I have a lop eared rabbit which I keep in a cage outside. Earlier today I heard it screaming as if something was attacking it and it was in pain. I ran outside and saw it wriggling but didnt see anything else. It then had a very difficult time breathing and slowly stopped breathing. There were no signs of blood.
Does anyone know what could have killed my rabbit?
I have to know go and tell my two kids that thier loved rabbit has died.
2007-06-27 23:51:52 · 16 answers · asked by Yael A 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Thank you everyone for your replies.
When I told my daughter she cried and was/is very sad. I told her that we could draw a picture to remember him. She liked that and now wants me to give god the picture to give the rabbit.
My 5 year old son's reaction was oh well let's buy a new one.
I am still a bit traumatised from seeing it die the way it did so it will be a little while before we get another one - or maybe we will try birds this time.
2007-06-28 09:19:08 · update #1
it sounds like your rabbit had a heart attack,a rabbit makes a screaming noise when in pain or frightened ,could your rabbit of been faced with a cat in the garden,rabbits go into shock easily,and when frightened or in pain make a high pitched screaming noise.
maybe a cat came into your garden scared your rabbit and gave it a heart attack.
sorry for the loss of your rabbit,and just tell your children the truth.
2007-06-28 00:25:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I seriously doubt it was a heart attack. Rabbits get scared easily but they don't have heart attacks easily. I'd say that your rabbit broke its spinal chord when it got scared. A loose neighbor's dog could have attacked it or it could have even happened from little kids running around the cage. Sudden movements or noise will scare a rabbit. When a rabbit is scared they will run around the cage and sometimes run into the side of the cage and break their spinal chord around the neck region, which normally paralyzes them from then neck down. When they break their spinal chord there is little to nothing you can do. You probably heard the squeal after the rabbit ran into the side of the cage.
I recommend playing a radio for your rabbits 24/7. The constant noise helps keep rabbits more calm when they hear sudden noises because they have become more accustomed to noise.
You could have an autopsy done for about $20 or so. If the vet does and x-ray, I imagine it will most likely prove me right.
As one person mentioned, pneumonia could fit the bill as far as difficulty breathing. But that doesn't explain the squeal or wriggling. Pneumonia normally also occurs most in spring or fall. It can also happen in winter, but normally by then a person have the pen enclosed/winterized like they should. Right now is the middle of summer and pneumonia should not be a problem unless you gave your rabbit a bath or unless you just had a real cold spell for summer come through. I doubt it is pneumonia.
Loose neighborhood dogs can be a harsh problem to people who raise rabbits outdoors. Once the dogs get to knowing where the rabbits are they will come back again and again and again. So if your neighbors let there dogs run loose I would definitely report the dogs to animal control. In many states it is against the law to let dogs run loose. My dad and I have had them decimate our rabbit heard a couple of times. They have broken into the pens and ate rabbits and killed rabbits, they have chewed once or twice almost completely through a 2 x 4 trying to get them, they have killed them via scaring them and the rabbits breaking their spinal chord, and I've even seen them bite off the toes of rabbits we have had in wire floored cages. They may kill just one or a couple dozen rabbits. But one thing is for sure. If you let them go, they will come back for seconds.
We now have charged electric wire around where we house our rabbits to help keep the dogs out. I've seen some rabbit breeders lose thousands of dollars due to dog damage and kill their entire herd. And often its hard to ever get damages out of the dogs owners. Many of the dog owners will take the dog's collars off before they purposefully let them loose so if the dog does damage that they can disown it and say it is not theirs. The people that tend to do this purposefully let their dogs run loose because they believe that a dog should be allowed to run loose from time to time, not considering or caring for the damage they could do.
I don't mind people letting their dogs run, but do it in a fenced dog park or run with them on a leash.
2007-06-28 00:20:18 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if it was an albino rabbit i would have said it had a shock as they do tend to shock easily and have heart attacks as a result
its sudden death sounds a little strange to me. i doubt it was due to spinal cord being broke at all, it may be a heart attack as it would be wriggling in pain and you dont say how old it was.
it wasnt myxomatosis as its symptoms are totally wrong.
you dont say if you are in the uk or not.
it may be worms causing problems, or snake bite etc etc etc, the list in endless
i had a rabbit that had epilepsy and it went like that in his last days so it may be that even
th only way you will find out is to have a autopsy done but i doubt it would show much
my thoughts are with you and the children
2007-06-29 13:00:17 · answer #3 · answered by jojohorseriding 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Learning to be a master of drawing images is easy with assistance from Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery guide from here https://tr.im/TE9tP .
With Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery guide you'll got that called Training Mind Routes and each with this training comes with what're named “Process” or “Mind” maps. They are essentially outline summaries of the thing that was covered in all the lessons.
With Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery you will even get 100 High Resolution Reference Images because if you are likely to training your symbol drawing, then you definitely will require guide pictures. This advantage includes 100 top quality black and white photographs composed of 70 encounters and 30 skin features. Really handy!
2016-04-27 15:09:59 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why are you posting the SAME question three times in 2 minutes???
That's a waste...
It sounds like your rabbit ate something that poisoned him, or maybe was stung by a wasp or bee. I don't know if this could kill a rabbit, but the death is really weird the way it happened.
2007-06-28 00:01:36 · answer #5 · answered by Nedra E 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Rabbits kept outdoor can catch a virus called Hemaragic Disease, this is where the brain explodes.
http://www.thebrc.org
2007-07-01 01:34:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It might have got scared of something that tried to get in,
I hope your kids take it alright good luck!
2007-06-28 08:57:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
heart attack is most likely... if a predator comes around and the rabbit feels overly threatened with nowhere to run its heart rate will rise untill it has a heart attack, rabbits can ltterly be scared to death.
2007-06-27 23:56:35 · answer #8 · answered by mrbatfink 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Ummmm... anything could of happend... heart attack? good luck finding out what happend!! And sorry about your rabbit
2007-06-27 23:54:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sounds the same as when mine went. He had pneumonia and we couldnt do anything for him even though we tried. Im sorry for your loss.
2007-06-28 00:11:16 · answer #10 · answered by *♥* donna *♥* 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋