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Can this be anything but cancer?? UD 2/11 She's gone :'(

newbabybuns

Warren Veteran
I am struggling so much right now, I have posted before about thinking we were about to lose little Frankie, but she seemed to respond to antibiotics and we thought all was well but I honestly think this is it this time and am heartbroken. She is 5 and unspayed as she has had a host of issues in the past and now I am really regretting that decision.

Her symptoms are fast breathing/fast heartbeat when resting. It is like you can visibly see her heartbeat. She is a tiny bunny and has always a very slim and sleek body. She won't let me touch her sides but when I can manage to she doesn't quite feel the same anymore and gets stressed with me touching them. (She has never been one to be handled, but loves head strokes on her terms). I don't know if I am imagining it but when she stretched it looked like her upper part of her body was wider.

She has been a tooth root bunny for a couple of years and had her eyes bulge slightly (not anywhere near to the degree I have seen on google) when she had raced around and got herself puffed out. I reduced her space so she couldn't run laps of the downstairs and get so puffed out and this resolved the issue and has not came back. I know bulging eyes when eating can be a sign but she does not have this either. She is eating/drinking fine and is crazy for when there are treats on offer.

She was on baytril for the fast breathing and seemed to respond, then it came back and she was put on sulfratrim, again she seemed to respond and now it is back she is on sulfratrim (we have to hide it on food) again. What she really needs is an x ray but we can't handle her, she is a slippery little character and evades every attempt to be caught. I had to cancel her vet appointment as I just could not get her in the carrier.

My head is telling me the tooth root issue has masked a tumour growing over these past couple of years, and she has a cancer of some sort instead of an infection that the x ray will confirm but is now at an end stage. But is there a chance it is anything else??

Her sister (live seperately) is also undergoing treatment for ceacal problems, and my third bunny (another sister) is acting quietly today although I don't know whether it is me imagining it. I feel so overwhelmed by it all and the thought of losing little Franks to cancer is absolutely killing me :( I need to ring the vet to book her in for x ray but I can't stop crying :(
 
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Hello, I'm so sorry Frankie is not well. Has she ever had an xray to look at her heart. I had a lovely bunny who had a cough for years and her breathing was rapid, also her eyes bulged. My late Opera saw loads of vets, we eventually changed to a completely different surgery. They immediately suggested a chest xray. Opera had a greatly enlarged heart, surrounded by fluid. The pressure was causing her eyes to bulge. She was 5 yrs old at the time. She was successfully treated with Fortekor for the next 5 years., she was even able to run up and down the stairs. She passed away aged 10. I miss her every day. I hope this helps you.
 
Yes I was thinking heart rather than cancer. I've had a lot of cancer buns and they are symptoms at the top of my list. That's not to say it couldn't possibly be, but I would look at the heart first. As fluffy bunny said there are meds which can help if it is.
 
Thank you both, I hadn't even considered it could be her heart. She is meant to be on sulfratrim for another week and a half but I will ring the vet in the morning and get her booked in. We will have to manage somehow with catching her and I hope she is well enough for a GA. Goodness knows how the vet will manage to handle her to do it. For years she has been treated on the floor as there is just no other way :/

Fluffybunny54 That is encouraging to hear how well Opera did after her diagnosis, she was lucky to have you as her owner xxx
 
Thank you both, I hadn't even considered it could be her heart. She is meant to be on sulfratrim for another week and a half but I will ring the vet in the morning and get her booked in. We will have to manage somehow with catching her and I hope she is well enough for a GA. Goodness knows how the vet will manage to handle her to do it. For years she has been treated on the floor as there is just no other way :/

Fluffybunny54 That is encouraging to hear how well Opera did after her diagnosis, she was lucky to have you as her owner xxx
Thank you for those kind words. The heart problem was a complete surprise. Opera was treated for a chest infection for years by numerous vets, until I got fed up with the rattly cough never going away and never getting a decent diagnosis. Once diagnosed I moved all my buns to the vets who looked after my parrots and tortoise. Since then all my pets have been getting the best of exotic care.

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It is not too late to get your rabbit spayed. Even if she has a growth, it may not be cancer, or it may not have spread outside her uterus.
Also, if she is overweight it may be adding strain to her heart and lungs.
If it is an infection, you may be able to control it for many years. I had a snuffles bunny who was on Baytril and then other abx for half of his 12.5 years.
 
Thank you bunny momma xxx luckily she is not overweight, if anything she stayed tiny as her sisters grew. I put this down to she was really poorly at about 12 weeks old, and once recovered she has always been an active bunny whereas her sisters are completely lazy (boredom must pay a big part in that as they all live singularly).

We've got an appointment back with our vet early tomorrow morning where I will discuss the possibility of her heart and to see if she can be scanned/ x rayed. Already stressing about catching her and I feel sick with worry of the outcome. Her breathing/heartbeat continues to be really fast/pronounced. I have taken videos of her resting to show the vet. She is still doing normal Frankie things at the normal times, and eating/pooping ok. Now she won't fall for her Sulfratrim being hidden on food/treats though and has only been taking half. There is no way I can get near her mouth to administer it. Not even with someone helping.

I really need to pull myself together and stop crying as well, the donkey sanctuary advert on tv just set me off as did a Celine Dion song this morning. I need to toughen up before the appointment!
 
We all know how it feels to not know if your beloved pet may have a problem.
Sending you some good vibes that your vet can diagnose your bunny's issue and begin any treatment that may be necessary.
Please keep us updated after your appointment.
 
Loads and loads of healing vibes for Frankie. We all fall apart when it's a much loved pet. I'm better than I used to be. At one time I would be hysterical at the vets and would have to wait outside. Luckily someone would usually see me first. I still get in a state and shake and breathe fast but am ok if I get there early and can sit calmly and no one speaks to me. Good luck to you both for tomorrow.
 
Thank you both, I really appreciate your replies. I don't want to go to bed as if that will somehow put off it being the morning :( she is actually quiet tonight now, normally she would be hyper at this time, going through her nighttime hay, tucking into pellets and throwing her bowls around! but she just wanted some head strokes and was doing her teeth chattering thing where she does it twice, I do two kisses on the top of her head mimicking the noise she makes and she does two noises back and so on and so on. Broke my heart!

My daughter drew a picture of her earlier to use in an ongoing project at school. That broke my heart too thinking if we lose her then it will be hard for my daughter at school over the coming weeks. I can't get thoughts like this out of my head :(

I have had so many bunnies in the past and have never got myself so worked up over their health like this. I know the inevitable will have to happen one day, I think I am struggling with the thought of it being now rather than when she is old as she is normally such a sprightly little bun. It seems far too soon to be saying goodbye.

Apologies I am turning this thread into a bit of a therapy thread and totally rambling now.
 
We have been referred to a specialist. The vet said it sounded noisy when trying to listen to her heart, would this be fluid?? She is so mad with me since we got back and breathing faster now. Not mad enough to not want to snatch a treat from me though :) thank you all for listening to me mid freak out!
 
We have been referred to a specialist. The vet said it sounded noisy when trying to listen to her heart, would this be fluid?? She is so mad with me since we got back and breathing faster now. Not mad enough to not want to snatch a treat from me though :) thank you all for listening to me mid freak out!

I hope that the Specialist can help xx
 
We have been referred to a specialist. The vet said it sounded noisy when trying to listen to her heart, would this be fluid?? She is so mad with me since we got back and breathing faster now. Not mad enough to not want to snatch a treat from me though :) thank you all for listening to me mid freak out!
So pleased for you that your vet listened and referred you. Lots of love and coping vibes. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.

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Thank you both. Our vets really are great, and have always been willing to listen to ideas I have got from on here, RU is such a valuable resource. :love:

She is booked in for 9.40 tomorrow, at ironically a place I gave as a recommendation on here for someone moving to that area. Never thought I would end up there myself. We have been home nearly 4 hours now and her heartbeat is still even more elevated which is worrying me. She really does not tolerate travel etc so that is an added worry :(

I have to run to my daughters school to give her medication now, what a stressful day :shock:
 
I really hope that you will get some answers as to what is wrong. The 'not knowing' is so very stressful.

Topping up the vibes xx
 
Thank you so much for the thoughts and vibes. Jane you are right, the not knowing is awful :(

She has been admitted for tests, so xray and probably heart scan and she said maybe bloods depending on the outcome of the others. By the time we got there (40 mins away) she was so stressed out. I've never seen her like that before. I feel terrible if this is her last day alive she has spent it so scared and away from home :( last night I laid down next to her and she came over and started licking my head, it is rare for her to do that, it was as if she knew, it felt like we were having a last moment before goodbye :cry:

I bawled my eyes out in the vets and can't stop now. The vet really was lovely and so good with us, she was really thorough. She said her thoughts are that it will be a tumour or an abcess somewhere. Either way it does not look good :( my poor little Frankie doodle :(she's always had things wrong with her right from little which is mostly why she did not get spayed when her sisters did. I wish I had been braver and taken the chance on having it done and we may not be in this position now :(
 
Thank you so much for the thoughts and vibes. Jane you are right, the not knowing is awful :(

She has been admitted for tests, so xray and probably heart scan and she said maybe bloods depending on the outcome of the others. By the time we got there (40 mins away) she was so stressed out. I've never seen her like that before. I feel terrible if this is her last day alive she has spent it so scared and away from home :( last night I laid down next to her and she came over and started licking my head, it is rare for her to do that, it was as if she knew, it felt like we were having a last moment before goodbye :cry:

I bawled my eyes out in the vets and can't stop now. The vet really was lovely and so good with us, she was really thorough. She said her thoughts are that it will be a tumour or an abcess somewhere. Either way it does not look good :( my poor little Frankie doodle :(she's always had things wrong with her right from little which is mostly why she did not get spayed when her sisters did. I wish I had been braver and taken the chance on having it done and we may not be in this position now :(

Then again, given her health problems, she may not have made it through a spay. We can only base our decisions on what information we have available at any given time. None of us can predict the future. I hope that you wont have to wait too long to hear an update from the Vets. The waiting is equally as torturous as not knowing what's wrong xx
 
Yes that is true xxx I will always remember a couple of years ago, one of my friends (who doesn't pay compliments often!) said that if Frankie had gone to the other family who came in to get her after I did, that she didn't think she would still be here now after all her problems. So hopefully if she has been destined to a shorter life with these problems, I have managed to give her extra time than she may otherwise have had.

I have a parents meeting at school later (goodness knows how I will get through that, may well have to skip it) so they may wait to ring until after then as the vet noted I was unavailable Around those times. I just wish I could be there with her :(
 
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