# Found rabbit dead with bloody nose?



## daniel-delarosa (Sep 8, 2011)

One of my females died today.  Her nose and lips have been a bit darker for the past few days.  She didn't eat or drink anything at all yesterday.  Today I found her dead with blood around her nose.  Any ideas?


----------



## bunnylovincowgirl (Sep 8, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your doe.  I don't know what to make of blood in the nose, but when I hear "not eating or drinking" I think GI Stasis.  Here's an excellent article on that topic: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html


----------



## Ms. Research (Sep 8, 2011)

So sorry to hear about your doe.  Have to agree with bunnylovingcowgirl about the "not eating or drinking" being a GI issue.  That's a first warning sign.


----------



## dewey (Sep 9, 2011)

Bleeding from the nose is fairly standard with heat stress.  Also, although it seems the opposite would be true, when rabbits get overheated they will not drink (which in turn means they will not eat).  

More info might help pinpoint a cause.


----------



## Ms. Research (Sep 10, 2011)

dewey said:
			
		

> Bleeding from the nose is fairly standard with heat stress.  Also, although it seems the opposite would be true, when rabbits get overheated they will not drink (which in turn means they will not eat).
> 
> More info might help pinpoint a cause.


Sorry Dumb question alert:  How is it fairly standard for a rabbit to get a bloody nose due to heat stress? 

Appreciate a point in the right direction on this.


----------



## Ms. Research (Sep 11, 2011)

Ms. Research said:
			
		

> dewey said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Found what you were referring to.  Excellent articles in the Rabbits Magazine that I got at TSC.   

Signs of heat stroke:  Rapid, shallow breathing, profuse drooling, lying down flat, in a stretched out position, weakness, dehydration and pale gums. 

Also rabbits have smaller lungs than stomachs.   Rabbits are nose breathers, mainly breath through their nose  Rabbits don't have sweat glands and can't pant like dogs to reduce their body heat.  When they are too hot, they dissipate heat through their ears, which has many large blood vessels.   Blood vessels may break in the eyes, ears or nose.   

Also rabbits tolerate cold better than heat.  Anything over 80 degrees.  With all temperature changes, rabbits need an acclimation period to get used to the change.


----------

