Help! New vet and sudden death!

Question
My netherland dwark bunny, Thumper, passed away last Saturday, 9/23/06. The thing is, he had only just turned 2.

The previous May I took him in to the vet. He was losing fur and I was told that he had fur mites. I didn't have a lot of money, but our vet accepted the Care Card, it ending up costing us the full $500 on the care card with everything (visits, skin scraping, bath, medicine).

A week before he passed, I took Thumper back to the vet because his poop was sticking to his bottom. I was told that he needed to be dewormed. Once again I didn't really have much to spend, but I got accepted for another care card. I spent over $300.

The next Saturday, the day he passed, I was supposed to take him back for his second deworming. I was got up that morning and noticed he was flat, limp like. I picked him up because I was also supposed to give him his medicine, but couln't because he was literally gasping for air. I took him to the vet immediately but he passed away.

I am really confused and hurt right now. He was only my second pet. My first was a hamster and he lived longer although bunnies are supposed to live longer.

I found this vet specifically for Thumper because he takes care of all animals and it is hard to find that. I have another netherland dwarf, 1 yr. old male, who is extremely healthy and a 6 mo. old Pomeranian. I would like a vet that I could go to for everyone.

Now I am scared to take the other two to this vet. I see this website offers http://www.rabbit.org/vets/ as a listing, but I live in Southern California in the Inland Empire. I specifically live around Murrieta/Temecual. Do you have any advice for any good vets in this area? Also, if they accept the Care Credit card that would be helpful because I am a college stident and I use it for help.

Lastly, I was told at the vet that Thumper would be fine. I just took him there a week before he passed away and was supposed to take hime back that day. He lived in a really big pen. Had fresh water, hay, and pellets. I know there is no way of you knowing for sure, but do you have any idea what happened?

Thank you for any advice you could give me.

Answer
Hi Kristina,

very sorry to hear about your boy Thumper.  It sounds like you loved him quite a bit.

To be honest, I don't know enough info to make a really good guess as to why he died.  Without a necrospy (animal autopsy) you won't ever know for sure.  However, he could have had an illness that was weakening him so that he couldn't eat his cecal pellets (ie messy butt) and was deprived of even more needed nutrition, and he died.  He could have had a lung infection.  He could have had parasites (worms) and died of complications of that.

You don't mention what medicine he was on for the worming.  I am suspecting Ivermectin?  One problem it may have been is that if the de-wormer worked 'too well', a large die-off of worms may have caused a blockage in his gi tract and caused him to go into gut stasis and die.  Was he eating and drinking normally the last 3-4 days, or was it less than usual?  Less poops than normal?

You are very correct that it is critical to have a good rabbit vet.  Not only to make the right diagnosis the first time and start treatment as soon as possible, but also to save you money and your rabbit pain.  Not every vet is a good rabbit vet.

Go back to the www.rabbit.org\vets page, and go to the Index page from there.  California has lots of listings, some near you.

Even if they are listed, you will still want to ask them questions to make sure they will handle your rabbit properly.  Questions to ask your new vet (screening) are on this page:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

I did find one in Escondido:

Acacia Animal Health Center
Gary Gallerstein, DVM
Carmine Bausone, DVM
Carrie Bone, DVM
(760) 745-8115
655 W. Citracado Parkway (just off I-15), Escondido

I don't know where all the cities are, but off the
www.rabbits.org\vets page, og to the Index page and there are quite a bit of vets listed for California.

If you cannot find any close enough, call a few vets in your area and ask where they would refer people to with a serious rabbit case.  Then call these vets with the rabbit screening questions to determine if they will handle your rabbit correctly.  You could also call the House Rabbit Society (they are in California) and ask someone there where they take their rabbits in your part of California.

As far as them accepting the care card you are talking about, I have no idea.  I am sure it depends on each vet practice.

Write back anytime.  I hope you find a great rabbit vet.  And since you are looking for a good rabbit vet, it would also be a good time to look for a good emergency clinic around you as well, if you have an emergency after hours or on the weekend/holidays.  Use the screening questions in order to make sure they'll be able to handle the rabbit okay.

Lee