My bunny struggle for air and sometimes breathing heavily (RIP)

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the fluffies

the fluffies

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Oct 21, 2008
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Location
penang, , Malaysia
Last monday night, i found my bunny struggle for air. He breathed heavily. I call a vet who was available at night (1 hour driving from here), and the vet was mentioning about giving an injection to ease breathing. I took my bunny there, but while waiting, i received a bad news (my dad passed away in Johor which is 12hours driving from Penang), so i took my bunny home and it was left unattended (but with water and food) while i was away.

I just get home this morning to check on him. It didn't struggle for air but was breathing heavily.

Now (7.00pm in Malaysia) he looks like struggling for air. I'm thinking about taking him t the vet again to get the injection, but i have to leave my bunny again tomorrow morning. The vet has no boarding service for bunny so i have to leave it at home again. I will away for 10 days but i have a friend who will helps to feed my pet while i am away.

Have any of u experience using Doxapram injection on bunnies??
 
This doesn't sound good to me at all. I think you need to get him to a rabbit-savvy vet ASAP.

Rabbits cannot lose much of their lung function before they begin to shut down. Humans can lose something like 70% of lung function and still survive. I think rabbits can lose something like 20% before severe problems occur.
This is why respiratory problems needed to be sorted very quickly.

Your vet should take tests before administering something when they don't even know what it is! X-rays of lungs, perhaps even blood tests etc. Or tests should follow-up this injection, if it's a common-practised thing for rabbits with breathing problems (I don't know).

There are so many things this could be. Is he sneezing? Is he wheezing? Does he have discharge from either his eyes or his nose? Or crusty discharge on his paws (from cleaning his face)? Is he eating and drinking? Is he using his litter tray? Is he lethargic?

I really don't think this is a time to leave your rabbit. If you don't take him to the vets before you go, 10 days later...I really dread to think what you will come back to find. Rabbits can go downhill so so quickly. If you do take him to the vets (which you definately should imo), I still don't think he should be left. He will need looking after and you will need to monitor his condition.

:pray:

Jen
 
Thread about Shiro i posted since he fell sick a month ago.

My rabbit stomach feels hard

My megacolon HL bunny is getting more skinny

Benebac & Nutri-cal

A few days ago, I just realised he fell sick after received Frontline treatment at the other vet. But i'm too late now :sigh:

We just get back from the vet (11.17pm in Malaysia). This vet said it could be the side effect of the Frontline that has been using on him last month.

Shiro was suffocated and sprawled on the floor when the vet trying to weight him. He was given Dexameth injection. The vet also prescribed other medicines - Baytril, Liv52, Nefrotec, Prednisolone and val syrup for 6 days to reverse the side effect of the Frontline.

The vet said, if Shiro is getting better in 6 days, i can continue giving meds for another week until he doesn't show any sign of sickness again. But if his condition is getting worse, i should prepare myself to say goodbye to Shiro

:rainbow: :sigh:
 
That's great you took him to the vets. I really am praying for Shiro.



Jen:pray:
 
I am so sorry about your dad.

I will need to do some more research into how to treat a frontline reaction in rabbits, but I do know that steroids (dexamethasone, prednisone) shouldn't be used on rabbits unless absolutely needed. If the reaction to Frontline is allergic in nature, the steroids are called for. However, I thought the reaction to Frontline was not an allergy but instead a nervous system depression problem.
 
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chemical/foia/cleared-reviews/reviews/129121/129121-137.pdf

This describes the rabbit reaction to Frontline being seizures and "jaw champing", occurring within 48 hours after treatment.

I would stop the use of steroids because by now the Frontline reactions should be over.

Nefrotec is for urinary function and is not a western medicine product--it is Ayurvedic medicine, so it is hard for me to tell you what impact it is having. I think it is being used to flush the body of the fipronil toxins by increasing urination.

Liv52 is also eastern medicine and is meant to promote liver function, probably to get the liver to remove the fipronil toxin more quickly again.

I think at this point he probably needs hydration and keep up the Baytril. The reason I say to keep the Baytril is because the steroids have probably knocked down his immune system (that is what they do) and the antibiotic will help him if any opportunistic bacteria have taken hold, as is common when a rabbit is given steroids. I would stop the steroids at the very least, and probably also stop the other two medicines, but that's your call.

The VAL syrup is a B vitamin supplement to restore appetite, but it also contains a lot of sugar. Keep an eye on his poo for issues--if it gets bad, stop the syrup.
 
I've stop the other medicines including the Val syrup. I just stick to the Baytril, Critical Care & Benebac.

Shiro only eat fruits and veggies. The poops were a bit softer yesterday. Haven't seen much poops today, but i think he looks ok.

Is there anything i can do to help Shiro with his nervous system depression problem?
 
Shiro didn't poop today. Saw some mucus comes from his bottom. His appetite is ok. He munch on a lot of cilantro and papaya today.

:litterempty:

:nerves1 :nerves1 :nerves1

~nerq~


 
poor Shiro he has really had a rough time of it recently!!! I feel bad for you because you just lost your dad and worrying about poor Shiro! My prayers are with you, you have alot going on right now :feelbetter:
 
No, he doesn't eat pellets or hays... just papaya and cilantro. But have force-feed him Critical care and Benebac and pineapple juice today. But he still hasn't pass any normal stool yet. Just a few small stool and mucus :sigh:
 
Poor guy. I hope that keeping the system moving though will get this out. I don't think his reaction to fipronil would have lasted this long--he is probably having trouble with his GI system due to stress on his immune system from the steroid treatments.
 
I'm giving up...

Today is the last day i can take a look on him. The next early morning i'm going to fly to my hometown in Johor to check on my mom. Mom hasn't eat anything since last Monday (since my dad passed away :() I have to be with her...

My bf will attent my Shiro. He cant help much. He doesn't know how to pick up a bunny, doesn't know how to force feed a bunny. But i hope he will find a way to continue the Baytril and Benebac to Shiro. The antibiotic was scheduled to last on Wednesday.

Please pray for my Shiro while i'm away. I'm worry to dead.. Hope everything is ok until i come back on Friday nite...

Dear God, the only thing I ask of You is to hold him when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away.. :pray: :pray: :pray:
 
I don't think it would help a lot. The Bene-Bac will help more. Most of the digestive enzymes will be destroyed by stomach acid.
 
So sorry you lost your dad. I know exactly what you are going through.

Please don't give up on your bunny. Is there any way that you can take Shiro with you to check on your mom?

I will be praying for you, Shiro, and your mom. Hope things get better for you, Shiro and your mom.

I will text and email Randy to see if there is any treatment for frontline reactions, because it sounds like Shiro is still having reactions to it.
 
I'm going home by flight. I can't drive alone. It is a 10 hours driving. My bf will help me look for my pets when i am away.

Shiro's appetite looks ok. Except, he only wants to eat leaves and fruits, and nothing more that those. He doesn't want any pellet or hay. I syringe feed him Critical Care 3 times a day and he gets his Benebac every morning. I don't know how Shiro is going to make it when no one around to syringe feed him. :sigh:
 
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