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Any Ideas? Jolting rabbit - U/D hiccups

B

Bunny Mum2b

Warren Scout
One of my rabbits is behaving in a way that is concerning me. I've only had rabbits for a few months so it might be completely normal. I've already taken her to the vets - she has had a health check and the vet said that until she shows symptoms - he didn't think we should do anything as there appears to be nothing wrong with her. He thoroughly checked her over though. She didn't exhibit the behaviour at the vets :roll:

There are two things that are really concerning me.
Firstly she had what I'd describe as snuffles in a human, she was making noises like she had a stuffy nose. There was no discharge. The vet said she could have just got something up her nose - she seems to have stopped this now, so that makes sense!
The second thing that is concerning me, which she is still doing to a lesser extent is jolting. Its like her heart beat is really excessive and causing her whole body to jolt.

She isn't showing any other symptoms.

Does anyone have any idea what this is or could be? I'll go right back to the vets if it could be anything serious that he wouldn't have picked up with a general health check.
 
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is your vet rabbit savvy?

I think its worth her having another check up. I dont know what it could be but i'd deffo get her checked out by a different vet.


xx
 
I'm not sure what you mean by 'jolting' :?

Do you mean breathing fast ?

Or does it look like hiccups ?

Or does she literally jolt forward whilst resting ?
 
The vet was very good - the problem was that my rabbit didn't do the jolting thing in front of him. He waited patiently for her to do it - but she was acting like a perfectly healthy rabbit in front of him. He was very nice about it and checked for any other symptoms that could possible indicate anything is wrong with her - but she has no other symptoms.

She is eating, jumping, running, flopping, pooping etc.

The rabbit specialist wasn't in today, but I wanted her to be seen ASAP, so took her into see one of the other vets - who was very competent. I will take her in to see the rabbit specialist if it continues tomorrow. I'd just like an idea of what it can be so I can demand they do tests to rule it out - at the moment I've no idea.
 
That would be very helpful :)

You sure she isn't dreaming? I tell you my Ellie gave me an awful scare when she was dreaming, she was floppd on her side twitching. i swear she looked like she was fitting or something. When i picked her up she jumped out my arms and gave me an irritated thump lmao.
 
Funnily enough this morning when I first noticed it, I was joking about what weird dreams she must be having! Which is unusual for her because usually she is very still when she is sleeping.

It happens most the time though (since this morning) even when she isn't asleep. I've tried to video it, but it just doesn't show on the video! I've put a link to the video below but I can't stress how much it doesn't do the 'jolt' justice.

The link to the video is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9TWsb-305c

Its an unlisted you tube video so you need to copy and paste the address.

The best way I can describe it is a full body twitch.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
I'm not sure what you mean by 'jolting' :?

Do you mean breathing fast ?

Or does it look like hiccups ?

Or does she literally jolt forward whilst resting ?
Click to expand...

I would say its most like hiccups. We have googled 'rabbit hiccups' and it does look like a video we've found of a rabbit with hiccups!

However its concerning she has been having them all day (except for the trip to the vet), is this possible? Also as stupid as this may sound there are no hiccup noises.

I hope it is hiccups!:lol:

What is the cure for a rabbit with chronic hiccups?
 
She is a 1 year + 3 months approximately. I got her from a reputable rescue and she was given the all clear from their very rabbit savvy vet.

She is albino and I was therefore warned she might exhibit some behaviour that would be considered odd (neurological) in a normal rabbit because her eyes can't focus very well - but that doesn't seem to be the issue here.

Should I take her back to see the rabbit specialist vet? Is the video sufficient evidence for concern? I really struggled to describe it to the vet today and because she wasn't doing it in the vets surgery - she seemed perfectly healthy, he didn't know what to do! (I don't blame him because all he had was a perfectly healthy rabbit and concerned bunny parents trying to describe some odd behaviour that he had no evidence of).

How much should I be worried? Is there anything I can do for her right now? :(

She doesn't seem in pain or unhappy.
 
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I dont think she's in pain or 'suffering'

It may just be an abnormality that she was born with. I would show the video to your Vet as the 'jolting' looks obvious to my unqualified eyes.

Do you ever notice her eyeballs flicking, either from side-to-side or up and down ?

I assume she is spayed ? If so when was this done and did the 'jolting' happen prior to the spay ?
 
Difficult to see in a short clip, but I'd be concerned and investigate further.

I agree that it looks possibly neurological, or it looks like she's working hard to breathe normally.

Did the vet have a good listen to her heart for possible abnormalities?

Has she done it since you got her 2 months ago, or developed more recently?

Can you email the clip to your vet to look at before you go for another consultation?

She looks :love: btw
 
I have minimal experience with rabbits, but I can definatley see *something* going on. Is she blinking as her head twitches? Defiantly show you rabbit savvy vet. It is not the hiccups I know:?

She is beautiful too:love: Good luck.
 
She was spayed by the rescue before she came to us a few months ago.

This is the first time we've ever seen it, the rescue have never seen these symptoms and we can't be sure about her life before that.

I've never seen her eyeballs flicker. This is the first time I've ever seen her doing anything that has concerned me in anyway.
 
BB Mommy said:
Did the vet have a good listen to her heart for possible abnormalities?

Has she done it since you got her 2 months ago, or developed more recently?

Can you email the clip to your vet to look at before you go for another consultation?
Click to expand...

The vet spent a good while listening to her heart and her chest - he didn't think there was any cause for concern at all. He also checked her eyes, nose, mouth and generally felt her body.
This is the first time she has done it - it started this morning. If it had happened for any extended period of time before this I would have noticed.
I will get in touch with the rabbit specialist.

My primary concern was that she wasn't suffering/unhappy in anyway and that she didn't require immediate medical attention. I will make an appointment with the rabbit specialist or send her the video via email (as oppose to trying to scoop my bunny and her husbun up again and drive them to emergency vets and demand they ring the rabbit savvy vet!)
 
Jenova said:
Have you had her vaccinated recently or anything she could be having a reaction to?
Click to expand...

Her vaccinations are up to date, but she hasn't had any vaccinations recently.

I'm trying desperately to think of anything that she could have had a reaction to, but there is nothing new in her hutch, run or diet. Is there anything that might cause this reaction?
 
Thats good that heart problems are ruled out.:D

Jane asked about her eyes flickering etc, so I'm guessing she was going down the scanning route.

REW's are known to scan (sway their head from side to side) in order to see better as their eyesight isn't as clear as a non-REW. It could be an exagerrated scanning?

I presume she's eating/drinkimg/pooping normally as is similar in activeness (if there is such a word!) as your other buns?
 
She is eating/pooping/drinking properly.

She gets free-ranging time in the garden and she seemed like she always does - primarily concerned with eating grass!

She did flop down afterwards in the hutch but so did her husbun, they fell asleep together which is pretty normal - they do like their afternoon nap!
 
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