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Do buns with permanent damage to lungs need extra fresh, pellets and oats?

Carrie14

Mama Doe
Tulip will always have damage to her lungs. She is not in good condition. Her weight is OK, but she has that dip in her side, behind her ribs. I guess the extra breathing takes up a lot of calories.

She is on two table spoons of pellets, two big dog bowls of fresh and eight teaspoons of soaked porridge a day. She shows no symptoms of calcium in her urine, unlike her sister who was on similar. Or could Tulip be harbouring the excess calcium elsewhere in her body?

Do you think this is correct, I have a vet appointment for her next week to discuss with the vet, but I want it clear in my head first. If you have a bun with similar problems what is their diet?

One of my problems is how am I going to bond Tulip and Tiesto back together if their diets need to be so diffrent?:( Tulip is a veeeery slow eater:(
 
I'm feeding Frankie a big bowl of mix daily with extra pellets large amount of veg, treats and stuff picked e.g. grass, plantain and dandelions and have been doing this for a few months now as he is struggling to maintain his weight, he is recovering from a respiratory infection and could have long term damage. The only problem he has is his teeth could do with filing down but is unable to go through an op, luckily he is also a very good hay eater.
 
I had this problem with Smokey, I gave him ad lib mix and soaked, easy to eat food- baby food and banana were given to help him take his meds. We kept him with Milly, and she did get fat but I knew it was not going to be long term, as we knew Smokey would not live long. The other option would be to seperate for a few hours ( put one in a cage) so Tulip can get a chance to take her food. Smokey's breathing was so bad that he struggled to eat hay, but I tried to give him things moist and easy to eat like grated carrot, finely shredded cabbage, grass etc.
Smokey hass passed on now and Milly has lost all her weight, so I'm glad I kept them together.
 
I'm feeding Frankie a big bowl of mix daily with extra pellets large amount of veg, treats and stuff picked e.g. grass, plantain and dandelions and have been doing this for a few months now as he is struggling to maintain his weight, he is recovering from a respiratory infection and could have long term damage. The only problem he has is his teeth could do with filing down but is unable to go through an op, luckily he is also a very good hay eater.

Thank you:) I hope Frankie recovers well, maybe he could have a word with Tulip about the hay:lol:
 
I had this problem with Smokey, I gave him ad lib mix and soaked, easy to eat food- baby food and banana were given to help him take his meds. We kept him with Milly, and she did get fat but I knew it was not going to be long term, as we knew Smokey would not live long. The other option would be to seperate for a few hours ( put one in a cage) so Tulip can get a chance to take her food. Smokey's breathing was so bad that he struggled to eat hay, but I tried to give him things moist and easy to eat like grated carrot, finely shredded cabbage, grass etc.
Smokey hass passed on now and Milly has lost all her weight, so I'm glad I kept them together.

Poor Smokey:cry: I am glad that you kept them together too, they love/need company so much:)

I wonder if Tulip doesn't eat hay so much, because of her breathing:? Its not terrible but it is there, if you know what I mean.

I guess separating them will for a few hours will have to be done, seeing as you and hurricanhoney both had/have to feed them extra. I was hoping I was just spoiling Tulip, and not that she really needs it:(

Thank you:)
 
I'm no expert

I'm no expert, but I would be wanting to make extra sure that there is no dust in the food, and minimal chance of mould spores.

Bedding ditto.

And I believe with rats it is important that urine is cleared promptly because fumes /bacteria can be harmful, so maybe this is an issue for buns too?

Expert advice is the way to go.

We once had a rescue cat on permanent low-dose de-congestants - no idea if that ever helps buns, but if congestion is an issue, it might be worth asking?

Lots of luck
 
I'm no expert, but I would be wanting to make extra sure that there is no dust in the food, and minimal chance of mould spores.

Bedding ditto.

And I believe with rats it is important that urine is cleared promptly because fumes /bacteria can be harmful, so maybe this is an issue for buns too?

Expert advice is the way to go.

We once had a rescue cat on permanent low-dose de-congestants - no idea if that ever helps buns, but if congestion is an issue, it might be worth asking?

Lots of luck

Litter trays are cleaned every day etc. Hay is not too dusty. But yes I think the carpet could be vacuumed a lot more:oops: Do you think that would help too?

Tulip is under the care of the best rabbit savvy vet in the area, she would not be here if she was with my old vet:( He has brought her on fantastically:D I just need to get all ideas in order before I go next Wednesday, otherwise I get so scatty, I forget what i went for:lol:

At the moment she is on Metacam, Ronaxan and Uniphylline. She is not mucousy. at all, it is just scar tissue from where the previous owners did not take her to the vet. My vet thinks she has had a lung infection for month's, perhaps longer:(

Thank you:)
 
We put Smokey onto corvental and used an aerocat inhaler to put steroid and bronchiodilators into his system. I think it helped him, we only used antibiotics when any secondary infections set in.
 
I've no advice, this isn't really a problem I've come across before, but it sounds like Tulip is in good hands. I hope her condition starts to improve soon xx
 
My Lily has several problems...chronic snuffles is one but her lung tissue goes up and into her spine.She has kyphosis of the spine and all her windpipe and insides have moved places.
She gets through LOTS of food...has a high calorie intake which keeps her in good condition, never mind an excellent vet (and me who love her to bits).
Dust free hay and meds when necessary.
 
Its possible she is taking a long while to eat because it is very difficult for bunnies with lung damage to breathe and eat at the same time :(

Does she have any inflammation to her lungs around the damage? we have found a long term course of metacam can help a lot with lung inflammation :)
 
I am afraid I am not up to speed on Tulip's history

How old is she and if she is spayed when was this done ?

Tulip was a bun I rescued a few months ago. She was spayed about a month ago and the vet said her uteris was perfect.

She is on Uniphyllin, Metacam and Ronoxan.

The vet (Mark Rowland) is planing on reducing her meds in the future to see what the min she can be comfortable on, is.

She showed scar tissue on the x-ray, from her lungs, apparently, very extensive:( but all bloods etc. came back fine.

She has no mucous visible, and has only had a handful of sneezing fits in front of me, with no apparent production.

Her breathing is obviously laboured, but she never looks distressed, apart from when she binkies around me when I sit on the floor with her. Her nostrils really flare after this and she lifts her head up and out. I must admit I tend not to let her now as she always ends up stressed, not sure if it is wrong to stop her showing she is happy though:cry::?
 
Its possible she is taking a long while to eat because it is very difficult for bunnies with lung damage to breathe and eat at the same time :(

Does she have any inflammation to her lungs around the damage? we have found a long term course of metacam can help a lot with lung inflammation :)

TBH I think she is just not a greedy bun, she eats parsley rapidly, but leaves the stuff she doesn't for a while. But I can imagine hay and spring greens take more chewing.

I am not aware if she does have inflammation, from the x-ray I saw of her lungs the damage was all over each lung. It showed dark instead of light or vice versa, I cant recall:oops: She is on Metacam:)
 
We put Smokey onto corvental and used an aerocat inhaler to put steroid and bronchiodilators into his system. I think it helped him, we only used antibiotics when any secondary infections set in.

I will ask the vet about this on Wednesday. Thank you:)
 
My Lily has several problems...chronic snuffles is one but her lung tissue goes up and into her spine.She has kyphosis of the spine and all her windpipe and insides have moved places.
She gets through LOTS of food...has a high calorie intake which keeps her in good condition, never mind an excellent vet (and me who love her to bits).
Dust free hay and meds when necessary.

:shock: Poor Lily:( It really does look like the extra food is a necessity, thank you.

Is Lily bonded to anybun? If so how do you manage their diet?
 
Lily is bonded....separate bowls and she gets more in her bowl, I do take BB out sometimes...
Hes got the same problem as Lily...but his spine snakes side to side as opposed to up and down.Got x rays if youre interested to see them.
(They are brother and sister).
I read somewhere that buns with this condition tend to get anorexia.

Your bun with lung problems....Im intrigued.
 
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