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snotty nose, grunting loud breathing

max&zoe

max&zoe

New Kit
Just woundering if anyone else had these problems... I have Max & Zoe, i think they are brother & sister Lion head rabbits Zoe is full of life and very large (i think they are just under a year old) but Max is smaller and i took him to the vets to be neutered. i kept him inside like the vet said then put him out. Im not sure if i put him out too soon (the people i got them from said they kept them outside) anyway - sorry im going on a bit :lol:
Max has had a runny nose for about 3 months, (it started after he came back from the vets) it seems to get better but then gets bad again, today (after all the hot weather) he is breathing really loud and not moving as much, he is drinking but not really into his food though?

Am i worrying over nothing.... last time i had rabbits was about 15 year ago!
 
No you are not worrying unnecessarily your rabbit is poorly and needs to see a vet straight away. I would want to get him seen first thing in the morning if he was mine.
 
Has he had any treatment for the snotty nose?
One (of several) possible causes of these symptoms is pasteurella. Left untreated this can eventually lead to pneumonia, abscesses, head tilt. Heat will make his symptoms worse so could be why he is affected now.
I would take him to the vets asap, especially if his breathing is already affected.
Good luck at the vets. Let us know how you get on xx
 
i was hoping that he just had a little cold but when i got home he was laying in the litter tray so i moved him to a cooler spot but he just hid himself away (he is normally really nosy and comes to sniff and see everything) i blacked out his bed and he stayed in there for 3 hours, i have since brought him inside and all i can hear is his really loud breathing with some 'coughing' every now and then (not sure if that is the blocked nose though) His sister has been 'grooming' him a lot more than usual the past couple of days which is what made me keep an eye on him

Im going to get him into the vet tomorrow (thats what started it though, after his op he had sniffels......:?)

Thank you Xx
 
max&zoe said:
i was hoping that he just had a little cold but when i got home he was laying in the litter tray so i moved him to a cooler spot but he just hid himself away (he is normally really nosy and comes to sniff and see everything) i blacked out his bed and he stayed in there for 3 hours, i have since brought him inside and all i can hear is his really loud breathing with some 'coughing' every now and then (not sure if that is the blocked nose though) His sister has been 'grooming' him a lot more than usual the past couple of days which is what made me keep an eye on him

Im going to get him into the vet tomorrow (thats what started it though, after his op he had sniffels......:?)

Thank you Xx
Click to expand...

*If* it is pasteurella, or one of the other bugs that live in a rabbits nose, it can lay dormant until something causes the bunny stress: operations; meeting other rabbits/animals;sudden changes in temperature (especially hot weather).
If he has noisy breathing / coughing i would be very concerned his lungs are already badly affected. Tomorrow might be too late: I would ring the emergency vet now.
And yes, bonded buns do tend to groom each other more when one is poorly
 
lilbun said:
*If* it is pasteurella, or one of the other bugs that live in a rabbits nose, it can lay dormant until something causes the bunny stress: operations; meeting other rabbits/animals;sudden changes in temperature (especially hot weather).
If he has noisy breathing / coughing i would be very concerned his lungs are already badly affected. Tomorrow might be too late: I would ring the emergency vet now.
And yes, bonded buns do tend to groom each other more when one is poorly
Click to expand...

I agree, he does sound very poorly. I hope you can get him seen tonight. Good luck.
 
This Rabbit needs Veterinary attention tonight.
It sounds as though he has a respiratory tract infection and from your description of his symptoms and behaviour he may well have pneumonia.
Please contact a Vet now
Good luck
 
Max is in the vets as i type, i called the emergency vet last nitght and got no answer. I took him straight in this morning and told them i was not taking him home till he had been seen. They are going to fit him in and administor any treatment required, his loud breathing seems to have stopped this morning but he wasn't eating. He is drinking and i had to put his bottle up quite high as he is lifting his head as if to open his airway up......

I am now waiting for the vet to call, i also feel really bad for Zoe as she is not used to being without him... :(
 
I'm glad he survived the night but he is obviously very poorly if he is mouth-breathing.
It's terrible that the emergency vet didn't answer :evil:
I hope they can help him xx
 
bad news :-( max has Pneumonia

He has had some injections today and the vet wants him back tomorrow and on saturday....

What do i do????
 
max&zoe said:
bad news :-( max has Pneumonia

He has had some injections today and the vet wants him back tomorrow and on saturday....

What do i do????
Click to expand...

I'm surprised the vet didn't keep him in for oxygen therapy/ nebulization
Where are you? maybe someone can suggest a bunny-savvy vet
 
max&zoe said:
bad news :-( max has Pneumonia

He has had some injections today and the vet wants him back tomorrow and on saturday....

What do i do????
Click to expand...

Is he eating ?

What medication has he had?

Is he able to maintain his blood oxygen levels?

Can the Vet not hospitalise him ?
 
I agree with what has been written so far, we lost our buny Dylan to this, by the time we found a rabbit savvy vet it unfortunetely was too late :cry:
 
You could try one of these. I don't know anything about them personally but they are supposed to be bunny-savvy:

Swanzdale Vet Care Centre
99 Scalby Road
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO12 5QL
Tel: 01723 363006

Howells and Hudson Vet Surgeons
The Old Police House
Market Place, Easingwold
York, North Yorkshire
YO61 3AN
Tel: 01347 823678

Edgemoor Vet Practice
Station Road
Helmsley
York
YO62 5BZ
Tel: 01439 771166
 
he has had engemycin 10 & metacam. I have taken him home and he is not moving of eating, he does however seem to be breathing easier his head is down and he's resting.

I did phone the vet in easingwold (thank you) and asked him loads of questions and he really reassured me and gave me a few tips to feeding him if he doesn't start to do so.... he said mash some greens with a bit of water and try to spoon feed him.....

I have got a pineapple to try and tempt him tonight and i am bringing inside again tonight but other than that i think i will have to keep my fingers crossed and tell myself off for not taking him in sooner :(
 
max&zoe said:
he has had engemycin 10 & metacam. I have taken him home and he is not moving of eating, he does however seem to be breathing easier his head is down and he's resting.

I did phone the vet in easingwold (thank you) and asked him loads of questions and he really reassured me and gave me a few tips to feeding him if he doesn't start to do so.... he said mash some greens with a bit of water and try to spoon feed him.....

I have got a pineapple to try and tempt him tonight and i am bringing inside again tonight but other than that i think i will have to keep my fingers crossed and tell myself off for not taking him in sooner :(
Click to expand...

Please dont feed him Pineapple. He is on antibiotics and the sugar in the Pineapple will increase the risk of gut dysbiosis that antibiotics can cause.
Gut dysbiosis is extremely serious for a Rabbit.

You need to make a liquid feed by soaking his normal pellets in boiling water then add cold water til you can make a mix that you can syringe feed.
BUT you need to be extremely careful when attempting to syringe feed a Rabbit whose respiratory tract is compromised. It needs to be done slowly and the feed should be administered horizontally across his mouth not straight down his throat. You insert the syringe in the side of the mouth just behind the incisors. If in doubt I really would ask the Vet to hospitalise him. He needs to be hydrated and syringe fed every couple of hours.
 
I'm glad he sounds a little better.
You need to make sure he doesn't get overheated if he's outside. He might be more comfortable in a cool room with a fan/ open window.

I would also be having a chat with your vets about you being unable to contact them in an emergency...
 
max&zoe said:
he has had engemycin 10 & metacam. I have taken him home and he is not moving of eating, he does however seem to be breathing easier his head is down and he's resting.

I did phone the vet in easingwold (thank you) and asked him loads of questions and he really reassured me and gave me a few tips to feeding him if he doesn't start to do so.... he said mash some greens with a bit of water and try to spoon feed him.....

I have got a pineapple to try and tempt him tonight and i am bringing inside again tonight but other than that i think i will have to keep my fingers crossed and tell myself off for not taking him in sooner :(
Click to expand...

Did they give you some syringe food as well at the vet? If he's not eating then he needs to be syringe fed, I doubt he'll take it off a spoon, but he might if you're lucky. You will also need to keep his fluids up, if he has pneumonia then you're going to have to be careful syringing him so as not to obstruct his airway or cause him to aspirate any food/fluid into his lung, but if you do it little and often you should be fine. I would not feel comfortable leaving a bunny all day without any food or fluids in his tummy. I'm certain you are right and he needs rest and time to recover, but he also needs to keep his tummy going to prevent stasis. I'm sure someone on here more experienced with pneumonia and syringe feeding a compromised bunny will be along soon :) Good luck:)
 
Jane's already done it....phew! Take her advice please...he needs to be fed and given fluids. You may find hospitalisation is for the best for now :(
 
i did ask my vet if they wanted to keep him overnight and i asked the other vet i phoned if he would normally keep the rabbit in overnight but both seemed to think taking him home was best (obvioulsy one was over the phone so from what i told him he could only guess the serverity of it)

My vet said nothing about feeding or watering Max..... i have Syringe fed my cats before now so feel happy to try getting him to eat, i will water down his pellets after work. im going to bring him in again when i get home but thought that being with Zoe might make him feel better??

Thank you everyone Xx
 
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