My Rosie Breathing is this normal ? - Video link for comment.

https://youtu.be/hcUgEAk6wEQ



Being a technophobe I have somehow I hope managed to upload a video of my Rosies breathing. She was a vets just over a week ago and had a course of Baytril which helped the snoring but i just heard her snoring again. I know deep down this will require xray and possible ultrasound to check things but just wanted others thoughts. My rabbit savy vet isn't back til Wednesday next week. Rosie is otherwise we'll and in really good form. This breathing just happens at rest / sleeping. I hope this link works.

She does have an increased respiratory effort. As this only occurs when she is lying down then it might indicate some sort of lower respiratory tract disease or mass in her chest cavity. As you have said, further diagnostics would be needed to try to ascertain what is going on. If she were my Rabbit I would want to ask my Vet about doing more diagnostics whilst Rosie is 'well' within herself.

On the other hand the Vet may suggest trying another abx for a longer period of time. I would show the video to the Vet if you can, it would be useful as Rosie's respiratory rate/effort may be different when she is at the Vets (due to stress)

Good luck xx

nickybunny1 said:

https://youtu.be/hcUgEAk6wEQ



Being a technophobe I have somehow I hope managed to upload a video of my Rosies breathing. She was a vets just over a week ago and had a course of Baytril which helped the snoring but i just heard her snoring again. I know deep down this will require xray and possible ultrasound to check things but just wanted others thoughts. My rabbit savy vet isn't back til Wednesday next week. Rosie is otherwise we'll and in really good form. This breathing just happens at rest / sleeping. I hope this link works.

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Hi there :wave:

I'm glad the abx have made some improvement with Rosie, but I can see from your video that there's still something going on. Her breathing certainly does seem a little more laboured and difficult than usual.

I would suggest waiting to see your rabbit savvy vet (unless something drastic happens in the meantime - unlikely though it is, as it's been ongoing). However, I wouldn't want to wait longer than that to get some diagnostics going. X-rays and ultrasound, possibly.

Not to scare you, but a lower respiratory tract infection can be a precursor to pneumonia, and it's best you find out what - if anything - is causing her laboured breathing. The fact she is well in herself is a huge bonus!

I would give a drop of echincaea (herbal extract) two or three times a day: http://www.baldwins.co.uk/baldwins-echinacea-angustifolia-herbal-fluid-extract. This won't cure anything, and I know the use of herbs is controversial, but it will do no harm and may help to boost the effect of any antibiotics given. Of course double check with your vet.

Another idea you may want to run past your vet is nebulising. I don't know if you've tried it before, but abx can be effective when inhaled deep into the lungs.

Thanks Jane and Mighty Max for ur replies. I have Rosie booked in for Wednesday morning. I hate having to wait this long also and hope she is ok til then. Thanks to both of u for confirming that something isn't right just soo didn't want to stress her when she is soo happy and I am terrified of the sedation. But i know it has to be done. She is such a good girl tho and vet did say as she sits so still they my be able to do concious xray but they will probably have to sedate for ultrasound. Will check out the echinacia and ask the vet about it.

Bless her she is gorgeous! I know what a worry this is having a bun with respiratory issues and stressing about the cause. I was scared to have sedation for x rays at first, so requested a conscious x ray. To be honest it didn't really help because we could only do a top view and he moved! We tried various different antibiotics but none worked and eventually (after a few months) he was sedated for an ultra sound and further Xrays. We did find the cause - but before I say, his breathing pattern was very very different to Rosie - so don't panic or assume she is the same. He has a tumour in his thymus region.

What I will say - is that looking back I wouldn't do anything differently - for me the first line was to take the 'safest' route and assume infection and treat for that. Baytril is a 'starter' drug for respiratory infection and there are others to try - we tried septrin, zithromax, ronaxan and depocillin - of course none of them made a difference but they didn't harm him either (the zithromax didnt agree with him so we stopped after 2 doses)

The reason I say I wouldn't do anything differently is that if x rays and scans show an infection then the treatment is the same, so if she shows improvement on abx then that in itself is a diagnostic. I didn't want to run the risk of sedation on a bun with an infection. Many people will disagree with me but I think its important to have both sides.

What I will say that is that I maintained metacam all the way through, except for one week when I refused it and I saw a decline so started it back up. This is now his only treatment and hes doing well.

There is another possible cause associated with respiratory effort and this is a heart condition, this is the reason I opted for the ultra sound eventually. But again its a matter of weighing it all up and seeing what is right for Roise. I hope I haven't complicated things, but having been through this worry for several months I wanted to share my decisions. Many people will think I am wrong and that I should have just gone with the X ray and scan straight away - but it wouldn't have changed anything and I felt I took the right path.

nickybunny1 said:

Thanks Jane and Mighty Max for ur replies. I have Rosie booked in for Wednesday morning. I hate having to wait this long also and hope she is ok til then. Thanks to both of u for confirming that something isn't right just soo didn't want to stress her when she is soo happy and I am terrified of the sedation. But i know it has to be done. She is such a good girl tho and vet did say as she sits so still they my be able to do concious xray but they will probably have to sedate for ultrasound. Will check out the echinacia and ask the vet about it.

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I hope all goes well for Rosie on Wednesday. Please keep us updated if you can xx

nickybunny1 said:

Thanks Jane and Mighty Max for ur replies. I have Rosie booked in for Wednesday morning. I hate having to wait this long also and hope she is ok til then. Thanks to both of u for confirming that something isn't right just soo didn't want to stress her when she is soo happy and I am terrified of the sedation. But i know it has to be done. She is such a good girl tho and vet did say as she sits so still they my be able to do concious xray but they will probably have to sedate for ultrasound. Will check out the echinacia and ask the vet about it.

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Good luck for Wednesday Nicky :thumb:

I know it's best she see the specialist, but I also know the time will drag - however, she's remained OK within herself, so hopefully nothing untoward will happen.

To be honest, it's unlikely they will be able to do a conscious X-ray on her upper body, but the sedation only need be light.

Julie, sorry only replying to ur post now. I totally understand ur reasonings for what route u went with ur bun. I have been torturing myself since I last posted as she is in great form and wonder am I putting her at unnecessary risk with xray but then her snoring is quite loud again and she has a very faint wheeze. I guess I just need to rule out some ting more serious. Bit the head recker is like u say if infection treatment will still be the same. I am sorry to hear ur little bun has a tumour and hope that it can be managed and that he can live with this for quite a few years. Sending little nose rubs to ur bun and thanks again for ur post it was very useful.

nickybunny1 said:

Julie, sorry only replying to ur post now. I totally understand ur reasonings for what route u went with ur bun. I have been torturing myself since I last posted as she is in great form and wonder am I putting her at unnecessary risk with xray but then her snoring is quite loud again and she has a very faint wheeze. I guess I just need to rule out some ting more serious. Bit the head recker is like u say if infection treatment will still be the same. I am sorry to hear ur little bun has a tumour and hope that it can be managed and that he can live with this for quite a few years. Sending little nose rubs to ur bun and thanks again for ur post it was very useful.

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Hey, dont apologise - I am a sporadic visitor on here Is it tomorrow you are going for the Xray? Will be thinking of you and hoping for some good results and something easily treatable. Fandango is happy and coping, thats all I can ask right now. He has no idea he has a tumour and just copes when the symptoms are bad. I've learnt a lot from him, live for the day

Sending vibes for Rosie for today xx

nickybunny1 said:

Julie, sorry only replying to ur post now. I totally understand ur reasonings for what route u went with ur bun. I have been torturing myself since I last posted as she is in great form and wonder am I putting her at unnecessary risk with xray but then her snoring is quite loud again and she has a very faint wheeze. I guess I just need to rule out some ting more serious. Bit the head recker is like u say if infection treatment will still be the same. I am sorry to hear ur little bun has a tumour and hope that it can be managed and that he can live with this for quite a few years. Sending little nose rubs to ur bun and thanks again for ur post it was very useful.

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Sending vibes for Rosie today - I will be thinking of you both x

Hi Mighty Max . Thank u for ur kind vibes. After alot of mental torture and having sent the vet the video link we agreed that as the baytril initially made an improvement that we would go with a 3 week course. If things don't improve then will go for xray after this. She is in such great form otherwise and i could never forgive myself if i put her under GA and something happened. I just want to try the safest option first. I hope u understand my thinking. I sooo want to do the right thing for her. And like I said the snoring really did improve with the baytril. Maybe a longer course is needed to improve the laboured breathing. . I had some left over from last time so was able to start her again this morning and vet is posting me out some more. Flip I hope I am doing the right thing.

Thanks for ur vibes also Jane x

I forgot to ask about nebulising and ecinichea! Will ring back to see.

Would it be a good idea to also try bisolvon ?? Would it do any harm ?? Should I ask vet about this too ??

nickybunny1 said:

Would it be a good idea to also try bisolvon ?? Would it do any harm ?? Should I ask vet about this too ??

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I would ask the Vet about it. I hope that the longer course of Baytril will be successful

nickybunny1 said:

Hi Mighty Max . Thank u for ur kind vibes. After alot of mental torture and having sent the vet the video link we agreed that as the baytril initially made an improvement that we would go with a 3 week course. If things don't improve then will go for xray after this. She is in such great form otherwise and i could never forgive myself if i put her under GA and something happened. I just want to try the safest option first. I hope u understand my thinking. I sooo want to do the right thing for her. And like I said the snoring really did improve with the baytril. Maybe a longer course is needed to improve the laboured breathing. . I had some left over from last time so was able to start her again this morning and vet is posting me out some more. Flip I hope I am doing the right thing.

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Hi Nicky

You're very welcome to any help :wave:

I think trying a longer course of Baytril is a sensible idea. Watch carefully and if things get any worse then contact your vet immediately and he can think about changing the antibiotics.

Yes I would also ask about Bisolven. I meant to mention that when I talked about nebulising earlier.

Yes, I believe you are doing the right thing. I hope Rosie shows some improvement soon :thumb:

How is she doing?

Hi Julia. She is still very well in herself out in the garden, running about eatting well. The noise was less frequent we think this morning but it was back a bit more this evening. I am hoping as the septrin and bisolvon kick in more I really hope to see more of an improvement. I am glad I am going down the meds route first as she is still in great form and I hope deep down that it is just an infection. Thank u for asking after her.