Blood in Chest?

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brillobee

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I'm needing some input. I had a Flemish Giant buck ( he passed away today). He was about 6 months old. I've had him since he was 2.5 months.
He was fine ( eating everything and greeting me at the door) until Sunday. When I went to feed him he didn't come as usual. He did eat his food. Then he got progressively worse until I took him to the vet this morning. His symptoms were anorexia, lethargy, and laboured breathing. The vet did an x-Ray and he had fluid in his chest. When she took s sample it was blood. He was housed alone and had no trauma. The vet is stumped. I do not have the money to have a post mortum done. Just trying to get some input as to what could have caused this. Thanks.?
 
Blood in the chest can be caused by many things, but most often it is either heart issues (which at 6 months old probably congenital) or cancer (not super common in younger animals, but happens fairly regularly). This is assuming there for sure was no trauma (as trauma would be my first guess for something like that). I am not sure of the contagious diseases found where you are- to be honest, but that is also a possibility.
 
Yeah it's hard to tell. Maybe there wasn't anything to be done, but next time, don't wait five days to take a sick rabbit to the vet. A lot of rabbit's diseases can be cured if you take your rabbit to the vet less than 24h after noticing the problem - that's the thing with rabbits, they are not as fragile as one could think but their general state tends to go downhill really quickly and a problem like stasis (anexoria) which can generally be solved by a bit of analgesic and gut mobility drug can kill your rabbit after 12h. A slight hunch, a diminished appetite, lethargy, weird noises... should send you running to your vet immediatly.
That being said, if it was a cardiac problem there probably wasn't much to be done.
 
He had no trauma, the vet said the amount of blood was similar to the trauma he would have gotten if he was mauled. Are Flemish more prone to heart issues? I am hesitant about getting another. I tried to get him in sooner, but the 1 and 2 the vet was closed, and then all my vets were booked up. It was just a stroke of luck one made room to see him yesterday morning before surgery.
 
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It sounds like there wasn't much that could've been done even if you could have taken him in sooner. I'm thinking congenital also. The only thing I know of that Flemish are prone to is sore hocks, mainly because of their size and weight. If you got him from a breeder, I would tell them, and not get another Flemish out of those parents.
 
Many congenital things are genetic, many are not (just a fluke of nature). Giant breed dogs are predisposed to congenital heart issues, so I would assume (and I have no research or anything to support this) that Flemish rabbits are prone to heart issues as well.
 
From what I understand, Giants are prone to heart stuff because while they were bred to be huge, everything grew but the heart, so it gives out earlier. Someone correct me if that is bad information, but that's what I've picked up or read over the years.

It's possible your rabbit had an acute thymic hemorrage, resulting in hemothorax. I lost a very young rabbit about this time last year to a massive thymoma. Given the age of your rabbit I wouldn't doubt the thymus was involved.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I also did not want a giant, ever. My vet (who is wonderful) was going through a serious trauma and pleaded me to take hers, so I did. I've had Griffin for a year, and at 6, I know his time here on earth won't be much longer... but gosh I love the gentle, sweet nature of these big bunnies. As much as it's going to rip my heart out of my chest when he makes his celestial departure, I know I'll have to have another Giant in my life.

Big hugs to you. Sudden deaths, especially in young buns, are by far the most difficult to accept.
 
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Thanks for all you help and kind words. I really loved that bunny. He had such a sweet nature and personality. Always loved getting his head rubs. Maybe in a few months I'll be able to try and get another one. I'm just sad, I never even had the chance to really enjoy him. We were just starting out.
 

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