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Fast breathing/odd posture: UD 22/3 Gone to the Bridge

Liz47

Wise Old Thumper
I've thought Bigwig on occasion breathes fast, but her heart/respiration rate has been normal when checked and no problems picked up on vet visits. She's 2 years old. This morning she seemed to sit more 'upright' when eating her pellets and her nose/sides moving very quickly. I'm hopefully going to attach some videos although Flickr isn't allowing me the upload option atm! She's otherwise well but I'm thinking of calling the vets today as I'm worried as some of you may remember I hand reared her and the lovely lady I rehomed her 2 brothers to lost one a month ago suddenly with sudden breathing problems which went downhill very quickly and didn't respond to treatment, although no diagnostics were run.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gJ7hUNLkT11YviwEA

ETA: please let me know if you can view the video link ok.
 
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Have you tried the ‘wheel barrow’ test on her. Have her standing on a secure surface with someone holding her still, then gently lift up her rear end. Do her eyes bulge at all when she is tilted forward in this way ?

Does she ever do dry sneezes?

Has she got a good tolerance to exercise ?
 
Have you tried the ‘wheel barrow’ test on her. Have her standing on a secure surface with someone holding her still, then gently lift up her rear end. Do her eyes bulge at all when she is tilted forward in this way ?

Does she ever do dry sneezes?

Has she got a good tolerance to exercise ?

Thank you for replying. I'll do the test tonight when I get home from work, I'm going to see if my partner can count her respiration rate for me this morning and let me know. She does occasionally sneeze but normally it's after she's just stuffed her head into her hay, but it is good quality dust free hay...
She runs and Binky's fine and will follow us round no problem.
 
Thank you for replying. I'll do the test tonight when I get home from work, I'm going tto see if my partner can count her respiration rate for me this morning and let me know. She does occasionally sneeze but normally it's after she's just stuffed her head into her hay, but it is good quality dust free hay...
She runs and Binky's fine and will follow us round no problem.

Does the fast breathing only occur when she eats her pellets ration ? If so and she is otherwise perfectly well then it may just be that she is a greedy girl and wants to eat the pellets as quickly as possible.
 
Does the fast breathing only occur when she eats her pellets ration ? If so and she is otherwise perfectly well then it may just be that she is a greedy girl and wants to eat the pellets as quickly as possible.

She does love her food! It will also happen when she is laid down on her vet bed throughout the day, after I took the video this morning she went into the litter tray to eat hay and looked fine then.
 
She does love her food! It will also happen when she is laid down on her vet bed throughout the day, after I took the video this morning she went into the litter tray to eat hay and looked fine then.

Try getting a video of her breathing when she is lying down x
 
Hope you find out why Bigwig is breathing fast. I went through it with my bunny Mischief recently so know it can be alarming.

The fact he is still eating his pellets is a good sign though xx

Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
 
Hope you find out why Bigwig is breathing fast. I went through it with my bunny Mischief recently so know it can be alarming.

The fact he is still eating his pellets is a good sign though xx

Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk

Thank you, I've just read through Mischief's thread and hope he continues to do well :)

I've not been able to video Bigwig resting, but her sides move just as quick as in the video of her eating. I did the wheel barrow test and her eyes didn't bulge. I'm trying to count her breaths per minute but it's so fast trying to keep up. She's booked into the vets first thing Monday morning since she is otherwise acting as normal.
 
Thank you, I've just read through Mischief's thread and hope he continues to do well :)

I've not been able to video Bigwig resting, but her sides move just as quick as in the video of her eating. I did the wheel barrow test and her eyes didn't bulge. I'm trying to count her breaths per minute but it's so fast trying to keep up. She's booked into the vets first thing Monday morning since she is otherwise acting as normal.

Hope all will go well for her x
 
Thank you, I've just read through Mischief's thread and hope he continues to do well :)

I've not been able to video Bigwig resting, but her sides move just as quick as in the video of her eating. I did the wheel barrow test and her eyes didn't bulge. I'm trying to count her breaths per minute but it's so fast trying to keep up. She's booked into the vets first thing Monday morning since she is otherwise acting as normal.
You are definitely doing the right thing getting him checked at vets if the breathing is still fast at rest.

If you notice him struggling to breathe and lifts his head into the air especially if it slows down and gets noisy then take him down as an emergency this weekend. Rabbits can't breathe through their mouths so it's vitally important that their nasal airways are kept clear.

Good luck on Monday at the vets. Please keep us posted when you know how he is. Special nose bump from Mr Chief [emoji175]

Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
 
Thank you all :)

Bigwig's breathing has seemed ok, but she has been quieter than usual sitting in a spot she doesn't normally use and not eating much hay, her poos are small and dark. She still comes running over for pellets/veg and to interact with us. My partner took her to her appt this morning and heart/lungs sounded fine, teeth seem ok as far as vet can see, she's had injections of gut stimulant and metacam and we're to call first thing if that has improved to get oral medication to finish a course or if not then to go for investigations. She was brighter this morning, was already waiting at the kitchen door for her breakfast and was eating hay until I left for work.
 
Thank you all :)

Bigwig's breathing has seemed ok, but she has been quieter than usual sitting in a spot she doesn't normally use and not eating much hay, her poos are small and dark. She still comes running over for pellets/veg and to interact with us. My partner took her to her appt this morning and heart/lungs sounded fine, teeth seem ok as far as vet can see, she's had injections of gut stimulant and metacam and we're to call first thing if that has improved to get oral medication to finish a course or if not then to go for investigations. She was brighter this morning, was already waiting at the kitchen door for her breakfast and was eating hay until I left for work.

Hope she will soon be back to her usual self x
 
Thanks both, apparently she has been eating more hay today :) We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'll still be keeping a close eye on her as doesn't really give an answer, if she's more comfortable could be just due to the metacam and won't be sure what was bothering her in the first place x
 
So Bigwig was a bit brighter last night and came over to me and bit my ankle which is her usual greeting when you step over the baby gate and she kept coming over to us but still not eating hay. She was very keen as usual for pellets and veg, afterwards she was dry sneezing. Overnight there's been very little/no noticeable hay eating and still very tiny poo's, she ate her pellets but slower and didn't immediately rush off to find the rest (scattered) although she did go for them shortly after. I still think her breathing effort is more than it should be. Partner took her again to the vets and she was given repeat of the same injections, baytril, metacam and metoclopramide plus some recovery food. Vet advised she was 1 degree lower than normal temp, she did go with a snugglesafe but was outside for about 10mins in carrier.
I've called back as there's no improvement, so I'm taking her back tomorrow morning. I've said I'm keen for an X ray/worried about heart but it's not the usual vet but hopefully tomorrow we may be able to get some answers
 
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