# My seven rabbits are dying slowly



## Strummer (Apr 11, 2015)

Hello there!

First of all, I apologize for my bad English; I decided to join this forum because internet resources on my own language are so poor, but I really need to find information about my rabbits and what's happening to them. So, if someone does not understand something, just ask it and I'll try to explain it with other words!

I adopted a group of seven newborn rabbits a week and a half ago. I took them to vet, and there they told me that they should have just 3 or 4 weeks. They've got no mom, so I must fed them with newborn cat milk (that's the most similar to rabbit's milk, said my vet).

The second night, one of them passed away. He can't move neither of his legs (double splayed-leg), just as mi vet said, he was going to die soon. He also told me that two of them were too skinny and little, so it was going to be so hard to them to survive...

The last week was great; they were nice, with no problem, but two days ago one died, and yesterday too, so I lost three of them on just a week. I really don't know what can be happening; they eat their milk three times per day, just like always, but both who died tonight were really skinny... they played, run on their box and do the same things that the others, but two days ago, when the second rabbit died, they started to be apathic, with no moving inside the box, cold bodies and very sad and almost closed eyes.

That was very abrupt, they passed from being happy and active to be apathic and cold, and then died. Twice... and I've got that symptons on three of the four rabbits left, I'm so scared and don't know what to do to save them. Does anyone have any idea of what could be happening to them?

PD: During the last week, one of them took diarrhea. He wasn't one of the skinnys; he was big, but suddenly started being apathic and so "fat", like if he was filled of gases or something. I clean its anus with a cotton pad, and a solid poo got out, but then he did liquid poo, so I thought it wasn't a diarrhea, just a poo plug... gave him "_lactofilus_", a medicine to regulate their intestinal transit, and he got well. After that, after the two smaller died, he started being fat again, just like a few days ago... Could this have any relation with the apathy and dead of the others two? A virus maybe?

Please, I know it could be rough to read and understand me, but I really need help and I can't go to vet today because it's sunday. Thanks for reading this!


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

You have explained yourself very well so please do not worry.

Rearing young rabbits is so hard. I have only had them from about 4/5 weeks old.

Do you keep them inside or outside?

Do you help them go to the toilet? Are they weeing and pooing?

Is their housing warm and draft free?

Are they now nibbling hay or grass or eating anything other than milk?

I will private message some members who will know far more than I do.

You can only do the best you can.


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## Strummer (Apr 11, 2015)

Summersky said:


> You have explained yourself very well so please do not worry.
> 
> Rearing young rabbits is so hard. I have only had them from about 4/5 weeks old.
> 
> ...


Thanks for reading and answering!

I live on a flat, so they are always inside my house. I keep them inside two box (a little one when they are going to sleep, a big one when they are awake up) with fresh hay. Windows are always closed wherever room they are.

When they were ok, all of them just ate milk, and the strongest started eating another solid things (hay, some specif rabbit's cereals...). When they suddenly get ill, I stopped giving them cereals or vegetables. Instead that, I still giving them that cat milk, but also a kind of juice I do with comminuted fruit (oranges and pears), because I supposed that cat milk was not giving them the nutrients they needed. It just worked because they "poo" easily than before, but they still apathic, swollen and with a strange sad expression on their faces. Sometimes they even tremble...

I was woried because i haven't seen them going to the toilet, but my vet explaint myself that they do in the hay and I don't see it. Only one had diarrhea, but it seem to be aparently recovered. A few days then, he came swollen again. I help him to evacuate with a cotton piece, but he still looking so fat and swollen, he almost can walk fine.

Again, thanks you for answering me, I really need help. I assumed that it was going to be hard and they probably die, but, I really can't understand how did they got so worse in only two or three days!


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Could you just clarify how old the kits are now please?

Are they 4/5 weeks old now?


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## Strummer (Apr 11, 2015)

StormyThai said:


> Could you just clarify how old the kits are now please?
> 
> Are they 4/5 weeks old now?


When I took them to vet the next day they arrived my home (April 9th), the veterinary said they pretty had 3/4 weeks then. If he was right, yes, now they should have 4/5 weeks.

I attach two photos, the first was shot the day they arrived home last week (9th April) and the other, took a few minuts ago:

4/11/2015
http://i58.tinypic.com/2cwmlc9.jpg

4/19/2015

They've got wood dust on first pic because that's how they arrived here, but they use always use fresh hay unless when I feed them, like on second photo. I put them on the white towell to see how do they poo.

On second photo you can clearly see how eyes look diferent; the smaller and ill rabbits on left have nearly closed eyes, with no bright and sad expression, while the two on right have it clearly opened, bright, and they look pretty sane.


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## Strummer (Apr 11, 2015)

EDIT:

My vet said on past Saturday, April 11th, that they probably had 3/4 weeks then. So, if he was right, now they should have 4/5 weeks. I'll upload two photos of them, the first was shot on their first day with us (April 9th) and the other was took a few hours ago:

4/9/2015









4/19/2015









On the first they got wood dust because that's how they came to my house, but they use fresh green hay. On the second they don't have any hay because I was feeding them and put them on a white towell to see if they have or not diarrhea...

--------------------

Sorry for double-posting (answered a mod before, but it still not being approved!), but I have some news.

While the two biggest still nice, and the smallest one stills apathic and lethargic, the other one stills swelling and swelling. He is completly a kind of ball, his belly is not just swollen, but red and hot. He can't walk, breathes with difficult and has eyes almost closed, I think he's feeling much pain.

I fed him with 4ml of milk a hour ago, and think that's going to kill him on a horrible way. I've been all this while massaging his belly, with my fingers and with a cotton pad, but he still not evacuating. Gave him aero-red (a medicine that my vet told me to avoid the gas bubbles on his stomach) but don't know when to give him the next dosis.

I think two of them are going to pass-away this night... I just can hope the swollen one to not suffer so much. I thought I was ready to this situation, but I'm not. I've lost 2 on less than 48 hours, and probably lose other two this night... and on a very painful death.


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## Strummer (Apr 11, 2015)

Yes, if my vet was right, now they should have 4/5 weeks.

I wrote two repeated posts, but they got pics and didn't appear. If some mod can delete the first and accept the other, he or she will make me a huge favor!


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Ok, so first things first.
Hand rearing baby rabbits is notoriously difficult, with a success rate of around 10%.

Experience is key, but even experienced handlers have a very tough time as the technique is quite different from that needed for other species, and most babies die as a result of accidentally feeding too fast and the milk being inhaled into the lungs. Sadly, babies affected in this way die from pneumonia within two to three days of accidentally inhaling milk during a feed.

Their intestinal bacteria population is quite sensitive. Until they start eating solids, their guts are actually sterile. But the formula is not sterile, nor should it be. So if you start introducing unnatural bacteria to the guts too soon, before the normal bacteria have started populating the gut, the kit gets severe enterotoxemia (Clostridiosis) and dies. This is probably the most frequent cause of death in rabbits orphaned in their first week of life, but it can affect any age.

As the babies are 4 weeks old they should be able to be weaned onto a good pellet with plenty of alphalpha hay, I would cut out the lactofilus as this will really mess with the bacteria levels and I would supplement with formula made up of half (full fat) goats milk and KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) once a day as they need help to gain weight.

If I am honest by your descriptions it sounds like the kits may be suffering from bloat which is fatal in young kits, so first thing Monday I would be phoning the vets to get the remaining kits checked over.

I wish you luck, you will need it!


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

StormyThai said:


> Ok, so first things first.
> Hand rearing baby rabbits is notoriously difficult, with a success rate of around 10%.
> 
> Experience is key, but even experienced handlers have a very tough time as the technique is quite different from that needed for other species, and most babies die as a result of accidentally feeding too fast and the milk being inhaled into the lungs. Sadly, babies affected in this way die from pneumonia within two to three days of accidentally inhaling milk during a feed.
> ...


Great post, Bernie. Thanks.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

May I also add, that the necessary bacteria for the gut to perform properly are picked up by the babies from the mother at a very early age... either by her passing on her bacteria by washing them, or ingesting her own droppings, eating food around the nest that has picked up her bacteria, or just from being in close proximity and picking up the bacteria on their feet which they then clean.

This is is always going to be an issue where the mother or any other adult rabbits isn't present.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Yes, which is another reason why hand reared babies struggle so much with very few making it to adulthood.
It is possible, just extremely difficult.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I hope the remaining bunnies are doing ok. I just wanted to add a few points from my experience.
By now thy are big enough to be lapping milk off a small plate, this will help stop them breathing the milk in. It will also encourage them to eat hay when they want as they wont be full of milk. At 4 weeks wild mums would be kicking these out the nest to give birth again.
Don't change any of their current diet quickly, change will bloat them your vegetable mix will also bloat them. Make any changes over at least 2 weeks, you should be able to start introducing pellet food if their looking well and theirs lots of tiny little poos in the cage 1 pellet each a day for a week will be plenty, then 2 etc. pick a pellet that's contains good bacteria in it. 
Try and find some long stranded sweet smelling hay, a local farmer might be able to give you some. Good hay will encourage them to eat. Their diet should be 99% hay at the moment you should start seeing lots of tiny poos when they eat hay. When they reach 12 weeks or 20 weeks if their a bit behind then you can introduce tiny amounts of vegetables. 
There are packets of good bacteria your vets can give you called biolapis, a half strength dose should benifit them without causing a stomach upset, this is mixed with water. You should be leaving them out some water at this age too. They'll need a sturdy plastic cage as they can get quite hyper at this age and knock bowls over.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Hi.

You have been given some very good advice on here already.

I just wanted to thank you for trying so hard - even if the buns don't survive. You have shown compassion and done your best. 

And yes, it can be heartbreaking when it doesn't work.

No one can do more than that - other than, if you feel that one is suffering, then it is kindest to take them to the vet to be put to sleep if there is nothing the vet can do.

Please do let us know how they are doing.


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