Grace is off to the vets!

[Sayuri]

I have always observed that Graces breathing seems to be very fast; I know rabbits breathing is fast so I previously concluded that it was just my inexperience that was making it hard for me to judge. In the heat her breathing has been insanly fast, disproportionate to the heat and with a fan blowing on her and a bottle to lean against. Louis has been a God send because I have been able to compare them. When Grace has been practically hyperventilating Louis has been fine and just now I looked at the both of them and they were both streched out, relaxed and cool and Graces breathing was still considerably faster than his even though she is a larger bunny.

I asked the vet a few months ago about her breathing but he said that it would be hard to check if there was anything because she was likely to be stressed in the vets and it would affect her breathing, I said that her breathing at the time was about normal but he didnt believe me so he didnt check her over for that.

I called my other vet today, we live in 2 places so the bunnies have 2 vets and this one is lovely. She said that I was right to be concerned as she could have a respiratory infection and she could have had it for a long time and that bunnies are prone to these and that sometimes she doesnt see them untill it gets really bad and they just dont make it through it. I feel less paranoid now and I am taking her to the vets this afternoon.

Fingers crossed that its nothing and my baby girl will be just fine!

 

[SOOOSKA]

Good thoughts going Grace's way. I will say a prayer that everything is ok.

Susan:bunnydance:

 

[Bunnicula]

Wise idea to take her to the vet. We had a bunny with pasteurella...and he had respiratory issues as a result...

Unfortunately, I was bunny ignorant back then. I think if we had gotten him bunny-savvy vet care earlier he might have had a longer (or at least healthier) life.

Good eye catching the breathing issue!

Keep us posted on what the vet finds.

-Mary Ellen

 

[Sayuri]

Well we are back!

The vet had a good look at her, checked her teeth and her heart and also her tempreture. She said that her teeth look really good and her tempreture was slightly high but it was probably because of the hot day.

She said that the rate of Graces breathing is FASTER than her heart rate! :shock: This is NOT normal. She said that she was a healthy rabbit in every other respect and that she was a big girl but not over weight, she is nearly 3 (kilos?). She looked up conditions in her rabbit book but couldnt find anything and said at the moment she is concerned about her but there is something going on and I was totally right to be concerned and take her in.

Now I dont know what to do. Im really worried about Grace but as the vet doesnt know what is up with her I dont know where else I can take her. Does anyone know of a bunny specialist that I can take her or has anyone come across a bunny with this "problem"?

 

[naturestee]

Did her lungs sound clear? And the heart sounded ok? Is there anything that makes her think it's not a lower respiratory infection? That would be the most common cause.

I'm not really sure what else it could be, but blood tests and a chest xray help with a diagnosis. This is a really good article and it might help your vet too.
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00294.htm

Have you checked on our vet listings for vets in your area? If you can't find any through that, I'd recommend asking on the forum of http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/

Hugs to you and Grace!

 

[Sayuri]

Thanks, I will have a look at those.

She listened to her chest and she said that it sounded clear and doesnt think that its a lower respiratory infection...she took her tempreture to be sure as she didnt want to put her on medication for an infection and screw her gut up unless she thought that there was going to be a benefit for her.

I am SO worried about her now, I want to move her into my bedroom just so that I can keep a closer eye on her but I know thats not practical or fare on Louis. My boyfriend is taking him on "holiday" to his place for a week to give me a bit of a break from having so many animals on my own and also so that he can bond with him as he has only seen him a couple of times...he is staying here for the weekend first though so dont worry Louis wont feel as though he is going away with a stranger. I think when Louis is down there I will Grace in with me untill he gets home.

I love Grace SO much, I couldnt bear it if something happened to her

 

[ellissian]

Just wanted to say I hope everything is ok with Grace, I know how much she means to you.

 

[Bunnicula]

Bambi Sunshine wrote:

Now I dont know what to do. Im really worried about Grace but as the vet doesnt know what is up with her I dont know where else I can take her. Does anyone know of a bunny specialist that I can take her or has anyone come across a bunny with this "problem"?

Just sent a PM to Randy...he may well have had some experience with a bun with similar issues.

I'll be keeping Grace in my thoughts and prayers.ray:

-Mary Ellen

 

[Sayuri]

Thank you both of you -- Im not sure who Randy is but I will be greatful for anything anyone can tell me.

I have been trying to track down a rabbit specialist and contacted the Royal Vet College and eventually tracked one down in Harrogate; which is a LONG way from me. She did however say that if my vet faxes over her clinical history she will have a look at it and see if she can offer any advise and send it over to my vet - for FREE! -- if she cant come up with anything and she needs to see her then I will have to take Grace to Harrogate some how.

I spoke to Erica, Graces vet, and I was really pleased by her attitutde to me seeking a second opinion, as it were. She just said that she didnt have a clue what was up with Grace so if she could learn something for the next time then that can only be a good thing.

The specialist isnt back untill August 21st but Im not overly worried about that as Grace has always had this, I just need to work at keeping her cool and keeping an eye on her in the meantime

 

[Bunnicula]

Bambi Sunshine wrote:

Thank you both of you -- Im not sure who Randy is but I will be greatful for anything anyone can tell me.

Randy is a moderator on this forum who runs a rabbit rescue and does wildlife rehab. He is not a vet, but he's had TONS of special needs bunnies his way and he's seen some medical issues that many of us have not...so he might be able to give you some ideas of questions to bring up to the vet. Also...he has been an AWESOME help to me every time any of my bunnies has been ill. (He's Gingivere's hero!)

 

[Sayuri]

Thanks hun! -- he did send me a PM this afternoon.

I am getting increasingly concerned about Grace as she doesnt seem to want to come out and have any bouncing around time. She did this the other day and then today I didnt let her have bouncing time as I wanted her to settle down after her vet appointment so she should have been bursting to come out. I took her out of the cage and put her on my bed and she did try to escape once but then just stayed happily. Just now I wanted to clean her cage and I had to drag her out of her cage to do it, then after a short bounce around she just went back to "bed"

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Alice, I really hope Grace is ok. She definitely needs to see someone more specialized. I hope it's nothing, but this is a bit strange.

Prayers for Grace and finding a good vet very soon.ray: