Viral lung infection

Question
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Followup To
Question -
I recently lost both my rabbits to what my vet thinks was a viral lung infection. I have heard of other rabbits in my area dying of something very similar. I would at some stage like to get another rabbit and I want to know a) if it would be safe to get another rabbit? b) how long before it would be safe to do so? I have given my home and the bunny area a thorough wash with bleach. Do you have any suggestions of other actions I could take?
Thankyou for your time.
Answer -
Dear Vicki,

I am very sorry about your loss, but before I answer your question about getting another rabbit, I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer.

1.  What made your vet think the bunnies died from a respiratory virus?  Viral diseases are quite uncommon in rabbits.   Those that are well known (myxomatosis, VHD) are quickly fatal, with characteristic symptoms that are not respiratory in nature.

*I think it was because it did not respond to any of the antibilotics (Baytril, Vibravet, Duplicillin?)

2.  What symptoms did your rabbits show when they became ill?

*loud Labored breathing for a couple of days and then death. No runny nose or temperature. They were eating fine right up when they really started gasping. Both of them died screaming for breath.

3.  What diagnostic tests were done on them, to determine the actual cause of illness?

*none that I know of. I think the diagnosis was a case of "the antibiotics didn't work so it must be a virus."

4.  What did the vet use to treat the bunnies?

*Baytril, Virbravet for Blossom. George was already on Duplicillin? for ear abcesses and they added Baytril.

5.  When you say other rabbits in your area have died of similar causes, what were *their* symptoms?

*The labored breathing and gasping

6.  Does the vet you saw see many rabbits as patients, or is s/he mainly a dog and cat vet?  How experienced is this vet with rabbit medicine?

*Dog and cat vet. They are not very experienced with rabbit medicine.

Please let me know the answers to all these questions, and I will be better able to help you.  I very much doubt that your bunnies succumbed to a respiratory virus.

Hope to hear back from you soon.

Dana  

Answer
Dear Vicki,

Although it's hard to say for sure, it sounds as if the bunnies might have had pneumonia.  Once a rabbit has a deep lung infection, it is rare that antibiotics can save them unless the bunny is also nebulized with antibiotics directly, and also placed on oxygen in a tent, or via mask.  Rabbits hide symptoms of illness so well that by the time they show some sign they're sick, they're *really* sick.

Without an autopsy, it's impossible to say for sure why they died.  When a bunny dies, s/he usually goes into an agonal phase, which is what you describe as "gasping and screaming for breath."  This is what they do when the heart stops, for whatever reason.

As far as the safety of your environment for new rabbits goes, if this really was pneumonia (which is caused by bacteria in rabbits, not a virus, unless something *really* unsual is going on), then the bacteria that cause such problems are not readily transmitted between rabbits, or via contaminated items in the environment.  

The real key to keeping the bunnies healthy is to provide a good diet, a low stess environment, and proper housing.  You can read more about this here:

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

and here:

www.rabbit.org

I hope this helps.  I think it is safe for another bunny or two to come into your house.  If the same thing happens to them, it would be *very* strange, and I doubt it will happen, unless there is some environmental toxin or problem in the house that you have not detected.  It would be better if autopsies had been done on the bunnies who died, though maybe not much help if done by the vets who see mostly dogs and cats.  You can find a more rabbit-savvy vet here:

www.rabbit.org/care/vets.html

I hope this helps.  

Dana