My mini-lop just passed away and the vets (and I) dont know why

Question
Hi Dana,

My beautiful 3 year old mini-lop Cinna-Bun died this morning after I brought her to the animal hospital emergency room. I noticed she was having slowed breathing and her body seemed limp-- almost like she had no control of it. I rushed her to the emergency room where they immediately put her on oxygen and x-rayed her. The vet said everything looked fine and mentioned her tummy was full and that they were going to do blood tests and anything they could to find out what was wrong. Cinna-Bun died about 1/2 hour later.

A friend suggested I research GI Stasis, and I came across your article. She didn't seem to meet any of the criteria you mentioned, except for I recently adopted (the Saturday before Thanksgiving) another bunny for her to bond with. They were both previously neutered. After some initial resistance from her, they had begun bonding and I hoped that they would be fully bonded by Christmas. Could this have overstressed her? She was fine that morning, and drinking that evening.

I really appreciate your guidance. I don't want this to happen to Patches (the newly adopted male holland lop). Unfortunetly, Cinna-Bun has been cremated so an autopsy wouldn't be an option.

Thank you for what you do.

~Fara

Answer
Dear Fara,

I'm so sorry about your terrible loss.  

Unfortunately, as you probably know from the last bit of information you sent me, there is just no way to know for certain why she died without a post mortem exam including histopathology of all major organs.  Any number of ailments can cause the signs you describe:  systemic infection,  liver torsion, exposure to a toxin...the list goes on.

General lethargy is often a sign of hypothermia, but the hypothermia is almost always secondary to the real problem.  Once a bunny suffers a serious disorder, such as one of the two I mentioned above (and there are numerous others that could be responsible), they sometimes go into shock.  This causes hypothermia, and that can quickly result in death.

It is not likely that CinnaBun had anything contagious to Patches.  But if you see any signs of illness in Patches, please follow the instructions here:

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

There's a remote possibility that the stress of the new bonding made CinnaBun more susceptible to something she was already harboring, but thousands of bunnies go through bondings without serious mishap.  So CinnaBun must have had something very serious going on.  Unfortunately, we will never know for sure what it was.

I am sorry for this terrible sadness at the holiday season.  I hope that you and Patches may find it in your hearts, when the pain is fading, to give a new life to another bunny who needs a loving home like yours.  You can find your local rabbit rescue group here:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

No one will ever replace CinnaBun.  But I know she would be happy to see that you and Patches will be okay, and that some little soul is helping you recover and heal from her loss.  She will always be part of you.

Take care,

Dana