WHATS WRONG WITH ROXY?

Question
I have a 18 month doe called Roxy, for the past 2 days she
has not been eating as much food as normal (but still eating
some)and her wees and poos hav both been fine apart from sum
brown mucus i found in her run?? i have also noticed, just
as she is going to eat her food she is making a retching
movement, her body and head jerk as if she wants to be sick
or shes strugglin somehow, i am going to call the vet in the
morning but any advice would be greatly appreciated,
thankyou, Ryan Michelini

Answer
Dear Ryan,

Please read this now:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

for emergency instructions.  But note that if she appears to be retching or having something irritating her mouth and/or throat, she may have molar spurs, a jaw abscess, something caught on a back tooth, or any number of things involving the head.  You'll need an experienced rabbit vet who knows how to look for an treat dental problems like this:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Please also read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

Note that stress/pain can elicit a GI tract slowdown that can, in turn, cause GI irritation and mucous stool.  

Another possibility is a respiratory infection, or that she aspirated some food and is having trouble breathing.  If it's this, then gently supporting her with both arms on either side and firmly lifting her back end so that her head is pointing straight down can help gravity do the work of dislodging an item stuck in her airways.  

If it's mucus, be very cautious, as mucus running into the mouth can then back up when you put her back in a normal condition, and choke her.

This sounds serious enough to me that you should get her to the vet now, if possible.  I can't see her in person to make a judgement about which of these possibilities is most likely.  But some are serious enough to warrant emergency treatment.

I hope she will be fine.

Dana