At wits end.

I really feel for Twix right now. I have been keeping a really close eye on her since we got back from our hols, but she has been fine, bright eyed and bushy tailed, eating, drinking and hopping around, using the tunnel that she dug in my garden and being her usual self. 30 minutes ago I went into the shed to check on her and start laying more hay/straw down for the colder nights we are having to find her sleeping and breathing quite quickly. When she woke and sat up, her breathing wasn't as fast, but then the hiccups started. Not as much as before, like not one on top of another, but ever 10-20 seconds or so.

I had taken her to the vet on the Friday (7th) to have her myxi jab and asked the vet to check her over, nothing was found. She carried on with this breathing issue over the weekend and the MIL took her back to the vet on the 10th. Again the vet could find nothing wrong but prescribed a course of baytril. When I returned, Twix was back to her old self.

The first thing I have done is brought her in to weigh her on my scales and then called the vet to get her weight from the 10th. She hasn't lost any weight and is eating and drinking and hopping around like normal, but it is heartbreaking to think there is something wrong with her. The vet is at a loss and said as much to me over the phone. Does anyone else have experince of this sort of thing? I am especially worried after reading about Jane's Meg this morning

Alternatively, does anyone know of a really good rabbit savvy vet in the Cannock area?

Poor love is currently grooming like mad after being manhandled, but the lovely Biscuit is cuddled into her side and reassuring her.

well human hiccups are just an automatic spasm of the diaphragm muscle - maybe it's just a quirk of hers. I know my son gives himself hiccups when he mucks about breathing funny - maybe she's just nervous, starts overbreathing, and then sets it off? I doubt it's serious from what you've said about her behaviour and weight - she could just be the amazing, hiccuping bunny? I hope so anyway! Human hiccups are very hard to cure too If she's otherwise healthy I wouldn't worry - it may just be her nerves.

Here are some links that might be useful

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Bunny-chronic-hiccups.htm

http://www.welshrabbitry.com/health.html#hiccups

Chronic hiccups can occur in humans who have had a brain injury :?
In Buns EC can affect the brain. A bit of a longshot but could the hiccups be triggered by a neurological problem/EC :? :?

Janex

Thank you both.

Jane, those links are very interesting. I would have thought that in this case, that the hiccups are the precursor (or however you spell it!) of something, as she has been beautifully fit and healthy since I've had her. If she had something like EC or a neurological problem I would have noticed before now, I hope! We thought Biscuit had a neurological problem as he scans, turns out his eye sight isn't great, bless him. Interestingly, Twix, a REW, doesn't do that!

Do you think it would be worth trying infacol for a gas build up, or would that stress her out even more? Like I have said in previous posts, my buns don't mind a stoke or nose rubs, but really don't like being handled. I really only ever pick them up for tail checks.

hiccups aren't anything to do with wind, so I can't see the point in stressing her with infacol - it's hopefully just a nervous tic she has in her diaphragm muscle, as she seems otherwise healthy - maybe she'll grow out of it I don't see what more you can do except keep an eye on her, since the vets have no idea either - it doesn't seem to make her distressed does it?

Not distressed as such, more fed up. Have just checked on them and they are happily munching grass in thier run and Twix doesn't appear to be doing it right now. Maybe it is a nervous thing, poor love.