Rapid breathing when chilled out

Well I say chilled out - Alice is probably my most highly strung bunny out of the four but we have an issue and I am not sure if it's normal.

I've had Alice 2 years and I think she is about 4yrs old. She is a neutered standard rex and lives with her husbun Winter in a 6x2x2 hutch with 6x6 attached run.

Over the last few months Alice's breathing has become more rapid as in her nose is constantly going/twitching, you can see she is breathing pretty hard looking her torso and her ears wiggle even when she is chilling out in the hutch/run.

Now life is a bit stressful for Alice as her husbun humps her A LOT, especially when I come out to feed them etc. I am trying to deal with this by means of a spray bottle but it's pretty much been like it for 2 years. However they do really love eachother. She eats, poos and wees fine.

I took Alice to the vet today as I was concerned and I thought she had lost some weight as she feels a bit boney in the back. She weighed in at 3.24kg which is more than I thought she'd be and about normal. She checked her breathing and couldn't hear anything. Felt no tumours or obstructions in the gut. Her bum is clean and dry. No discharge through the mouth or nose. Teeth and tonge look fine. Vet was pretty useless if I am honest and said to bring her back in 4 weeks to weigh her again to see if she is losing weight.

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience? I don't want her to be uncomfortable but then don't want to really stress her out by taking her to the vets unneccessarily.

Thanks peeps!

Here is the munchkin in the garden y'day.

I'd say that a heart problem is something to consider.
In my experience Rexes are more prone to heart problems than some other breeds.

How long ago was she spayed ?

Did the Vet suggest a course of abx/anti-inflammatories as sometimes a low grade infection on the lungs is hard to 'hear' as such.

Nope - in all honestly Jane the vet was . I am debating whether to go back to my old vets (I am using these ones as vaccinations are half the price and can't afford them at the old vets).

Alice was rescued by Nic and she got her spayed. I would say she was spayed at around 1 years old.

Heart problem sounds feasible I guess. What I am worried about is if that is the case will stressing her out cause her to have a heart attack and just keel over :?

Any tests I should be asking for dya think?

Hi Shiv! x x x

Sorry to hear Alice's breathing is faster than normal. I will see if I can find any possible explanations on the net. Problem with Plymouth is that rabbit savvy vets are very few and far between and it's often the case you know more than the vet as far as bunnies are concerned.

I heard that Viv, the vet we used to use at Woodlands was moving back to a practice in Cornwall but I don't know where. I'll make enquiries see if I can find out.

Lots of love to you and snuggles to Alice x x x

I fully understand your concerns re not wanting to stress her out.

I think that seeing if a course of abx/anti-inflammatories makes a difference might be a way to start :?

Obviously diagnostics such as bloods, Xrays, U/S, ECG etc could be useful for the Vet but if Alice is a very stressy girl she'd require sedation which may carry some risks.

Personally (and this is a totally unqualified opinion) I'd want to try abx/anti-inflammatories for a week and if no improvement then consider the diagnostics.

A type of Asthma is another possibility, but diagnostics would be needed to rule out other issues.

Personally (and this is a totally unqualified opinion) I'd want to try abx/anti-inflammatories for a week and if no improvement then consider the diagnostics.

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This is exactly what my vet has done. I was concerned that Bluebells breathing look laboured and although he was sneezing (this is normal for him as he has allergies) his chest didn't sound rattly. He's been on a week of baytril so far and his breathing is less laboured, but you can now hear it more, almost as if there was an infection in the lungs and its now working its way out of his system.

Hey Nic - great to hear from you. I think I may try and take her to Gillian at the Manadon branch as she has a good reputation for bunnies.

I think I will make an appointment and mention the abx treatment and see what they say.

Thanks peeps I will keep you posted.

How is Alice? Did you get medication for her for her?
I do hope that she is well.
my rex is breathing a bit rapidly this morning so i am checking through appropriate posts so i am armed with some questions if i need to take him to vets.
What are abx/anti inflammatories

rabbitapril said:

How is Alice? Did you get medication for her for her?
I do hope that she is well.
my rex is breathing a bit rapidly this morning so i am checking through appropriate posts so i am armed with some questions if i need to take him to vets.
What are abx/anti inflammatories

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http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=232920

abx is an abbreviation for antibiotics- eg Baytril (enrofloxacin)

Anti-inflammatories are a type of analgesic medication with anti-inflammatory properties eg Metacam (Meloxicam)

Thanks for info Jacksjane, i know what they are now, but hadnt seen them written like that. I am still observing Morris, trying to decide if he is simply because he is too warm.

rabbitapril said:

Thanks for info Jacksjane, i know what they are now, but hadnt seen them written like that. I am still observing Morris, trying to decide if he is simply because he is too warm.

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If he is doing it all the time I really would get him checked by a Vet ASAP.