Breathing Weird

[BakingBunny]

Hello, my bunny has recently been through a lot. She just got over a bad case of GI. Before that she had an “upper respiratory infection.” I use quotation marks because I’m not sure if she was diagnosed properly (it was a new vet clinic, I don’t think I’ll be going back). She had a nose whistling problem, more so when she was excited about something, and she was put on antibiotics for 2 weeks. Then she got GI. Now she’s all better, but her nose whistle is back along with some weird “huffing” every now and then. This is the most I was able to capture. It usually lasts around 10 seconds.

IMG_4621

She does that every so often, and then she just continues to act like a bunny. She has a vet appointment on the 3rd. But I’m just a little worried. Any thoughts?

[Wick & Fable]

Unfortunately I do not hear anything on the recording — that being said, nose whistling/general respiratory “struggles” are common indicators of an upper respiratory infection, and it is common for veterinarians to start antibiotics for treating it rather than waiting for a culture to come back or something like that. URIs are relatively common in rabbits. Did your rabbit show any signs of improvement on the antibiotic?

Nose whistling can be normal, especially if only happens in times of “relaxation”, like going to sleep or lounging after exercising/being active. Air is being pushed back and forth more forcefully through the nostrils, which can create a whistle sound. If your rabbit is showing signs of breathing difficulties, like open-mouth breathing, excessively rapid breathing for no reason, or there are other signs of a URI, including sneezing or nasal discharge, further veterinary assessment is recommended.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[BakingBunny]

oh, well imagine a very faint kinda “cough” sound. She got a tiny bit better. Like very faintly for a short time. Because she got bad GI a day after her antibiotics ended. Her nose whistles when she’s excited more than when she’s relaxed.

[Wick & Fable]

If you are seeing your rabbit cough, that is a valid reason to go to the veterinarian for assessment as soon as possible — coughing is not normal in rabbits at all and suggests something serious is going on in the lungs that requires medical attention/treatment.

If there was improvement on the antibiotic, I recommend discussing it further with a vet. If that particular antibiotic was disagreeing with your rabbit’s GI tract, there are other antibiotics that may be effective and not cause as much GI distress. Baytril tends to be the “go-to” in a lot of the US, however, some providers go with azithromycin first, which is believed to be more agreeable with more rabbits. For a list of safe vs. not-safe drugs (to cross check any recommendations given by a vet; not for at-home treatment), see here: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Common_drug_dosages_for_rabbits

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Author]

Messages