Rabbit passed away suddenly

We've read and learned lots on this forum but this first post is a sad one. We don't know the underlying cause but Peachy, one of our daughter's two rabbits (a ~3 year old lop) died yesterday, possibly as a result of GI stasis.

The only thing we can think of that changed recently is that we opened a new bag of pellets. The two rabbits have always been fed fresh timothy hay (free feeding) along with a small portion of pellets each day, and have had the same brand of pellets for a couple of years now. They have a rabbit proofed room at both mine and her mom's house, are very used to travelling between the two houses and only go outside supervised in the summer. The hay at both houses is from the same bale and we can't think of anything else that has changed recently, we haven't even changed out the cardboard boxes that they like to hide in recently. They love the pellets almost as a treat and always come running to get them at feeding time, then normally eat about half the portion right away and finish the rest by morning.

About a week ago I opened a new bag of the pellets and that evening although both rabbits came running over excited as usual, Peachy only took a few (half dozen maybe) pellets and then turned away and refused any food for a few hours, the other rabbit ate both portions and was fine. As far as we know she was eating, drinking and pooping fine to that point. We managed to get her eating, drinking and pooping again by syringe feeding crushed up pellets and apples and she seemed fine for the next few days at the other house including eating the pellets (different bag but same brand, even the same lot code) there.

Then they came back over to my house and almost the same thing happened. Although she'd been eating hay on Friday and seemed happy, that evening she only took a few pellets (not even a half dozen) and then turned away and refused any food, by Saturday morning we'd gotten her eating hay again and she seemed comfortable, even flopping over, all stretched out Saturday afternoon which she only did when she was very content. But Saturday night (no pellets given) she took a turn for the worse and we couldn't get her to eat at all, despite tummy massage, getting her moving around and trying to syringe feed she passed away Sunday before we could get her to the emergency vet. Needless to say if we'd associated this at all with the new bag pellets the first time we wouldn't have given them a second time but until it happened the second time we didn't make a connection and maybe there isn't one as both times the other rabbit ate both portions and is just fine.

This new bag that I had was stored in a clean, dry, cool and dark closet, no damage to the bag that I can see and is same lot number and again, from same store as the bag at the other house. We won't be using the rest of the bag and I've contacted the manufacturer to see if they want to test or analyze it at all.

We're very saddened and at a loss to understand what could have happened, we understand she could have had some underlying condition, but we just find it very strange that both times, immediately after eating a very small number of the new pellets she went to sit by herself and refused any food at all, even favourite treats.

Peachy was a really sweet rabbit, very laid back most of the time, inquisitive and happy to be held (at least for a little while at a time) and is very, very much missed, even, maybe especially her tendency to get mad - this rabbit was rarely afraid but wouldn't hesitate to thump if you got her even a little bit peeved

So, we're wondering if anyone has any insights. And I guess a warning of just how quickly rabbits can go downhill.

RIP Peachy

Peachy

That's a very sad story I am very sorry about your loss and my thoughts go to your family. She was a very pretty rabbit and nice personality, this is very unfair.

Thank you for the kind thoughts, Poopy Poo. We've lost loved pets before but always at an old age and from age related health problems that we knew about. Somehow this hurts even more, on one level I know we did the best we could for her but I still feel that we let her down.

oh no thats so sad I recently lost my cat suddenly so understand the feeling she looked and sounded really nice and cute

RIP Peachy. You can look into getting a necropsy, you may find the cause of death that way.

Thank you both,

jess24rose I'm sorry to hear about your cat - our cats were 16 and 19 when they passed so as sad as we were to lose them we knew it was their time but with Peachy as with your cat it so much harder, I feel that I let her down.

Softcottoncloud we did talk about a necropsy and read a bit on them here and in other forums but our feeling is that while there is a chance it could find the underlying cause (and maybe relieve a bit of our guilty feelings) many it seems are inconclusive and either way won't bring her back. So with Gally the other bun, healthy having had all the same food, treats, water, etc. and been all the same places we're just doing our best to remember Peachy as the one of a kind big personality bunny that she was.