Hi hope someone can help. My rabbit is heavy breathing at the moment. Shes eating as normal and drinking, acting normal but the breathing tends to happen bit in morning and then more at night time. She does it more when sat in a ball. She has been to the vets and they wernt happy with her breathing. Shes on antiflammatory at the moment and antibiotics. Next step would be penicillin injections which at her age of 8 I don't want to stress her anymore doing that. She has suffered from snuffles and was on baytril for a while but didn't work that's why she on sumthing new. She has a tooth out and teeth filed last Saturday so wasn't sure if she still recovering from this, as It took her a while to come round. Can anyone help?
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heavy breathing
- Thread starter wendy5432
- Start date
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
Is you Bunny spayed ?
The 'heavy breathing' may indicate a compromised lung function and it sounds as though your Vet suspects it is a Lower Respiratory Tract infection as the Vet has prescribed antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. A chest Xray may shed some light on more specific details of what is going on, but obviously another GA so soon after the one she had for her Dental treatment is probably not a good idea.
Is she maintaining her weight OK ?
Hello
Yes she has been spayed and her weight is fine, she might be a little overweight but, they checked her weight over day and did not say that it was not right and her temperature is fine too. She does not do it all the time. Last night she was laid stretched out with her feet out very relaxed
MightyMax
Banned
Hi there
Does your vet suspect an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection? If so, and the baytril isn't kicking things, I would go for the penicillin injections. I wouldn't give a worry that she is 8, as firstly that isn't old, and secondly the pen injections will only help and not impair her in any way.
That's what I would do in the first instance
Hi there
Does your vet suspect an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection? If so, and the baytril isn't kicking things, I would go for the penicillin injections. I wouldn't give a worry that she is 8, as firstly that isn't old, and secondly the pen injections will only help and not impair her in any way.
That's what I would do in the first instance
Hello
She didn't exactly say just that she wasn't very happy with her breathing when listening to it and said was a bit of a concern. As though It may be a lower respiratory infection. But like I said wasn't really clear to us. She still acts normal, eats and drinks. Shes a house rabbit and we let her in garden occasionally and she breathes better when outside
MightyMax
Banned
You could always get a second opinion from another vet if you wish? I don't know how much faith you have in your own vet?
Well I usually go to one with her if she needs her teeth doing etc, but I took her to a nearer one this time to not stress her out as much and so I haven't seen this vet before. If she managed to get through surgery ok last Saturday then wouldn't that mean she is still strong and healthy?
MightyMax
Banned
MightyMax
Banned
Can I ask why you don't want to use the penicillin injections, if the Baytril doesn't work? Some respiratory infections can be quite intractable and need a good wallop on the head!
And don't worry about asking too many questions
Maybe see if they will do a conscious xray so she would not need GA if she is a good bunny?
My Flo had this problem, did a conscious xray which showed she had an infection but baytril didn't work. So she ended up having a CT and they put her on marbofloxacin (Marbocyl) which is another oral antibiotic in the same family of drugs as baytril. That with nebulising for 8 weeks got her breathing back to normal.
Antibiotics can take a long time to get rid of all the bacteria, hence why the courses can be quite long. Have your vets suggested nebulising?
Respiratory infections can be difficult to get rid of and will take time and patience!
My Flo had this problem, did a conscious xray which showed she had an infection but baytril didn't work. So she ended up having a CT and they put her on marbofloxacin (Marbocyl) which is another oral antibiotic in the same family of drugs as baytril. That with nebulising for 8 weeks got her breathing back to normal.
Antibiotics can take a long time to get rid of all the bacteria, hence why the courses can be quite long. Have your vets suggested nebulising?
Respiratory infections can be difficult to get rid of and will take time and patience!
