5 week old rabbit breathing weird.. help?

[RebeccaJC]

Last night I went in to check on the bunnies and even though this bunny was fine during the day .. she seems to have developed some sort of problem within a few hours. Last night I walked into the room to hear all this noise coming from one of them.. its like panting and whimpering. I picked her out and she got worse when I picked her up.. and then once she settled in my arms it lessened but didn't go. She seemed so distressed.. my partner said it might just be one of those things.. but went in this morning and she's still not right. Been in to see her just now and I just cried when I held her.. she just doesn't seem right. She makes a noise when she's breathing and she's usually the really wriggly one and when I held her.. she just lay there so still.. and making the noise when she breathes. I am very worried.. I have her booked into vets this evening as its soonest I could get. I am worried were going to lose her.. anyone know what I can do in meantime or what might be the problem? I thought she'd be one of healthiest.. as one of most active.. and also one of the biggest. There are two big ones.. all other bunnies seem completely fine.. happy and healthy. Just her seeming to have these difficulties. At a loss at what to do and feel completely helpless. Don't want to lose her they are all big now with personalities.. Xx

 

[pani]

Is she breathing through her nose, or her mouth? Do you see any nasal discharge or anything similar?

ray: Hope bunny's feeling better soon, and that the vet can help her.

 

[RebeccaJC]

I'm not sure.. I have just been in to check on her again and she's not opening her mouth so i think she might be breathing through her nose. The problems not improving and she just lay so still on me which worries me as she usually tries to wriggle to get free.. her and the other bigger one as so active usually. But she just didn't want to move at all.. she just lay so still looking at me. The breathing is a bit like low growl vibrating and very deep.. and short intakes. I have checked her nose and no discharge as far as I can see. I have no idea what is wrong with her but she seems so lethargic and not herself at all. Just got her to drink some water from the bottle.. hopefully that'll help her a little. I just don't know what is going on and hope the vet can help her. I really don't like seeing her like she is.

And thank you, me too

 

[RebeccaJC]

Don't know if its worth adding or if its linked but i lay her on her back to check her more thoroughly and her stomach grumbled a few times.

 

[JBun]

Try and see if they can move up your appt. Sometimes with emergency situations, they will try and squeeze you in earlier. If you are hearing noisy breathing sounds, it's possible she has pneumonia and really needs to be seen by the vet right away.

 

[RebeccaJC]

Unfortunately I can't. I don't drive and live in the countryside. The reason the appt is when it is, is because my partner works full time and i need to wait for him to get home hopefully she'll hold on till then

 

[majorv]

Good luck, it sounds like pneumonia developing and in a young rabbit they can go down fast.

 

[RebeccaJC]

Just to update you all. We have been to the vets, we decided to warm her up before we went by the fire which turned out to be right thing to do. She was not moving at all when we decided to do that and she really perked up. She does have pneumonia, she was really struggling to breath at vets. We have got a course of antibiotics for her.. feeding her warm water and keeping her in the living room with us. She's a lot more active now and feeding okay so fingers crossed she pulls through and is healthy again soon. Thanks everyone x

 

[pani]

Phew, I'm so glad you got her to the vets. I'm sure she'll recover thanks to your care. ray: Feel better soon, little one!

 

[RebeccaJC]

Thank you. I hope so. Just been to check in on her this morning and give her, her meds. Her breathing was a bit worse then last night (but it had improved last night too) and it was nowhere near as bad as it was the night before or during the day yesterday. She took her meds perfectly fine thankfully as I worried she might spit them out.. but got them down her in one she seems to be doing okay.. hopefully she'll continue to keep doing well. Xx

 

[JBun]

I'm glad it went well at the vets and you got the needed meds. It's always nice when they'll take their medicine without too much fuss. Hope your bun is feeling better soon.

 

[RebeccaJC]

Thank you