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Help My Poorly Archie!

E

Emiliagrace

New Kit
Hi
I'm new to this forum but I'm hoping that someone can help me. I have a 6 year old male lionhead lop called Archie. He is a lovely house rabbit who is a valued and much loved part of the family. He is usually very territorial of his cage. Last night we noticed he was breathing quite erratically and his eyes were running. He wanted loads of fuss in his house which he never usually allows. I sat with him until 2.30am hoping he would be ok. This morning his breathing seemed a little better although he was lethargic. I took him to the vets who said he may need to have his teeth checked out in the future but couldn't really see anything else was up. He gave him 3 injections - pain relief, antibiotics and something else for his guts. He sent me away with 2 sachets of food and a syringe and said to bring him back tomorrow for another check up and maybe another antibiotic injection. Well, over the last couple of hours he has deteriorated. He is now lying on his side and cannot really support himself. His breathing is rattly. I have managed to get some water and a bit of food down him. He is trying to move his legs about but otherwise he's quite still. Having owned and loved rabbits for years and having dealt with fly strike, urinary infections and a stroke before, I'm wondering if anyone can help tell me what's wrong. Deep down I know that the end is near, but the vet didn't seem overly concerned this morning so I had a glimmer of hope.

Thanks, Jayne
 
Emiliagrace said:
Hi
I'm new to this forum but I'm hoping that someone can help me. I have a 6 year old male lionhead lop called Archie. He is a lovely house rabbit who is a valued and much loved part of the family. He is usually very territorial of his cage. Last night we noticed he was breathing quite erratically and his eyes were running. He wanted loads of fuss in his house which he never usually allows. I sat with him until 2.30am hoping he would be ok. This morning his breathing seemed a little better although he was lethargic. I took him to the vets who said he may need to have his teeth checked out in the future but couldn't really see anything else was up. He gave him 3 injections - pain relief, antibiotics and something else for his guts. He sent me away with 2 sachets of food and a syringe and said to bring him back tomorrow for another check up and maybe another antibiotic injection. Well, over the last couple of hours he has deteriorated. He is now lying on his side and cannot really support himself. His breathing is rattly. I have managed to get some water and a bit of food down him. He is trying to move his legs about but otherwise he's quite still. Having owned and loved rabbits for years and having dealt with fly strike, urinary infections and a stroke before, I'm wondering if anyone can help tell me what's wrong. Deep down I know that the end is near, but the vet didn't seem overly concerned this morning so I had a glimmer of hope.

Thanks, Jayne
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about Archie he sounds very poorly indeed :cry:

He needs to go back to the vet tonight, immediately really. I would not wait any longer. I would INSIST on fluids sub-cut or if he really is in a bad way being put on a drip. To be honest your vets don't sound very rabbit-savy at all, I am concerned they sent him home without proper treatment or diagnosis. It could be a number of things but he sounds like he needs intensive care treatment tonight. If you don't think your vets are up to it post where you are in the country and hopefully someone on here will have a better recommendation for you.

Have everything crossed for Archie. Good luck x
 
Archie's gone to bunny heaven

Thanks for the reply, and like I say I came away from the vets thinking it was not as bad as I first thought, but Archie's just passed away. There was no way that I saw this coming today. He's now off to join his old friends Holly and Poppy in bunny heaven.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss :cry: It did sound like he was passing and it could have been anything or simply old age, you did everything you could. I'm certain he was greatly comforted to pass away at home with those that he loved and that loved him. He was clearly a very special bunny. I'm so sorry x
 
I am so very sorry. May I ask if Archie had his myxi vac? Myxi can have a respiratory form which kills within hours and there would have been little that anyone could do if that was the case.

So very sorry for you. If it helps why not post you memories of Archie under Rainbow Bridge?.
 
How awful for all of you, I am sure he was comforted knowing he had his family by his side.
Sleep tight Archie xx
 
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