Assuming it doesn't stress her out too much.
Rosie is 9 and a half and has an enlarged heart - it was confirmed in June in this year after being probable after she was hospitalised with pneumonia earlier in the year. She is on no medication - something I question myself over every day - but in the 9 years I have had her she has never allowed me to lay a finger on her for any length of time and being held/ treated/car travel stresses her immensely. She has always been a definite hands-off rabbit and my worst fear for her was her developing a condition that would need daily treatment. So, it was decided to allow her to live out the rest of her days as stress free as possible and not get into a position where she was constantly hiding from me. It is better to be able to assess her under 'normal' circumstances rather than her becoming stressed by my approaching her.
On the plus side she is still enthusiastic about food and eating well, bright in herself (foraging on the decking) and seems to be maintaining her weight. She also has a companion Max - after I lost her partner BJ - who is on loan from a friend who she is happy with.
On the minus side her breathing is slightly laboured - but not mouth breathing. I don't know the cause of this but a round trip of 2+ hours to my preferred vets to find out the cause may not be in her best interests if again there is no treatment. She also now has a snotty nose so I did decide to take her down to my non-preferred vet only 5 mins away to try and get some abx. I have been given baytril (for only 5 days as it turns out) which is stressing her to try and get her to take - even in baby food - which affects her breathing.
So I am wondering if nebulising her may help. I did ask the question of the baytril vet (who I don't have too much confidence in) and he said not as he couldn't determine the condition of Rosie's lungs. This is fair enough, but am wondering if anyone has nebulised a rabbit under the same circumstances and whether it may help. I have a nebuliser and saline that I can use.
Any advice would be welcome. Every day when I see how bright she is I question whether I should be medicating her to give her more time - but then just trying to clean her nose upsets her........ so hard to know what to do for the best.
Rosie is 9 and a half and has an enlarged heart - it was confirmed in June in this year after being probable after she was hospitalised with pneumonia earlier in the year. She is on no medication - something I question myself over every day - but in the 9 years I have had her she has never allowed me to lay a finger on her for any length of time and being held/ treated/car travel stresses her immensely. She has always been a definite hands-off rabbit and my worst fear for her was her developing a condition that would need daily treatment. So, it was decided to allow her to live out the rest of her days as stress free as possible and not get into a position where she was constantly hiding from me. It is better to be able to assess her under 'normal' circumstances rather than her becoming stressed by my approaching her.
On the plus side she is still enthusiastic about food and eating well, bright in herself (foraging on the decking) and seems to be maintaining her weight. She also has a companion Max - after I lost her partner BJ - who is on loan from a friend who she is happy with.
On the minus side her breathing is slightly laboured - but not mouth breathing. I don't know the cause of this but a round trip of 2+ hours to my preferred vets to find out the cause may not be in her best interests if again there is no treatment. She also now has a snotty nose so I did decide to take her down to my non-preferred vet only 5 mins away to try and get some abx. I have been given baytril (for only 5 days as it turns out) which is stressing her to try and get her to take - even in baby food - which affects her breathing.
So I am wondering if nebulising her may help. I did ask the question of the baytril vet (who I don't have too much confidence in) and he said not as he couldn't determine the condition of Rosie's lungs. This is fair enough, but am wondering if anyone has nebulised a rabbit under the same circumstances and whether it may help. I have a nebuliser and saline that I can use.
Any advice would be welcome. Every day when I see how bright she is I question whether I should be medicating her to give her more time - but then just trying to clean her nose upsets her........ so hard to know what to do for the best.
