Could this be snuffles?

[BethM]

I've had Nick for 2 1/2 years. The first day he came home, he sneezed a lot, usually several times in a row. His foster mom said this was normal for him, he was so curious he would just get stuff in his nose and sneeze. She said he had been checked out and was fine. (He went to the vet soon after adoption, and got a clena bill of health.) He has been sneezing off and on like that ever since. He really does get his nose into everything (he's a Holland Lop mix), and then will sneeze several times. Never a problem with discharge.

Lately, though, the sneezing seems different. He is more likely to sneeze just once. And on three seperate occasions, he has sneezed while he was laying down, and he made a crazy sound. Squeaky, almost like he coughed and sneezed at the same time. It ws really strange and scary. But each time, I caught him and gave him the once over, still no discharge. He has had no matted fur on his front paws, though he always cleans his face after sneezing.

His eyes also appear normal. He is eating, drinking, pooping normally. He does seem a little less energetic than before, but he does still come out and play. Just not a frequently. He is due for an ear rinse, so I'll be looking him over this weekend. (My vet wants his ears rinsed once a week with T8 Solution, to help prevent ear wax buildup. Nick hates being handled so much, I usually do it once a month. It's just too traumatic for him to be caught that much.) He is still quite friendly and curious and will always come over to find out what I'm doing, so I try to peek at his nose/eyes when he's checking me out, but he will run away if I touch him.

This has just been in the last 2 weeks. I wouldn't worry except for that weird cough/sneeze noise. Should I be worried about the snuffles?


The last time he was at the vet was in the spring, he had stasis twice but his digestion seems normal since then.

 

[JadeIcing]

I honestly can't say to much. I would monitor it very closely and mention it to the vet.

 

[Maureen Las]

he needs to be seen by a vet.
this is an infection progressing into his trachea /chest. The longer left untreated the more difficult it will be treat now.

Some vets say if there is no white discharge no problem
I have personally not found this to be true.

I had a rabbit who had a severe tracheal infection and did the sneeze /cough thing and never had white discharge

One of RO'S members adopted a rabbit from our shelter. When he was at the shelter he would have occasional fits of sneezing . and then it would totally stop and maybe not reoccur for a lenghty time. He was checked out OK by the vet after adoption and wasn't sneezing/

His new owner thought he had allergies. he continued with occsional fits of sneezing..
but then his condition turned into a chest infection and the problem became apparent

he was started on antibiotics but it was to late; he died.
it was truly no one's fault as it wasn't usual symtomotology.

You need to get to a vet who is rabbit knowledegable and explain things as you have on this forum.

Possible the vet can do a culture although without exudate it is difficult.
i believe that your suspicions are correct and with the change in chest sounds and lethargy something is indeed wrong.
i think that he probably needs antibiotics
i am not close to being a vet but i know this one from personal experience.

keep us up-dated

 

[BethM]

Thanks for the advice. My rabbit-savvy vet will be closing for the day in a few minutes, I will call first thing Monday morning to get him in next week. I'm headed to the monthly HRS meeting later this afternoon, one of the women there is VERY good with rabbit health, hopefully she will have some additional advice. (She can usually suggest a good herbal treatment that can make the rabbits more comfortable for a while. (But not take the place of a vet visit/antibiotics if needed.)
My vet clinic has 2 very good rabbit-savvy vets, excellent hours (open until 8 two days a week, and some Saturday hours), and I've never had a problem getting a bunny in on the same or next day. Hopefully, If I call first thing Monday morning, I will be able to get him in Monday afternoon/evening.

Thank you so much for the input. That sound he made was very scary, now I know to ask about infections.

I wasn't so worried about the sneezing before, as he would sneeze immediately after getting his nose into something. This is different, though.

 

[BethM]

Well, my friend at the HRS meeting suggested that Nick might be fine, though he does need to see that vet since it is a change in behavior. I was going to take him, anyway. I did not take him to today's meeting, travelling is too stressful on him, so she didn't actually see him. She suggested that it may be very difficult or impossible to do a culture, since there is no discharge anywhere, so I should ask about giving him Zithromax, at a cat dose. (She mentioned that any time she's used the higher rabbit dose, the rabbit stops eating and then she has to deal with stasis. Nick had stasis twice this spring, and I don't want to put him into that.)

So. My vet opens at 8 monday morning, I'll be calling them shortly before that and hopefully get him in monday late afternoon. He is still eating very heartily right now.

Anyway, that's where he is right now, I'll update when I know more.

 

[Maureen Las]

Often Zithromax does cause a decrease in appetite but if the rabbit is syringe fed the first several day often time the appetiite will oftenresume after the bun has been on the antibiotic a few days

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm
the generic name for zithromax is azithromycin; I have heard that it is a very effective rabbit antibiotic

 

[JadeIcing]

angieluv wrote:

I can post the rabbit dosage of zithromax if your vet needs it . often Zithromax does cause a decrease in appetite but if the rabbit is syringe fed the first several day often time the appetiite will resume after the bun has been on the antibiotic a few days

Someone needs to tell Ringo this. His appetite NEVER goes down.

 

[BethM]

Well, I called the vet this morning, and neither rabbit doctor will be in this evening. They initially put me down for Thursday evening, but I just called back and rescheduled for tomorrow at 5:30. I get off work at 4:30, so I can usually make it there by 5:40 at the latest.

He *seems* ok right now, he's still eating like a horse and is active. He was feisty last night, broke into the second bathroom and bit my husband when he was cleaning litterboxes. (For some reason that's the only time/place he bites. He'll run up to my husband's leg, then he will dig and bite his foot and ankle. *he he*)

If the vet thinks he needs the full rabbit dose of Zithromax, that's what he'll get. I am just really wary of decreased appetite, after his double round of stasis. Nick gets annoyed by being petted, and even when he was sick and barely moving, catching him to force fluids was traumatic for both of us, and never took less than 15 minutes of chasing. (It was good for him to get those muscles working, though, and may have even helped him.) :?

I'll update after I get to the vet.

 

[JadeIcing]

I will keep him in my thought.

 

[BethM]

Well, Nick had his vet visit today. We always take his companion, Amelia, along to the vet, too. I am not sure if this helps him or not, since she gets really grumpy about being in the carrier, but we want him to be as comfortable as possible, and they will snuggle for at least part of the time.

The vet gave him a pretty good check up. Teeth, eyes, and nose good. His weight is up an ounce since his last visit, when he was really sick. The one thing, the vet said his chest/lungs sounded slightly raspy. He said it was still within the range of "normal," but seemed louder than it should be. He gave us Baytril suspension, I'm supposed to give 1.5mL, 1x per day, for up to 14 days. (Nick weighs 4pounds, 5ounces.) He did say that if Nick seems to stop the sneezing, we can discontinue the Baytril after 8 days. (It doesn't look like he actually gave us enough to last 14 days, so I may just give it to him until it runs out?) He was unable to do any culture, as Nick has had no discharge. The vet suggested that, while Nick doesn't *seem* sick right now, it might be best to give him the Baytril in case something is starting up.

Right now, Nick is still hiding in his house. I was able to give him today's dose right after coming home, since he was already "caught" and wouldn't have to chase him. (Amelia also got a nail trim, much to her dismay.) He took it with only a little bit of fighting me, he tried to back away but lapped up what did go in his mouth. He then tried to hide in the fireplace (we haven't used it in 2 years), then eventually went into his house. He has not come out to eat, and Amelia is taking advantage of the situation to stuff herself with pellets. He did come out for a few minutes to chew on his grassy mat, but then went back in. Being handled so much in one day makes him really unhappy. If he does not eat by bedtime, I will try to get him to eat some parsley and cilantro.

 

[BethM]

Update: My husband said Nick came out and drank some water while I was in the other room on the computer. He also stretched out and relaxed in the pen area, but went back into his house when I came back in the room.

I don't think he ate any of the regular pellets, Miss Amelia ate them *all.* She is very greedy. Neither of them ate much hay through the evening. Husband did give him some pellets, he ate couple mouthfuls out of the scoop, after discovering the pellet dish Empty. I did get Nick to eat several pieces of cilantro from my hand, and 2 pieces of parsley, plus about 3 pieces of hay, but then he went back in his house to hide from me. He did come back out to eat his bedtime raisin, but refused his Papaya Tablet. Amelia doesn't like those, so I left one out in the pen for him if he wants it later. Hopefully he will eat some hay tonight.

The vet said there shouldn't be any side effects with the Baytril (it's the ground up stuff in a suspension, to be given orally)? So Nick must just be grumpy, he hates to travel, especially to the vet.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

In my experience with Baytril, no, you shouldn't see any negative effects from it.

Just want to add this for whatever reason it may help someone in the future to not freak out...

I have a Holland Lop. He's 4 years old (I've had him for just over 2 years.). He has sneezing fits. He occasionally has them bad, like 20 sneezes in one sitting, that isn't often, but does happen. I think he gets hair in his nose. Cuz, other than that and no discharge, no other symptoms, the only conclusion. (Otherwise, he might sneeze once or twice once in a great while. I had a bun that was diagnosed with heart failure, so I definitely know what signs are what and when to worry). I've been right so far. He's a healthy bun.

 

[BethM]

Just wanted to give an update....Nick has definately been sneezing less since he started on the Baytril. (He sneezed *a lot* the night before he went to the vet, I was lying in bed listening to him.) The only odd thing is that, while the sneezes shounded really......airy before, now they are more squeaky. Like, before it was just "choo choo choo choo," but now, I really can't explain it, he just *squeaks* when he sneezes now.

He's been less active, but I think that's just because he's upset at being given the medicine. (And being caught and handled.) Also, miss Amelia has been less than loving towards him this week.

I have not heard him cough since I started the Baytril, so that's good. The cough is the one thing that made me worry about him. He'd always sneezed, I put that down to his flat little Holland Lop face, and the fact that he was alway sticking his nose into things. But the cough wasn't normal. I wasn't even worried the first time he coughed, I thought he'd breathed something in and was clearing it. But then he coughed again.......

Anyway, so far, so good.

 

[Maureen Las]

That's great.

Bunnies often become resistant to baytril after it has used been repeatedly. Your bun may not have used it be before

anyway ..don't miss doses and keep us posted

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

How is Nick doing?

 

[BethM]

Thanks for asking! Nick is doing well. I still think the "regular" sneezing before was just dust in the nose, but I actually haven't heard him sneeze at all in a day or two, so that's good. I've never given him Baytril before, so hopefully if he had something, this is clearing it up.


I just wish it wasn't such an ordeal to give him the medicine! The only way I can catch him is to corner him in his pen and throw a towel over, net-like. By the time I get him into the little bathroom I use for bunny medical care, his little heart is pounding so fast! Then it's a struggle to get the medicine into him. Oddly enough, some random days he wants into that room so bad, he'll be scratching at the carpet outside the door and trying to stick his nose under the door. Crazy.

 

[Maureen Las]

I get the bunny on the floor between my knees and use my inner thighs as a vice to hold the bunny while I give the oral med.
This works well for me.

 

[BethM]

Yeah, that's what I do, too. I also use a towel to do the "burrito." He's a sneaky little devil, though, he'll back up and scrunch into a ball, or struggle until he's sideways, or he'll just dart out past me. (I usually take my glasses off and bend over with my face sort of blocking him, so I will end up with a face full of fur! In an effort to control his sneezing, I am sneezing more.:shock: He has dense medium-long fur, so when I think he's wrapped securely, he's got some room to move.) When all of that fails, he will bite at the syringe and try to toss it away. He's a feisty one. (He also refuses to be tranced when it's toenail trimming time. Both my girls will lie calmly and get it over with, he just fights everything.) But he never bites me.

 

[Maureen Las]

BethM wrote:

Yeah, that's what I do, too. I also use a towel to do the "burrito." He's a sneaky little devil, though, he'll back up and scrunch into a ball, or struggle until he's sideways, or he'll just dart out past me. (I usually take my glasses off and bend over with my face sort of blocking him, so I will end up with a face full of fur! In an effort to control his sneezing, I am sneezing more.:shock: He has dense medium-long fur, so when I think he's wrapped securely, he's got some room to move.) When all of that fails, he will bite at the syringe and try to toss it away. He's a feisty one. (He also refuses to be tranced when it's toenail trimming time. Both my girls will lie calmly and get it over with, he just fights everything.) But he never bites me.

some are harder than others

I also get them between my knees and bend over them but most of the time it isn't as hard for me as what you're describing

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I'm so glad to hear he's doing better!

Best to try to at least contain him and "act" like you're giving meds with the methods explained here so in the future, it will maybe be easier for you. I know how hyper bunnies can be. Another form is using the bunny burrito to give meds. You may want to check out the Library or You Tube, they have some good vids for buns, some by vets.