Breathing Rate Question

[Jenk]

I noticed last night that Emma, who's still recuperating from GI stasis, was breathing at twice the rate as her sister, Zoe. I'm wondering if she could actually be experiencing pain, especially since I noticed that she had a hard time closing her eyes to sleep yesterday. (Even when flopped on her side, she'd kept her eyes mostly open, which is unusual.)

Thanks,

Jenk

 

[Marietta]

Heavy or quick breathing may be a sign of pain (she could still have gas, which almost always accompanies GI stasis, why don't you give her some Simethicone?), a sign of fear or it could even be panting from excessive heat. Do you see any other signs of discomfort? How is her breathing today? In regard to sleeping, you know that rabbits sleep also with their eyes half closed or totally open, so maybe she was, after all, sleeping last night?

Marietta

 

[Jenk]

Marietta wrote:

Heavy or quick breathing may be a sign of pain (she could still have gas, which almost always accompanies GI stasis, why don't you give her some Simethicone?), a sign of fear or it could even be panting from excessive heat. Do you see any other signs of discomfort? How is her breathing today? In regard to sleeping, you know that rabbits sleep also with their eyes half closed or totally open, so maybe she was, after all, sleeping last night?

The thing about Emma sleeping: She normally does so very easily and with her eyes closed. All day yesterday, though, her eyes were at least partly open--even when she was flopped on her side.

Emma still has some gas; last night, I heard some loud gurgling/popping in her using my generic stethescope. This could be the cause of her pain/discomfort. I didn't give her Simethicone, afraid that it could interfere with the Baytril and probiotic that she's taking. (I'm betting you'll tell me that Simethicone has no known drug interaction, though, right? I'll feel badly if I unknowingly left her uncomfy last night. )

I'm at the point of being a bunhypochondriac, I know :?; I'm bringing her back to the vet today.

My latest concern ismycotoxins. Emma's decreased eating and fecal changes (both insmell and color) seeminglycoincided with me feeding her a new (albeitgood) hay brand and re-introducing pellets to her diet. Also, she andZoe are finishing a bale of Oxbow hay that's partly brown, which I've just read usually indicates that thehay was too moist when baled (and, thus, could havemold).

 

[Marietta]

Jenk wrote:

I didn't give her Simethicone, afraid that it could interfere with the Baytril and probiotic that she's taking. (I'm betting you'll tell me that Simethicone has no known drug interaction, though, right?

Right!

My latest concern ismycotoxins. Emma's decreased eating and fecal changes (both insmell and color) seeminglycoincided with me feeding her a new (albeitgood) hay brand and re-introducing pellets to her diet. Also, she andZoe are finishing a bale of Oxbow hay that's partly brown, which I've just read usually indicates that thehay was too moist when baled (and, thus, could havemold).

I have no experience in mycotoxins (thank God!), but from what I've read, the symptoms seem to be more intense and developing more quickly than what you describe. As far as the bale that turned brown is concerned, toss it away, just to be on the safe side.

Marietta

 

[Jenk]

Marietta wrote:

I have no experience in mycotoxins (thank God!), but from what I've read, the symptoms seem to be more intense and developing more quickly than what you describe. As far as the bale that turned brown is concerned, toss it away, just to be on the safe side.

The vet's leery to claim mycotoxins just yet. Hetook more of Emma's blood to check certain values (to determine if Emma's wobbly stance and other symptoms are indicative of a metabolic or parasytic issue).

Ifher blood work indicates ametabolic issue (and, thus, not a parasytic one), I'll pursue testing Emma's pellets for mycotoxins. (I've kept the bag--just in case....)

From what I've read about mycotoxins, the symptoms from them depend upon how much of the affected food was fed, as well as the length of time it was fed. (Emma ate 1/16 - 1/8 C. of pellets per day for 4-6 weeks. I honestly can't remember the exact length of time at this point.)