I brought my 1 year old male bunny to the animal 911 last Sunday. He wasn’t eating normally so I gave him oral Metoclopramide and Metacam. After returning home a couple hours later, he had not eaten or pooped. The animal ER said that he had a fever and inflammation of the ear canal. They gave him some injectable GI meds, sub-q fluids, Baytrl and ear drops. I brought him to my vet the next day for recheck and he was doing better. On Tue, I was administering oral GI meds, anti-biotics and ear drops when I accidentally gave him his Metoclopramide too fast and he coughed. I called the vet back and they said to monitor him. Well by evening he was making loud respiratory noises. I took him back to the vet and they took an x-ray. Lungs looked ok, no sign that he aspirated, airways looked inflamed but no sign of pneumonia. So they gave him some more sub-q fluids and a shot of Metoclopramide since he wasn’t eating well. Next morning, still not eating well but no respiratory sounds. So they gave him more injectable meds and sub-q fluids. Later that day (Wed) he was now making loud respiratory sounds. The vet said to take him to animal ER again for hospitalization. They said it sounded like pneumonia. They gave him IV fluids, injectable meds and oxygen. They transferred him the next day to the exotic vet two doors down. The ER does not keep rabbits during the day hours when the exotic vet is open. They said they are better equipped to diagnose rabbits. I didn’t want to take him back and froth to my vet because it was a further drive and I thought that it might upset my bun. They examined him and did blood work, x-rays, oxygen, injectable meds. They said there was signs of infection in the white and red blood cells, x-ray showed a small area in one of the lungs that had pneumonia. By Friday he was eating better, pooping and no audible crackling. I picked him up on Friday evening. He was very happy to be home with his mate.
They sent me home with oral Metoclopramide, Metacam, Baytrl, Pro-b, Cissipride, ear drops. Yesterday he was still not eating right. So I hand fed him critical care, gave him some sub-q fluids. He is not his active self but does lay down spread out next to his mate and seems pretty comfortable. I only heard a couple soft clicks in his breathing last night while giving him his meds.
Today I observed him eat a little greens and a little hay and he pooped a little. Still not his normal self. So I continue to treat him with GI meds, sub-q fluids and critical care. I did not hear any respiratory sounds at all.
I have been down the road a number of times with GI stasis and know that it can take awhile for a bun to regain it’s full appetite and begin pooping normally. My guess is that he ate/pooped better at the vet while he was on oxygen. And perhaps now, it is more difficult to breath still and he is not as active and not eating normally.
I have never had experience with pneumonia and not sure what to expect. I didn’t want to take him to the ER again last night and stress him out with the 45 minute ride and being away from his mate. Outside of oxygen and IV fluids, there wasn’t too much more they could do that I had not already given him.
I do plan to call the exotic vet that hospitalized him tomorrow morning. But just wondering what to expect recovering from pneumonia/stasis. The stasis was a secondary symptom to the original fever/ear ache and then aspirating/pneumonia. They never did see any blockage in his system.
Just one worried bunny Mom right now!!!
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