Vegan_Bunny
Warren Veteran
Sorry for the waffling. I'm mainly just voicing my thoughts/concerns.
For the past few days I've noticed Xena seemingly struggling with the heat. The other night she really worried me by breathing VERY loudly, almost sounded like "huffing". As soon as I sat up and started really watching her, she suddenly jumped up and ran off into her litter tray and started eating, so I thought nothing of it. (She snores anyway and figured she was dreaming or something). Anyway, tonight I put her and the others out in the run, the sun had gone in and the garden was quite cool with a nice breeze. I let them out of their run..she came out, binkied like a crazy thing and then went back in the run and laid down. :? She sometimes does this, but I was worried so I encouraged her out of the run and shut it behind her so I could watch her. She went straight back to exploring and munching the grass, so figured she was fine.
I rounded them up and put them back in the bedroom. The room is warm, but not boiling. I put a towel in the freezer for them to lay on afterwards and Fiver and Xena immediately sprawled on it. Xena, however, seemed to be in some respiratory distress. I watched her for a while and compared her breathing to Fiver and Shadowfax...she was definitely breathing faster and making noises whilst breathing. I felt her ears but they felt ok...not hot and they weren't red or veiny or anything. :? When I went back up to check on her, she was throwing a toy around and pestering Fiver for grooms..she then laid back down and returned to her fast breathing (although she looks like she has calmed down a lot). I put some pellets out for her and she immediately ran over and scoffed them and did her usual bullying act.
I thought at first she was suffering from heat stroke..but thinking back, she was "huffing" when I carried her downstairs to go outside in the first place. She does suffer from the heat and they always have a cool, damp towel to lay on and their window is open constantly. I'm really, really scared that something serious is going on with her (like a thymoma or snuffles or something). For now I'm just checking on her at half hour intervals. I don't think she needs to see an emergency vet, but I'm definitely keeping a close eye on her and going to get her to the vet on Monday if she does this again.
Anybody experienced this before? I have absolutely NO experience with respiratory issues in rabbits. Is there anything else I can do to keep her cool? They have a tile under the bed that Shadowfax likes laying on, but Xena will only lay on a damp towel. :roll:
I took a video just after I had put her in the bedroom. Do you think I'm overreacting? I hope so!
For the past few days I've noticed Xena seemingly struggling with the heat. The other night she really worried me by breathing VERY loudly, almost sounded like "huffing". As soon as I sat up and started really watching her, she suddenly jumped up and ran off into her litter tray and started eating, so I thought nothing of it. (She snores anyway and figured she was dreaming or something). Anyway, tonight I put her and the others out in the run, the sun had gone in and the garden was quite cool with a nice breeze. I let them out of their run..she came out, binkied like a crazy thing and then went back in the run and laid down. :? She sometimes does this, but I was worried so I encouraged her out of the run and shut it behind her so I could watch her. She went straight back to exploring and munching the grass, so figured she was fine.
I rounded them up and put them back in the bedroom. The room is warm, but not boiling. I put a towel in the freezer for them to lay on afterwards and Fiver and Xena immediately sprawled on it. Xena, however, seemed to be in some respiratory distress. I watched her for a while and compared her breathing to Fiver and Shadowfax...she was definitely breathing faster and making noises whilst breathing. I felt her ears but they felt ok...not hot and they weren't red or veiny or anything. :? When I went back up to check on her, she was throwing a toy around and pestering Fiver for grooms..she then laid back down and returned to her fast breathing (although she looks like she has calmed down a lot). I put some pellets out for her and she immediately ran over and scoffed them and did her usual bullying act.
I thought at first she was suffering from heat stroke..but thinking back, she was "huffing" when I carried her downstairs to go outside in the first place. She does suffer from the heat and they always have a cool, damp towel to lay on and their window is open constantly. I'm really, really scared that something serious is going on with her (like a thymoma or snuffles or something). For now I'm just checking on her at half hour intervals. I don't think she needs to see an emergency vet, but I'm definitely keeping a close eye on her and going to get her to the vet on Monday if she does this again.
Anybody experienced this before? I have absolutely NO experience with respiratory issues in rabbits. Is there anything else I can do to keep her cool? They have a tile under the bed that Shadowfax likes laying on, but Xena will only lay on a damp towel. :roll:
I took a video just after I had put her in the bedroom. Do you think I'm overreacting? I hope so!