Another stasis question

[denisenw5]

I hope I am posting this in the correct section. We lost our three year old Netherland dwarf just this afternoon. She was acting completely normal yesterday, but woke this morning and refused to eat. We feed our buns a very small amount of pellets in the morning and greens in the evening. They have access to timothy throughout the day. We took her to the emergency vet listed on our local House Rabbit Society webpage and they gave her fluids, pain medication, and a motility drug. We took her home and tried to warm her up and stayed with her all day. She died about six hours later. Has anyone ever heard of stasis coming on this quickly and taking a rabbit so fast? We have never had any problems with her before. I have seen so many success stories on the forum, but she just seemed so sick so fast. Now I am wondering if it could have been something else. We have another rabbit who is eating and eliminating just fine, but I am now worried that he will get so stressed over losing his best pal that he will get sick.

I guess I will have to continue to read the forums for suggestions on how to help our other bun cope. Bun Bun was two when we got our second rabbit from a local rescue and it was love at first sight. Ziggy is already acting more needy than normal : (

 

[pamnock]

I'm so sorry for your loss?

Was a necropsy done? That would help to give insight on what might have happened. The stasis may have been a secondary symptom of another health issue.

Pam

 

[denisenw5]

No, we are not having a necropsy done. We are going to bury her in the woods in our backyard tomorrow. She has always been so healthy and just the sweetest little rabbit. I had rabbits growing up and remember how sad I was when they died. It is so hard to watch my daughter grieve the loss of her first pet. Is there a section on here to learn how to help our other bunny cope? They have only been together a year, but it was love at first sight.

 

[Amy27]

I am so sorry. Did you contact the vet to let them know what happened? I would be really curious to see what they had to say considering they saw her 6 hours before.

I don't know much about rabbit medications but it might help other members if you can list the names of the medications she was given.

ETA: Hereis athread that might help you.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=16988&forum_id=27

I know I have seen threads on here about how to help a bunny if they lost thier partner, but I can't find any now, I didn't see any in the library. I will keep looking though.

I don't have any experience with this but I would watch your bun to make sure the bunny is still eating and drinking good and give them some extra attention while he/she is missing her bunny friend.

 

[Maureen Las]

I guess that I would ask if they did an abdominal x-ray before they prescribed motility drugs?
Also I do think that death like this can occur quickly but without a necropsy you will never be able to know what happened

I am very very sorry for your loss.
I have also lost one of an extremely bonded pair. it helps to get a stuffed animal and rub something with the scent of the dead companion on the stuffed animal. I usually try to get a stuffed rabbit about the same shape, color and size as the mate.

Believe it or not they will sometimes groom the stuffed animal and snuggle with it .

I lost a rabbit last June and the companion rabbit is still with me (with his stuffed animal) ; he has not successfully bonded to one of my other rabbits although he might to a certain type of rabbit.

The remaining rabbit can become very depressed so try to pay a lot of attention to him. make sure that he is able to view the dead rabbit as he will wait for his friend to return if he is not allowed that.
this is very sad.

rabbits hide illnesses very well; it is possible also of an internal abnormality that you didn't know about ...:cry1:

'hugs'

Maureen

 

[denisenw5]

Thanks so much for everyone's kind words. Luckily, Ziggy was right beside Bun Bun when she died. He ate his greens last night with no problems, so I was happy to see that. I don't think Ziggy has ever missed a meal in his life : )

 

[tonyshuman]

I'm so sorry. Yes, GI stasis can set on very quickly, although it usually doesn't cause death so quickly. The rule we go by is that 12 hours without eating or pooping is a cause of concern, and 24 hours is an emergency. It wasn't that long for Bun Bun, which is puzzling.

Was Bun Bun spayed? Did the vet feel her abdomen for an obstruction or other mass? My guess is that something else led to her refusal to eat, and that was what actually caused her death. The pain from a tumor (especially of the reproductive tract) could send a rabbit into stasis, as could tooth pain.

Again, I'm so sorry, and I hope you, Ziggy, and your family can come to peace with her early passing. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you.

 

[denisenw5]

Yes, Bun Bun was spayed. The vet did feel her abdomen and didn't feel she had an obstruction. The plan was to do an xray the next day. It is still so unbelieveable. We just can't believe she is gone : (

For others who have lost one of a bonded pair, when did you consider getting another bun? I want to give Ziggy time to grieve, but I don't want him to get too depressed or lonely. He seems to be okay, but not as active. The only time he perks up is when food is brought in : )

 

[Maureen Las]

A vet should never give a motility drug without doing an abdominal x-ray beforehand. This is to rule out an obstruction. if your bun had an obstrucion the contractions from the motility drug could have contributed to this tragedy

I am not saying this is necessarily what happened but it is possible thatthis could have happened; I am saying that motility drugs can cause death in a rabbit that already had an obstruction.
I am not trying to upset anyone just stating the facts ...

so everyone will know this

 

[denisenw5]

I have been reading that on several sites over the past day. I am really trying to get better informed in case this ever happens again. I know people have different opinions, but I thinks its good to learn about different treatment dos and don'ts. The emergency vet we took her to is not our regular vet. They were recommended on the local House Rabbit Society webpage. They examined her and then came back and told me they had three different treatment plans, but an xray wasn't going to be done until Monday when the vet that actually knew about rabbits would be in. When I called them that morning and told them of my problems, they assured me they saw rabbits, when in fact, the vet that knew about rabbits wouldn't be in until Monday. The treatment plan they recommended would cost $820 and they felt she didn't have much hope.

In my heart, I really think it was too late to help her and I am so glad we made the decision to get her pain meds and hydration(not the other meds), keep her warm, and bring her home. I would have hated to live with the fact that we left her there for treatment and she died all alone in a metal cage.



Again, I appreciate everyone's relies and kind words.

 

[Maureen Las]

I agree that it wouldn't have been the best thing to leave her at the vet clinic overnight,
it is good that your other bunny is still eating ; often they won't so that is a very good sign

 

[dquesnel]

I am sorry that this happened, and hope that Ziggy will be ok.

It is entirely possible this could have happened due to the condition bloat, and when that happens there is so little one can do. Or I suspect an underlying anomaly with her system. It could have been rupture due to a combination of blockage/motility drugs, but 6 hours is really quick to pass after that. I am glad she was home and on pain meds, like others have said much better than staying at the vets.