Why is my bunny shaking, panting, and breathing fast? Should I worry?

Sorry to hear about Onyx! You should take her to the vet as soon as possible. I suspect she has a respiratory infection. Rabbits are very prone to infection by a bacteria called pasteurella. The vet will be able to listen to her lungs and recommend further investigations. I imagine she will need an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. In the mean time keep her comfy in a calm, draught free environment.

Thanks for reaching out about Diva. Increased respiration can be due to other conditions other than pneumonia. Heart disease, metabolic disorders (kidney, liver) and neoplasia need to be considered. If no diagnostics were performed, radiographs and blood work would be recommended. If an older female and intact, uterine cancer can cause anemia, metastatize to the lumps or be painful. Good luck.

Rabbits can become sick quickly with upper respiratory infections. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. In the meantime make sure his cage is cleaned daily as the ammonia from the urine can cause irritation to the respiratory tract. You may also consider taking him into the bathroom when anyone showers to allow the humidity to help as well. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm so sorry to hear that Chubbs is so ill. It sounds like he is in a lot of discomfort. Unfortunately rabbits are obligate nose-breathers, which means that they cannot breathe through their mouths if their nose is obstructed. This makes snuffles (upper respiratory tract infection) very uncomfortable for rabbits. Surgery would not be the appropriate treatment for this guy. What he needs is antibiotic therapy to clear his infection, and to clear the secretions from his respiratory tract. Nebulization can help, which may be available at rabbit-specific veterinarians. He would also benefit from oxygen therapy, which would require hospitalization at the vet. I would call around and see if there are any other rabbit-savvy vets in your area that can provide these treatments. The only home treatments I could suggest for now would be steam therapy - e.g. put him in the bathroom with you while you take a shower, and let the steam help to open up his nasal passages. Gentle coupage may help as well, which involves gently patting him on the chest to help loosen any secretions in his lungs (only do this if it is not stressing him out, of course). If you are able to get him to a vet for hospitalization and he does not improve, I am afraid that euthanasia is a viable option at that point, since he will continue to be in distress from the inability to breathe. I hope this helps, and truly wish you luck with Chubbs.

I am sorry to hear about your bunny! There are many possible causes for sneezing in rabbits. We can see infections with bacteria cause sneezing in bunnies. Since only one bunny is affected the infectious cause is less likely. Irritation to the nasal passages due to things like odors/ammonia from urine in the cage or cedar shavings can occur. Foreign objects being inhaled (such as pieces of hay or shavings) can cause sneezing fits. Dental problems can also cause sneezing. Since some of these problems due require medical treatment I would recommend an examination by a vet who sees rabbits. In the meantime you can try putting a humidifier in your bunny's room if you have one and you may also bring your bunny into the bathroom while you run a steamy shower for a steam treatment for 10-15 minutes to moisten the respiratory passages.

Shaking all the time as in shivering or tremoring is not normal and may indicate Fitz is stress or there is something underlying. If moving him to a calm, quiet place doesn't resolve the issue, a vet visit to rule out any health problems is best.

I'm sorry to hear that Flower isn't feeling well! These signs can be an indication of an infection, and are concerning because she may be having trouble breathing. The fact that she is not eating or drinking can cause her to become very sick, because it is important for a rabbit's gut to be moving regularly. I recommend having Flower seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment. You should keep a close eye on her and have her seen immediately if you think she is having trouble breathing.