Dwarf rabbits have a lifespan of 8-10 years, but can live as long as 14. If yours died at 2 years old, then he definitely had an illness. As far as the body goes, if you didn't bury it, it's hard to determine what happened to it without knowing where you placed it.

Here is a wonderful website with information on raising rabbits, and how to spot common illnesses:

www.rabbit.org

Hope this helps!

Watery eyes, trouble breathing, and lack of appetite usually point to an upper respiratory infection. These are very common in rabbits, unfortunately. They are also very deadly, because some rabbits will mask their symptoms until it's almost too late to treat them. If you ever get another rabbit, symptoms to keep an eye on are lack of appetite, watery eyes, sneezing, congestion, trouble breathing, and weakness. These are all signs of illness, and watery eyes, sneezing, and lethargy are signs of an upper respiratory infection. If you ever notice these symptoms in any future rabbits, definitely seek veterinary attention immediately.

If you placed him in the garbage, then he most likely ended up at the local dump. I'm so sorry to put it that way, I was trying to find the easiest way to explain that. Unfortunately, anything dumped in local dumpsters, in garbage cans, or in the trash, usually end up at local dump yards after being picked up by the garbage men.

I'm so sorry for your loss, if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Hope this helps!

You are definitely not asking too many questions! This was a beloved pet, so ask whatever questions you have on your mind about him. :)

If it was an upper respiratory infection, the watery eyes and trouble breathing were due to the infection. A URI in a rabbit is like the flu in a human. When a person has the flu, or a bad cold, they get congested, watery eyes, runny nose, ect. However, rabbits are unable to fight off the infection like a human can, making the average cold a deadly situation in a rabbit.

If he was housed outside, the heat could've played a factor in it, and it brings up the possibility that it could've been a heat stroke or heat exhaustion. The heavy breathing and watery eyes, as well as lack of appetite, could have definitely been a result of over-heating. The way the heat has been lately across the nation, the possibility of a heat related death in your rabbit is very possible.