by the time i got back from dinner with nicole, bella was really having trouble breathing, her chest had filled right up while i was gone. i tried some lasix, atropine and ventolin with very little effect. none of the vets i reached felt confident to see a critically ill rabbit and i had decided to take her into emergency when our new vet called back and said to bring her down. bella died while i was on the phone. in retrospect it probably wasn't snuffles as she did not have any eye or nasal discharge and snuffles is an upper respiratory problem not so much the lungs. to me when she hit the crises, it looked like cardiac failure. but honestly, i just don't know enough about rabbit health issues.
we never knew how old bella was but we are pretty sure gracie was her mother and gracie was ancient so bella probably was not far behind.
bella was a meat bunny, bred for food, she almost ended up in the freezer. gracie and bella and o'grady were saved and brought to live at saints. she was huge and she was gorgeous and she was a very sweet rabbit and i think she was happy here.
rest in peace bella, o'grady and eva and the rest of us are really going to miss you.