Oh no..I think my rabbit has snuffles

[yan1218]

Marshmallow had been sneezing for about 3 days now, first he didn't had any dischage. so I thought I might just keep a sign on him. Today, his nose seems to be a bit wet, along with sneezing. This is the first time that he is actually sick, but this is just not the right time to get sick. I am going to an university in another city 3 days later, and my brother is going to take care of him while I am gone. However, they do not want to take him to a vet(we are kind of financially stuggling a lot,especially this year I am gone for uni) If I wasn't been leaving in 3 days, I could try smuggle him to a vet, but this is not possible in 3 days since I need to get a ride and trying to get the money for vet. Any advice?

 

[Becca]

Well I haven't experienced the sniffles but I would say to the vet!

Can't you be loaned some money or something or make a deal with your vet?

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Hi Katherine,

What do you mean that he is actually sick? Is he not eating or pooping, is he lethargic, is he in pain? Does he have a thick milky discharge when he sneezes, or just a wet nose? How did he recover from the last time he was sneezing?

Has he been under some stress, or have an injury lately? Does he sense that you are under stress? All rabbits have been exposed toa Pasteurella strain and many are unaffected by it. Only when their immune system is vulnerable or at a low point, rabbits can be become weaken by it.

My Pebbles sneezes all the time and has a constant wet nose. It occurs more often when she gets into dusty hay or pellets. We treated her with antibiotics for a sneezing/headtilt which helped but never cleared completely. It is something she will always live with.

Hope nothing serious is going on with Marshmallow.

Stan

 

[tonyshuman]

Like PB said, stress can make a dormant pasturella infection come out into the open. It's like when people get cold sores when they're stressed--you always carry the virus that causes it, but your immune system can fend it off usually. With stress, it comes out because the immune system is weaker. My bunny has been sneezing and had some snot on his nose. I took him to the vet immediately, but there wasn't any snot there when I took him. She said that she didn't want to give antibiotics without doing a culture, and you can't culture if there's no mucus. So we went home with the directions "keep an eye on it" and "try to minimize stress." We had just moved to a new house which may have bothered him.

What do I think you should do? Take him in for a checkup, especially if it's been more than a year since he's seen the vet anyway. The vet will know best and your bunny should have annual exams. If it hasn't been that long since he's been in, it should be a cheaper visit.

 

[Maureen Las]

If you called around you could possibly find a vet who would be willing to have you pay a small amount monthly. If your bun is sick it really isn't fair not to take him; it's a responsibility that comes with pet ownership. He isn't going to get any better without help.

Do everything to try to get help for him before you go.
I know that it must be hard for you financially but it's not fair to just let it go...

 

[yan1218]

I don't think he is under stress, and I don't know if it might be a problem with the dust. But he sneezes 6-7 times in a row and he countinue to sneeze a couple of time thoughout the day. Although there is no milky discharge(just wet nose), I am just kind of worry because my brother does not care TOO much for him. Now I can only maybe come back a few weeks later to smuggle him to a vet.

 

[Maureen Las]

Isn't there anyone else that he could stay with..a girlfriend or someone that cares???

 

[yan1218]

Not really, I aked a lot of people, but most of my friends are going away for university. It is not that my brother doesn't take care of my rabbit, he will give him the basic care, but I don't think he will know when my rabbit is sick and stuff. I am still trying to get someone maybe off-campus to take care of my rabbit and then try to sneak him into my resisdence.

 

[Maureen Las]

Why don't you write a post in the rescue section of the forum but ask for a temporary home. We have a lot of Canadian members.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Okay, I think this can be do to allergies or just cleaning. Snuff sneezes many times a week and has never been sick. So, I think to rule out any infection, you have to go to vet and get cultures done. Upon the results, they will prescribe what is needed.Antibiotics-Zithromax is asuper good choice, if youfind this is a bacterial infection;and given it's considered Pastuerella(I would recommend this to your vet when he prescribes Baytril)!

Mine will sneeze while grooming, so keep this in mind as well.

My bun when sneezing has never had any discharge or color. If your's has, best to get a culture done if you think your bun has any infection (colored discharge from nose).

 

[yan1218]

Marshmallow seems to be better today, but he is still sneezing(3 times in a roll). And his nose seems to be damp and wet when I touch it. it is clear, watery dampness, not sure if it is related to the tempurature or anything. There are no colored discharge or matted paws:?. And the sneezing occurs when he is just lying down and relaxing.

P.S I did post a thread about temp. home a while ago, but since I might be able to move marshmallow with me into the university anytime. I decided to wait and see what happened first.

 

[yan1218]

Just remembered something. I did bought a new brand of hay for him a few days ago. He had used this brand of hay before, but then I changed it to another brand of hay. The orginal brand that he was using went out of stock, so I was forced to get this brand of hay for him. Could that cause the sneezing? But the sneezing occurs when he is nowhere near the hay. :?

 

[Maureen Las]

Could be the hay but ?

I think that it's great that you maybe able to take him with you but if it at all possible for him to get a once over by a vet it would probably ease your mind ..and if there is a respiratory infection you would have caught it early.
keep us posted.

 

[yan1218]

Marshmallow is continuing to improve today. He ate a lots, popped a lots, and only sneezed twice(small ones) so far, although his nose is still wet (no colored discharge). I cleaned the dust out and gave him some herbs(dandelion and plantain) yesterday and today, and hopefully it will helps to boost his immune system. I am also going to try some natural antibiotics such as honey or garlic tomorrow. Unfortunately, I am leaving on sunday morning, and the earliest I could be back is next next saturday. Hopefully, my brother will continue to give him herbs, and he will be better until I am back. Here is his nose, you can see it is pretty normal, except for that yellow sport which is just mug .

P.S thanks!

 

[Maureen Las]

Be careful with alternative or "natural" teatments because not all that is safe for people is safe for rabbits.
here's the links in the library

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11898&forum_id=10


I'm really sorry that you couldn't take him..couldn't you have your brother call you and give reports on him and then you could still come on here and maybe get some advice to give your brother?

 

[yan1218]

Thanks for the link, I wouldn't be too worry about the herbs I am using right now because I did ask a vet(via internet) before I used it. And Yes, I am def. calling my brother everyday and ask him to check on marshmallow. For now, I am just trying to connect with the off-campus people to see if they have a space for my rabbit, just wanna say, thanks for all the help and adive, they sure helped a lot!

P.S also how to desinfect his front paws? It is not matted or anything, but he does wipes his nose after he sneezes, I don't want him to reinfect himself.

 

[Maureen Las]

You don't have to disinfect his paws ..he won't reinfect himself
Keep us up-dated and good luck in finding him an off-campus home.
I can tell you really love him

 

[Pet_Bunny]

yan1218 wrote:

P.S also how to desinfect his front paws?

You can hold his paws under some tap water and wash his hands like a child.
Then you can dry his paws with a towel so he doesn't flick water all over the place.

Thats what I do to Pebbles when her paws become crusted from nose wiping.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Glad to hear he's doing well! Snuff had a sneezing episode today, actually, but, it's nothing. Hair in his nose maybe. He doesn't do it all the time, so, hopefully that's all this is as well. Keep us posted though!

 

[yan1218]

Marshmallow is still sneezing once or twice today. His nose is still kind of wet even before he sneezes. you guys mentions stress might have cause the sneezing, and I don't know should I make the connection between finding a mouse in the house (near marshmallow's cage) and his sneezing. :shock: I was sitting here looking at marshmallow today, kind of in a way waiting for him to sneeze, all of a sudden I saw this mouse ran by. Me and my brother cleaned everything and threw out some stuff after we saw the mouse. I also found out that the mouse had been eating marshmallow's balck oil sunflower seed(half of the seeds was gone). I am leaving tomorrow morning, and my brother is going to countinue to clean and get some mouse trap. I think the mouse was gone(my scream scared it away) , but don't know if there could be more.:?