Is Harper Sick?

[MyBoyHarper]

Harper was fine earlier, I cut him and theguinea pigs up a big bowl of their regular veggies, and he ate a fewcarrot tops and ran around his cage. That was about 10 minutes ago. Ilooked over just now, and he's in a corner, sitting real hunch over.His ears are pressed very tightly against his head and his eyes arehalf closed. But this is not Harper's usual relaxed state. Usually hewill lay down, ears up,and sometimes have his eyes halfclosed. He doesn't look that way right now.

Possible problems? Suggestions? Is he sick? :dunno

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Now I know he's not acting right... he's real puffed up, and breathing kinda hard...

Did I do something wrong?? I fed him his usual veggies! A littlebroccoli, romaine lettuce, squash, zucchini and carrots. I don't thinkhe even ate any though, which he usually only nibbles anyways. So Idon't think it was the veggies...

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Has he been eating, drinking, peeing, pooping normally up until now?

How warm is it there?

It could be gas. Will he come out and run around a bit?

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Is he grinding his teeth?

 

[MyBoyHarper]

He was doing everything normally up until a few minutes ago.

It's very hot here, almost 100. But he's an inside bunny, in my bedroom. The room is nice and cool.

He wasn't grinding his teeth that I seen, but he kept sucking his headinto his neck... kind of like when a person burps, they'll kind of pulltheir head into their neck a little, and then let out the big belch.Helooks just like that, kind of like he wants to burp. Doesthat make any sense whatsoever?

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Could he be choking on something?

 

[MyBoyHarper]

He seems to be breathing okay, just a littlefast and hard. His breathing seems to have calmed down some... maybe hewas choking...

The last thing I saw him doing before this started was him eating astringy carrot top. Maybe a piece got caught in his throat? He seems alittle better now, though he scared the poop outta me a minute ago!Jeesh, it's like having a kid... :thud

 

[Snuggys Mom]

That scared me too! I have no ideawhat to do with a choking rabbit. I've heard of the "swing"method, but I'd never do that for fear of spinal injury.

Maybe he had a little gas. Broccoli will cause that.

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Well, he seems better now... he's all stretched out being lazy...

I was about ready to grab him and haul booty to the vet! I'lldefinitely be keeping a closeeye on him for the rest of theday!

 

[SOOOSKA]

Hi, how's Harper feeling today?I hope he's 100% back to normal.

All my babies wish him good health.

Soooska:apollo::bunny19:bunny2:bunny18

 

[JimD]

Hello MBH!

Is that Harper in your avatar??

You may have just caught him at a time that he wanted to snooze. Thatposture (minus the "belching") sounds typical for sleeping. Mineusually take a nap after eating.

I've also had an experience that scared me a bit. It concerned some ofthe greens I had given to my buns. I'm usually in the habit of cleaninggreen throughly, but one day I grabbed some parsley, broke off some ofthe outer sprigs, and gave them to the buns. They ate them, but alittle while later a few of them weren't acting right and wouldn't eatfor the rest of the day. That evening I took the parsley out to cleanthe remaing and found that the sprigs at the center of the bunch hadstarted to sour. That's the last time I give greens without cleaningthem first.

~Jim

 

[Pipp]

MyBoyHarper wrote:

He seems to be breathing okay, just a little fast and hard.His breathing seems to have calmed down some... maybe he waschoking...

The last thing I saw him doing before this started was him eating a stringy carrot top. Maybe a piece got caught in his throat?

I think you might be right about the carrot top. Radar scaredme to death once. One minute he was very happily gorginghimself on his dinner, the next minute, the plate of veggies was stillthere, but he was gone -- cause for alarm right there! Thelittle piggy would never leave a plate of food unless something waswrong.

I found him cowering behind the door looking very ill. Afterspending ageson the phone trying to find an emergency vetthat knew something about rabbits (of course it was a weekend evening),and phoning other bunny people, he started coming out of it.Within about four hours, he was back to normal and finishing hisdinner.

He had beeneating a stalk of celerythat I neglectedto cut up, and although I thought I had removed the strings, I hadn'tdone a very good job. I'm sure that was theproblem. It wasa string in his teeth or his thoator something.

Glad Harper's better!



sas and gang :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance: