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Tips on avoiding aspiration?

Graciee

Graciee

Moderator
Staff member
Just wondering if any of you have any tips on avoiding it happening?

Also how do you know if it's happened?

What does it mean for the rabbit if it does?


(without jinxing it, this is just me being curious, hasn't happened [emoji38] just wondering if there's ways to avoid it that I don't know about :))

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Graciee said:
Just wondering if any of you have any tips on avoiding it happening?

Also how do you know if it's happened?

What does it mean for the rabbit if it does?


(without jinxing it, this is just me being curious, hasn't happened [emoji38] just wondering if there's ways to avoid it that I don't know about :))

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Aspiration is effectively food/fluids going down 'the wrong way' So it goes into the lungs instead of the stomach.This can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

If talking specifically about minimising the risks of a Rabbit aspirating oral fluids/feeds/meds then administering them following this method is useful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iGZVYVm5Bg


Never administer anything orally with the Rabbit placed on his/her back (ie 'tranced).

A Rabbit who has any respiratory tract problems will be at higher risk of aspiration. IME giving meds/feeds slowly and in tiny amounts, always directing the syringe across the mouth, not directly down his/her throat is important. Personally I only ever use 1ml syringes.
 
Give only 1-2 cc at a time, allowing the bunny time to chew and swallow. Aspiration of food can be life threatening, so do this with great care! Provide plenty of fresh grass hay, such as timothy. Even if the rabbit won't eat timothy, oat, brome or other grass hays, it is probably best to avoid offering alfalfa hay.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Aspiration is effectively food/fluids going down 'the wrong way' So it goes into the lungs instead of the stomach.This can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

If talking specifically about minimising the risks of a Rabbit aspirating oral fluids/feeds/meds then administering them following this method is useful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iGZVYVm5Bg


Never administer anything orally with the Rabbit placed on his/her back (ie 'tranced).

A Rabbit who has any respiratory tract problems will be at higher risk of aspiration. IME giving meds/feeds slowly and in tiny amounts, always directing the syringe across the mouth, not directly down his/her throat is important. Personally I only ever use 1ml syringes.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane, that's basically what I do, altho her CC was a lot more runny than what I made in the past [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

I use a mixture of the 1ml and 2.5ml syringes although the 2.5 ones can be difficult because they're thicker.

Would you know if a rabbit has aspirated? Does it mean death? Solids sound bad.. But would liquids be reabsorbed if they went down the wrong place?

In the video she has the bun under the chin, Clementine would never allow that [emoji38] so I hold her front paws together slightly off the ground, she kinda rests on me so I'm like supporting all of her front weight (back feet on the floor - she is not standing up she's level just her front feet are on my arm or hand) do you think this is okay?

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Diddlysquat said:
Give only 1-2 cc at a time, allowing the bunny time to chew and swallow. Aspiration of food can be life threatening, so do this with great care! Provide plenty of fresh grass hay, such as timothy. Even if the rabbit won't eat timothy, oat, brome or other grass hays, it is probably best to avoid offering alfalfa hay.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this :) yes max I do is 0.1ml at a time for her to swallow.

What do you mean about the grass/hay? I mean she obviously has hay, loads of it, but she isn't really eating any of it. We don't feed alfalfa here at all.

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Graciee said:
Thanks Jane, that's basically what I do, altho her CC was a lot more runny than what I made in the past [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

I use a mixture of the 1ml and 2.5ml syringes although the 2.5 ones can be difficult because they're thicker.

Would you know if a rabbit has aspirated? Does it mean death? Solids sound bad.. But would liquids be reabsorbed if they went down the wrong place?

In the video she has the bun under the chin, Clementine would never allow that [emoji38] so I hold her front paws together slightly off the ground, she kinda rests on me so I'm like supporting all of her front weight (back feet on the floor - she is not standing up she's level just her front feet are on my arm or hand) do you think this is okay?

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It is usually pretty obvious if a Rabbit has aspirated a feed/meds. They gag and panic and paw at their face. It is not always fatal, but Veterinary attention is needed immediately and close monitoring is essential for at least 24 hours. (Listening to lung sounds via a stethoscope ).

Choking on solids is another matter and very frightening to witness. There is a sticky about what to do here

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?374912-Rabbit-Choking-101

and this link too

https://rabbit.org/the-heimlich-maneuver/
 
Jack's-Jane said:
It is usually pretty obvious if a Rabbit has aspirated a feed/meds. They gag and panic and paw at their face. It is not always fatal, but Veterinary attention is needed immediately and close monitoring is essential for at least 24 hours. (Listening to lung sounds via a stethoscope ).

Choking on solids is another matter and very frightening to witness. There is a sticky about what to do here

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?374912-Rabbit-Choking-101

and this link too

https://rabbit.org/the-heimlich-maneuver/
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane, that's really helpful, I just like to know these things, hope it never happens ofc. Just didn't know the signs etc.



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Graciee said:
Thanks Jane, that's really helpful, I just like to know these things, hope it never happens ofc. Just didn't know the signs etc.



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Click to expand...

This was Hal after he choked on a SS pellet. I had to use the Heimlich Maneuver and thankfully I have a good friend who is a Vet so I could access help quickly (It happened late at night).

cAm09Sd.jpg


PnxWOPA.jpg


Thankfully Hal made a full recovery, but I will never feed SS pellets again as there have been numerous episodes of choking incidents in Rabbits fed on them.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...king-Rabbit&highlight=science+selective+choke

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...ght!!/page2&highlight=science+selective+choke

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...hoked/page2&highlight=science+selective+choke
 
Jane - guess you wouldn't appreciate the 50ml syringes my vets use?

I asked my vet to demonstrate what to do in a choking incident - really hope i never have to intervene, it seems really risky :( though obviously a life saver too
 
joey&boo said:
Jane - guess you wouldn't appreciate the 50ml syringes my vets use?

I asked my vet to demonstrate what to do in a choking incident - really hope i never have to intervene, it seems really risky :( though obviously a life saver too
Click to expand...

Actually yea for CC I have the 50ml ones [emoji51] hate the 15ml CC one they seem to get jammed up quickly.. Also have 20ml ones for syringe feeding too which are good

I might ask my vet to show me actually, just incase, it's a good idea I think to be prepared.

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Jack's-Jane said:
This was Hal after he choked on a SS pellet. I had to use the Heimlich Maneuver and thankfully I have a good friend who is a Vet so I could access help quickly (It happened late at night).

cAm09Sd.jpg


PnxWOPA.jpg


Thankfully Hal made a full recovery, but I will never feed SS pellets again as there have been numerous episodes of choking incidents in Rabbits fed on them.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...king-Rabbit&highlight=science+selective+choke

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...ght!!/page2&highlight=science+selective+choke

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...hoked/page2&highlight=science+selective+choke
Click to expand...

Omg :'( poor baby :'( it's so awful :(

Yea I've stopped pellets all together actually the only ones I do have now is SS grain free, always used to feed excel which I never had issues with, but don't really bother with pellets now Idk if that's a bad idea or not tbh, they just get hay and veg everyday and stuff I grow and some weeds etc but I have a small bag here incase and excel actually - actually I think I have a 10kg bag of excel in a bin in the garage which I need to get rid of [emoji51] think I've been trying to forget that, literally just remembered [emoji51]

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All mine are on a pellet free diet. They do have the occasional Fibafirst stick, but their main diet is a variety of hays, fresh and dried herbs and forage and water. Me and Morse got ourselves embroiled in a 'Police Incident' when foraging yesterday. Morse only went and found a blood stained knife that had been chucked into some bushes . Even foraging for my Rabbits cant keep me out of trouble !! :roll: :lol:

A local Rescue may be able to make use of the bag of Excel you have x
 
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