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| sudden loss -- worried | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 30 2013, 08:05 AM (282 Views) | |
| NeuBunny | Sep 30 2013, 08:05 AM Post #1 |
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Genetics Geek!
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We lost Oliver, Rhi's last AFL last night. The girls say he was fine when they were cleaning cages around 1pm (and I think they would have noticed anything out of the ordinary) - dead and stiff already when Jillian and I headed out to do a last water check at 9pm. Now, this is a bunny that has been in a permanent molt since June -- I'd chalk it up to wool block except we've also lost and alpaca and 3 goat kids just as mysteriously and suddenly in the last 5 days. Suddenly as in fine and running around at one check and dead or dying at the next. Well, fine being relative -- the alpaca is one that has been thin since midsummer - despite double feeding (separately from the other so we could be sure they weren't stealing his food), red cell and wormer. But other than being underweight, he seemed healthy and we weren't seeing anything in the fecals. The one goat kid was Troy -- a January preemie who at 9 months still looked more like a 5 month old. The other two were a pair of bottle babies Sam bought about 3 weeks ago - only about 10 weeks old now. Anyway, all animals that had some sort of other vulnerability, but nothing that would lead me to expect them to just drop dead. I'm also missing two hens -- not found dead, no sign of predator (not even feathers) - probably not related, but adding to the feeling of doom. Four completely separate areas -- the bottle babies were in a pen with a doghouse in the front yard. Troy was living with the male alpacas out back. And none of them have access to the rabbit barn (the doe goats have access to the back half of the rabbit barn, but the boys have a separate shelter). The goats and alpacas are all on the same feed/hay, but I keep the rabbits stuff completely separate. The goats get direct well water -- the bunnies we haul water from the house (same well, but it's treated). Poultry coop is way on the other side of the house - though they free range and are occassionally in the goat pens, I've never seen them in the rabbit barn. They also get well water but separate food stored separately. Every human member of the family has also been sick in the last week - truly weird short acute flu (horribly sick for a couple hours - completely better in less than 12). Not just allergies, which we've also all been suffering. My husband says it's all coincidence - shifting weather (temperatures have been bouncing from 30s to 80s) stressing immune systems. I'm pretty freaked out. We lost three other goat kids about 5 weeks ago -- not quite so sudden, but fast enough we couldn't get ahead on treatment. The entire goat herd was treated for worms and coccidia then. Called the farm vet we usually use on Saturday (when we found the first two goat kids dying). He's in the hospital - heart attack. His staff weren't able to give us any suggestions for what this could be. Sheri is trying to find another vet today (and taking fecals to the clinic - staff can still run those). |
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| NeuBunny | Sep 30 2013, 08:07 AM Post #2 |
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Genetics Geek!
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| TherapyBunnies | Sep 30 2013, 01:05 PM Post #3 |
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Hey, look at you! You chatterbox you. Now you can request a new title! PM the Admin to do so
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Wow, sorry for your losses. I had a sudden loss yesterday - found my Pointed White LH buck dead & stiff laying in his cage. It seems within a week of a rainstorm buns start showing weight loss or icky poops. We went through mold poisoning the first part of August & I was starting to think we may be getting past it. Sounds like you are doing everything you can, worming & treating for coccidia. Pineapple or Pumpkin could be a nice treat for the buns & address any wool block that might be happening. I know my buns are starting to put on their winter coats & shedding off their summer coats. Vitamin E is good to give for toxins. I think that helped with our mold poisoning & kept some from getting sick. Hope there are no more losses for your herds. |
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Cara Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Therapy Bunny Breeder, Chaplain. Lionheads are my focus & Giant Chinchilla is my son's. My daughter's focus is Mini Lops and she has couple of show / pet rabbits. | |
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| sidd-says-gimme | Sep 30 2013, 01:52 PM Post #4 |
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sidd says stay gold
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A lot of my rabbits are molting too. With most of them, it's barely noticeable but after I bring them out the fur flies and I have a huge pile of fur after brushing with a flea comb. Since you're having other deaths I would also be wondering. With the other animals having small health problems all ready, it could easily be nothing. Something to look into though... and weather could also easily be an issue. Try not to get too down about it... you are doing everything you can and sadly, these things sometimes just happen. I'm very sorry for your losses. I'm hoping hard that it's just coincidences and that you won't lose anything else. |
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| Disney | Sep 30 2013, 03:40 PM Post #5 |
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Somebunny is a awfully chatty
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I'm sorry for your losses I hope the vets can figure something out from the fecals and find a good treatment so there won't be any more losses. Hugs!
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| ZRabbits | Oct 1 2013, 06:52 AM Post #6 |
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Love My Lions!
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So sorry about your losses. Poor Rhi. Bad enough she had a tough time with her AFL breeding program, but this must have been a real shock for her. Sounds like the animals passing have had a bit of problem from their start. Like Tonks. With the weather being as funky as it's been, maybe it's just too much for those who are have hidden problems. Doesn't sound like your water as the animals are having issues with both well water and your home filtered water, so I would go with the weather. I know I've been suffering big time with allergies, as well as my husband who NEVER suffered with them. Hoping the Vet can give you some insight on your goats. Let us know what he/she says. Again BIG hugs to Rhi. |
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| ZRabbits | Oct 1 2013, 06:54 AM Post #7 |
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Love My Lions!
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So sorry for your loss Therapybunnies. Weather is reeking havoc for animals and people. And with all that rain, mold will grow. Brings on more insects can also could have affect. Mosquitoes galore here. And it's been tough trying to treat the backyard with DE because it's always been wet. |
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| NeuBunny | Oct 2 2013, 11:17 AM Post #8 |
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Genetics Geek!
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The goats and alpacas regularly get vitamin E (and B). Our best guess with the goats is that it was salmonella. That's the only thing we can find that matches the symptoms - and hitting only those with already weakened immune systems. The three goat kids we have left - Puppy, Angel and Mischief - were all treated with antibiotics at fair (mild diarrhea - which was probably stress, but we figured better safe than sorry). We are thinking that may have protected them somehow from this current round (having previous exposure to something bacterial - or having cleared their systems of something that was lingering invisibly in the others to come out with the weather change). Watching them very carefully regardless. None of the kids that we sold have had any problems. Thankfully - I would hate to think we had exposed someone else's herd to something nasty. No problems with any other bunnies, so thinking that was unrelated. But also watching carefully. Thanks for the kind thoughts. Rhi is handling - perhaps better than me. Certainly better than she handled the last loss. While she has stayed adamantly opposed to selling any of her pets and still does all her 'pet chores' without complaint, she hasn't been all that interested in rabbits for almost a year. She hasn't wanted to breed anything for even longer (babies are too much work - and birth is yucky). She also informed me two weeks ago that she no longer wanted to be in 4H. Well, honestly, she said that more than six months ago, and I told her then she had to stick it out through fair, not make a sudden decision. Even though I really liked doing 4H as a family, I have to respect her decision and support her moving on to other interests (computers, gaming, writing). |
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| ZRabbits | Oct 3 2013, 06:50 AM Post #9 |
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Love My Lions!
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Hoping Puppy, Angel and Mischief are doing well. I thought rabbits had a sensitive digestive system, but goats top rabbits. All I've read about taking care of goats, which hoping one day to have, and it's nothing like the "stereotype" "goats will eat anything. So sorry to hear about Rhi's decision. First thing though, that popped into my head when I read your post about Oliver. Don't blame her though. Not a really happy experience for her. Don't blame her of saying birth is yucky when you don't get viable kits. I give her lots of credit though for sticking it out. Wishing her all the best in her new ventures. As children get older, they do find their own interests and hopefully they have parents that truly support their individual ways. Good for you. |
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| NeuBunny | Oct 3 2013, 08:23 AM Post #10 |
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Genetics Geek!
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The problem with goats is that they WILL try to eat most anything - including a whole lot of things they shouldn't. And about the only animal that will literally eat themselves to death if they really like something (dogs will eat and throw up, goats will eat til they bloat and die). More than just the no viable kits. She did have a very nice litter of minirexes two years ago. Which (along with training baby goats this year) spurred the 'babies are work' aspect. I made her go to the 4H goat birthing class last winter to learn what to expect - she was gagging over pictures. Rhi has always had a weak stomach (right from colicky preemie who couldn't be laid flat after eating). When she and I stumbled on the first goat kidding (not hers) she ran to the house for towels, and to call Ally, but refused to even look - and disappeared once I had other help. Fortunately, her goat delivered all by herself while Rhi was at school. The decision not to join 4H this year was before Oliver died, so at least I know his death wasn't just the one (one more) bad experience that made her want to drop that. |
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| ZRabbits | Oct 4 2013, 07:53 AM Post #11 |
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Love My Lions!
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Understand now. Glad it wasn't Oliver that was the last straw. And truly can understand about a weak stomach. |
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Wow, sorry for your losses. I had a sudden loss yesterday - found my Pointed White LH buck dead & stiff laying in his cage. It seems within a week of a rainstorm buns start showing weight loss or icky poops. We went through mold poisoning the first part of August & I was starting to think we may be getting past it.
I hope the vets can figure something out from the fecals and find a good treatment so there won't be any more losses. Hugs!

1:59 PM Jul 11