Looking for potential answers… (death related)

[maxtonmoomoo]

My bun, Ainsley passed away yesterday and I just have no idea what happened.
She was a 2 year old Lionhead mix (I suspect that she was mixed with mini lop.)
She was really lethargic and stopped eating the early morning of December 21 (I noticed at around 3AM, and had brought her to her pen with her bonded mate at around 11PM when she was acting normal). I fed her baby gas drops because I’d read that that can help if you suspect stasis.
The next day, when she wasn’t doing any better, I was able to get an appointment with our vet. We brought her in and he said that it seemed like the early stages of GI stasis, and that she had a fever, but that that could have easily been a symptom of being stressed because of the car ride and being at the vet. He gave me meds to give her, told me to feed critical care, and continue gas drops.
So, I did just that. The rest of the 21st and 22nd, I did just that. She hadn’t started eating again on her own yet, but I figured she just might still be uncomfortable from the stasis.
I wake up on the 23rd, and shes grunting in the corner of the pen, facing the corner, and her bonded mate is right behind her watching her. I go in, and I pick her up. She started to seize… so I set her down on her side on the floor. My parents were there and they called the vet.
Her breathing was incredibly laboured. The vet said he could see her, but mind you, it’s about 30 minutes away. Her breathing became even more shallow as we were in the car. She passed in the parking lot…
I just don’t know what this could’ve been… If anyone has any ideas as to what happened… please let me know.

 

[ArtistChibi]

Is there a way to get an autopsy done to find out? It could have been GI Stasis, but it concerns me with the fever bit. Was there other symptoms you may have noticed?

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

Is there a way to get an autopsy done to find out? It could have been GI Stasis, but it concerns me with the fever bit. Was there other symptoms you may have noticed?

She passed and was buried… no autopsy possible… I probably have some of her droppings around from when I was feeding her Critical Care because it would be stuck to the fur on her bum that I could bring in, but I really just don’t know if it’s worth the money…
The poo stuck to the bum after using the meds and critical care is the only other symptom I could really give you.
Unless her literally wanting to eat anything except for hay on the 22nd tells you something. She tried to eat a stray piece of romaine lettuce and cilantro that was on the counter next to the towel I was feeding her on when I gave her her last feeding of critical care that day.

 

[ArtistChibi]

She passed and was buried… no autopsy possible… I probably have some of her droppings around from when I was feeding her Critical Care because it would be stuck to the fur on her bum that I could bring in, but I really just don’t know if it’s worth the money…
The poo stuck to the bum after using the meds and critical care is the only other symptom I could really give you.
Unless her literally wanting to eat anything except for hay on the 22nd tells you something. She tried to eat a stray piece of romaine lettuce and cilantro that was on the counter next to the towel I was feeding her on when I gave her her last feeding of critical care that day.

Was the poop stuck to her fur seem sticky or runny in a way when you first noticed it? From what I read, diarrhea is a possible symptom of GI Stasis. There could be multiple factors of a rabbit to go into stasis.

If I recall, there's a link that the admins/mods link that explains in better detail as to what GI Stasis is, possible causes, and how it can be known as the silent killer in rabbits.

Not sure if this is the link: GastroIntestinal Stasis: The Silent Killer (miami.edu)

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

Was the poop stuck to her fur seem sticky or runny in a way when you first noticed it? From what I read, diarrhea is a possible symptom of GI Stasis. There could be multiple factors of a rabbit to go into stasis.

If I recall, there's a link that the admins/mods link that explains in better detail as to what GI Stasis is, possible causes, and how it can be known as the silent killer in rabbits.

Not sure if this is the link: GastroIntestinal Stasis: The Silent Killer (miami.edu)

Somewhat sticky, but nothing crazy. I figured that it was just her system starting to work again, especially because she started pooping more. Like I said, though, she was being treated for stasis, and it was really early that I caught it and started with gas drops.
So I’m not really sure why she didn’t recover… and seized!

 

[ArtistChibi]

It could have amplified an already existing health problem she had. Rabbits are very good at hiding their sickness.

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

It could have amplified an already existing health problem she had. Rabbits are very good at hiding their sickness.

I’m trying to figure out what health problem she could’ve had… She’s never had a seizure before. I’m just not sure…

 

[ArtistChibi]

I'm truly sorry for the loss of your bunny, though. It's not easy losing a fur baby that quickly. And I can understand why you are wondering what may have actually happened. Since RHVD2 is not a severe case on our end of the US as it is in the west coast, it could have actually been GI that did it. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.
But just in case, here's a link to the RHVD2 post: RHVD2 in the US - what you need to know | Rabbits Online Pet Rabbit & Bunny Forum

How is her bond mate?

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

I'm truly sorry for the loss of your bunny, though. It's not easy losing a fur baby that quickly. And I can understand why you are wondering what may have actually happened. Since RHVD2 is not a severe case on our end of the US as it is in the west coast, it could have actually been GI that did it. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.
But just in case, here's a link to the RHVD2 post: RHVD2 in the US - what you need to know | Rabbits Online Pet Rabbit & Bunny Forum

How is her bond mate?

Is it possible that GI stasis caused a seizure? And while I was already treating it? I’m just not quite sure how that’s possible.
Her bonded mate is taking it pretty well. I let him have time with her body so he would understand that she didn’t just disappear. (That part was very difficult for me, as the vet had wrapped her up and everything to be buried, but I had to unwrap her and see her like that.)
Since then, my boy, Zorro, has been acting pretty normal. Still eating, pooping, drinking, etc, like normal. I’ve been trying to give him lots of love. I’m not working at the moment so I have plenty of time with him.
I honestly feel like I’m doing worse than he is..

 

[ArtistChibi]

This is what I read on the link I provided regarding the medication: "If a true intestinal obstruction (almost always accompanied by severe bloating and acute pain) is present, the use of intestinal motility drugs (described later) could make the situation worse by pushing the blockage into a narrow area where it completely obstructs the intestine"

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

This is what I read on the link I provided regarding the medication: "If a true intestinal obstruction (almost always accompanied by severe bloating and acute pain) is present, the use of intestinal motility drugs (described later) could make the situation worse by pushing the blockage into a narrow area where it completely obstructs the intestine"

She’d pooped more after the meds, so I’m not sure! I suppose it’s a possibility!

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

She’d pooped more after the meds, so I’m not sure! I suppose it’s a possibility!

 

[ArtistChibi]

Here's a post from 2011 that states that GI can cause a rabbit to seize. G.I. Stasis causing a seizure?

 

[JBun]

GI stasis isn't a medical diagnosis, but a condition that occurs due to another medical problem or stress. It happens when a rabbit stops eating because of something causing pain and/or discomfort, which can happen for a multitude of reasons. This slows down the digestive tract due to no food being consumed This could be from an upset stomach or gas pain from something the rabbit ate, a blockage of the digestive tract, an injury, dental problems, stress, or more serious internal medical problems. Anything that causes a rabbit pain, stress, or discomfort, can lead to GI stasis occurring.

The seizure that happened isn't an actual seizure, but convulsions that occur just before death. It sounds like your rabbit didn't just have a stomach upset that was causing the lack of eating, but likely had some other underlying health problem, and that was eventually the cause of death. I'm presuming your vet didn't do xrays or blood tests. So without any definitive symptoms to point to a particular health condition, there's really no way to know for sure what the cause of death was. It could have been a heart condition, an infection that lead to sepsis, liver problems, ingestion of a toxic substance, etc. RHDV is a slight possibility, so you'll want to keep a close eye on your other rabbti for the next few days to make sure he keeps eating and acting normally.

I'm very sorry for your loss. I know it's hard to not know what happened, but unfortunately sometimes there just aren't the answers we need.

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

GI stasis isn't a medical diagnosis, but a condition that occurs due to another medical problem or stress. It happens when a rabbit stops eating because of something causing pain and/or discomfort, which can happen for a multitude of reasons. This slows down the digestive tract due to no food being consumed This could be from an upset stomach or gas pain from something the rabbit ate, a blockage of the digestive tract, an injury, dental problems, stress, or more serious internal medical problems. Anything that causes a rabbit pain, stress, or discomfort, can lead to GI stasis occurring.

The seizure that happened isn't an actual seizure, but convulsions that occur just before death. It sounds like your rabbit didn't just have a stomach upset that was causing the lack of eating, but likely had some other underlying health problem, and that was eventually the cause of death. I'm presuming your vet didn't do xrays or blood tests. So without any definitive symptoms to point to a particular health condition, there's really no way to know for sure what the cause of death was. It could have been a heart condition, an infection that lead to sepsis, liver problems, ingestion of a toxic substance, etc. RHDV is a slight possibility, so you'll want to keep a close eye on your other rabbti for the next few days to make sure he keeps eating and acting normally.

I'm very sorry for your loss. I know it's hard to not know what happened, but unfortunately sometimes there just aren't the answers we need.

She lived for about 30 minutes after the convulsions… I don’t think she wanted to go… It was very hard to see. She became immobile after she convulsed and her breathing slowed way down and got really shallow.
I appreciate your condolences… I just wish I knew what I could’ve done differently to have prevented this. Her and her bonded mate always have unlimited hay and the best of everything…

 

[overhear]

I'm so sorry for what you've gone through!

 

[maxtonmoomoo]

I'm so sorry for what you've gone through!

Thank you. It really kind of put a damper on the holidays. I just wish I had some answers.