Lung infection- UPDATE- she's gone.

So basically, Luna was having a few issues last week with stasis. I couldn't work out what was going on was a bit worried. It was decided between me and the vet that I was over reacting a little bit and over worrying and that she was just having a bad moult that was making her a bit sluggish. She was due to be spayed last friday and I wasn't sure about it going ahead, but the vet assured me that as she had been doing well the day before, and had actually put on weight, and that everything felt fine, that it would be fine to go ahead with the spay. I trust her judgement and agreed. That was last Friday and she has been doing really well.

However, yesterday evening I noticed she was making a noise that sounded like low level grunting. I thought it was odd, but as she seemed otherwise fine in herself and even did a bit side flop that I would keep an eye on her. This morning, she was making an awful noise. Really wheezing. She was still eating and pooing and seemed okay in herself otherwise but obviously I was very concerned. Luckily her check up for her spay was this morning so I took her along and explained what had happened. I wasn't able to see my vet as a dog collapsed while we were in the surgery and she was called in to help. We saw a vet who I saw many years ago with my chooks and who I don't like all that much. He listened to her chest and said that it did not sound good. He also didn't seem to believe that this had all come on so suddenly (which made me angry as I felt like he was trying to make out this had been going on for a few days and I just hadn't bothered to take her to the vet. This is obviously not something I would even consider.) Anyway, he said that he thought she had a respiratory infection. He gave her a jab of duphapen and said that she would need to come in for another one tomorrow and saturday and possibly into next week. I asked about me doing these jabs myself if I was shown how as Luna is very stressed out by the vets and I thought it would be easier to do it at home. He agreed to this and said I could be shown how to do it tomorrow.

I got home, Luna ate a bit, but whenever she was eating there was a horrible wheezing noise which was more pronounced that before. I began to panick that she had pneumonia and phoned the vets back. Got an appointment with my usual vet this afternoon, but my mum and sister went as I had to go to work My vet said that she thinks it is a lung infection and not pneumonia. She commented that it was good that it had been caught this early and that Luna will need a jab every day for a week but is confident that she will be okay. She also gave her a jab of metacam as she said it would help ease any inflammation. She said that the infection could have been picked up when her immune system was a bit low after the op, but didn't think it had anything to do with her stasis issues the week before. AndsShe said that we were right to not put her back on straw bedding yet because of the possible dust inhalation (the other vet assured me that this was fine :? )

We are due to go back tomorrow to be shown how to administer both jabs and to see how Luna is doing.

But since the second vets trip Luna has been quite quiet. Hiding in the nest box in her litter tray. She has eaten a bit of fresh bramble and a few strawberry leaves and has been to the loo but I am worried about her. I have left her now because I think a lot of it is stress and her breathing is worse when she is stressing out. She has in the past got stasis through stress, but the vet told my mum and sister that we were not to give her any emeprid just in case it goes down the wrong way and makes her lungs worse.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this or just has general advice as to what I should be doing to help her?

I'm sorry I don't have any advice, but sending vibes for Luna. Hopefully someone else with more experience will be able to comment for you. :wave:

She ate and pooed and weed last night. She came jumping out of her hutch this morning, let me hand feed her a bit of sage and a few pellets, then had a bit of a hop round the run and went back into the hutch wheezing I think all the movement was too much for her. She sounds so horrible when she wheezes

I think in your previous post you mentioned a vet appointment today, so hope this brings some reassurance and helps Luna.

susie bun said:

I think in your previous post you mentioned a vet appointment today, so hope this brings some reassurance and helps Luna.

Click to expand...

I did, and we have just got back. Thank you for your well wishes.

The vet and gave us 4 syringes of duphapen and 4 syringes of metacam for over the weekend and bank holiday monday- we have to go back on tuesday to see how she is getting on.

I asked the vet when we might start seeing an improvement. She said it could be in the next few days, it could take a few weeks, or that it might never improve and we could lose her

I hope she responds to the antibiotics xx

Thank you. She's nibbling at a bit of dried plantain but still wheezing and looking sorry for herself. I was told to restrict her to her hutch for the time being so that she doesn't over exert herself.

Am I right in thinking that this is different to 'snuffles' which I have read about?

I'm literally worrying myself sick about her. She has towels in her hutch to keep her warm but is still preferring to sit on the floor. I have put her cool pad in the fridge because I am really worried about her getting too hot as well

Rosie42 said:

Thank you. She's nibbling at a bit of dried plantain but still wheezing and looking sorry for herself. I was told to restrict her to her hutch for the time being so that she doesn't over exert herself.

Am I right in thinking that this is different to 'snuffles' which I have read about?

I'm literally worrying myself sick about her. She has towels in her hutch to keep her warm but is still preferring to sit on the floor. I have put her cool pad in the fridge because I am really worried about her getting too hot as well

Click to expand...

It is different to 'Snuffles' in that it effects the lower respiratory tract (lungs) whereas Snuffles effects the upper respiratory tract. But both conditions can be related in that they can be caused by the same bacteria

Is she sneezing at all ?

Jack's-Jane said:

It is different to 'Snuffles' in that it effects the lower respiratory tract (lungs) whereas Snuffles effects the upper respiratory tract. But both conditions can be related in that they can be caused by the same bacteria

Is she sneezing at all ?

Click to expand...

No, no sneezing or discharge from her eyes or nose, just the wheezing. She's hiding in her litter tray at the moment. She's nibbled at the plantain and strawberry and bramble leaves but isn't really eating properly. The problem with her is that as she doesn't like being handled the stress is almost as big a problem as the illness. I'm trying to leave her alone to be quiet but at the same time I don't want her to stop eating

Rosie42 said:

No, no sneezing or discharge from her eyes or nose, just the wheezing. She's hiding in her litter tray at the moment. She's nibbled at the plantain and strawberry and bramble leaves but isn't really eating properly. The problem with her is that as she doesn't like being handled the stress is almost as big a problem as the illness. I'm trying to leave her alone to be quiet but at the same time I don't want her to stop eating

Click to expand...

I would leave her be for a couple of hours, I agree that for some Rabbits the stress of Vet trips and handling can be as bad as any illness they may have. Try and keep her routine as normal as possible for the rest of the day as that will help reduce her stress levels.

Jack's-Jane said:

I would leave her be for a couple of hours, I agree that for some Rabbits the stress of Vet trips and handling can be as bad as any illness they may have. Try and keep her routine as normal as possible for the rest of the day as that will help reduce her stress levels.

Click to expand...

Okay I'm off to work in a little while so I've just given her a bit of banana and apple, changed her water and the towel in there and also put her cool pad in the corner in case she gets too hot. She will now be left alone until she needs her metacam jab at about 3pm (my sister is going to administer it). She is then going to be left on her own with more food to tempt her until I get back from work at about half 5 and I will offer her some more bits to try and get her to eat. And then leave her alone until she gets put to bed at about 8. Hopefully if I stick to a routine like that then there will be minimum stress for her.

It's just so difficult with her as I want to give her a cuddle but it will just stress her out. I have had to resort to cuddling the other animals instead to make me feel better. Me and Tilly had a big cuddle in the garden yesterday when I was really upset. She was somewhere between content and slightly bemused by the whole situation...

Luna ate over night- her pellets, dried plantain and the fresh bramble were gone. This morning however, she is pretty much ignoring her bramble and pellets. She's eaten a carrot top, a strawberry leaf, a little bit of grass, and a couple of willow leaves. She did a lot of poo and wee over night, but there were some little ones and a couple of bits of caecal poo in with them. I am thinking that any poo is good poo at the moment though because at least it means that her gut is moving?

I really can't work out if she's getting worse or just being picky. Will give her some more veg in a little bit. She's not supposed to have too much fruit etc because of her gut, but if it's all she will eat then I'm guessing she should just have it for the time being?

She's due her meds in a couple of hours, and I'm dreading doing it because her breathing sounds so stressed that I'm worried that she might collapse

The fact that I've been told that the anti-biotics will take about 5 days to start having an effect on her is just making me feel like I'm in limbo, because I'm giving her meds to supposedly make her better, and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of doing so. I'm just making myself sick with stress and worry. I'm so scared every time I go to check on her and give her meds that she will just have passed away

The antibiotics may be effecting her appetite. There is not any sign of very soft poo/diarrhoea is there ?

Jack's-Jane said:

The antibiotics may be effecting her appetite. There is not any sign of very soft poo/diarrhoea is there ?

Click to expand...

Didn't think of that. There were a couple of bits of caecal poo in with her normal ones and there was more wee than there has been for a couple of days. No sign of diarrhea though and her bottom was clean when I checked her earlier.

I'm guessing if she is being picky that I should just give her what ever she will eat? I'm worried about her not eating enough fibre to digest it and then that bringing on stasis. I was warned not to syringe anything into her in case it goes down the wrong way and makes her more ill. I have fibeplex, some baby food and some recovery sachets for if she gives up eating all together. But those will obviously be a last resort so I'm trying to get her to eat on her own.

Also just gone to give her her meds and noticed that there has been no poo or wee since this morning. Sometimes she doesn't poo until early evening, but lately she has been going throughout the day. I was told to give emeprid if she really needed it as a last resort. I am going to work now so will give her a few hours to calm down etc and then decide if she should have some. She has nibbled at plantain, ignored the bramble, but eaten the cucumber and a bit of grass. She nibbled a digestive biscuit when I offered it to her. Have left her with a bit of apple, another bit of carrot and half a digestive.

Help- struggling to breathe

She's not eaten much over night- just nibbled here and there, where as yesterday evening she was munching away at things. She is still struggling and fighting me which I think is good, but in the hutch she is sitting with her head slightly elevated. Does that mean she can't breathe? And is trying to get more oxygen in to her body? I think she might need to go to the emergency vets, but they are over a half hour drive away, and not brilliant with rabbits. I'm also worried the stress of the car journey might finish her off as she is getting really stressed just being inside.

Phoned up the emergency vets and they want to see her. I want to take her- I'm hoping that they will at least give her some oxygen. But we are by the seaside and with it being a hot bank holiday I have no idea how long it will be before we get there. Worried she might collapse in the car, but also worried that she might collapse here. I have no idea what to do for the best.

Sending vibes for Luna. I don't have any experience of a rabbit with this condition, but hope someone else can advise regarding the breathing issue.

It does sound as though she is in respiratory distress

Could the Vet come to you ?

Just wanted to add vibes for Luna poor little girl, hope she can recover xxxx

After a long day in the emergency vets in an oxygen tent I have had to have Luna PTS She got worse even in the oxygen tent and when they took her out for a few minutes to give her anti-biotics she was gasping with her mouth open. When the vet took her out to put her to sleep, she actually almost passed out because she couldn't breathe. They couldn't x-ray her as the anesthetic would have killed her, and any anti-biotics they were giving her were pointless, because she just wasn't going to be alive long enough for them to take effect.

I am heart broken and don't know what to do with myself.