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Laboured Breathing

Pegasys

Pegasys

Alpha Buck
My rabbit Susie has had laboured breathing for almost 3 weeks now. She is a 4 year old spayed rex and has not had any problems before appart from an upper respiratory infection which cleared up a while ago.
She has been on metacam from the start and had baytril for just over a week then switched to depocillin. She has been to the vets a few times and had x-rays and endoscopy but nothing showed up. I am getting very worried as she seems to be getting worse, she now sits with her head back a lot with her nostrils flaring. I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or ideas that could help her.
 
Have you been nebulising her?

I don't have much experience of respiratory issues to be honest, but currently my Badger has pneumonia and the nebulising has stopped his nose in the air breathing and the coughing. I also have a bunny called Cloud with breathing problems too.

Also, what temperature environment is she in? That could also make a difference to a vulnerable chest. I can't offer much in the way of diagnostics and reasons, just suggest things that may help ease it.
 
Thankyou
I have not been nebulising her. I have a nethie with upper respiratory problems that I am nebulising so could do her too if needed. She has been very stressy today so I don't want to stress her any more until she has settled down a bit. She is inside just now in an unheated room, I think it is about 15 degrees.
I have spoken to the vet and I am going to give her some bisolvon orally to see if it will help. I think if she still doesn't improve then I will consider nebulising her as long as she doesn't freak out.
 
Yeh, it can be hard to work out what's for the best and what isn't. Cloud is a stresshead and I can't nebulise him because it makes him worse. Its a toss up sometimes.

I wonder if maybe heating the room a bit may help? Not sure, but Badger is always worse if the heating is off and when its on, even just minimally, it makes a difference.
 
Has the Vet considered Heart Disease rather than a RT problem ?

In my experience Rexes can be prone to Heart problems. I have lost 4 to it :cry:
They all presented with 'laboured breathing'.

The other possibility is a Thymoma, but I would have thought that would show up on Xray :?

Is she losing weight ?
 
Thankyou for your replies
I can try warming her up a bit and see if that helps.

The vet had a look at her heart on the x-rays, the size, shape etc all looked normal. There didn't seem to be any fluid and the pericardium looked normal. I don't know if it could be something that wouldn't show up on x-ray though.
Her lungs looked clear too though which is strange, the vet was thinking there may be a possibility of fibrosis.

She has been losing weight. I weighed her yesterday and she has lost 150g in about a week and a half. She had lost weight before then too. She used to weigh about 2.8kg and now weighs 2.35kg.
 
Pegasys said:
Susie passed away last night :cry:
Click to expand...

Oh goodness I am so sorry.

Forgive me for possibly coming across as insensitive but would you consider getting a PM done ?

I know it wont bring Susie back, but it may help the Vet help other Buns in the future and help you come to terms with your loss

Binky Free Susie xx
 
Thankyou, I did want a PM done and phoned the surgery this morning but they didn't seem to think there was any point. My usual vet would have done it without hesitation but he is away for 4 weeks :(
I could insist on it but I don't feel I will get valid results from a vet that is not in the slightest bit interested.
 
Pegasys said:
Thankyou, I did want a PM done and phoned the surgery this morning but they didn't seem to think there was any point. My usual vet would have done it without hesitation but he is away for 4 weeks :(
I could insist on it but I don't feel I will get valid results from a vet that is not in the slightest bit interested.
Click to expand...

How unprofessional of them.
I know it can only be a guess but I'd put a Thymoma high on the list of suspects. I had a mini Rex, Huckle Bunny Flynn, who developed laboured breathing and weightloss at the age of 2. A chest Xray apparently revealed nothing abnormal. He died a few days later and a PM revealed the Thymoma.

This was HB Flynn, you can see how cyanosed he was, his 'tucked up' abdomen, extended neck and slight mouth breathing :cry:

rabbits405.jpg


rabbits426.jpg
 
Poor boy :( It is horrible to see them like that.

Susie seemed fine appart from her breathing for a while, then on Sunday she was a bit restless and was not eating all her food. She really deteriorated yesterday, she was very restless, started mouth breathing slightly and she seemed to develop neurological symptoms, although I suppose that could have been hypoxia. She did settle down a bit, but then shortly after I let her out of her cage last night she had a seizure and stopped breathing. I waited for a minute to see if she would come round then tried to get her breathing again but she wouldn't and her heart stopped a few minutes later.

I wish I could find out the cause but I would just question the results of a PM done by somone that doesn't care. I have still been in contact with my vet for advice but there is not a lot he can do when he is not here. He did all he could to try and find out what was wrong with Susie when she was alive and I am grateful for that.
 
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