LPH_NY
Well-known member
I don't know what to make of the recent bad luck I've had in my barn. Anyone have some insight to share?
So, I *had* a herd sire (Bernie) who was a lynx mutt. I have a STELLAR doe, Daisy, who is beyond great. They produced a single litter together last winter. I kept two very promising bucks and two promising does. One lynx and one opal of each sex. Bernie had to go to freezer camp because of a foot injury that never properly healed - he wasn't able to breed anymore.
It was a shame, I was very sad because he was such a nice rabbit in every other way. So... I wanted to put their offspring to the test and see what would come out of it.
But... two days after Bernie went to camp, we lost his lynx son. He was fine, then decided to quit eating and was gone in about 48 hours. No signs of illness, no injuries, no snot, no runny poops - nothing. Couldn't do a necropsy because we had too much activity around the property that day.
So I bred the opal buck to both the lynx and opal does.
Just under 3 weeks later, the buck starts acting as if his front paw hurts and his energy level declines. He's never been a voracious eater, but he was really only eating maybe a quarter of his pellets and lots of hay for a while. He lost a LOT of weight, which wasn't noticeable until I put my hands on him out of concern for his paw. (he's got nice fluffy fur that really hides his weight loss.) I start supplementing him with some BOSS, a little oats, better pellets and more flower tops (clover mostly). The same day I discover him in that condition, opal doe miscarries seven kits. She's acting just fine, but I'm bummed about the loss.
Yesterday was the due date. Lynx doe doesn't seem pregnant. So no kits.
Now, while the buck's appetite has improved a little bit, he has kind of gone lame in the hindquarters. I've been hesitant to pick him up much because I don't want to stress him out, but I did pick him up this evening and it seems there is hardly any muscle left in his hind legs. His legs are weak and shaky. He *can* get around, but he's kind of clumsy about it. When he sits to nibble on his food, he rolls back farther on his rump than a rabbit should, and often stretches his hind feet forward. It's a very awkward position that I've only seen a doe take when she had a serious leg injury. He's eating, drinking, pooping. I'm probably going to put him down on Friday (that's just the soonest I could process him, unfortunately.) I gave his gut a good massage, but it doesn't feel gassy or bloated at all. In fact, it just feels kind of empty compared to the other rabbits. I see him eat, so he's not completely off food. I just don't know why he's going lame.
This is no good for my line. Without him, I've no bucks left. Whatever is wrong with him, I really hope isn't contagious, because I LOVE all three of my does. Does anyone have any ideas on what might be causing him to go lame without any other obvious symptoms? Does it seem like there is a link to his declining health after his brother's death? They were cage-mates. If there's a probable link, is it likely that the opal doe lost her kits due to whatever they have? Am I grasping at straws in what is probably just a series of unfortunate events?
So, I *had* a herd sire (Bernie) who was a lynx mutt. I have a STELLAR doe, Daisy, who is beyond great. They produced a single litter together last winter. I kept two very promising bucks and two promising does. One lynx and one opal of each sex. Bernie had to go to freezer camp because of a foot injury that never properly healed - he wasn't able to breed anymore.
It was a shame, I was very sad because he was such a nice rabbit in every other way. So... I wanted to put their offspring to the test and see what would come out of it.But... two days after Bernie went to camp, we lost his lynx son. He was fine, then decided to quit eating and was gone in about 48 hours. No signs of illness, no injuries, no snot, no runny poops - nothing. Couldn't do a necropsy because we had too much activity around the property that day.
So I bred the opal buck to both the lynx and opal does.
Just under 3 weeks later, the buck starts acting as if his front paw hurts and his energy level declines. He's never been a voracious eater, but he was really only eating maybe a quarter of his pellets and lots of hay for a while. He lost a LOT of weight, which wasn't noticeable until I put my hands on him out of concern for his paw. (he's got nice fluffy fur that really hides his weight loss.) I start supplementing him with some BOSS, a little oats, better pellets and more flower tops (clover mostly). The same day I discover him in that condition, opal doe miscarries seven kits.
She's acting just fine, but I'm bummed about the loss. Yesterday was the due date. Lynx doe doesn't seem pregnant. So no kits.
Now, while the buck's appetite has improved a little bit, he has kind of gone lame in the hindquarters. I've been hesitant to pick him up much because I don't want to stress him out, but I did pick him up this evening and it seems there is hardly any muscle left in his hind legs. His legs are weak and shaky. He *can* get around, but he's kind of clumsy about it. When he sits to nibble on his food, he rolls back farther on his rump than a rabbit should, and often stretches his hind feet forward. It's a very awkward position that I've only seen a doe take when she had a serious leg injury. He's eating, drinking, pooping. I'm probably going to put him down on Friday (that's just the soonest I could process him, unfortunately.) I gave his gut a good massage, but it doesn't feel gassy or bloated at all. In fact, it just feels kind of empty compared to the other rabbits. I see him eat, so he's not completely off food. I just don't know why he's going lame.
This is no good for my line. Without him, I've no bucks left. Whatever is wrong with him, I really hope isn't contagious, because I LOVE all three of my does. Does anyone have any ideas on what might be causing him to go lame without any other obvious symptoms? Does it seem like there is a link to his declining health after his brother's death? They were cage-mates. If there's a probable link, is it likely that the opal doe lost her kits due to whatever they have? Am I grasping at straws in what is probably just a series of unfortunate events?
