I just need some general advice and comfort really. Bugsie has possibly got chronic respiratory issues. We haven’t done a nasal swab, but because the milky discharge cleared up after a couple weeks course of antibiotics (they shouldn’t really have done this without a C&S), the vet was happy to not do it for now. Plus, she said it can cause his nose to bleed which panicked me.
The issue is I can barely do anything with him before he’s breathing fast. I try to brush him without having to handle him, he still gets stressed. I try to cut his nails, he gets stressed. The vet recommended nebulising to help clear congestion, but not even 2 minutes into treatment his mouth is open and his nostrils are flaring.
Tonight I tried having a look at his scent glands because he was starting to smell a bit. Handled him all of 5 minutes and his nostrils started flaring badly. He’s okay now, don’t worry. He calms down pretty quickly once you let him do his own thing.
I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I need to groom him, but if he gets like this with me in the comfort of his own home you can only imagine how he gets like at the vets. I don’t want to take him in for an examination unless I have no choice. I possibly want to do a nasal swab but I’m so scared to take him in. To make life more difficult: we’ll be moving soon and it’s a 40 minute drive from where we currently live. I’m dreading the car journey already.
I feel like screaming and crying at this point (I already have several times to be honest). I don’t know what to do. I feel like a terrible bunny parent, not being able to take care of him. He is my whole world and I’m failing him 🙁
by urfavratboy
