Milo is Sick

[avarocks]

Milo is sick. He is excessively sneezing and he has the sniffles. I'm seeing goo in his nose and eyes. I'm regularly wiping it up for him so he's comfortable. We are scheduled for the vet this coming Monday afternoon to have him checked. If he needs meds, he'll get them. My questions are, should I be doing anything more? Milo is my first bunny and we've only been together a few months. He has not been sick. I'm not sure how he got that way. I volunteer at the shelter, and a bunny there had the same symptoms. It is possible I brought it home to Milo despite taking hygiene measures. Milo has also been outside and could have contracted it somehow that way. It doesn't really matter how he got it. I know how I'd be dealing with this with my guinea pigs, but Milo clearly is not that, so I know things will be different. I know bunnies produce their own vitamin C...should I be giving him a little extra to help him fight the illness or would this harm him? Should I be reducing his activity to get him to get some rest or does it matter? I am not permitting him interaction with the guinea pigs, something he is thoroughly ticked about. But, they are highly susceptible and I don't want it transferred. Milo's vet visit is already going to do enough damage to my bank account, I don't want more vet visits. When they are on the floor Milo is placed in his cage where normally he would be allowed to join in. He stamps away, but I have to watch their health too. This will continue until Milo is well. If Milo requires medication, it will continue until the medication finishes. Is there anything I should or should not be doing otherwise to aid him with this? Other than the vet of course.

Milo is 2 years old and is a mixed tortoise-shell holland lop.

Sarah

 

[tonyshuman]

You can take him in to the bathroom when you shower to help moisturize his airways. Other than that, just make sure he's doing ok with breathing, eating, pooping, etc, until you get him to the vet. I am not convinced about vitamin C, especially in bunnies, although I know some people have anecdotal evidence of it helping. I prefer scientific, systematic studies to show something is an effective treatment, and will not take "I gave it to my bunny(ies) under X situation and X happened" as positive evidence of something treating something.

It is good that you're keeping him away from the guinea pigs while he is sick. Rabbits can get bordatella, which can cause URIs, and that is very dangerous for guinea pigs. For that reason some people say you shouldn't keep them together. I wouldn't worry about it once he's better unless this is a bordatella infection. Make sure the vet knows he hangs out with the GPs--she may want to do a culture and sensitivity test to determine the bacteria type.

Was there a recent change in the environment? It is possible that you carried home what the shelter bunny had if it were a highly virulent bacteria, or a more exotic one like bordatella. Usually rabbits develop URIs from stress to their immune systems--not exposure to pathogens like we do. Sometimes exposure to a virus causes insult to the immune system which leads to bacterial infection.

For this reason, and mostly because I worry more about external parasites (mites, etc), I change clothes immediately upon coming home from volunteering--throw them right in the washer--and have a pair of shoes I keep in the car that I use only at the shelter. The heat from a normal clothes dryer should kill most issues, but my washer also has a "sanitary" cycle that sterilizes the clothes, which is what I do. It's also good to take a shower after the shelter.

 

[avarocks]

Milo and the GP's are not housed together so there is no worry there. They interact only part time and only on the floor with me sitting right there. Milo has his own cage. Thanks for the input on the vitamin C. I won't bother with it. I'll make sure the vet knows he sometimes interacts with the GP's.

Sarah

 

[Haley]

I would ask about getting him on a strong antibiotic to kick this as fast as possible. Baytril might even do the trick if it's a simple URI. I have had this several times with my bunnies and Baytril usually worked fine.
Keep an eye out though bc if it doesnt clear up it could be a symptom of something else (like an abscess or tooth root infection). Sometimes if their immune systems are compromised these things can flare up.
I wouldnt worry too much about how he got it. I usually try to change my clothing if I am around other bunnies when I come home but he really could have gotten it anywhere. I have bunnies who are all indoors and have gotten different illnesses from time to time.
Hope he is well soon!