Something very unexpected happened to my friends buns...

[killertheturtle]

My friend, Kira, moved to NC a couple weeks ago. She took her 3 rabbits cross country with her. They moved to an upper story apartment on the island (never been there, not quite sure what island). the bunnies were outside on their deck. Their deck has no plants or anything.
Yesterday morning, she and her friend were out playing with them and feeding them the same food they have been getting since they moved there.
She went out shopping, then went to work and came home around 11 pm. Her roommate told her that all three of them died.
She said that they all had foam around their mouths and two of them threw up white stuff.
She has not given them any veggies since she has moved.
There really is not any wildlife there, aside from birds.
She has not changed their diet or given them potentially hazardous veggies.
No new treats.
It rained the night before, but she brought them inside, in a dog crate (no free roam or anything).
They don't have anything on the deck that the bunnies could possibly eat.
Their exercise pens were not moved or open at all.
And they ALL died.

We are all totally dismayed and she was crying so hard I could barley understand her. Does anyone have any idea what could have possibly happened?

 

[pamnock]

It sounds like possible poisoning. I would highly recommend a necropsy on one of them.

Pam

 

[Offspring2099]

That's horrible. My condolences. I was always told rabbits can't throw up.

 

[Maureen Las]

That is really terrible ..could her roommate have given them something different while she was at work and then been afraid to tell her?

 

[killertheturtle]

Her roomate and her had their first bunny a year ago, so her roomate knows about rabbits. Also, they really don't have anything paladable that could poison a rabbit (they also have two dogs so they don't leave things out like that).
The one thing she was thinking was the neightbors (who can easily go on to their property) have a young child and could have given them something.
I agree that it sounds like poisoning...but it is just so weird.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Offspring2099 wrote:

I was always told rabbits can't throw up.

They can't, it was likely a foaming at the mouth.

I'm very sorry to hear about your friend's rabbits.

Binky free babies:rainbow:

 

[Maureen Las]

She should get a necropsy because if she doesn't....... she will probably be afraid to get rabbits again out of fear. For all three to die the same way at once sound really suspicious. maybe the neighbor children posioned them

 

[MsBinky]

Could there have been a product on the balcony? Like maybe they treated the balcony with something prior to her moving in? I've got no clue here, just throwing theories around :?So sorry for the buns I hope she has a necropsy performed.

 

[JimD]

I'm so sorry .

It does sound like they may have all be exposed to the same thing....something toxic for buns.

I was also wondering if it could in any way be temperature (heat/cold) related :?

 

[rabb1tmad]

Oh how awful, I really feel for your friend.

Were there any weeds arounds on the patio? Weed killer can be poisonous to buns so any residue left could do something like this.

 

[bat42072]

MsBinky wrote:

Could there have been a product on the balcony? Like maybe they treated the balcony with something prior to her moving in? I've got no clue here, just throwing theories around :?So sorry for the buns I hope she has a necropsy performed.

thats what i was thinking... maybe it was treated with some kind of poison for insects before she moved in

 

[pamnock]

Info on poisoning:

http://www.greenwichrabbitrescue.com/poisoning.htm

 

[killertheturtle]

She said the rabbits were acting like normal that morning.
As far as the balcony being treated, they have been out there for at least a week...so I don't see why it would happen yesterday.
I do agree it must be a poison.
As far as the necropsy, this is irisponsibility on her part...but she does not have the money for that. Its sad that she doesn't too, because what if this happens again?

Thanks for all your responses. I'll give her all your condolences.

 

[Pipp]

I'd also like to know more about the temperature and conditions, Jim may have a point about the overheating. Bunnies willexperience heavy drooling with that problem.

Condolences to all. Verysad.



sas

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

I'm very sorry to hear of that. I live in NC and my very first thought here is over heating. I have seen that quite a bit here over the years. Even on the beach recently, the temps have been in the triple digits.....even in the 90's on the Outer Banks and it is usually so nice there all year that many places don't even have air conditioning.

Overheating in a rabbit will result in a white foam around the nose and mouth.If the rabbits were not acclimated tothe heat here....that could be the problem. The heat recently has been brutal for all living creatures. It is also possible that there were toxins on the deck. It takes specially treated lumber to withstand the onslaught of the weather on the coast here. And bugs are also a problem. It is always possible if this is a rented apartment or in a "planned" development that the owners of the property allowed a pest control to spray for bugs without the owner's knowledge of them being there....and it doesn't necessarily have to be in this particular apartment sincethe windgenerally blows constantly on the beach here. And don't discount something being washed in with the rain. All sorts of things have built up with the lack of rain in this area.

Regardless, a tragedy so matter what the cause.

Randy