Fläder died.. (will be graphic Im sure)

[Zab]

I'm worried. Fläder moved to her new home on sunday (4 days ago) and this morning she was found dead. The new owner has rabbits since before and breeds them.
Fläder always was skinny but I figured it was the breed.. (french lop). She seemed alright.

I'm worried it's something contageous, coccoidia or whatever.. I can deal with worms but I hope it was just something she ate..
The new owner will bring her here and I'll open her up. But I'm not too confident I'll find anything, I've only butchered one single rabbit before. I think I'd be able to see if it's coccoidia though.. or if there's worms.. I'm not sure if her insides would be swollen already by this time (died during the night, it's 4pm now) or gas or anything.. Not sure about colours or such either. At least it hasn't been teribly warm, but..

She was changing a diet from grainmix to rabbit pellet. But I don't think it was a swift enough change to cause trouble, it was done slowly..

 

[ladysown]

Sometimes rabbits just die. They can't handle the stress of a move. They have a heart attack cause something scared them. Sometimes you just don't know. Was Flader eating, drinking and doing everything properly? Sometimes Stasis happens after they move as well.

 

[MaggieJ]

Was Flader in isolation in her new home? If there was any exposure to the new owner's rabbits, direct or indirect, she could have picked up something that the other rabbits carry but are immune to themselves. Pasteurella, for instance, is often carried by rabbits that seem perfectly healthy themselves.

I'm not sure it is a good idea to bring Flader back to do the necropsy. If you do, be sure to sanitize afterwards and shower and change clothes before caring for your own rabbits.

 

[Zab]

I want to make sure it's not coccoidia..

She was acting fine, no sniffing or sneezing (and Lakrits who has bred my other does already a few weeks ago came from the same place.. although E has got new rabbits since.. but then her own would react?).

I'm mostly concerned it's something she had while being here, maybe even got from the breeder I got her from. But Madra is fine, coming from the same place..

But the necropy will be done in a different building and I have alredy cared for my own rabbits. I have a black plastic bag covering a table and she'll only touch that. I'll desinfect the table and my hands as well and of course my clothes and I go immediatly to wash. I hope to find a blockage somewhere.. And I intend to take pictures and post here (hence the *************** in the title) to ask your advice. I hope NOT to find spots on the liver..

I'm especially worried about coccoidia and worms since she was skinny.. all the time. But she did grow a whole lot and it is not a meaty breed.. so it might not be that.<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:07 am __________<br /><br />I would not do the necropsy if it was't because E can't manage to touch dead bunies she hasn't killed herself.. or something.. and I really want to at least eliminate some suspicions..

 

[AmysMacdog]

I'm so sorry Zab. Its heartbreaking when things like this happen.

 

[Zab]

well it's sad but I'm not personally attatched to her. :3 More sad for E.

Anyhow.. no coccoidi! No worms.
Lungs were red but no blisters or such, I suppose they may be old and very roughly handeled as I took them out. She had some gas - can't know if that was there before death though.
She also had big injuries on her ears - maybe rats after death. But she had a straw deep down in her throat.. and some froth around her mussle. And a broken tooth that was not there 5 days ago (checked her teeth). I think she may have got the straw in her throat somehow, panicked and died of a heartattack.. does that sound possible?

 

[Honorine]

She could have freaked out and slammed herself against the sides of the cage, injuring or breaking her back and snapping her tooth off. Ear injuries- I have heard of rats attacking and shredding rabbits ears, that could have sent her into a panic. Another rabbit could have caused the injuries to her ears as well, was she put into a colony? I've heard of rabbits getting hay up their nose and it being a problem, but I don't think a straw in her throat should have been a problem, was it completely unchewed? Did you check her vertebre for damage? When we've done necropsies in the past('we' is my friends and I) we've always checked the spine, as thats a common way for rabbits to die. You might see some dislocation, in a serious case, or just discoloration. Yes she could have had a heart attack- any predator have access to where she was, even the owners dog?

 

[Zab]

The straw was completely unchewed and about 2 inches down ger throat. She had froth around her mouth.
The reason I doubt it was rats or other rabbits while she was alive is that there's very little blood. I think that had she been attaked, she would have been bleeding and getting blood over her. Floppy ears smeared blood all over her from just a tiny bite the other week, but today there was nothing. She was in a colony as far as I understand. Perhaps the straw sent her freaking out into a wall and broke her neck.

I didn't think of checking the spine ad I'm not sure I would be able to get that stiff flesh away enough to see anything. Thinking of it, she did have her head in a strange angle. Not impossible but a bit strange.

Heart attack or broken neck.. as long as it's not contageous I feel better. (not that I'm happy she's dead..)

 

[Honorine]

Most back injuries are lower spine, you cut and pull the pelt back to view the spine. Regardless of why she died its clearly not your fault, you didn't send a sick rabbit to them, that in itself is a comfort. Shame, but happens, won't be the last time.

 

[Zab]

I figure if she slammed the wall and broke the tooth (makes sense) it could just as well be a neck injury.. but it doesn't matter. I'm just happy she didn't die of anything contageous as she's been living with my rabbits and their kits in the colony less than a week ago.
If I make another necropsy I'll remember to check the spine, and how. Thanks.

I offered E a replacement but she didn't want any. It was only Fläder she had taken a liking to. :/ At least I offered it.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I'm so sorry!!!! But rabbits are so fragile, it just happens sometimes. I'm glad it won't harm your others though!!!

 

[AnnClaire]

Oh, Zab, how sad! It does sound like she choked on the straw piece ... the frothing at the muzzle is what says that for me ... probably nothing anyone could have done to prevent it or resolved it after it happened.