Smokey's weight

Hi,
we have a netherland dwarf cross, called Smokey and he was rescued from a house with 9 guinea pigs when the owners moved and left them behind. Luckily the neighbours heard the pigs squealing and saved them. We now have Smokey, who is a lovely little bun, but he has breathing difficulties which have got increasingly worse over the year we have had him. We have no idea how old he is or any any history on him. He has been x-rayed and had blood samples taken and the only significant finding has been a high eosinophil count, according to the vet it meant either parasites or an allergy, so he was wormed and when this had no effect he was given a steroid injection, still no effect. Our problem is that he is losing weight, I guess because his breathing uses up so much energy, any ideas for good fattening meals. He is already getting banana, after reading on here it is good for putting on weight. Any ideas for the breathing, we have ordered an inhaler, as our vet said he often found injections with steroids for allergys wasn't too effective. Our feeling is this is the final attempt, we can't afford to let him lose much more weight, but he is such a little fighter, still eating, toileting and grooming himself and his friend, Molly, we don't want to give up if he doesn't!

How long was Smokey wormed for?
Has he had a titre test taken for encephalitozoon cuniculi?
How long ago were his bloods done and did he have a full profile taken including liver and kidney function?

Has he had a thorough dental investigation?
Does he ever have any discharge from his nose?
Has a nasal swab been taken?
Were the X-Rays focused on his lungs?

Sorry, lots of questions

I often feed underweight rabbits porridge (made with water) to fatten them up, however please take care...

I have had a rabbit swell up like a balloon from consuming under expanded oats which went on to swell in his stomach. Make sure the oats are well soaked before feeding!

Smokey was wormed for 9 days with panacur rabbit after his bloods were taken. This was for mainly for e.cunniculi.
His heart and lungs were X-rayed and no problems were found. Normal lungs and normal heart size.
He was x-rayed and blood sampled about 2 months ago, when his breathing became an issue and he started losing weight.
He has no nasal discharge although he had some discharge from his eyes and very bad breathing last Tuesday, he was rushed into the vet and placed in an oxygen tent, they think he now has a secondary infection and is on baytril to fight this infection,(we now have him on fibreplex incase of any problems with the antibiotic), he is looking much better. I feel bad as it may be I've missed this secondary infection until it got really bad as I assumed it was his primary problem. Its so annoying as we can't get to the bottom of it, the vets have been fantastic but we just don't know what else to do.
Thats why we will give an inhaler a go, may be impractical but must give it a try.
He also got his teeth done while under for the x-rays, etc.

Is it possible he has scarring to his lungs from a previous lower RTI? I had a rescue bun, Molly who had untreated snuffles which led to pneumonia when she was finally surrendered to us and this caused permenant damage.

Also, if EC was suspected as an 'active' infection 9 days is insufficient to eradicate it. The new recommended course is a full 6 weeks and no less.

9 days is the preventative course.

So has Pasteurella been ruled out?
Has the Baytril made any difference?

It appears that the first lot of tests were not for his breathing as you say it was not an issue until after, what were his symptoms then?

Sorry, I haven't been very clear, yes the first lot of tests were for his breathing, but it has been worse this week (secondary infection?). One of the vets does think it is damage from an old, untreated RTI infection, but another thinks it is an allergy or asthma. Wouldn't E.cuniculli show up on the lungs or have other symptoms. Even with just a 9 day course of panacur, I suppose I would have expected some improvement and there was none. Will talk to vet about panacur for a longer time, will wait until he is off the baytril first as every time he sees me at the moment I'm either stuffing something down his throat or into his skin.
Thanks for the info.

There is so much more research needed on EC but although the current symptom range is extensive I have not heard of it directly affecting the respiratory tract. The reason I asked about is that it is linked to weightloss, particularly liver/kidney failure (hence full blood profile), this tends to be coupled with excessive water consumption and urination.

EC can be present in any number or combination of its symptoms and it can also be asymptomatic....or a carried infection.

I can see no reason why it would show in the lungs, its a protozoa which is spread via sporadic shedding through the urine and feaces of a host (massive reinfection potential). The test for EC is a titre test which can only confirm that antibodies are present, therefor exposure has occured at some stage, not that EC is necessarily present.

To show active EC the titre must be repeated at least 3 times to measure the antibodies...increasing shows an active infection, decreasing a retreating infection and static a non-active (previous) infection.

Just to mention that despite having several active and other chronic EC cases - I have never had any bun show breathing problems as a result of EC - other than in very final stages of liver failure - when one rabbit succumbed to pneumonia - but it was the very final stages of failure and she had lost a lot of weight/condition before that.

I do not think EC is your primary problem - and may well not be secondary either.

Smokey's bloods were clear and there is no increase in water consumption or urination.
The vet, and we agree, thinks the weight loss is due to the effort involved with his breathing, he is keen to eat, but we think he just can't take in enough calories to cover the amount of energy he uses. He will have a hop around and runs away when he is being put to bed, but then takes a long time to recover.
What happened with the rescue rabbit you had with breathing problems, Sooz22?
Also, since we've had him he's been vaccinated 6 monthly for myxo and also vaccinated for VHD, he's also been castrated.

Yes I thought EC was unlikely as Molly, our RT troubled bunny was also very underweight, bu its good to be able to rule it out.

Molly was on abx for a long time and we fed her up on porridge and high protein pellets. She recovered and put on weight and even survived a GA for her spey but her lungs had been chronically damaged and never fully recovered. She was wheezy when she breathed.

Molly suffered on and off with RTI's and sadly passed away a short time ago after a flare up. She managed about 7 months following her arrival with us.

parsnipbun said:

Just to mention that despite having several active and other chronic EC cases - I have never had any bun show breathing problems as a result of EC - other than in very final stages of liver failure - when one rabbit succumbed to pneumonia - but it was the very final stages of failure and she had lost a lot of weight/condition before that.

I do not think EC is your primary problem - and may well not be secondary either.

Click to expand...

As mentioned above, neither have I