My Bella just died this morning

[Tycho1.4.9]

I had him for about three years. He was my buddy. The only creature that I've shared my life with for so long on a daily basis. I didn't plan on having a pet but I rescued him one night from the parking lot next to my place. One day became a week, a month, then a year and more. I wish I could make sense of what happened. He was fine in the morning and I gave him his pellets and lettuce at 7am. He ate the lettuce but I noticed he didn't eat the pellets, which were usually his favorite food, and he was hunched in the corner. I was afraid it was stasis so I called in sick to work and was making arrangement to take him to the vet: I have to rent a car and can't get one until 10am. I tried massaging his tummy as I've read about and see in various Youtube videos. He started flick his back legs which became as spasms. He went limp, let out two little screams, took a couple of short breaths, and was gone... I wonder now...Did my massaging do more harm than if I had left him alone??

 

[JBun]

From your description of what happened, your massaging didn't have anything to do with his passing. It sounds to me like he was experiencing heart failure, and that was the cause of his acting unwell in the morning and wasn't anything to do with GI stasis from a stomach upset. Heart failure is a common cause of sudden death in rabbits, and there's nothing you could have done more that you didn't already try to do to help him. It sounds like he was very lucky to have been found by you all of those years ago, and that he had a good life with you. Binky free little guy

 

[beachpaws]

From your description of what happened, your massaging didn't have anything to do with his passing. It sounds to me like he was experiencing heart failure, and that was the cause of his acting unwell in the morning and wasn't anything to do with GI stasis from a stomach upset. Heart failure is a common cause of sudden death in rabbits, and there's nothing you could have done more that you didn't already try to do to help him. It sounds like he was very lucky to have been found by you all of those years ago, and that he had a good life with you. Binky free little guy

 

[john.thorpe1952]

So very sorry for your loss.Only those of us who have known a rabbit really well can really understand just how special they can be.I understand perfectly that you feel guillty,it's a normal reaction we have all felt.You did everything you could do for him and you should feel proud to have given him a good life to the best of your ability.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

So sorry for your loss--you gave love and care and did nothing wrong. They are only with us for way too short of a time span.

 

[cwebster]

Am very sorry for your loss.

 

[overhear]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank goodness he had you by his side for comfort that morning. Sending hugs.

 

[Penni]

I had him for about three years. He was my buddy. The only creature that I've shared my life with for so long on a daily basis. I didn't plan on having a pet but I rescued him one night from the parking lot next to my place. One day became a week, a month, then a year and more. I wish I could make sense of what happened. He was fine in the morning and I gave him his pellets and lettuce at 7am. He ate the lettuce but I noticed he didn't eat the pellets, which were usually his favorite food, and he was hunched in the corner. I was afraid it was stasis so I called in sick to work and was making arrangement to take him to the vet: I have to rent a car and can't get one until 10am. I tried massaging his tummy as I've read about and see in various Youtube videos. He started flick his back legs which became as spasms. He went limp, let out two little screams, took a couple of short breaths, and was gone... I wonder now...Did my massaging do more harm than if I had left him alone??

Ah I’m so sorry about your bunny. These little animals work with our heart spaces, may yours be comforted in a sad time. Big hugs.

 

[Catlyn]

I feel your loss.
I lost one of mine, a sweet young little prince named Lümi, almost like you did. He didn't take his nightly pellets and was extremely restless and zippy at first. Then he suddenly slowed down, hunched up and refused to move. We couldn't get a rental car from anywhere in the middle of the night, and by the looks of things i knew he wouldn't make it to the morning. So i refused to go to sleep and tried to make him the comfiest i could get. A few hours later he spasmed in my arms and was gone for good. We don't know for sure why he left, but from his history and a little online digging, the most probable cause, the one i took on as a "fact" was also heart failiure.
Nothing more you and i could've done to save our dear bunnies, just know that they had the most amazing lives with the best possible bun parents.
Take your time to heal and who knows, maybe one day you'll stumble upon another rabbit that needs your rescuing.

 

[Tycho1.4.9]

Everybody, thank you for your sympathies and sharing your own stories. My apartment is so quiet now. I didn't realize how much I talked to him while he was here. Today was the hardest since it was trash day and I needed to throw out a lot of stuff that he used but I can't keep: bedding and such. I had built a hamper feeder for his hay out of a long box. Breaking it down was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do.

 

[user 34902]

That's really sad. Sorry for your loss