# Bunny Breathing Problems



## Rach1802 (Apr 8, 2013)

Hi,

Our male rabbit, Peanut, has been back and forth to the vets recently and has been diagnosed with either a widespread inflammation or a tumour on his lungs. His lung function is currently at 25% according to our vet and he is now on a course of steroids to reduce the inflammation. We have to go back in 10 days to see if they've had any effect, otherwise we have been advised to let him go as he is struggling to breathe so much.

It started a couple of weeks ago when we noticed he was taking a long time to eat - we thought his teeth needed doing as he is now ~6 years old. He has also had a weepy eye on and off for about a month (previously treated with Fuciderm) where he poked it with a bit of hay and it scarred over slightly. Those issues combined led us to take him in, where our vet said the eye was fine, just to top up with a bit more Fuciderm, and that his teeth had very small spurs but nothing that would prevent him from eating. He then noticed the breathing and became very concerned that it was either an infection or a tumour. 

Peanut was put on a course on antibiotics for 1 week but when we went back they hadn't done anything, so it looked less like an infection. He was given a 24 hour steroid shot and a longer course of antibiotics. He perked up a bit for a couple of days and was finishing whole bowls of food, which he wasn't before, faster than he had been.

When we went back a week later, his breathing had got worse. Our vet said it is either a widespread inflammation (I was quite upset so I didn't catch what) or a large tumour that is beyond removing. Xrays or any surgical procedure involving anaesthetic are dangerous because his lung function is so low. As we thought the steroid had helped, he was given a shot that would last 3 weeks and we were told to bring him back after 10 days to see how it has helped, if it has. Then we have to decide what to do. He seems relatively happy in himself but his sides heave when he breathes out.

Has anyone else experienced this or know what it might be? We also need advice on how best to deal with our remaining female bun as they are a bonded pair.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Rach1802 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Our male rabbit, Peanut, has been back and forth to the vets recently and has been diagnosed with either a widespread inflammation or a tumour on his lungs. His lung function is currently at 25% according to our vet and he is now on a course of steroids to reduce the inflammation. We have to go back in 10 days to see if they've had any effect, otherwise we have been advised to let him go as he is struggling to breathe so much.
> 
> ...


Hi there.

Poor Peanut, and poor you. Watching a rabbit struggling to breathe is upsetting, even when the bun just seems to accept and get on with it.

I'm no vet, and each case can be different - problems with the airways (infection, inflammation), a tumour, a heart issue or even a combination are all possibilities.

Over the years, we have had several buns with breathing difficulties.

One of our buns had severe breathing problems and his eyes began to bulge. Then he began to go blue. He was referred as an emergency, and had all the xrays, lung washes and so on, by an exotic vet. They showed that his airways were very inflamed, but he also had a tumour near his heart, causing all sorts of ragged/rapid breathing issues.

http://www.rabbit.org/health/thymoma.html

He had a few crises, but we managed to stabilise him for quite some time. He was nebulised daily; and we found that hay - any hay, including dust free - made his breathing worse.

So we took him off of hay, and grew, cut and snipped grass and fresh day and night, and fed him that instead. That alone made a massive difference. He was too old for an op on the tumour. He was still an active, indoor rabbit.

We suspect that there must be a hereditary element, as his ageing offspring are also now showing the same symptoms.

Currently, three of ours are being nebulised daily, with salbutamol. That is relatively easy, and it might be worth asking your vet whether he thinks this might help your bun.

We bought a human nebuliser, then fitted it to a lidded storage box, by cutting a hole in the side of the box. Salbutamol goes in the storage pot, bun goes in box, lid goes on, nebuliser goes on for allotted time, bun comes out and goes back to enclosure.

Another rabbit cannot cope with the nebuliser, so he is on steroids for the duration now. He's alert, lively and happy and enjoying life with his friend, and it buys him more time.

We have also had a couple of rabbits on Corvental (bronchodilator and treatment for heart failure) in the past.

Maybe some of this info will help you when discussing Peanut's options with your vet.

If you keep him on shavings, do stop using them, as they will aggravate his breathing. If you are using hay, do make sure it is dust free (see the Dust Free Hay Company). Their hay has really helped one of our bulgy eyed crew, although he can only have their timothy hay, nothing else; and do consider trying a fresh grass alternative if you can (you can buy wheat grass seed off ebay)

Rabbits, like horses, can become allergic to the hidden spores in hay.

Final thought - if there is an allergy element, this can be treated with (human) Piriton, bought over the counter. We use that too.The vet will give you the dose.

Hope this helps a bit.

Do let us know how he gets on.


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## Rach1802 (Apr 8, 2013)

Thank you so much for your reply. We do keep them on wood shavings inside so I will take them out and give the cage a good clean. Do we need to put anything down in their place? 

He has dust free hay, just meadow hay that we buy. I am reluctant to remove it as I would fear stasis without constant access to hay - would that be an issue?
At the moment they live in a two storey cage inside at night and a large outdoor pen on grass during the day. We have dogs so free range is too risky. The hay is for overnight and if it's too wet for them to go outside. They hate the rain!

His eyes aren't bulgy but the scarred one is a bit weepy. Mostly I'm worried that if we let him go it will be too soon because he seems happy apart from his breathing. He doesn't wheeze either, you can just see his sides moving more than they normally would.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Rach1802 said:


> Thank you so much for your reply. *We do keep them on wood shavings inside so I will take them out and give the cage a good clean. Do we need to put anything down in their place? *
> 
> *He has dust free hay, just meadow hay that we buy. I am reluctant to remove it as I would fear stasis without constant access to hay - would that be an issue?*
> At the moment they live in a two storey cage inside at night and a large outdoor pen on grass during the day. We have dogs so free range is too risky. The hay is for overnight and if it's too wet for them to go outside. They hate the rain!
> ...


Firstly, you and only you can decide when the time is right for your bun. The vet can advise, but you know your bun best. If he is still enjoying life, then it's not time yet. You will know -you will see it in his eyes and feel it too.

Our indoor buns live on newspaper and carpet squares, with underbed storage boxes of hay for litter trays.

I wonder if moving bun in and out is also affecting his breathing? The temperature changes could well aggravate his problems.He might be best keeping him wholly inside.

As for stasis - it is good that you are aware, and yes, you couldn't just take the hay away. Any dietary change needs to be ideally done gradually. I just threw the idea of grass instead of hay in as a radical move, as we did it and it worked - but then we had pictures to show how inflamed he was. This might not be your bun's problem.

Another thought - a rabbit's eye can run if they have tooth root problems. X rays would confirm this. Again, just a possibility. metacam can relieve any associated pain, and is an anti inflammatory.

You have to be guided by your vet - but make sure they are truly rabbit savvy, as so few are - then you make the final decision.

There are many sophisticated tests, but sometimes a vet will do a very primitive "wheelbarrow test" on a rabbit with breathing difficulties. This involves lifting the rabbits back end. If the eyes then bulger, there is a likelihood of a tumour or cyst inside. But don't try yourself.

We lost a rabbit suddenly a few years ago - she was bright and lively until the day she dies unexpectedly. No signs of anything. But a post mortem showed she had lung cancer.

You just never know.

I wish I could suggest more.

Do get the shavings out. Some of our rabbits like a fleecy blanket to snuggle on, but others wee on it. Perhaps talk to the vet about trying Piriton.


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