Mae’s breathing

[BunnyLiz]

Quick question and hopefully I can get some answers before tomorrrow morning.  Hammer is going to the vet tomorrow morning to have his skin checked on because I really cant tell if its all healed or not.  So I thought I might as well take Mae if need be.  Its hard to describe, but she breaths wierd when she is cleaning herself and has to reach really far.  Like when she fishes for cecals or turns and cleans her lower back.  Its not really a wheeze, maybe a raspy noise but its not loud.  If the TV is on or some music you dont hear it.  She has done it since I got her and I didnt really think much of it because she is overweight.  No discharge, no discomfort, nothing pointing to illness.  The best way I can describe it is a sound my dogs make.  Like when they are cleaning/chewing and have to turn around to get their lower back area and they do that snort raspy thing.  Anyone know what Im talking about?  Its not nearly as bad as a dog sounds of course, but around that same noise.  I think its just because she is overweight, but just to check, that could be the problem right?  She had a wellness exam about 3 months ago and was perfectly healthy, minus her weight.  She is on a new diet now so she should slim down some.

[Sarita]

I think you are spot on about the weight. My large girl Twizzler is the same way making noises when she does these things. I think the larger size rabbits just have to exert more than the smaller ones so they grunt, sniffle and all that good stuff.

[BunnyLiz]

Ok good, thank you! I just wanted to check and make sure my theory made since to some bunny people. Good to know its normal for her.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yeah that’s sounds exactly right-kind of an exertion noise.

[bunnytowne]

True  it can be that.   Cotton sort of does that when he is struggling to get out from under the towel when I have him wrapped.   Being overweight is probably contributing too.

[MooBunnay]

I agree, if you only hear it when she is stretching to groom herself it sounds like it isn’t a health issue, however, I think that her extra weight could definitely start causing more of an issue so I’m glad she’s on a diet!

[BunnyLiz]

Yea she got her yearly exam when she was still at the rescue and the vet mentioned she needed to slim down. But the rescue said their wasnt much they could do about her weight. Because for one she got as much out time as they could give, to many buns. And two because every bunny in the rescue gets a small ration of a half alfalfa half timothy pellet mix. They explained that they could not keep up with all the young, old, recovering, overweight, underweight, special needs etc as far as a different pellet diets for each, so everyone got half and half. She is on oxbow timothy pellets now, and doesnt eat them as quickly now so I might reduce the amount from 1/4 later if getting rid of the alfalfa doesnt work completely.

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