# My beautiful girl is dead



## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

I just can't believe it. She was only 6 months old and was getting spayed after Xmas.

Was fine this morning.. Her and Miffy gave me their usual wake up call of rattling at the bars for their hard food then a bit later mum gave them a carrot. Went out at 1ish and came home. Put the bags in my room and got something to eat then went in to give the hamsters a millet spray. Looked in rabbit cage and Blubell was lying on her side and I thought she was asleep but I always panic when they look like that so I shouted her name. Normaly that wakes her up but nothing.. So I start hitting at the bars because if they are in a deep sleep that wakes them but nothing so I start to panic and kick the cage and I realised she was gone :frown: Picked her up and her nose and mouth was covered in blood. Phoned the vet and they reckon it's been a blood clot in her lungs because she was eating away before we went out.

Poor Miffy doesn't know what to do. Can see us having to get another rabbit because he loved her so much. We haven't been planning on getting anymore once they go but it won't be fair on him.

RIP my grumpy bunny xxx


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2010)

Aw, I'm so sorry. She was such a pretty girl, R.I.P little one xxx


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

So sorry, bunnies are so special and we get very attached to them 

Could you maybe get a rescue spayed doe, to keep Miffy company, say one about the same age? If Miffy is used to company, he may pine badly for a friend, as you say.

Sweet dreams little Blubell and *hugs* to you and Miffy x


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## Waterlily (Apr 18, 2010)

awwww thats so sad, i'm sorry mate


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## hobo99 (Aug 18, 2008)

So sorry to hear your bad news , Miffy looked a lovely little girl .

RIP Miffy xx.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Poor girl RIP.

I will say though, was she vaccinated against VHD? Blood from the nose and mouth after death is a sure sign of VHD and the only sign as it kills so fast if they get it with no cure. I would keep a very close eye on Miffy now and if I'm right in thinking it is VHD from the blood then be prepared for the worst. It might be worth getting Miffy to the vet and vaccinated if he isn't already to try to protect him. I could always be wrong but if I'm right then Miffy may be at risk. 

Does your vet specialise in rabbits? If not then its understandable that they would say it was a clot rather than VHD as not many vets bother to recommend vaccinating unless they specialise in rabbits.


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

OMG im so sorry for your loss  RIP little one xx


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## francesandjon (Jun 3, 2009)

Sorry to hear this. RIP little bunny


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

im so sorry for your loss

i agree with kammie RE the VHD, unfortunately even vaccinating doesnt protect 100% but it drastically reduces the risk, if miffy isnt vaccinated i would get him done asap, i also wouldnt get a bun anytime soon, i would suggest putting yourself into bunny quarantine for about 6 months (unless you get a necropsy done, which i would strongly suggest you do, to confirm the cause of death and it comes back negative for VHD)


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone. Just took her to the vets to be cremated because the ground is too hard to bury her. Never had an animal cremated before so it all feels a bit strange 

She was vaccinated and so is Miffy but it was only done recently. I feel animals are vaccinated too much so I always leave a bit between them. They haven't been near other rabbits, not been outdoors and none of us have been in contact with any rabbits apart from wakling past them in the pet shop. Will problay keep playing on my mind that it could have been that.. What other symptoms in there of VHD? Was blood on her paws asif she'd been trying to clean herself..

Vet had a look to confirm she was dead and said he really thinks it's a bloodclot. They specialise in rabbits, guinea pigs etc so I trust their advice (of course I trust people on here too!) but if it was my old vet I wouldn't be so confident. 

Will wait til after Christmas before getting another because no doubt there will be many unwanted presents in the free ads  

I got them new willow toys the other day.. Nothing like that could have caused it? All our animals have died for a reason not just suddenly.


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

I am so sorry for your loss  sleep well Bluebell.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Im so very sorry, Its always hard to lose a pet but in one so young its so unexpected and such a shock too. Run forever free little one and big hugs to you.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

with VHD im afraid nthere often arent any other signs other then blood in the nose and mouth as it kills so quick, the only way your vet could be certain its a blood clot and not VHD is to do a necropsy....

VHD can be spread by in direct contact eg,
a bird lands in an area thats been contaminated by a wild rabbit carrying VHD, the bird then lands in your garden/or a wall, you ten walk over the area in your garden/put your hand on the wall, and pick it up on your shoe or hand


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

As little miss said there are no signs for VHD before death only the blood from the nose and mouth, which is usually only obvious after death. VHD kills within 24 hours with no sign of illness or distress before hand. 

Even if it is a blood clot it is likely caused by VHD since VHD is a blood disease making the rabbit bleed to death from the inside out so the blood from nose and mouth is the last sign. 

Sorry to be so blunt with explaining it, I know you must be upset but it is important to rule out VHD for the health of your other rabbit and any new ones you bring in to your home in the near future. I think you should get a necropsy done as well if its not too late and you can phone your vet in the morning, its in the best interest of Miffy.


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## Pets2luv.webs.com (Nov 26, 2010)

That is so sad, what a shock that must have been for you. That is the thing I dread the most is finding one of your pets gone like that. I feel very sad for you.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Oh hun how awful!!! I am so sorry! I guess the only consolation is it would have been quick and painless. Sending bucketful of cyber hugs!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

Kammie said:


> As little miss said there are no signs for VHD before death only the blood from the nose and mouth, which is usually only obvious after death. VHD kills within 24 hours with no sign of illness or distress before hand.
> 
> Even if it is a blood clot it is likely caused by VHD since VHD is a blood disease making the rabbit bleed to death from the inside out so the blood from nose and mouth is the last sign.
> 
> Sorry to be so blunt with explaining it, I know you must be upset but it is important to rule out VHD for the health of your other rabbit and any new ones you bring in to your home in the near future. I think you should get a necropsy done as well if its not too late and you can phone your vet in the morning, its in the best interest of Miffy.


Do you know how much a necropsy costs? We struggled to find the money to get her cremated never mind anything else  Really not the best time of years for this kind of thing to happen..

Why does it always seem to be those that care for their animals that get all the crap and heartache happen to them


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

CheekoAndCo said:


> Do you know how much a necropsy costs? We struggled to find the money to get her cremated never mind anything else  Really not the best time of years for this kind of thing to happen..
> 
> Why does it always seem to be those that care for their animals that get all the crap and heartache happen to them


I'm not sure and vet costs vary from region to region so its something you would have to ask about when phoning to ask about it.


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

My vets is in general cheap but I've got £100 of dental treatment to pay for this week and I owe dad the money back for getting her cremated. 

Unless I was to phone up and ask if there is any way they'd let me pay it back in installments.. They let us do that with Ginger because of how quickly he needed operations. Any other time of the year would have been fine but I've got stuff to pay and we've had to pay the excess on both cars because windows got kicked in and an ambulance crashed into one.

Feel awful of the thought she's lying in the vets  Miffy is just sitting not really sure what to do with himself. Let him out for a run while the cage got cleaned. He was always first back in the cage so he started going up on his back legs looking for her


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## kazschow (Oct 23, 2008)

So sorry to hear this x


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## XxZoexX (Sep 8, 2010)

I am really sorry RIP little bunny


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

So sad.

Thinking of you xx

Hop free lil girl over the Rainbow bridge RIP


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Sorry for your loss  

*Heidi*


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

Miffy is fine health wise but he's just sitting in the corner and his coat is casting alot. He is eating but as soon as he hears the bars on his cage rattle he jumps up and gets excited  Didn't get much sleep last night because every noise I heard him make, even though they were just normal rabbit noises meant I was up checking on him all the time.


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## squeaker (Nov 29, 2010)

So sory for your loss. It's awful to lose your pet. Particularly that way. and so young.

I think it's important when a killer disease is a possibility, that we get our pets tested when they die with suspicious symptoms. I know it's a horrible thing to have to do in these situations but it would confirm or not that VHD was the cause. This will then help vets and owners to get a true picture of the disease presence and risk. At the moment VHD is very much underestimated in terms of confirmed diagnosis.

I hope you feel better soon. So sorry.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Sorry to hear it  xx


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

So sorry to hear that and that your other rabbit is suffering from not having her there.


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## Sweetheart (Dec 19, 2010)

I'm sorry for your loss. :sad:


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

So sorry for your loss she was beautiful!!!
I wouldn't worry raising funds to find out for sure what did this, it does sound very much like vhd but even finding out won't bring her back and it can sometimes hurt more, grieve her loss and spread her ashes somewhere special x big hugs babe x


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