tetanus

Question
I just lost a bunny yesterday, her dewlap was wet,and she could not open her mouth to eat. I could not find a vet to see her, and she died, she went stiff immediately. My dad and a friend insist that it was tetanus/lockjaw. How would she have gotten that?? After research her online I think she had dental trouble. Can you explain tetanus?

Answer
Dear Laurie,

I am very sorry about the loss of your bunny.

Tetanus is caused by a bacterium, Clostridium tetani, that is introduced into the body via a puncture wound.  It is fairly ubiquitous, which is why we usually get a tetanus booster shot if we step on a nail or other sharp object, especially outdoors.

Unless your bunny had an untreated wound that she got from a bite or a dirty object outdoors, it's not likely that she had tetanus.  

A wet dewlap is a strong indication that your bunny had a serious dental problem, and possibly even a jaw abscess or such overgrown molars or incisors that they prevented her from opening her mouth normally.  You can read more here:

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

If this had been tetanus, you would likely have seen seizures and paralysis before death.  The speed with which a body becomes stiff after death depends on several things, including the activity level of the body before death (the more active, the more quickly rigor mortis sets in) and also environmental temperature (the warmer the temperature, the sooner the rigor mortis).  At this time of year, it does not take very long for a body to stiffen after death (at least in warm areas, which is pretty much everywhere right now).

I am so sorry I was not able to advise you sooner.  Please accept my condolences for your terrible loss.

Take care,

Dana