Buck died mysteriously this morning...

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SarahMelisse

SarahMelisse

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I have no idea what happened, but when I walked into the Rabbitry today my black buck, Sid, was on his side, limp, and screaming. I immediately pulled him out of his cage and took him out of the Rabbitry. He wasnt responding to anything so I went to grab my pellet gun to put him down, but by the time I got back (30 seconds maybe) he was already dead.

I pulled his cage and pan out of the Rabbitry to thoroughly disinfect before putting back just incase it was contagious. He had a clean nose and eyes and I could not feel any blockages. He did however, go off of water and feed since yesterday afternoon. I had just cleaned the dropping pans yesterday so I could tell that he did not urinate in 24-hours. All of his droppings looked normal though.

What the?! Any ideas?
 
He was three years old. I should also probably say that I had only had him for 4 months. He seemed perfectly healthy otherwise, but he did come from a breeder that I found out later had had whole litters die. Of what, I'm not sure... it sounded like wry neck.<br /><br />__________ Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:04 am __________<br /><br />
jessie15273":3brd7pfk said:
Bump - I have had a very similar death a couple months ago
Click to expand...

Was it multiple rabbits or just one? I am just afraid of my other rabbits catching something contagious!
 
Ok, I had to hurry in order to get to the garbage can before the garbage truck came around (if I buried any thing the bobcats, mt. Lions, and stray dogs would dig it right back up). I just opened the chest up and I didn't see anything weird, but then again this was only my second time seeing the inside of a rabbit and my first necropsy (I have butchered once so far). The organs looked a healthy red purple and I didn't see any big blockages but there was some feces still in there. Nothing out of the ordinary from my guess.

So that didnt lend me any clues.<br /><br />__________ Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:00 am __________<br /><br />I wonder if he broke his back? He was very limp when I picked him up before he died.
 
Poor Sid. :(

If you use water bottles, make sure his valve wasn't clogged. Lack of water will make them go off feed.

I doubt that was the problem though- going a day without water when the weather is mild shouldn't have had such a dramatic impact.

I would suspect a heart attack. He could have been feeling poorly yesterday so didn't eat or drink.

I'm sorry you lost him. ((Hugs))
 
His water bottle was fine and he was acting perfectly normal yesterday. I feed in the morning and he usually finishes half his food by evening... just as he did yesterday. I just gave everyone a quick look last night before bringing in a nestbox of kits and he still seemed fine and greeted me.

I don't know. This is so weird. Hopefully I can find a replacement buck at the Stockton show or replace him with one of his 2-week olds.
 
I had a sable point Lionhead buck die in a similar manner. I was brushing his fur and he randomly jumped up and started screaming. I didn't touch him for fear that I would scare him more. Then he fell over dead. I didn't do a necropsy, but I should have.
 
Seizure? I had a doe do that once after delivering, looked out she was flipping all over the place and by the time I got out there she was dead. Sorry to hear about him :(. That is one reason I am a proponent of always having a couple extra bucks around. It takes up cage space but at the same time, you're covered for emergencies.
 

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