Harribun choked last night

I gave them their handful of pellets and they fell on them as usual. Then Harrison hopped off, which is unheard of when there's still food left. He looked scared and wouldn't come back over, he was hopping back and forth on the floor in a vague way. Then he started making horrible gargling, choking noises in his throat. He sprinted up the stairs making this noise and peed everywhere, he looked really distressed and wouldn't let me get hold of him. Then he went all floppy and still.

I did not know what to do. I got the emergency vet on the phone hoping she would talk me through how to dislodge it but she just kept saying 'let me take some details and then you can bring him straight in' - he couldn't breathe, they're half an hour away. I knew I'd seen stuff about bunny Heimlich manoeuvres that could be used as a last resort so I tried, I picked him up and swung him nose down. I'm sure I didn't do it properly but he was so nearly dead I thought there was nothing to lose.

He woke up a bit and started moving around, making wet sounding noises with his mouth - I'm pretty certain they weren't breathing noises, more like an excess of saliva in his mouth. He did this for a bit but got gradually perkier. We took him to get checked over by the emergency vet and she couldn't find any problems. He's always been a nightmare for looking in his mouth, she did her best but he chewed the end of the scope right off!

We have a nurse appt this morning anyway so I'll ask if he can see our regular vet while we're there. I'm just wondering what it could be?
I've remembered this morning that he had another episode a few days ago, where I thought he was struggling to swallow a bit of a green bean I'd given him, coughing and spluttering a bit and opening his mouth wide and pulling his head back, if that makes sense. He is a gobbler, always has been, and since Heidi came along they both do their best to hoover the food up before the other one gets there. I scatter feed the pellets but perhaps not widely spaced enough.

I know other people have had this scary experience and had both good and bad outcomes. Did any of you get to the bottom of why it happened? What should I do to try and avoid it in the future?

Thanks for reading.

Jo

That must have been so scary but you did the best thing possible. Well done for that. I have never experienced it fortunately but if it isn't teeth maybe there is something else stopping him from swallowing properly. I hope you find out what is causing this - can't just blame it on pellets as he did the same with a bean. Good luck at the Vets.

How terribly scary for you! I've had a bun choke and it is awful . Thankfully he is still here.

Did the vet give antibiotics? My bun got them as a precaution. All the fluid can cause a problem with their lungs.

I hope the vet visit goes ok today.

How awful Jack's Jane knows a lot about this. I think the main concern now is the possibility of aspiration pneumonia, if he breathed any fluid into his lungs. Did the vet listen to his breathing/lungs? I hope he well be ok xxx

You did exactly the right thing by 'up-ending' him. I too have been in the exact same situation with a choking Rabbit and there really is nothing to lose when they are clearing gasping their last breath.

You need to get a Vet to auscultate his lungs as there is a high risk aspiration pneumonia.

What pellets do you feed ?

Very scary! Reading your post has made me read the rabbit choking sticky post above. Thanks for sharing your experience and hope he is OK now.

Oh no, not Harribun So glad you managed to shift the pellet. Hope he's OK today xx

Thanks all. You have made me feel better because both the vet last night and the one this morning said that I shouldn't have upended him and that I could have done him some serious damage. I know really that I was right to do it, not being able to breathe takes priority over everything else! but having two vets tell you off isn't very nice!

We just got back from the normal vet, but we saw a new girl and I wasn't very convinced. She looked at his teeth and said they were ok but I had to prompt her to auscultate his lungs. She said they were clear though and I have listened to them myself at home and he sounds just like Heidi. She didn't offer any possible explanation for the choking or advice for what to do if it happened again, except not to up-end him because I might hurt him.

Jane, I feed excel pellets. They do look like they would be just the right size to get lodged in a bunny's windpipe. I think I'll just mush them up with water from now on, unless there are any that would be better?

He seems absolutely fine in himself now, apart from being justifiably ****** off after two vet trips in twelve hours!

My bridge bunny Benji choked on an SS pellet once it was terrifying. I think you did the right thing by tipping him upside down, that would have been my first reaction too x

Jolysium said:

Thanks all. You have made me feel better because both the vet last night and the one this morning said that I shouldn't have upended him and that I could have done him some serious damage. I know really that I was right to do it, not being able to breathe takes priority over everything else! but having two vets tell you off isn't very nice!

We just got back from the normal vet, but we saw a new girl and I wasn't very convinced. She looked at his teeth and said they were ok but I had to prompt her to auscultate his lungs. She said they were clear though and I have listened to them myself at home and he sounds just like Heidi. She didn't offer any possible explanation for the choking or advice for what to do if it happened again, except not to up-end him because I might hurt him.

Jane, I feed excel pellets. They do look like they would be just the right size to get lodged in a bunny's windpipe. I think I'll just mush them up with water from now on, unless there are any that would be better?

He seems absolutely fine in himself now, apart from being justifiably ****** off after two vet trips in twelve hours!

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I'd change to Fibafirst sticks

http://www.supremepetfoods.com/fiba-first-2/

Jack's-Jane said:

I'd change to Fibafirst sticks

http://www.supremepetfoods.com/fiba-first-2/

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll have a look at those, they sound like they might be just what he needs! :thumb:

I wish I had some advice for you but I've only ever experienced choking in dogs! I feed excell too I think I may start mushing them a bit! Sounds like you did the right thing, which can be difficult when you're in a moment of utter panic like that. I really, really hope everything gets sorted out for you xx