Help: Bunny fast breathing

Thank you everyone.

He really doesn't look good tonight. I recognise the look from my other bunny Misty who sadly passed away. He definitely looks in pain and distress tonight and looks exhausted aswell [emoji22]



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Wishing him, and you, all the best. I'm sorry to hear it and I know the feeling

It's interesting that you are having similar problems to me- Quinn has a constant breathing rate of around 160 with no identifiable cause and is otherwise well and healthy. Rabbits are bizarre sometimes

I'm really sorry to read that Mischief is not doing so well this evening I really hope he is able to rally overnight xx

I hope that he is still with you x

It was a bit of a roller coaster night. He spent most of night breathing really fast and just lying in corner looking very stressed and exhausted and showing little interest in food on his own.

He didn't seem to use litter tray much except for soft stools and got a bit mucky so had to have a clean up. So I was hand feeding him kale, spinach, spring greens, coriander and parsley plus a few pellets and giving him water to drink when he would take it.

Then we decided to syringe feed him as hadn't eaten much and seemed in discomfort with his tum so gave him excel soaked in water and mashed up banana and he had 18mls! [emoji3] Then he started to pick up...nibbling hay on his own and jumped up on bed for cuddles. Breathing still fast though. Around 140 bpm.

But next minute when I was eating a cereal bar he literally was up on my lap, feet on my chest, man handling me trying to get some!! I'm thinking surely he can't be THAT poorly then??

Then we put him in cage and gave him greens soaked in a bit of water (trying to get fluids in him) and what does he do?? Lie right in it! Chest and tummy got soaked!! Bearing in mind he has a long haired thick coat I was then stressing out...what if he gets a chill? What if it's a respiratory infection??...

So we are madly trying to dry him off...towel dry first and he is biting it and stressing out all feisty...so we tried hairdrier! Turned it on and he was off the bed like a rocket!! So we are scrambling about trying to catch him and get him out from under bed then!!...only option was towel again. Took ages warming up towel with hairdrier instead and trying to towel dry him off.

Put him back in cage and his breathing was super fast and I just sat watching him breathe, unable to sleep, keeping eye on him until 3.30am. Finally had to get shut eye and left him lying there, fast breathing, head held up like he was struggling and not really doing much.

Woke up this morning and he was in same place I left him. But he has eaten hay, his nuggets and greens have been demolished and he is now flopped on his side twitching and squeaking and dreaming of chasing Kevin the carrots [emoji23]

So yes hard to know how ill he is but obviously he is still with us this morning. We leave in an hour. Wish us luck and I will let you know later how the day has gone.

Thank you everyone once again for all your wonderful support. I really hope Mischief and I will be getting to know you all better, sharing bunny antics and giving positive vibes back to all you bunny lovers soon xx

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Bindi said:

Wishing him, and you, all the best. I'm sorry to hear it and I know the feeling

It's interesting that you are having similar problems to me- Quinn has a constant breathing rate of around 160 with no identifiable cause and is otherwise well and healthy. Rabbits are bizarre sometimes

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Awww I really feel for you! Hope you find some answers soon xx

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Bunnies in pain will have stressful breathing. Does he get gas in his tummy? Do you have pain meds? Your vet can show you how to give sub q fluids to hydrate him while he can still absorb them. Glad you did syringe feed.

Sending vibes for Mischief today after a stressful night for you both.
Hoping for a positive update after your vet trip. Xx

Good luck today, I really hope you get some answers x

Thinking of you both, sending a million vibes for your boy xxx

Good luck for today, I hope it goes well xx

bunny momma said:

Bunnies in pain will have stressful breathing. Does he get gas in his tummy? Do you have pain meds? Your vet can show you how to give sub q fluids to hydrate him while he can still absorb them. Glad you did syringe feed.

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I'm not sure about gas in his tummy but it does swell up hard like a beach ball sometimes. And he does do smelly farts [emoji23] We have Loxicom. I don't know about fluids. Will have to speak to vet. Thanks

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Thanks so much everyone. We have dropped him off now. Was upsetting but we have to do this. I just want him home.

He ran around my partner's legs this morning twice then just flopped breathing hard again. It has worried me for today.

I know I have to stay positive but I am struggling. I hate seeing him so sick and suffering like that.

Praying it is good news. Will update you all when I can. Hopefully it is good news for Xmas [emoji173]

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twistedtiggerz69 said:

Thanks so much everyone. We have dropped him off now. Was upsetting but we have to do this. I just want him home.

He ran around my partner's legs this morning twice then just flopped breathing hard again. It has worried me for today.

I know I have to stay positive but I am struggling. I hate seeing him so sick and suffering like that.

Praying it is good news. Will update you all when I can. Hopefully it is good news for Xmas [emoji173]

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If a heart condition is found then there are treatment options to help manage it. I hope that you will receive some optimistic news from the Vets ASAP

InspectorMorse said:

If a heart condition is found then there are treatment options to help manage it. I hope that you will receive some optimistic news from the Vets ASAP

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Yes we have thought it could be his heart. He is overweight aswell. I admit I have overfed him as he loves food so much and constantly begs. Plus we got a massive sack of growth pellets when he was a kit and think it was the wrong food for him as an adult.

He is on a diet now but we have had to kind of put that on hold as needed to keep him eating.

He is in good hands now. Vet doing procedure is rabbit savvy and has experience with buns.

Hopefully we will hear good news xx

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Still keeping you and Mischief in my thoughts xxx

Vets have just called. Mischief is now recovering from procedure. His teeth were perfect except a tiny spur so vet scaled that down for free.

She said the X-ray was more worrying. It shows a fair bit of congestion on the lungs and when she could hear more closely she could hear very slight crackle on lungs.

She is prescribing a different antibiotic. I don't know which one yet. And see if he responds to that. If not we could consider doing bloods and lung wash but she said we also need to be aware of what is right for Mischief. So we try new antibiotic then....

We pick him up at 5.30pm. Is there anything more possibly we could ask please when see vets? They charge us £30 to discuss anything later so need to do it today x

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twistedtiggerz69 said:

Vets have just called. Mischief is now recovering from procedure. His teeth were perfect except a tiny spur so vet scaled that down for free.

She said the X-ray was more worrying. It shows a fair bit of congestion on the lungs and when she could hear more closely she could hear very slight crackle on lungs.

She is prescribing a different antibiotic. I don't know which one yet. And see if he responds to that. If not we could consider doing bloods and lung wash but she said we also need to be aware of what is right for Mischief. So we try new antibiotic then....

We pick him up at 5.30pm. Is there anything more possibly we could ask please when see vets? They charge us £30 to discuss anything later so need to do it today x

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Ask if a short course of a diuretic may help if there is an actual fluid build up in his chest

Ask if a bronchodilator drug may help, as well as the new antibiotic

Ask if using a nebuliser would be of benefit

Sorry for tone of post, very blurred vision

Sending Mischief lots of vibes. I hope he responds to the new antibiotic.

Likely going to be a bit sore even from a minor dental due to having jaw open for a while.

Definitely make sure you have good painkiller cover for a good few days maybe even more than usual and some syringe food if eating doesnt pick up quick enough and as softer textures might be preferred.

Always give any drugs with after some food unless it says otherwise we find they go down a bit better.

Might have gunky eyes from the gel they put on when they're under anesthetic. I usually ask them to wipe that off for me before we go home so I can check for new gunk easily and my two will let the vet do any manhandling but not me lol.

Ask what output they've had so you can keep an eye on it and make sure it improves. Although I understand antibiotics can irritate gi issues.





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