rabbit blockage

Question
Hello i wounder if you can help i lost my rabbit 2 days ago she was 4 years old and i am very upset as i blame myself. She had her back teeth done two weeks ago as she has had done twice before as they grow very quick and it was done my my normal vetenary practice but was a different vet to who she normaly has. She stopped in for the night which normaly she wouldnt as she wasnt passing her poo so they injected her. Finaly she came out and i took her home she seemed alot quieter than normal and went back for a cheak the next day the vets looked at her and she had been eating as there was food in her mouth but they gave her another injection as her poo was slightly smaller than normal and then i took her home. Took her back 2 days for a weight cheak it was the same she hadnt gained any nor lost any. I noticed by the following wednesday she seemed abit quiet but she was eating and still up and down her ramp so i kept my eye on her and friday i knew she wasnt right so she was took back to vets first thing saturday where i was told sje was very weak and needed to be kept in it was touch and go to wheather she survived. She was put to sleep monday due to taking a turn for the worse the vet told me that she had a blockage and i asked if it would of been caused by the operation to be told that he thought it was alot more serious more like a tumor for her to be the way she was and there was something seriously wrong in her tummy. I feel that i let her down i wish i could of had a post mortem to find out if it was the operation or she was ill before. Do you think the vet is just covering himself or are tumors known in rabbits? hope you can help ease my mind
yours sincerely
            sarah

Answer
Dear Sarah,

I wish I could set your mind at ease, but I can't really tell from the information given what really happened.  What was in the injections?  Did the bunny show signs of bloating?  A true blockage is quite rare, and it does seem odd that this happened so soon after she had her molars filed.  But it could be a coincidence.

Yes, rabbits can get tumors, as any mammal can.  But without more information I certainly can't say whether the vet had good reason to suspect this, was just covering something up, or was just guessing.

I know this comes too late to help your bunny, but please read:

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

and

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

If your bunny had these symptoms, these articles might shed some light on what could have happened.

I am very sorry about your tragic loss, but you should NOT blame yourself.  It was nothing you did.  Truly.

I am sorry I could not have helped sooner.

Sincerely,

Dana