Differential diagnosis for difficult of noisy breathing

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Video showing an older female rabbit that presents a stertorous (noisy) breathing. Causes are yet unclear.

Since the rabbit appears relaxed (rabbits often sleep with open eyes), the nostrils are closed, it may relate to physical obstruction of air

through the throat or nose (stertor). Is the soft palate weak and floppy, or elongated, as has been observed in some older animals ?

It may alsobe indicative of nasal deformation of the sinus due to chronic upper respiratory disease, allergy to dust, among others.

Videos: courtesy of Tal Saarony

Bacterial diseases	Pasteurellosis
	Staphylococcus sp. infection
	Bordetella sp.
	Pseudomonas sp.
	Chlamydiosis
	Mycoplasma sp.
	Presence of abscesses in the lungs
	Bacterial pneumonia

Fungal diseases	Mycobacterium sp.
	Aspergillus sp.

Parasitic causes

Filariasis Reed SD, Shaw S, Evans DE. Spinal lymphoma and pulmonary filariasis in a pet domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus). J Vet Diagn Invest. 2009 Mar;21(2):253-6.

Metabolic diseases	Hypothyroidism
	Metabolic alkalosis (Alkalosis of the lungs may be caused by too much air coming into the lungs (hyperventilation).

Mechanical problems	Aspiration of a foreign body, like a piece of hay
	Lung injury or trauma
	Extensive pulmonary hemorrhages
	Tumors or vascular abnormalities involving the brain stem

Stertotous breathing / Snoring	Snoring caused by the vibration of respiratory structures, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping, relaxing.
	Narrowing at the back of the throat, while the amount of air passing through this smaller opening does not change. The tissues surrounding the opening start to vibrate, which in turn can cause the sounds of snoring. In all cases, the noise results from particles in the air that form sound waves
	Elongation of thickened soft palate.
	Weakening of the soft palate. With aging, the soft palate may become weak and floppy, which can lead to increased snoring during sleep. Increased snoring has been observed in older animals when resting, e.g. dogs or cats.
	Deformation of the nasal cavity, e.g. complications associated with the roots of teeth.
	Sleep apnea, as has been observed in other animals, e.g. dogs and cats
	Medication

Environment causes	Environmental stress, e.g. barking dogs, street works
	Emotional stress, e.g. projection of disease

Central nervous system diseases	Neuromuscular disease
	Disorders of the peripheral nervous system

Neoplastic diseases	Abdominal mass (e.g. thymoma)
	Lung metastasis
	Presence of a tumor in the trachea

Cardiac diseases	Presence of a pulmonary edema
	Chronic cardiovascular diseases
	Congestive heart failure

Autoimmune or chemically induced	Allergy
	Ammonia vapors
	Anaphylaxis
	Toxins
	Overdosage of a sedative or anesthetic drug

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