Dead Buck, was fine?

[hollymh]

I had a lop buck a little over a year old who I found dead today. He was fine yesterday, eating, drinking and pooping. He was in a very awkward position, arched back, teeth grit and all legs streached taught as if he was seizing. What could this be? All other buns appear fine but I'm concerned b/c he did as well 12hrs ago.

 

[that's*satyrical]

Was there any way he ate something poisonous to bunnies??

 

[hollymh]

Was there any way he ate something poisonous to bunnies??

Highly unlikely, he has been in his cage, he has had a couple blueberries and some lettuces, I control everything they eat so porbably not. I did however park my car in the garage where they are but the car wasn't running more than a second as I pulled it in. Could that few seconds of car exaust done something? There just isn't anything I can think of that could have done it.

 

[DianeS]

I had a rabbit die like that once. I have no idea what caused it either. Just arched backwards in her cage, teeth clenched, legs and feet extended. I'd had her for about 7 months, she appeared perfectly healthy (eating and drinking) even that morning, but dead by the afternoon. I was concerned about water access, poisons, all the usual suspects, but nothing panned out.

Whatever it was mustn't have been contagious, because no other rabbit has died or even gotten sick. I do wonder if heat had anything to do with it, as the rabbit in the cage next to her was stretched out and panting the next day at about the same time, but recovered with an ice water bottle. It didn't *feel* hot at all, but then again I'm not a rabbit -maybe they feel differently. So check heat issues in your garage. But that's all I have for suggestions.

Hope you find it, or that simply nothing comes of it because it was just that rabbit's time. Sorry for your loss.

 

[CCourson05]

Coccidia? Or possible brain/spine injury? :/ Or wool block... Just throwig ideas out there... Sorry for your loss.

 

[hollymh]

Coccidia? Or possible brain/spine injury? :/

Don't think it was any of those, eveyone else at this time is doing fine. I belive it was something underlying, back luck I suppose.

 

[PinkFox]

i found one of my does much like you describe this morning...
she was perfectly fine when i checked on her last night, eaten no problem but ot drank much yesterday...this morning go out to feed and she was dead, on her side, straight with her legs stretched straight out and her head back.
I skined and opend her up to see if i could find any kind of signs of illness because it was so sudden, but heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines all looked normal, bladder was empty.
nose, butt, eyes and ears all perfectly clear and shed showed no signs of illness...

Worse was shes was a week away from delivering 6 kits (counted them when i necorpsied her) so sad, so frustrating but the only conclusion i can come to is something spooked her and either her little heart gave out or she jumped/twisted funny and broke her neck...internally there was NO signs of illness, no blockage, normal poop ect...
from what i was told when i got her she was 3 yrs old.
Im REALY upset to not only loose her but loose her entire litter too only a week away from due date...but rabbits arnt exactly built to handle "stress" so mabe a similar situation?!

Ill be keeping a very close eye on my buns over the next couple of weeks incase it was something...but ugh.
i think the worst part is not knowing...
I opend her up in hopes of finding something obvious, a tumor, funky organs...something...but finding nothing has now left me with the "what ifs" and "what could have happends".
*sigh*

like you im pretty particular about feed so i know its not that, and no signs of attempt to get into her hutch so i just dont know.

sorry about your loss...its never easy to loose one.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

Sorry for your loss.