please help me find out what happened to my rabbit...

Question
Hi there. I'm not sure if you can give me the right answer, but please let me know what you think. I had a dutch rabbit for 5 years. He was/is the love of my life. 2 days ago I watched him suffer what I think to be a stroke, and die in front of me. I cannot get over this loss, not right now. I am hoping you can tell me I could not have helped him, because I really am not in the best shape to hear that this coul dhave been avoided and he could still be alive right now if I did something. Here is a little background. In October 2003 I rescued him from a family who was abusing him terribly, so I snatched him from them & kept him for myself because I knew I could provide him with anything and everything. He never had a cage when I was his owner. He had a big area in my bedroom, with a fence surrounding it. He was litter box trained, and a big ol rabbit. He was always extremely healthy & very happy. He loved to be held like a baby, let me cut his nails & give him baths when needed. He layed with me & fell asleep most night. He was a very good rabbit and extremely affectionate. I thought he was perfect. Well the past 2 weeks he stopped going in his litter box. He was going to the bathroom all over my rug & his toys & beds. I was constantly sweeping up his droppings, but at the same time, he wasnt acting too out of the normal. He would still run to me & beg for attention. This worried me that he wasnt going in his box, but I figured maybe he was getting old & didnt feel like hopping in there [I had no idea what his age ever was since I took him from that family]. About 2 months ago 1 of his eyes was acting up just a little bit. I cleansed it thouroughly and took the white stuff out. After the fur dried, I noticed it was a lot better. That occured with his eye a handful of times since then, but after I cleaned it it would get much better, back to normal. I was going to take him to the vet this week just in case. He didnt make it that long, but I have a feeling that didnt have to do with his death. 2 days ago I noticed him run fast into his litterbox & fall on his side. He used to do this a while ago, but not with such force, he actually did it pretty goofy & it looked so funny & cute, & he would rest. But 2 days ago he did it & tried to sit up but couldnt. I helped sit him up & he was a foot away from a corner of the wall & it was like he tried running into the wall. I new something was wrong. He then dropped to his side again & was moving around almost like in a panic. I picked him up & he was kicking to get away. He has NEVER done that to me. He loved when I held him. I put him down & he ran about 3 feet, fell to his side, kicked his arms & legs fast while on his side, opened his mouth wide [eyes not moving, just wide open] & held it open about 4 seconds, closed it for about 2 second, opened it for 2 seconds, & did this about 3 more times & then some sort of squeak came out a couple times. He stopped, & then took his last breath... I wish I could have jumped in there & done something, but it all happened so quickly & I screamed for my brother & that when he passed away... my brother thought it was a seizure, and my Mom says it could have been a heart attack, but later when I described it, she thought it was a stroke. Please help me out and let me know what you think. I really need some peace with this & I need to know it wasnt my fault. Thank you.

Answer
Hi Mary,

I am sorry to hear about your bunny passing.

I probably can't give you a concrete answer, as I am not a vet and never saw your rabbit.  The only real way to know is a necropsy by a vet.

That said, it sounds like it was some kind of stroke-type events.  Nobody can really predict if/when a stroke will happen.  Not even in people.  People have strokes and don't even know they have had one, many times because there aren't any symptoms.  

The good news is, it was very quick for him, there was no long suffering.  Many people want to go this way.  He didn't even have any time to think about it.  I have had a number of friends who have been out with their dogs, running around in the park and having a great time, and the dog has a heart attack and is gone.  Doing what it loved the most.  I am sure that was how it was for your boy.

PLus, you gave him a great life while he was with you.  Something he wouldn't have otherwise had.  

I don't know if there's anything I can say that you didn't do.  I don't know what you could have done.  I doubt there's anything.

Again, I am sorry for your loss.  If you're a Christian, you can take comfort in the fact you will see him again one day, where there will be no more pain or death.

Lee