If she aspirated during the GA, then what was the food source? It couldn't have been the recovery food. Also if the food contents in the oral cavity had been aspirated whilst the recovery food was being given post op at the vets, I would have expected this to have been obvious to you when you collected her?
The point is, we don't know when it happened & that's what we're trying to find out. Only that Bea didn't eat at home, and showed no signs at home. The vet said on one breath that they can silently regurgitate, then in the other says you would expect there to be symptoms from this. None at all were witnessed at home other than the rabbit being extremely quiet (which was to be expected given the OP she'd have).
The food stuff has already been described earlier in the thread as 'A moderate amount of
green-brown fibrous material was present in the oral cavity' (and oesophagus and fufll length of the trachea) - they have not stated what it was, but I have wondered if there's a way I can request testing of the material. Although it's likely to come back as pretty much what is says, fibrous food. Whether they can tell the difference between hay and recovery food I've no idea. I don't really think it matters what the food was to be fair.
The only reason it'd make a difference which it was, is to argue the point that it happened as a result of syringe feeding the recovery food. But there's no point arguing this, because the vets are trying to push that it happened as a complete accident at home, and could still argue this, even if it was the recovery food. There doesn't seem to be quite enough information of regurgitation in rabbits out there, other than it can happen under GA, and risks are increased with use of a mask.
I should probably add in general to my posts, I'm not looking to 'sue' or otherwise harshly chase the vets in question. It won't bring Bea back. What I am looking for, is information on the reports from what checks were done whilst intubating attempt, and what symptoms were witnessed after feeding of the recovery food. Like another poster has already mentioned, if anything were noted during this, I feel the vets are unlikely to be honest about this anyway, now.
I think what happened to Bea is very unusual and rare, and even if it DID happen at the practice, it was an unfortunate and unexpected accident, but that it can be learnt from.
Further to your points Omi, from my reading (though very happy to be told I'm wrong, it helps my understanding of things) it seems as if death from aspiration is not as instant as I may have expected. The asphyxiation can be culmative, think in terms of pneuomia due to aspiration.
That's my understanding upon reading some papers, but as I say, I may be very wrong and I'm happy to be told of such.