urgent adive needed please

Got up this morning to find Harvey is not at all well He wouldn't eat his breakfast or his hay, but he did much up a fenugreek crunchie. When I picked him up he started to gasp through his mouth and I noticed some diarroea around his bum. I have given him some Infacol and he actually seems slightly better now, but still will not eat his hay and is sitting in a hunched postition. He had a bit of an upset tummy a last week, but I thought he had just eaten too many toast crusts or maybe it was the brasil nut he got hold of. I stopped his veg for a couple of days and he seemed fine again till this morning. The gasping for breath seems to have stopped now, although he still seems to have slightly laboured breath. He did seem slightly breathless yesterday afternoon, but ate his dinner ok and his breathing was fine in the evening.

Roger went down with an acute stomach virus on Wednesday and is still poorly. Is it possible Harvey has what Roger has got ? Or could he be going into heart failure ? I have a bottle of baytril ( I always keep one in fridge for the ratties ), so I could give him some of that. If he has a heart condition will anti-biotics make him worse ? Any advice is welcome please.

Sorry I really can't be much help to you, hopefully someone who is better at giving advice will be along shortly. If you are really worried though, it is best to call the vet, and if they think it necessary they will see Harvey as an emergency case. Get well soon vibes on their way for Harvey.

Ig he is gasping through the mouth this is a very bad sign. Bunnies only mouth breath when they are very ill. Please seek vetinary attention as soon as possible. I wish you all the best with this and send lots of vibes for Harvey x

Rabbits cannot contract human viruses but the symtpoms you have described do need urgent veterinary care, he will need pain relief & fluids at the very least. It may also be possible that he has a respiratory infection or that his stomach is bloated and is putting pressure on his lungs making breathing a struggle....rabbits are obligate nose breathers so gasping orally is a very serious symptom.

Please call your vet asap for qualified advice

He jumped up on sofa awhile ago to say hello to Roger and now he is sleeping in a warm spot he's found by window in lounge. His breathing still seems laboured though, but he's more relaxed. I think the Infacol has helped with any stomach pain he had. I had a feel of his abdomen earlier and it doesn't feel bloated and he is not sneezing and no discharge from his nose.

There is only one vet practise where we live and the large animal vets are usually on call for emergencies. To be honest they do more harm than good. I have had that misfortune in past. Tomorrow we can see the small aninmal specialist, who is very good and he has the Zoomed certificate too.

Oh dear not another poorly bunny

I hope he gets better soon, but I would take him to the vets. Its all worth it when you see them brighten up after treatmeant.

I rang emergency vet yesterday, but it was another practise. Apparently my vet and this practise take alternate weekends for being on call. The vet I spoke to was very nice, but not much help really. She said I would have to take him to the main surgery and if she admitted him all they would do would be to keep him on a heatpad and give fluids. Treatment would have to wait until today, until the staff came back. She said it was ok to give him some Metacam and he seemed to pick up later on. He ate some grass, some fenugreek crunchie and a small amount of rabbit pellets. His breathing went back to normal.

I took him to my vet this morning and he has been admitted for an x-ray. Sybil is not very hopeful, she feels he has a colonic tumour, which will be inoperable. She said it might be a poo/food blockage, but given his age and rapid onset of symptoms its most likely a tumour. She's going to ring me later.

Oh no hon, try not to give up hope. Sending lots of get well thoughts your way.

Ours was another surgery as well...about an hours drive. I am with Cristobel so we trust their choice, and he was very nice and let us off over £30!

I really hope Harvey is on the mend soon…

McQueen wrote:

Oh no hon, try not to give up hope. Sending lots of get well thoughts your way.

Ours was another surgery as well...about an hours drive. I am with Cristobel so we trust their choice, and he was very nice and let us off over £30!

I really hope Harvey is on the mend soon…

Thanks ...... I am trying to stay positive. My vets are very good and I do trust their judgement and I know Sybil was just trying to warn me that its most likely not going to be good news. I told her I don't care about the cost if he can be fixed.

Since Sept 2008 its just been non stop bad news. First my uncle died from pancreatic cancer, then I broke my leg, then Rog broke his arm, then I lost my job, then the rats got sick, then more rats got sick, now Rog is in bed with a stomach virus, my mum has hurt her arm and Harvey. When will it all end

what a bad run of luck. sorry to hear this - fingers crossed for a poo blockage. when are they going to let you know?

Sorry to hear of the rough time you are having. I hope that Harvey can be helped and will be better soon. Hugs and healing vibes on the way.

Sending lots of vibes xxxx

Vet just rang. Whilst they were trying to examine him he became very stressed and frightened and had a heart attack She said she got some of the other vets to have a look and everyone is sure he had a colonic tumour.

Oh no I am so so sorry

omg i am so sorry that is awful. i am so sorry, am thinking of you.

Oh my goodness, this is so sad, i'm so sorry

I lost a bunny the same way and it is sooooo very distressing

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Big hugs xx

Oh I am so sorry to hear that.

So sorry to hear that

So sorry to hear of your loss.
Sending lots of love xx

I am so sorry hon