When I started working from home due to Covid 19 I noticed that Pickle snored. I assumed I’d just never noticed before as I was working near him with no TV or radio on. He was due to have his vaccinations the day after lockdown started. Obviously, the vet cancelled this, but I managed to persuade them to see him that day as he hadn’t eaten all his pellets and was only having the odd nibble of hay. He was seen whilst I sat in the car park and then vet concluded that he was healthy, teeth fine but gave him gut stimulant and pain relief injections. It was the vet, I don’t have much confidence in as I had to argue to get pain relief for Willow when she had a urine infection and who spent a heck of a long time examinimg Pickle and Beans to confirm their sexes when they were 8 weeks old! He was eating fine as soon as we got home of course.
Pickle and Beans both live in the kitchen but with a divide between them.
Forward to Saturday, bunnies both behaving normally but when he ate his hay Pickle was making a loud snoring type noise. No noise when he was just sat breathing normally, but when I picked him up so he was a little more stressed his breathing was affected again.
I got an emergency appointment at the vets less than an hour later. The vet came out after examining him and said that he had an upper respiratory tract infection, which made sense. He felt that the best antibiotic to treat it with was (I think) tetracycline or oxytetracyline. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any in stock so we’re going to ring round to try and find some, so I could leave Pickle with them and they’d phone when he’d had the injection and would need another one later.
As I was on the far side of town and by the motorway I decided to nip north into Preston to my favourite craft shop that had just reopened as I was making an 18th birthday card for a colleague’s daughter and couldn’t find a certain stamp so needed a replacement. I thought it was a bit risky as I had taken my diuretic tablet that morning (that makes you wee lots) but figured I wouldn’t be gone that long as of course, nowhere has toilets open at the moment. Whilst I was in the craft shop the vets phoned to say they’d tracked down the antibiotic but it was at a vets north of Preston and they didn’t have any staff free to collect it, could I? Of course I agreed, so they texted me the directions, it was about a 25 min drive from where I was. Got there and it’s a large animal vets on the edge of nowhere. Car park all locked up and looked deserted. Phoned them and had a half understood conversation where they said they’d send the meds over. Unconvinced that we hadn’t been talking at cross purposes I googled the vets to discover that they have 3 locations, two of which were open, but not the one I was at. Fearing that my vets had sent me to the wrong one I called the number again. After explaining the situation, I was told that they were just the emergency number and that they didn’t know who was dealing with it and they only had the numbers of the on call vets but didn’t know if any of them was dealing with it. By this time my bladder was starting to complain. I called my vets and explained the situation, after putting me on hold for 10 mins the said they person inside the vet building where I was knew I was there and would either come out or phone me shortly. 10 mins later, I car pulled up next to me and out got a vet with the medication!
I drove back to my vets (40min drive), phoned to say I was in the car park with the meds and had to explain the whole story as the staff had changed shift. I was then able to pass it through the window to the vet nurse who said they would give Pickle the injection and ring me back in a few when they would give him back to me. 30 mins later, with my bladder about to burst, I called them to say was he ready for collection soon, as it wasn’t a problem if he wasn’t, but if it was going to be more than 15 mins, I needed to nip home to use the loo and come back!
10 mins later they said I could collect him and bring him back for another injection on Tuesday. I’ve never been so relieved to get home! Literally!!
Pickle was a little subdued on Saturday but has been fine ever since, no noise when eating and very little snoring and up to mischief as normal.
Anyway, took him back for his injection yesterday afternoon and was told he needs another one on Saturday. Still haven’t had a bill yet as the injection isn’t on the system so someone needs to work out the cost!
Cut to this morning, I cam downstairs after a lie in, neither bun came bounding for breakfast, but both did come over and take a fenugreek crunchie off me. Went outside to see to Willow and Herb then came back in. I noticed that Pickle hadn’t eaten his pellets overnight, whereas, as is normal, Beans had an empty bowl. Beans had also polished off his fenugreek crunchie, whereas Pickle had abandoned his on the floor. Gave them them both fresh hay, Beans tucked into his. Pickle sniffed his and ate a couple of mouthfuls but that was it. Been trying to get him to eat with different things but he’s not having it. He’s not hunched up or tummy pressing and is sat in his normal places for the time of day. Spoke to the vets and am taking him in at 2.30pm. He has had a little nibble of hay since I spoke to the vets, but certainly isn’t eating normally.
Pickle and Beans both live in the kitchen but with a divide between them.
Forward to Saturday, bunnies both behaving normally but when he ate his hay Pickle was making a loud snoring type noise. No noise when he was just sat breathing normally, but when I picked him up so he was a little more stressed his breathing was affected again.
I got an emergency appointment at the vets less than an hour later. The vet came out after examining him and said that he had an upper respiratory tract infection, which made sense. He felt that the best antibiotic to treat it with was (I think) tetracycline or oxytetracyline. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any in stock so we’re going to ring round to try and find some, so I could leave Pickle with them and they’d phone when he’d had the injection and would need another one later.
As I was on the far side of town and by the motorway I decided to nip north into Preston to my favourite craft shop that had just reopened as I was making an 18th birthday card for a colleague’s daughter and couldn’t find a certain stamp so needed a replacement. I thought it was a bit risky as I had taken my diuretic tablet that morning (that makes you wee lots) but figured I wouldn’t be gone that long as of course, nowhere has toilets open at the moment. Whilst I was in the craft shop the vets phoned to say they’d tracked down the antibiotic but it was at a vets north of Preston and they didn’t have any staff free to collect it, could I? Of course I agreed, so they texted me the directions, it was about a 25 min drive from where I was. Got there and it’s a large animal vets on the edge of nowhere. Car park all locked up and looked deserted. Phoned them and had a half understood conversation where they said they’d send the meds over. Unconvinced that we hadn’t been talking at cross purposes I googled the vets to discover that they have 3 locations, two of which were open, but not the one I was at. Fearing that my vets had sent me to the wrong one I called the number again. After explaining the situation, I was told that they were just the emergency number and that they didn’t know who was dealing with it and they only had the numbers of the on call vets but didn’t know if any of them was dealing with it. By this time my bladder was starting to complain. I called my vets and explained the situation, after putting me on hold for 10 mins the said they person inside the vet building where I was knew I was there and would either come out or phone me shortly. 10 mins later, I car pulled up next to me and out got a vet with the medication!
I drove back to my vets (40min drive), phoned to say I was in the car park with the meds and had to explain the whole story as the staff had changed shift. I was then able to pass it through the window to the vet nurse who said they would give Pickle the injection and ring me back in a few when they would give him back to me. 30 mins later, with my bladder about to burst, I called them to say was he ready for collection soon, as it wasn’t a problem if he wasn’t, but if it was going to be more than 15 mins, I needed to nip home to use the loo and come back!
10 mins later they said I could collect him and bring him back for another injection on Tuesday. I’ve never been so relieved to get home! Literally!!
Pickle was a little subdued on Saturday but has been fine ever since, no noise when eating and very little snoring and up to mischief as normal.
Anyway, took him back for his injection yesterday afternoon and was told he needs another one on Saturday. Still haven’t had a bill yet as the injection isn’t on the system so someone needs to work out the cost!
Cut to this morning, I cam downstairs after a lie in, neither bun came bounding for breakfast, but both did come over and take a fenugreek crunchie off me. Went outside to see to Willow and Herb then came back in. I noticed that Pickle hadn’t eaten his pellets overnight, whereas, as is normal, Beans had an empty bowl. Beans had also polished off his fenugreek crunchie, whereas Pickle had abandoned his on the floor. Gave them them both fresh hay, Beans tucked into his. Pickle sniffed his and ate a couple of mouthfuls but that was it. Been trying to get him to eat with different things but he’s not having it. He’s not hunched up or tummy pressing and is sat in his normal places for the time of day. Spoke to the vets and am taking him in at 2.30pm. He has had a little nibble of hay since I spoke to the vets, but certainly isn’t eating normally.
Last edited:
