My rabbit died suddenly. What are common reasons for pet rabbit death?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
i had a pet rabbit it died , I don't know why . It was lying upside down with his head tilted once i took it out it stragged its legs and died may i know the reason and remedy fir future purpose !
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 16th, 2018
I am so sorry that your rabbit died. Without actually examining the rabbit it is difficult to know the cause of death but he might have had an infection or tumor that caused death. If you want to get another rabbit then you should disinfect anything the rabbit came in contact with in case it was an infectious disease. Once again, so sorry.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 22nd, 2018
If swelling in different parts of the body was present before death as well then they probably died from an infectious disease called myxomatosis, it's always fatal if the animal is not vaccinated. i would strongly recommend taking the ones that survived to the vet today and get them vaccinated.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
hello, I'm Akram and I'm 17. before about 3 months ago I bought a 5 rabbits female and 2 rabbits male... I was so happy but unfortunately, in this days the females rabbits die..and today I've lost 3 rabbits. I'm very afraid and I don't want what shou
If swelling in different parts of the body was present before death as well then they probably died from an infectious disease called myxomatosis, it's always fatal if the animal is not vaccinated. i would strongly recommend taking the ones that survived to the vet today and get them vaccinated.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I sadly lost my 9 year old bunny on Friday after a sudden illness and would like your thoughts on what happened please. I’m kicking myself that I should have noticed the signs earlier or that the treatment wasn’t right (I’m not blaming the vet) just
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Sadly my rabbit passed away a few weeks ago. One day he was perfectly fine and playing, but the next day he was lifeless and passed away. His death seemed very peaceful, and I was wondering what could have been the cause. I wasn't there but I was tol
I am very sorry for the loss of Mozart. Without a physical exam or a post mortem exam, it would be almost impossible to determine why he passed away. It could have been anything from a toxicity to something congenital since he passed so quickly. Rabbits, being prey animals, are quite adept at concealing illness until they are very sick. Take solace in knowing that he likely did not suffer.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My rabbit died from an unkown disease ...please help...they wer standing bending downward...had spasms
I'm very sorry for your loss, unfortunately these are general signs of a dying agonal rabbit but this does not give me any clues regarding the possible cause of death. if it happened to more than one rabbit though it's very likely to be infectious and you need to bring the rest to your vet in order to be checked and treated if needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I had a French lop, he was on the smaller side, and was 5 years old when he passed. The night before I noticed he wasnt eating, sluggish, and wouldnt even eat treats. The next morning he was starting to twitch his head gradually harder for about 5 m
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello i have some rabbit on what seems to me perfect health and suddenly one died yesterday and then another today. I recently moved them to a different pen. Can i be advised as to what killed them?
I am very sorry to hear about the sudden death of your rabbits. Unfortunately, without a true post-mortem examination, making a positive determination of cause of death will be impossible. In general, some causes of sudden death in seemingly health rabbits would include cardiac abnormalities, poisoning, and ingestion of a foreign objection resulting in choking or bleeding. Since you recently moved them to another pen and multiple bunnies died, my suspicion is that a toxin could be involved. I would inspect the area thoroughly for any unusual plants or objects. I would also be curious to know if the pen could have been accessed by other wildlife, potentially even something venomous or poisonous. Once again I am very sorry. I hope this helps a little bit.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I had a holland lop named qtip I went into my room and found her under my bed in the dark corner so I gave her love in a different room. She sat there didn’t move or run she didn’t smell anything or blink but I didn’t think anything of it she was usu
I am so sorry for the loss of Q-tip. Sometimes these things are just out of our control. You do not say how old she was, but unspayed rabbits are prone to develop cancer in their uterus. It would take an extensive conversation about diet, environmental conditions, possible traumas, ingestion of foreign substances, etc., to even begin to try & narrow the possible causes of her death. If you are worried about your other rabbit, then the best you can do for him is to have a thorough examination by an experienced veterinarian who can discuss all aspects of rabbit care with you, check for parasites, look in his mouth for dental/oral problems, & possibly do some bloodwork ( often not necessary ). Sudden & unexpected deaths are very concerning but do not mean you did anything wrong. But, at this point, only a necropsy could demonstrate cause. Thank you.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Mybunny died today he was just 5 years old, yesterday already he wasn’t eating a lot but we trough he was full cause he ate a lot of leaves day before(he wasn’t bloated)Today when we want to go to the vet he instantly got crazy and died on a drive. L
I'm very sorry for the loss of your rabbit. Without a post mortem exam, it is difficult to determine the cause of death. Potential causes include toxicity, malnutrition, congenital defect or infection just to name a few. Feed a diet of mainly timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses, provide fresh water at all times, keep the cage clean, warm and dry, have regular veterinary exams, check teeth regularly and provide chew toys. These are just some things that can be done to promote good health and a long life in rabbits.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Please I have a small rabbitary and my animals are dying without any symptoms of illness. Any idea of what I'm dealing with
Without any other information to go on, it would be impossible to say. I highly recommend bringing one of the rabbits that has passed away to your vet or a local veterinary school to perform a necropsy. This can give some insight to any infectious diseases or toxicities that could be transmitted without symptoms. Fly strike, getting into something toxic, sudden temperature changes, extreme fear, etc are all potential causes as well which is why further information or examination is needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I had a healthy and happy 3 month old bunny. He was always curious and playful. Yesterday, he suddenly became lethargic and developed weak legs. He then collapsed; and while collapsed he ran in place. He then seized multiple times and died. He was s
Sorry about Atheistan. A severe respiratory infection (penumonia,rhinitis) such as Pasteurella, could have lead to sepsis and invasion of the brain. This could have resulted into rear paresis, seizures and death. There are several other infectious diseases possible and a necropsy (post mortem examination) would lead to answers. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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