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Noisy breathing, sneezing, small amount of nose discharge

*Funny*Bunny*

*Funny*Bunny*

Warren Veteran
Harvey seems absolutely fine apart from the above though. Taking him to the vets today. Would I have to see an actual vet or is a health care advisor good enough? Can bunnies get simple colds or is it always long term issues? There's only discharge from one nostril and it's not much so not sure if the vet will even be able to take a swab? Should I wait to see if it gets better or worse and then take him to the vets? When he breathes heavily I can here a snorty kind of sound, that's been on-and-off for a week, discharge started today. I haven't noticed sneezing before today, but he's an outdoors bun so I could have just missed his sneezes?

Amy advice?
 
I would take them to the vet today and insist on antibiotics. We lost a rabbit last year to what seemed to be a fairly mild resp infection (he was being treated from the off) so I wouldn't take any chances.
 
He definitely needs to be seen by a Vet. Rabbits dont get 'simple colds'. It sounds as though he has developed an upper respiratory tract infection or 'Snuffles'.

Good luck at the Vets
 
Thank you for the advice, at the vets now and have asked to see a vet not a health care advisor :)

Harvey hates the vets :( Lilly loves it here the weirdo!
 
He's seen the vet. He has antibiotics for a week, twice a day :( he HATES HATES HATES being syringed anything :( any tips on getting him to take his meds? The vet suggested putting something like a few drops of apple juice in it so he actually wants to have it. Any other tips?

I have to take him back if he gets worse or if there is no improvement in a weeks time. He looks so sorry for himself :(

He's a right little cuddler though, the vet wanted to check his teeth just in case but he was really refusing (he only had them checked just over a week ago so it doesn't matter too much, if he's not better in a week he's going to be toweled and have his teeth checked for definite though) and after all his squwaking and kicking and hissing at the vet, she stopped and he shook himself off jumped onto her lap and was trying to nuzzle into her :roll: and then when she put him back on the floor he climbed up me and I was licked and nuzzled to death! :roll: Lilly as usual enjoyed her trip to the vets :roll:

Vet said whatever it is I've caught it early which is good :)
 
Elena said:
Wich antibiotic is it? If it's baytril I just mix it with some mashed banana.
Click to expand...

It is baytril. I'm going to have to buy him a banana and see if he likes it first, last time he was offered banana he turned his nose up at it :roll: BUT if Lilly turns out to like it and she's eating it he might start to like it out of jealousy :lol: I'll go see if one of my housemates has a spare banana sometime before his dose this evening :p

I managed to JUST syringe his last dose in straight, but the noises he made were horrible :(
 
Bunny Burrito him, and pop it in the corner of his mouth slowly.He could aspirate if not done carefully.
Hope he feels better soon.xx
 
yvette said:
Bunny Burrito him, and pop it in the corner of his mouth slowly.He could aspirate if not done carefully.
Hope he feels better soon.xx
Click to expand...

That sounds like the only way to get him to take it, he's quite skilled at wriggling away from me when he has his meds :( I always give him meds slowly so I'll make sure I keep doing that :)
 
If you mix it roughly 2:1 apple juice to baytril he may lap it from the syringe. I found one or two drops of apple juice didn't make any difference but double the amount of the Baytril and Mischa would just about take it. Or you can try mixing it with ribena or we've had success with syringing it into a small piece of bread.
 
I mix all non-yummy meds in with Critical Care or Recovery - works a treat! both buns love it and lick the bowl clean!
 
nessar said:
I mix all non-yummy meds in with Critical Care or Recovery - works a treat! both buns love it and lick the bowl clean!
Click to expand...

If this was Lilly it would work perfectly as she goes bonkers for critical care :roll: but Harvey hates the stuff :(

I'm beginning to think he's a very fussy bunny....
 
Elena said:
If you mix it roughly 2:1 apple juice to baytril he may lap it from the syringe. I found one or two drops of apple juice didn't make any difference but double the amount of the Baytril and Mischa would just about take it. Or you can try mixing it with ribena or we've had success with syringing it into a small piece of bread.
Click to expand...

Ooo I reckon using bread might work! I'll try this first because he likes his carbs :roll:
 
Soooo.... Bread doesn't work :( he can smell the meds on it :( he's so clever! I tried the burrito option but apparently I'm not good at that as he managed to wiggle out!

I'm going to have to get up 20mins earlier tomorrow just to do his meds and I already have a really early start as well! :(
 
I put meds on fresh thyme for Scarlet. If you rub it first the smell is so pungent it hides the smell of the meds.
 
RedFraggle said:
I put meds on fresh thyme for Scarlet. If you rub it first the smell is so pungent it hides the smell of the meds.
Click to expand...

Tried this with coriander (his favourite) and he laughed in my face :roll: if I get a piece with a really long stalk though, smother the leaves in meds and offer him it stalk first he can't smell the meds :thumb: he munches along the stalk and the second he reaches any point with medicine on it looks like someone has electrocuted his front paws because he does a little jump off the ground with them every time :lol: but he keeps on eating so at least he's getting his meds!

He's funny to watch, I offer him bread/herbs with medicine, he sniffs it and turns around, so I come in from a new angle and he turns again :lol: this morning we had three 360 turns completed by him doing this :roll: he did it last night and my house mates were in hysterics :p he's so stubborn!
 
Have you tried toast? For some reason it seems to work better than bread at disguising meds.

What pellets do you use? If excel, you can wet the pellets and then mix the meds in. Other pellets just seem to go mushy though :(
 
nessar said:
Have you tried toast? For some reason it seems to work better than bread at disguising meds.

What pellets do you use? If excel, you can wet the pellets and then mix the meds in. Other pellets just seem to go mushy though :(
Click to expand...

I don't actually use pellets (I know, everyone says I should), I use Chudley's rabbit royale. I haven't changed to pellets just because they eat all the parts of the muesli in one go and don't ever leave bits. Their bowls are always licked clean ready for the next meal :roll:

I'll see what the little monster thinks of toast later :thumb:
 
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