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Breathing advice -Updated back to the vets tomorrow

J

joey&bugys 2007

Mama Doe
I posted a week ago or so regarding my rex who has become a lazy boy.
Well over the last few days i 'think' he seems to be breathing different.
When he is sitting relaxed he 'seems' to move his head while breathing, and breath 'heavier'. I've never noticed this before. Also this morning I was giving them there morning fuss and I could hear him breathing quite heavily. I think this was only because he was leaning on top on Bugys so his head was at an angle, when I got him to lay flat I couldn't hear it anymore.

Now he is going for his injections in four weeks time, and I am going to ask for a full heath check on him just to put my mind at rest. He doesn't like the vets and it stresses him out, but I'm thinking of taking him tomorrow.

What do you think?
 
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Is he a young bunny?
Any sign of behavioural changes could indicate a health problem, I would have him checked out just to be on the safe side :)
 
charlie82 said:
Is he a young bunny?
Any sign of behavioural changes could indicate a health problem, I would have him checked out just to be on the safe side :)
Click to expand...

He was about one when we got him from the rescue so he is about two now. The reason I'm checking is a know I'm a paranoid bunny mum, he is fine in himself i.e eating, pooing, just gradually become lazy and now the breathing. As I said he is going in four weeks for injections, and just don't want to stress him out. However if he needs to go I will take him.
 
Oh so he isn't old at all... I am not sure if the breathing is anything to worry about or if it is just normal. Sometimes my rabbits will appear to be breathing heavily when they are lying down etc...but they are all perfectly healthy. If it seems like laboured breathing then have him seen. I'm always paranoid and quite a regular at the vets :oops: They all know me and even if I ring they don't even have to ask who it is :lol::lol:

What I will say is that sometimes our instincts are right....and if you feel that something just 'isn't quite right' with your boy I would get him checked now rather than in a months time. :)
 
Hello

I would take him to the Vet, today if possible. The lethargy and then subsequent 'laboured breathing' *MIGHT* be related to a heart problem. Sadly Rexes are prone to heart disease. Or he might have a lower Respiratory Tract Infection, although if he appears 'well within himself' I think that is less likely.
Have you noticed any weightloss? Can you post a pic of him as my 'cardiac Rexes' all have a specific body shape that I'd recognise.

Check the inside of his lips. Are they nice and pink or do they have a bluey/grey tinge. Really the Vet today/tomorrow would be the very best thing to do. The Vet should listen to Buns heart and lungs ( heart problems can be tricky to pick up in a stressed Bun so I'd arrive early for the appointment and ask to wait some-where quiet and away from other animals to allow him to settle as much as possible)

Good luck and please keep us updated

Janex :)
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Hello

I would take him to the Vet, today if possible. The lethargy and then subsequent 'laboured breathing' *MIGHT* be related to a heart problem. Sadly Rexes are prone to heart disease. Or he might have a lower Respiratory Tract Infection, although if he appears 'well within himself' I think that is less likely.
Have you noticed any weightloss? Can you post a pic of him as my 'cardiac Rexes' all have a specific body shape that I'd recognise.

Check the inside of his lips. Are they nice and pink or do they have a bluey/grey tinge. Really the Vet today/tomorrow would be the very best thing to do. The Vet should listen to Buns heart and lungs ( heart problems can be tricky to pick up in a stressed Bun so I'd arrive early for the appointment and ask to wait some-where quiet and away from other animals to allow him to settle as much as possible)

Good luck and please keep us updated

Janex :)
Click to expand...


Hi Jane,

Thanks for replying, I'm at work at the momemt so can't post pictures but will do tonight when I get home.

He hasn't lost any weight, I'm worried his put a bit on. He only has a handful of pellets in the morning and hay all day, I think he has put some on as he has become lazy lately.

I can get him to the vets tomorrow, he is fine being handled at the vets, he just gets all floppy and scared. I also read your post's re rex's being prone to heart diease which is why I have been keeping an eye on him.

I will check the insides of his lips when I get home.

I'll ring the vets to get an appointment for tomorrow morning.
 
joey&bugys 2007 said:
Hi Jane,

Thanks for replying, I'm at work at the momemt so can't post pictures but will do tonight when I get home.

He hasn't lost any weight, I'm worried his put a bit on. He only has a handful of pellets in the morning and hay all day, I think he has put some on as he has become lazy lately.

I can get him to the vets tomorrow, he is fine being handled at the vets, he just gets all floppy and scared. I also read your post's re rex's being prone to heart diease which is why I have been keeping an eye on him.

I will check the insides of his lips when I get home.

I'll ring the vets to get an appointment for tomorrow morning.
Click to expand...

Has the apparent weight gain been all in his abdominal area, ie does he seem to be a bit 'pot bellied' ?

Janex
 
joey&bugys 2007 said:
Hi Jane,

Sent the pictures, its more around his neck, his dewlap has got larger. His always had a 'solid' belly not sure if its a pot belly
Click to expand...

Well he is quite a cobby type with a wider chest than my cardiac Rexes :?
My CRs had a narrow chest and as symptoms developed the got a pot belly (from fluid build up due to their inefficient hearts)
Your Bun does not look like that. But I would still take him for a check up tomorrow. Many Vets dont know that Rexes can be prone to heart problems so dont be surprised if your Vet doesn't either.

Janex :)
 
Also Pneumonia - my Barley was "quiet" one morning, but only in a lazy way - she still ate, pooped & ran about. When she died, it was pneumonia. This was POSSIBLY caused by EC (I had an unknown EC positive foster bun at the time). Her deterrioration happened while I was at work though - so a matter of hours.:(

My rex Chocolate died of a heart murmer. She was very quiet too - & struggled for a couple of weeks before she died.
 
Back from the vets. They listened to his chest and could hear he was having Respiratory problems, but this may of been because he was scared. His said he couldn't hear anything wrong with the heart.

He has given him Baytril incase its a chest infection, as at the moment our living room is covered in hairs because they are moulting so much. We hoover everyday but it doesn't help. Going to go out to buy a new hoover today that will be more affective.

If there is no impovement in a few days he wants to do a chest xray. My only concern with his is he needs to go under GA, but if needs one he will have one.

He also suggested we stop using hay as bedding, we do get a dust free one, but is there anything else we could use. Bit concerned to use carpet or veetbed aas Joey has had sore hocks in the past.
 
If he needs a chest Xray I wonder if the Vet could attempt to do a concious one? It would obviously only be a dorsal view and might not give a good view of his heart, but as long as he stays still it should show his lungs reasonably well.

As to the bedding, you could try confetti shredded paper or Ecobed

http://www.ecobed.co.uk/

Please keep us updated about your Bun

Janex :)
 
Joey has been on Baytrill for a week now. He is a little bit more active but not up to his normal level. He looks to be breathing the same, so going to ring the vets to disuss what to do.

I'm really worried about putting him under GA for the chest x ray so going to discuss trying a concious one with the vet.
 
joey&bugys 2007 said:
Joey has been on Baytrill for a week now. He is a little bit more active but not up to his normal level. He looks to be breathing the same, so going to ring the vets to disuss what to do.

I'm really worried about putting him under GA for the chest x ray so going to discuss trying a concious one with the vet.
Click to expand...

I hope the Vet can find out what is wrong
Please keep us updated

Janex :)
 
We are going back tomorrow but the vet doesn't think a dorsal view will help. I can't risk him going under GA next week as he is going to stay with my parent thursday - saturday and don't want to leave him incase there is any problems.

We are going to the vets early and they are letting me go in to another room to settle him down as he gets very scared so hopefully the vet will have a better understanding of the breathing problem, not his scared breathing.

If he defo needs a GA for the chest xray it will be a week monday.
 
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