10 week old rabbit just died

Question
I had a 10 week old baby rabbit and it was smaller than the rest of the litter. It was eating and drinking as i kept an eye on it. Then it just died. It looked ok and seemed fine. From the same litter at 4 weeks it happened to another 1. But it wasn't eating or drinking. Would you or do you know what would of been the cause this?
Thank You

Answer
Dear Paula,

I am sorry about the loss of your baby bunny.

Sadly, there is absolutely no way to confidently ascertain a cause of death without a post-mortem exam, preferably including histopathology of major organ tissues.  The signs you describe are very vague, and could have been due to any of dozens of different things.  It could have been a congenital problem, since you say he was always smaller than the others.

If you noticed signs of unusual behavior before he died, then please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

which might give some clues.  But unless you can provide a lot more specific information, this is the best I can offer.  

If the body has been kept very cold (not frozen), and it has been less than 24 hours since death, a necropsy may still be possible, if you feel that would give you closure and peace of mind.  You can find an experienced rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

to call and find out what your options might be.

I am very sorry for your loss.

Dana