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Previous rabbit death

Petrus82

New Kit
Hi everyone,

I've just recently got a lovely male netherland dwarf rabbit. He's great.

We had one last year who died suddenly after only 6 days. He was fine one minute and then I noticed him sitting "puffed up". I lifted him out and he flopped over to the side. I put him back in his cage and give minutes later he had a violent seizure and died. It all happened within 20 minutes. We were all so upset we couldn't face getting another until fairly recently.

I've never asked this before but what on earth could have caused that? He was only 12 weeks and I did everything the breeder told me to.
 
It's impossible to know what he could have died from. Was he vaccinated? Neutered? When did you see him eat last? There could be hundreds of reasons why. Rabbits hide illness and pain very, very well and unless you spend lots of time with them and know their usual behaviour, you may miss subtle signs of a rabbit in distress.
 
Hi there,

He was due to go to the vet the next day for vaccination. He ate the day he died, hay, pellets, small amounts of kale. The breeder said it may have been neurological as he was a blue eyed white and it can be common with them.

I guess you are right, it's almost impossible to say.
 
Hi there,

He was due to go to the vet the next day for vaccination. He ate the day he died, hay, pellets, small amounts of kale. The breeder said it may have been neurological as he was a blue eyed white and it can be common with them.

I guess you are right, it's almost impossible to say.

If he wasn't vaccinated then vhd is likely but it could be anything. If the breeder thought it could be neurological, I'd definitely not use that breeder again. She/he should not be breeding rabbits if they are prone to neurological problems. Never known blue eyed whites being prone to that.
You would be best of going to a rescue in the future and getting an already vaccinated and neutered bunny.
What housing arrangements have you got for your new bunny? Is it the same cage your bridge bun was in?
 
Oh no everything is new. I threw everything out. We waited a year before getting another one because we were so sad. I got my current Netherland Dwarf from a different breeder.

I recently checked the old breeder and she seems to have given up breeding. Given that the blue eyed white was 12 weeks when I got him, should he have been vaccinated by then ?
 
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