Could I have some advice please?

On an upper respiratory infection

I've had a good search through the forum for previous URTi's but I'm now left with a few questions

Just over a week and a half ago Harley developed wheezy breathing, very unusual for her as she's as quiet as a mouse normally, noticed her food intake had decreased but not stopped and she'd sneeze and 'cough' for a minute or so after tearing round the garden :?

Took her to the vets, not our usual one but still one very good with the buns, came away with an injection of Baytril and Metacam, a weeks worth of oral Baytril and a diagnosis of pneumonia.

Took her back yesterday as it seemed to have come back and she was a fair bit worse, her lungs sound clear but she's very 'tight' around her trachea and it seemed to be swollen, so now we're treating for an URTi, she's had the same antibiotic combination again and a repeat appointment for next tuesday unless she gets worse.

She's wolfing down her veg again but about midnight last night she started wheezing and what I can only describe as honking noises, lasted for about 20 mins last night and she was fine.

She's done it again tonight, started at the same time and everything, although tonights last for about a minute each time and she's done it about 4 times so far.

Why is she doing this? Is she likely to be in any pain?

I did wonder if it was an allergy reaction to Celery as she had that last night about half hour before the noises started and the same again tonight :?

She's much brighter in herself and is hopping around and eating well (for her anyway) so I'm not overly concerned its just not a good noise. She's not fighting for breath or looking distressed in anyway.

She has no discharge but is it worth putting her on a course on Panacur anyway?

Buns with respiratory tract infections will find it harder to breathe when they're eating. Wheezing and other strange noises aren't particularly uncommon, but obviously aren't a good sign. I doubt it would be an allergic reaction given her medical condition.

Ask your vet to try another antibiotic. I've recently had success with Tribrissen for an URI, and have found Ronoxan good for a previous bun. Some people on here have found Zithromax to be good.

Good luck

Was the celery finely chopped? I'm wondering whether she may have one of the stringy bits lodged in her airway xx

lilbun said:

Was the celery finely chopped? I'm wondering whether she may have one of the stringy bits lodged in her airway xx

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Yes I agree. Having been through something similar with a sudden onset wheeze with my bunny after she aspirated some saliva after blocking her throat with food. Your vet needs to lie her back in her arms and tip her head back and look as far back into her throat as she can just in case there is something lodged in her airway as Lilbun says - it is something that should be definitely ruled out with such sudden onset of symptoms as this.
If she is tight and inflammed around her trachea then I would say this is bordering on lower respiratory and something a lot stronger than baytril might be needed in case she has aspirated to prevent the complication of a Pneumonia which is extremely serious in rabbits. My bunny had a course of a long-acting tetracycline called Engemycin.
I do hope your bunny is ok x