Unknown death reason

[mystang89]

Hey everyone, over the past month or 2 I've had around, I lost count of the exact number, but around 40 rabbits die. Three breeders and the rest kits ranging from about 4 weeks to 8 weeks. I thought at first that it might be because of a fertilizer I had put in the yard. Kids picked dandilions which I didn't know about and many died from that. Once they stopped feeding them from the yard though i figured the deaths would stop too. Just yesterday I had 3 kits die.

The symptoms are few. They are lethargic and they have poopy butts. After that they are dead.

Whats doing this? What can I do to stop it? Some of the deaths are from a litter from whos mom also died. I figure the litter got whatever it was from her and it would stop. The most recent deaths are from a mom who's NEVER had 1 fatality from her kits which she frequently gives out 9 or 10. She's doing fine. I have some kits from her that are 20 something weeks old that are doing fine but her 7 weeks old kits are dying.

I've go nothing :?

 

[Marinea]

Not sure, but *fingers crossed* you figure it out. Yikes.

A couple things popped into my head, but I'm sure they are things you've considered- bad feed, weaning enteritis, and this crazy heat lately. Did you do any necropsies? I would hate to see a slow-moving disease taking hold.

 

[ladysown]

slow-acting fertilizer?

Entropathic illness?

Visited any rabbitries lately?

Have you opened any up to see what you can see?

 

[mystang89]

The slow acting fertilizer would have killed those initial rabbits but all rabbits who have had absolutely no yard food at all would not have died from them. I don't know what Entropathic disease is sorry Also don't know what weaning enteritis is, I know, I'm a noob.

I have not visited any rabbitries lately, or at all for that matter and no, I haven't opened any up, but that was mainly because I didn't want to smell what was in there. Actually, I take that back. I did open one of the breeders up and it looked like the intestines were enlarged. Almost like they were filled with air. If/when another dies I will open it up and take some very nasty and graphic pictures which all the little boys and girls love

EDIT: I have thought about the food but I've bought 2 different bags, in 2 different months. I just didn't think that if a company was having problems with its food that it would have the same problems next month and if it was having problems that I would have found some evidence of it online somewhere but after searching online I wasn't able to come across anything. The brand I use is Producer's Pride if anyone sees anything. <br /><br /> -- Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:15 pm -- <br /><br /> Well, it just so happens that I was "lucky" enough to find a rabbit who was on the point of dying so I went ahead and ended its life and immediately did a necropsy. It didn't stink as bad as I thought it would thankfully.

Some points of interest.

1.) The inside was cold. I don't mean cool, like it had been sitting dead for a while, or in the refrigerator. No, they were cool and for a rabbit that was alive literally 1 min before I did the necropsy it should have been warmer.

2.) The gall bladder was black. It's the first time I've ever seen it black like a night sky without the moon. I've seen it tinted green and clear before but never black.



3.) The intestines were hard, like it was constipated and couldn't poop. As you can see from the picture it has a poopy butt.



4.) As I said in my above statements the part where the food goes down looked like it was filled with air - like a balloon.



5.) It apparently really needed to go pee.



And so there you have it Mr. and Mrs. Holmes'. This is your mystery. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[EnglishSpot]

Wow, I am sorry. I can't help, but I am glad you were able to end that particular one's misery quicker. Thank you for the pictures so the rest of us can learn.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi 'Stang! Sorry to hear of all the trouble with the rabbits.

The intestines look really inflamed and irritated, and (obviously) are gassy. I think the bile duct is normal- depending on what stage the rabbit is in digesting it's food, there is a lot of variation in how full it is, and the bile looks darker because of that. If you opened it up, I believe it would just be dark green.

I would put them on hay and oats for a while, and get some probiotic paste as well.

don't know what weaning enteritis is, I know, I'm a noob.

It's a pretty general term for when young rabbits get diarrhea while transitioning to solid foods.

Here is a post where we discussed possible causes:

post69008.html

 

[mystang89]

Thanks. I think I took them out of the nesting box at about 5weeks, so 35 days or so which i wouldn't think is too early.
They've been on a regular pellet diet with no grasses or anything from the yard - same thing that my SF, at about the same age and the SF's are doing ok.
Weather has been a bit cool but its nothing drastic.
Think I'm going to try to completely clean out the cage. Get new food and start over. No rabbits have been bred for quite a while either so hopefully this will all just pass over.

 

[the reluctant farmer]

Shoot, Mystange, sorry to hear this. I agree with MSD-hay, oats.

When you say "start over" do you mean cull the whole group and begin again, or take the survivors & rebreed? I'd try the 2nd option. I'm guessing that the ones who survive this may have immunity and/or strong immune systems/cast iron stomached and could be a good group to breed together for meat mutts. Just my guess.

Hope this stops NOW. You're deserving some good luck.

 

[ladysown]

Entropathic illness... signs are ... poopy butt, gassy belly, not eating, quick death.

Sounds like that is what you are dealing with.

So why?

Some say: lack of water, lack of good fibre, lack of good gut development, seasonal issues and such like.

How to combat?

1. cull anything IMMEDIATELY that gets it. Don't fight to save them. It wrecks their gut and it takes them a long time to grow out.
2. anything that has an "OFF" day... use for food do not use for breeding.

Things you can try to help them...
1. feed hay regularly.
2. make diet changes slowly
3. pay attention to what you are feeding them... good feed helps.
4. add apple cider vinegar to the water.

BUT the very best you can do.... do not breed or keep anything that gets sick EVER. Doesn't matter if it's nestbox eye or a day of being quiet and lazy in a kit that's normally busy. Toss 'em out of your breeding pool asap.

You can beat it. You can. Just need to suck it up through the losses and continually look forward.

I am truly sorry you are dealing with this... It's a real bear.

 

[Zass]

Check you pellets out VERY carefully too. Mold kills.

 

[mystang89]

Thanks everyone.

@ The reluctant farmer - Yeah, when I said start fresh I just meant with new food, clean cage and everything.

@ LadySown - Thanks, I'll take your advice and go ahead and cull my remaining 2. Hopefully after that I'll be able to get past this. We'll see