Did electrolytes cause my rabbit's death after she stopped eating?

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. When rabbits get sick they usually go downhill very quickly. Intestinal infection ( or dysbiosis) is a common occurrence . This usually causes a sudden loss of appetite and lethargy. Rabbits usually pass away very quickly when this happens. Of course other possibilities exist as well such as a bleeding tumor, or kidney failure. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm so sorry you lost your bunny. Please accept my condolences. Unfortunately, seemingly sudden death can happen in rabbits but without a post-mortem examination (necropsy) then the best we can do is guess at the possibilities. Now, I don't have his entire history so some of these things may not relate to him but typically this is the list we go by: 1. heatstroke 2. heart attack (can happen from underlying disease or a severe fright) 3. viral or bacterial disease 4. toxin ingestion 5. underlying kidney or liver problem 6. GI stasis (the GI tract stop moving) 7. heavy intestinal parasites burden 8. cancer 9. old age (could he be older than you thought) I didn't see that your vet did anything wrong or prescribed any incorrect medications. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. Please take care.

Hello, I am so sorry to hear that Candy passed away suddenly. I know that must have been quite a shock to you. I can tell you loved him very much. To answer you question, rabbits sometimes die suddenly, just like humans and other animals. I cannot tell you why this happened without a necropsy (autopsy). My best guess would be a heart attack (this can happen even in young animals). As to whether or not the vitamin tonic contributed or caused his death, I can't answer that. I would need much more information to even get a hint of an idea like: Candy's age, what his diet was, how much he weighed, the exact concentrations of all the ingredients in the tonic and how much of that tonic you actually had given over what period of time. Even with all that information there is no way to know for sure. Again, an autopsy would give you the best chance at finding out what happened. Please, I understand your sadness and I have tremendous sympathy for you, but don't try to look for someone to blame. Sometimes death happens suddenly and it is no one's fault. Hope this clarifies things somewhat. If you have more questions feel free to post again.

It sounds like they could have a parasite or an infection causing the problem. It is very concerning that they both lost weight rapidly and one died. It would be best to have her examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can run some lab-work, if needed, and prescribe medications to treat. She may need some fluids for dehydration, antibiotics, de-wormer, etc. Besides trying to get her to eat and drink, there isn't much more you can do without veterinary care. Hope she gets better soon!

Hi there! I am so, so sorry to hear about Boo. Losing a pet is never easy, and losing them suddenly is even harder. Unfortunately, there's no way for us to tell for sure what happened to Boo without completing a necropsy (post-mortem examination and testing). From the symptoms you mentioned (bloody stool, seizure, lethargy), it could have been multiple issues, including a bacterial infection, gastric ulcer, viral hemorrhagic disease (a virus that can cause bleeding and seizures), parasites, or a clotting disorder. Rabbits are generally very good at hiding their symptoms, so if Boo got sick very quickly, you may not have noticed anything wrong. There was likely nothing that you could have done to prevent this if she was acting normally. My deepest condolences to you and your family.

Thanks for reaching out about your rabbit. A veterinary visit is recommended anytime a rabbit stops eating. Ingested foreign bodies, GI stasis, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), infections are all possible. Yogurt and crackers are not a good food item for rabbits as they do not digest dairy or carbohydrates well, and can lead to additional GI upset. Even if obstructed, they can continue to pass feces for 1-2 days. Try syringe offering water. Good luck.

I am sorry your rabbits are sick and passing away. I would try and locate an exotics vet somewhere around you. Even if you have to drive a little further. Unfortunately the picture and posture does not tell why they are sick. I get concerned about something contagious if you have had other rabbits die. I know it sounds sad but if a rabbit dies I would recommend taking it to the state lab for a necropsy (autopsy in people). This way they can take tissue samples and send it to the lab for hopefully a diagnosis. However we would prefer to keep the rabbits alive. Parasites like coccidia can cause death, infection, viruses, dental disease, toxins and maybe food source. The rabbits really need to have a fecal, blood work and maybe x-rays. You can try to force feed them at home with a product like critical care but they need to continue to eat or there intestines stop working which can cause fatality.