I lost my bunny today. Any ideas what I could have done? (Long post)

[valleybelow]

Sadly my 9 month old Netherland Dwarf Mocha just died. I am so sorry to have lost her. I only had her a couple of weeks but she looked like she was going to be such a nice happy bunny. She was fed timothy hay, limited pellets and some parsley.

On Wednesday she went in for her spay. Her blood work was normal. They gave her a long lasting pain killer and her sutures were inside and the wound glued shut. She came home that night and had few tiny nibbles and water. Her sister also got spayed, but Mocha was noticeably more lethargic that evening.

On Thursday she would eat very little. I have read that can be common in spays as it is very invasive. But byFriday morning it did not look to be improving, so I was able to get her into the vet at about 1 pm.

The vet (who specializes in small animals) gave her a fluid injection and gave us critical care, a pain killer (metracam I think?) and a GI motility drug to use at home. Things were looking good, as she ate a little parsley immediately after the fluid injection.

She was getting the treatment, but this evening I saw her try to walk but it looked like she couldn't. She had finally used the bathroom just then, but it was strong smelling and watery. We immediately took her to the emergency vet, but Mocha had a couple of convulsions and was on death's door at the vet's, where she passed away. The time between when she first looked like she was in real trouble and when she died was probably only 45 minutes to an hour.

This is so sad tome, but I feel like at least I did everything I could by taking her to the vet twice in three dayspost-surgery. I honestly thought she was getting good care and she would make it through!

So does anyone have any thoughts on what I could have done differently? My only thought is that if a rabbit does not eat maybe it should be put on some sort of i.v. drip or something, but I don't know.

Rest in peace little Mocha.

 

[naturestee]

I'm so sorry for your loss. :saddened:

One question- was your vet experienced with rabbits? Complications are much more common with vets who aren't familiar with rabbits, as they react differently than cats or dogs.

Did she poop aside from the last bit? It sounds like she was in full GI stasis by the time you got her to the vet, and the drugs may not have worked. It can be difficult to get the intestines moving again. When they don't move, problems such as overgrowth of certain bacteria and their toxins can happen.

The only thing I can think of would be to have started treatment for stasis earlier. Had you tried any treatments before taking her to the vet? 12 hours without food is dangerous, and 24 hours is critical. You're right about the fluids- hydration is very important and can make a rabbit feel much better. You can learn to inject fluids into the skin (sub-q fluids) if your vet is willing to teach (not all are comfortable with that, and it's understandable). I prefer to syringe water into them.

I think you took good care of her, but it can be very hard to pull a rabbit out of stasis.

 

[TinysMom]

It sounds like you did everything you knew to do as soon as you knew to do it. The unfortunate part of all this is that your bunny's system was probably compromised just because of recovering from surgery - and that while it is hard enough for a healthy bunny to recover from GI Stasis (which is what it sounds like your bunny had) - it was probably too much for your bunny to do while recovering from a spay.

I'm a breeder and I've got to tell you that I will do everything I can to save a rabbit's life...but there are times that my most valiant efforts fail. It seems like there are times when you just can't heal a bunny - that it is just too compromised in its health or something and as hard as you fight - you can't pull them out of a bad situation.

I'm sorry for your loss - it sounds like your bunny would have been a wonderful pet. I'm sure that while you had your rabbit - it knew it was loved and safe and I'm hoping that someday your memories of your bunny will bring you happiness and not pain.

Peg

 

[KatyG]

Hi I am really sorry to here you lost her. It sounds like you gave her excellent care. You took her to the vet as soon as she needed it and I think it was just one of those times when even our best efforts can't help. The vet's always say there are risks with any surgery but we never think it will be our bun who doesn't make it. I am truly sorry you had such a short time with her but you did all you could.

 

[Maureen Las]

I'm so very sorry that you lost your bunny so quickly.:bunnyangel:

 

[valleybelow]

Thanks so much for the kind words. I am keeping an eye on her sister to make sure she doesn't seem too upset.

 

[bojay]

Why did you need to have her spayed?

 

[naturestee]

bojay wrote:

Why did you need to have her spayed?

Spaying is getting to be pretty routine for pet rabbits now. it prevents uterine and ovarian cancer, which are very common, especially in unbred rabbits. Plus it makes it MUCH easier to bond them and curbs problems that are caused by hormones such as aggressiveness and poor litter habits.

I'm surprised to see two spay-related deaths on the forum in such a short time. It's usually really rare!

 

[Maureen Las]

I knew a really good vet in Ill. (a friend) who was learning to do rabbit spays by altering the rabbits from a nearby no-kill cat and rabbit shelter. She did fine with neuters but her first spay died on the table and the vet was traumatized because she didn't know what she did wrong. I thought about this a lot because she had done successful surgeries on my other pets and I thought very highly of her. I concluded that 1. a shelter rabbit is stressed and maybe not in the best physical or emotional condition 2. just as with people surgeries the ones who do the most surgeries successfully are the best..numbers matter as the vet devellops techinique.. I would only go to someone for a spay tha has done a lot of them.

 

[valleybelow]

bojay wrote:

Why did you need to have her spayed?

Please see the following:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html



http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/rabbits/f/rabbitspayneut.htm



http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/spay.shtml

 

[Greta]

naturestee wrote:

You're right about the fluids- hydration is very important and can make a rabbit feel much better. You can learn to inject fluids into the skin (sub-q fluids) if your vet is willing to teach (not all are comfortable with that, and it's understandable). I prefer to syringe water into them.

I've done sub-q. it's not at all hard to do... you just make a "tent" of skin on the scruff of teh neck put the needle in it, (I use a size 16) and slowly drip the warmed fluid in. I always warm it because cold fluids would be a shock to them, kinda like getting out of a hot tub when it's 25 degrees out... you can also set up a drip-type thing, which I personally have never done but at one time was prepared to do. I just took some of my lil' sister's aquarium pump tubing, cut it in half, put one of those little valves you can get for aquariums on it, and the needle cap fit perfectly on the end of the tubing. If you feel unsure of yourself, though, I strongly recommend you talk with your vet. they will be able to coach you way better than I can.

:bunnyangel: so sorry for your loss!:bunnyangel:

 

[bojay]

85% of all unspayed rabbits get uterine cancer by the age of 4? Where do they get their information?

 

[naturestee]

The numbers vary from 50-90%, depending on the study. Many of the studies are unofficial, which accounts for the wide range of statistics reported. Some of them are actually found during a spay- I just heard of two examples lately. Also, not all of the tumors are malignant, otherwise there would be very few living female rabbits over the age of five. Whatever the actual numbers are, I've heard of enough personal accounts of rabbits having tumors that I prefer to spay.

 

[pamnock]

bojay wrote:

85% of all unspayed rabbits get uterine cancer by the age of 4? Where do they get their information?

I believe thestats became misquoted somewhere along the way and people are assuming that uterine tumors mean uterine cancer. A more accurate statement is that as many as 85%of unspayed rabbits develop "benign" uterine tumors by age 4 (not necessarily uterine cancer). Benign uterine tumors are far more common and may also cause health problemsas well asdevelop into cancerous tumors.

Note the following excerpt make no mention of cancer -- it just states tumors . . .

"Studies have found that 50 to 80% of unspayed female rabbits develop uterine and/or mammary tumors by five years of age. Spaying your female rabbit adds years to her life."

http://users.adelphia.net/~hazelbert/rabcare.htm



Excellent link with more info:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/1155/UC.html



Pam

http://www.geocities.com/pamnock/

 

[bojay]

I didn't know spaying was common practice today. Ithought does could be left intact with little complications (with regard to litter box and bonding)in addition to being the more risky of the two birth control surgeries. Neutering bucks used to be the better birth control option.

 

[pamnock]

bojay wrote:

I didn't know spaying was common practice today. Ithought does could be left intact with little complications (with regard to litter box and bonding)in addition to being the more risky of the two birth control surgeries. Neutering bucks used to be the better birth control option.

The issue focuses more on the health benefits to the doe rather than issues of birth control. It is commonly recommended to have does spayed, even if they are the only rabbit in the household.

There is more of a risk to the does health due to uterine tumors than due to the risk of surgery (with a qualified vet).



Pam

 

[naturestee]

:hug:

Pam, I love having you back! I've never seen those sites! Looks like I have more work to do in the Reference section.

Wait, I alway have more work to do there!

 

[pamnock]

naturestee wrote:

:hug:

Pam, I love having you back! I've never seen those sites! Looks like I have more work to do in the Reference section.

Wait, I alway have more work to do there!

You'll never be done LOL -- the learning never stops!



Pam



Coat Colors Of The Domestic Rabbit

http://www.geocities.com/pamnock/

 

[dm21]

So, sosorry to hear that you lost your bun

I know exactly what it feels like as it just happened to me a week ago. It's the most horrible thing ever. My bun got better before she died, we thought she was going tomake itbut unfortunately she never either

I'm not thinking of getting another bun yet but eventually when I do I am going to make sure I get one which has already been spayed coz I don't think I could go thru the same thing. I know the odds of it happening to another one of my rabbits are pretty low but I don't know if I could actually put her in for the op now.

Debs and Biggles x

 

[valleybelow]

dm21, I am really sorry to hear about your bunny too. I definitely understand what you mean about getting animals already spayed. I feel that way too now. I am sure you did everything you could and that your rabbit appreciated it.