rabbit paralysis stiffness

Question
on Saturday my male lop eared rabbit had a prolonged days fighting with another buck in the cold and rain (they had both managed to escape!) we dried them off and warmed them both up and they seemed fine. but on the following Tuesday the lop couldnt eat or drink and his front legs stuck out slightly and he felt very firm and quite rigid all over, and sounded very chesty, he worsened rapidly overnight and we had to have him put to sleep on wednesday morning. the whole thing was very quick and distressing. I am worried as I have 3 other rabbits can you suggest what it might have been. the vet didnt think it was tetanus related but more of a neurological problem.

Answer
Dear Carolyn,

I'm very sorry about this terrible, sad loss.  The result of the fight you witnessed was highly unusual, but it might have been triggered by the stress of the fight itself, if the bunny had some underlying condition, or his immune system was compromised by the fight.  

A spinal injury would not likely cause full-body paralysis, and the toxins that cause paralysis from tetanus (due to the common environmental bacterium, Clostridium tetani) usually don't work quite that fast.  I guess it's not impossible, but pretty unusual.  

Did he have any puncture wounds?  Serious, deep bites?  If the other rabbit had certain types of bacteria in his mouth (e.g., Pasteurella), he might have inoculated the other bunny with them, and caused systemic infection (toxemia), which could come on in 12 hours and be fatal without very aggressive antibiotic intervention and other supportive care.

It's just not possible to know for sure without more information, such as that provided by a necropsy.

I am very sorry about your loss.  I don't doubt that it was related to the fight, even if indirectly.  I would strongly recommend that you have all your bunnies spayed/neutered so that fights will be less likely, and also not as ferocious as the one you just suffered.

Take care,

Dana