8 Week old Kit breathing "like a fish"

[caroline]

I'm beginning to feel like Job. Every day but yesterday for the last 2 weeks I've found something that I wouldn't have asked for in the rabbitry: mom with paralyzed hind end, buck with wry neck, another mom with mastitis and obviously not feeding her 10 day old kits, and more...

This morning in the grown out cage that includes kits from 3 different litters, some from the mom who was paralyzed, one of the 8 week old kits was sitting off by itself with its head up, rather than lying prone like I usually see rabbits. In addition it seemed to be distressed in its breathing pattern, opening and closing its mouth like a fish.

I took it out of the cage and have it in a crate by itself now with hay and a dish of water. I will probably dispatch it but I wonder what is causing the behavior and if there is anything to be done about the rest of the kits that it was with.

 

[MaggieJ]

Definitely sounds like a respiratory infection - possibly pneumonia. You were right to isolate it. If you decide to euthanize it, it might be a good idea to open it up and take a look, especially at it's lungs.

I'm sorry... You sure are having a bad spell with the buns. I wish I had something positive to offer.

 

[ladysown]

pneumonia most likely

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sorry to hear of your run of bad luck, Caroline. Poor you and poor buns.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

sorry to hear about your bad luck.

your "fish breathing" is exactly the same as what I saw with my mystery deaths when I came upon one that wasn't dead yet.

wish I had something to offer as well ):

 

[AmysMacdog]

So sorry about all the troubles you've been going through. I hope things get beter for you soon.

 

[caroline]

So sorry about all the troubles you've been going through. I hope things get beter for you soon.

Well, Just went out to the barn and found a litter of 10 Lilac and lynx kits that had just been born. Even though mom chose not to use the provided nest box, the babes were all covered in fur in the straw that I had piled in to the cage. I relocated them to the box and covered with the fur mom provided. She wasn't thrilled about my "redecorating" efforts. Normally very calm she was[understandably] jumpy.

I'm glad that "life goes on" but also not totally able to just relax and enjoy it. When I don't really know why health issues have been coming up I can only wonder if I need to do something I'm not doing, or stop doing something I AM doing so that the rabbits can have healthier lives :?

 

[skysthelimit]

This I understand.

The fish breathing sounds like what Louet was doing, gasping for air, and what the other bun was doing when I thought she had heat stroke.

I have no answers, only more questions.