RIP-Tallulah rushed to vet b/c of pooping bloody mucus

[trailsend]

I couldn't believe it when I saw this thread just now... I am so sorry Shiloh... my heart goes out to you.... Tallulah was such a special girl... :tears2:

 

[juliew19673]

I am so verry sorry to hear of Tallulah.. She will be sorely missed around here.. I'm glad she was in your arms when she went though.. :bigtears:

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Shiloh, I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way for quite awhile after I lost Angel, I questioned everything and what if'd everything. I honestly believe you did what you could. Just like I did with Angel, there was nothing more that could have been done.

As far as the necropsy, I think it's a good idea and I think it would help you get some closure.

Pm me anytime.:hug:

 

[osprey]

Binky free, Tallulah. She went so fast, I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[SnowyShiloh]

I did end up bringing Tallulah to the vet for a necropsy. It was somewhat inconclusive, the vet thinks *maybe* her intestines were tangled up and that's why she was having problems with her cecum (which was very full). My question is, do I need to worry about Rory and Skyler since her feces tested positive for coccidea and clostridium? The 3 had a communal litter box in the living room that they all used. Sky has a runny nose tonight and I'm pretty worried and nervous.

Thanks! It's been such a beautiful day here, all I can think is that it would have been the perfect day to bring Tallulah out to play in the grass for the first time.

 

[Pipp]

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11935&forum_id=10

Best to check the Library link above, and pay particular attention to the recommended article by Pam Alley, here:

http://www.showbunny.com/gastrointestinal.htm

(It's a breeder-based article, fair warning, there are some meat references in it).

Here's an excerpt:

"Coccida are parasites, and as such, shed eggs which are infective after 24 hours out of the body, which is why a disinfection program is essential. Daily removal of all fecal material from the cage wires, resting boards, and floors will aid greatly in reducing the occurrence of coccidial enteritis."

However, it should also be noted that unless the coccidial count was very high, Tullulah's symptoms seem to have been more in line with Enterotoxemia, which is from the toxin released by the Clostridium spiroforme bacteria, and it is NOT transmittable.

The twisted intestines I think is volvulus and could be the effect of her problem (ie: Bloat will cause volvulus), although I imagine it could also bea cause. I imagine iteven could have even been a genetic defect causing the problems. It's so hard to know.Rabbit science in terms of their own health is so murky -- odd considering they're sacrificed so often in the name of medicalresearch.

Having information like this from necropsies and having yousharing theseexperiences is extremely helpful, her loss will contribute to the health and welfare of others for generations to come. It's not much comfort, but it truly is important and very much appreciated. :hug1



sas :clover:

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

:sad:

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Sas, is it okay if I still post in this thread about the medical aspect of Tallulah's death? I got an important e-mail from her breeder today. Here is part of it:

"Dear Shiloh, Again, I am very sorry about Tallulah's "early flight" to Heaven. For sure, she was the most loved bunny and had a life, though short, that every pet should have. I do think, from your emails, that she was not a strong bunny from the beginning, although she never suffered from diarrhea while she was here and I never had an indication that she was anything but healthy.I know some of her symptoms started right away (runny nose) when you first had her, and that you consistently gave her the very best vet care (I'm sorry about your vet bill--way more than I could have imagined), so I believe perhaps genetically she had a compromised immune system that could not overcome the usual rabbit ups and downs.

Her mom, Olivia, has always been healthy, and her dad as well(I am sorry to say that Ijust last monthplaced him in a 4H home because I just had too many bucks). Olivia has never lost a baby, nor have I ever had someone contact me with a healthy problem in her children--till now. However, Olivia had a litter of six in March, and I lost three of them in the space of one week when they reached six weeks of age. It was mucoid enteritis, which strikes weaning bunnies and is essentially 100% fatal due to cocci and clostridium overgrowth resulting from GI stasis and toxins in the cecum which cause death. I spent a lot of time and money and tried every antibiotic, probiotic, vitamin, etc. that I researched, but to no avail. I have lost four more bunnies during this month, all in the same manner, though in different litters, and it is so sad and discouraging. In previous years, I have never lost more than one baby here and there, and never one older than 9 weeks. I read that there are predisposing factors, such as environmental changes, loud noises, different caretakers, diet changes and genetics that may precipitate this condition, but the real cause is unknown. It sounds like this is the same condition that affected Tallulah, although she was an adult and should have been able to overcome it, I would think...but it makes me wonder about genetic predisposition.
I am still breeding my rabbits and currently have several healthy ones that made it through my recent crisis without any problems, but I cannot help but wonder why some were affected and others weren't. I am disinfecting my cages carefully and have switched to hay racks so the babies aren't eating hay off the bottom of the cage as much, but they still sit on their food while they eat, etc, so I have all the moms and babies on Sulmet for cocci, although none of my adults are thin or show any sign of disease."

What do you all think? It sure does sound like what she had. I kind of wish she'd contacted me sooner to say her bunnies were having these problems too. What should I do about disinfecting her cage and the area Rory and Skyler play in?