random death

Question
Hi. My rabbit, Romeo died yesterday morning and he was absolutely fine. (eating and all the night before) We knew something was wrong because as soon as we opened the garage door he didnt run up for a cuddle as usual. He sat there and when we came to him and placed the raddich leaves in front of him he just looked at it and didnt eat. He looked very upset. So we brought him inside and tried to get him to eat and drink water. He wouldn't, he only ate like a small handful of grass. He coudnt walk, every time he did he'd fall on his side, he had no balance control. He then fell and kept trying to get up, but couldn't. So he lay down for about an hour and in that time he was twitching (very little) and having weird spasms. It was NOW that i called the vet (i thought he only had a broken leg or something so I thought it better to wait and be certain), but their only appointment was late. He then started spasming out of control and paddled his feet (even though he was on the carpet) and his eyes rolled to the back of his head (he opened them wide) and his head tilted back even further and stopped breathing. I fed him raddich leaves at night, and gave him water in the morning. (like i usually do because he finishes it) I really want to know whey he had this seizure even though he seemed absoulutely fine the night before. I keep blaming myself and keep remembering his last breaths. Why did it happen so randomly? Was it my fault?  :(

Answer
Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your bunny boy passing.

I can't really tell you why he died.  To know for sure a vet needs to do a final exam to determine a cause of death.

Not knowing anything else, perhaps he got into something in the garage that night.  He may have not drank enough during the night, got dehydrated and gone into shock and died.  It does not take long.  His imbalance and inability to stabilize himself suggests shock.  He could have had some strokes during the night and when he died.  If the garage was either on the too hot or too cold side, and he wasn't drinking, he'd get dehydrated and start to go into shock.

Again, I am sorry for your boy passing.  The good thing is that his loving owners were there when he died.  He didn't have to go without his friends around.  Plus you were in process to get him care once you realized it was a serious problem.

As a rule of thumb, if you find your bunny is sick or not acting normal in the morning, assume he hasn't been right all night and that the problem is serious already and you are under the clock from that moment on.  

My only suggestion is that if you get another rabbit in the future, you might enjoy him more and be able to keep a closer watch (more stable temps too) as an indoor house rabbit.  Just spay or neuter them and they will do pretty well inside the house.