Sudden death of healthy rabbit

Question
My heart is broken. My sweet, adorable Netherland Dwarf rabbit died suddenly last week. She would have been 8 years old next month. She was a house rabbit and given the best care possible. I adored her. She was very healthy and energetic, but did suffer from several episodes of ileus for the past 4 years. I brushed her daily, but she still consumed a lot of hair. With every episode my rabbit savvy vet would say she didn't think she'd make it, but I always nursed her back to health. She was put on Reglan, 2-3 times a week about a year ago. This greatly diminished the ileus episodes plus she ate a lot of hay. She seemed to be in perfect health the day she died. I can always tell when a rabbit is ill (had house rabbits for 22 years) and she showed not one symptom that morning. After her breakfast of Timothy hay I left for church. When I returned home I found her sprawled out on her side in her straw basket. Her head was tilted back and her mouth was slightly opened. I was shocked. I did not have a necropsy done, so will never know what happened to my beloved little fur baby, but can't help to wonder if the Reglan was the cause. It plagues me daily.

Answer
Dear Linda,

I am so sorry about the tragic, sudden loss of your friend.  What a terrible shock.

As you know, only a necropsy might reveal the cause of death. It could have been anything from sudden cardiac arrest to an embolism, or any number of things.  If she was eating before you left, then she did not have a blockage.  And it is extremely unlikely that Reglan contributed to her death.  I cannot think of how this could be possible if she didn't have a blockage (and you would know if she did; the signs are unmistakable:  bloating, severe pain and inability to move or eat).

Please don't blame yourself.  Your little one may have had some sort of "ticking time bomb" inside her, possibly suggested by the chronic bouts of ileus.  These are a *sign* of trouble, not an illness in and of itself.  So it's possible her little body knew there was something serious wrong, even if it was not evident.

I hope you can take some small comfort in at least knowing she did not suffer a long, debilitating illness.  Her passage sounds as if it was sudden and that she did not suffer.  The one who suffers here is you, being unable to know exactly what happened, and not being there when she passed.  

But she was so lucky to have you as her loving mom.  Most rabbits never know a gentle touch, but she had you all her life, even if it was too short.  Though she will always live in your heart.

I wish I could give you better closure.  I am sending many healing thoughts.

Dana