, and I keep vowing I won't have any more pets when they have all gone. But rabbits are something special and I just love them. Maybe I shall leave it a while and decide in a few weeks.

Well, I would say that giving a loving home to another Rabbit, perhaps from a Rescue..?? would be a fitting tribute to Cassie. All that you learned from her will enable you to provide a loving home to a Rabbit (or two!!) who have had the misfortune to find themselves in need of a new home. You will never forget Cassie and any other Rabbit will not be a replacement for her. But I truely believe that Cassie would want you to go on to care for other Rabbits in the way you cared for her. It is hard to lose a beloved Pet but I always feel it is a price worth paying for all a Pet gives during their lifetime. I so hope you will feel able to offer a home to some more Bunnies in the future. Jane and Buns xx

I agree with Jane, you should get one or two bunnies, but give it a month or two for the pain to ease.

My gut reaction when Pheobe died was that was it, no more. That feeling didn't last long though, I've had bunnies since I was about 8 (I'm now 27) and life doesn't feel quite right without a bunny.

X

I think I will end up with more buns. Cassie was my first bun, hubby bought her for me for valentines day nearly 2 years ago. She was about 6 months old when we got her and the poor girl had piles, but we soon got that sorted. I've deffo got the bug for keeping rabbits. I never realised what adorable pets they make and how loving they can be.
Cassie will always be held very dear to my heart and she shall never be forgotton.

I would like to thank you all for you lovely kind words of support. I have never been on a forum whre everyone is so thoughtful and kind. I know I don't have a bun at the mo, but I shall keep on visiting and if I get another bundle of joy, I will share him/her with you all.
Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart.
Mel xxxxxxxx

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It really is difficult to tell without a PM, as a precaution I'd recommend sterilizing everything if you do get another rabbit. One thing you could consider is fostering - if your not sure whether your ready to commit to another of your own caring for one or two temporarily might be a good option for you

Best wishes,
Tamsin

oh you poot thing, it sound just how my dangermouse was, when i got him he had a brain parasite which he was born with and we rushed him to the vet and said he had a 10% chance he made it at 9 weeks he was a fighter! he had 3 daily syringes of his medicine and after 3 months he was fit and healthy running about he lived for a further year constant check up and the vets were amazed unfortunatly mouse was feeling a little poorly beginning of december and that triggered his condition as it apparently lays dormant till the bun feels poorly he had a limp on the saturday and by sunday he was getting slow andwe decided to get him to the vet by monday he had passed away the vet advised me that a percentage of buns are naturally born with the parasite but it never becomes active and others it does im sorry this is long its the only way i can describe what happened im sorry for your loss and welcome to the forum!

Hi, I can only ditto what everyone else has said. I had a similar experience, fine one minute, gone the next. I also thought no more bunnies, but I can't live without them and so many desperately need kind loving homes, but wait a while and think about it. Sending you all my sympathies and love.