RIP Pepper: My rabbit has snuffles!?

[Linz_1987]

Hello, Some of you may have seen my posts on Layla's not eating thread. But I desided I was stealing the thread so made my own! Sorry.

I took my rabbit to the vets on Thursday as she was not eating. The vet examined her and kept her in over night for early morning surgery on her teeth as they were making it uncomfortable for her to eat. She recovered great from the surgery and started eating Friday evening.

But last night (Monday) when I picked her up to put her into her play pen she was weezing alot and it sounded like it was coming from her nasel passage etc. She also kept trying to vomit, like a dog does.

I rushed her to the vets and the vet examined her breathing and nose etc, and said her lungs were crackling and she had snuffles. She also checked her eyes and she had conjunctivitis (sp) in one eye, which is aparently linked with Snuffles?

She was kept in over night for an injection at 11pm, and one at 8 this morning.

I phoned at 9 when they open and they said her breathing was getting alot better, and to call back at 1:30 today to check again.

So im praying she will be ok!

Thank you all for your support!

I have been meaning to post on Rainbow Bridge for Dottie, my other rabbit that died yesterday. But with all this happening I havent had time. But I will try and make it a memorable post with pictures and stuff.

Mystery Death of Dottie

Nobody really knows what happened to Dottie, and the emergency vet wasn't that helpful but they tryed. She just wasn't eating one day and then it all seemed to go wrong from there.

She was given 3 injections!Was it too much for her to take? I was also given some powdered rabbit food to add water to, to calm her tummy down. There was no instructions as to how much food to give her, or how much so if I didnt have the internet and looked on the website given on the packet I would of been in trouble.

I syringe fed her about 10mlof the food (I think she was suppose to have 20ml) but the vet said dont force feed her. So I stopped when she wanted me to. She was not herself atall and just sat there on my lap without me holding her. Normally she would of struggled to get away and explore.

I must admit she was a bit overweight for a bunny, but could that seriously kill her in a day?





I am praying Pepper recovers soon as I would be so devastated if she died too. I dont think it has hit me yet Dotties death, but if they both die. How tradgic.

 

[Pipp]

OMG, Linz, I missed this! So very sorry about Dottie. :sad:

Do you have a vet bill that says what the medication was?

As for Pepper, they should be doing a Culture and Sensitivity Test (a nasal swab) to determine exactly what he has and what anti-biotic to give him. His eye could be related as well, they're probably giving him anti-biotic drops.

I always question things when two rabbits get sick at once, though. I'd replace all their food and hay just to make sure, and scrub out the bowls and living quarters, etc.

Molar spurs on their teeth will make them stop eating, but 'snuffles (a generic term forrespiritory issues) coming so soon after the dental surgery and Dottie's problems, I just don't know.

Some details like age, breed and weight will help. Did Dottie just stop eating or did you notice what her poops had been like before that?Was she grinding her teeth at all?

Please let us know everything you can think of. So very sorry!

Here's hoping for a completerecovery for Pepper.ray:



sas :tears2:

 

[Marietta]

I'm sorry about Dottie, it's so hard to lose a bun, and not even knowing the cause is even more frustrating.

I couldn't tell from the info provided if Dottie's illness (and death) and Pepper's illness are connected.

Conjunctivitis can, indeed, be related to respiratory ailments as the nasal passage and the eye ducts are connected. However, a runny eye could also be a result of dental issues, which Pepper already had. As Pipp already told you, a C&S test will tell you which is the specific virus which is responsible for the disease and which antibiotic to use.

The weezing is a new thing for Pepper? Have you ever noticed her sneezing in the past? Respiratory diseases can be there with minimal symptoms or an acute condition can emerge out of the blue. A bun can also have a sudden outbreak of a bacterial infection in the respiratory system as a result of a compromise of its immune system from another cause, e.g. a previous or ongoing illness, poor living conditions, dirty surroundings, sudden changes in temperature, stress etc.

Do you know what medication was in the injections that Pepper received? Is the vet treating also her runny eye? Do you have an indication on when you expect to take her back home?

Keep us posted,
Marietta

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

I only have a second...will write more later. First, our condolences on the passing of Dottie. We have been there several times recently and it is always difficult.

As far as Pepper (and we have a Pepper too)...I am seeing red flags all over the place. As far as "snuffles"....technically there is no such beast. That term comes from a time when there was little medical information available for rabbits. It's a generic term that came to address any infection in a rabbit, primarily an upper respiratory. We now know that these infections can be secondary to other issues, like teeth, and can be caused by many different pathogens. A culture and sensitivity is needed to determine the exact bacteria that is causing this problem (if it is a bacterial infection) and a really good physical exam to determine the root cause of the concern. And if the "crackling" is in the lungs....that brings on an entirely new world of issues and things can turn south really quickly if the infection is indeed in the lungs and not the upper respiratory.

I would really be interested in what the "3 injections" were, how much and when they were given. I would also like to know what the powder is that you were given. And if you could let us know exactly what medications that Pepper is now getting...and please include everything. And always remember that a second opinion is not a bad thing. Not questioning your vet, but knowledge of rabbits varies greatly from vet to vet.....some of them are head and shoulders above the rest and quite honestly (and I have the utmost respect for most vets)..some of them are nothing short of scary and are not savvy enough to treat a stuffed rabbit. I am thru a lot of vet clinics in a large area around me....I see a lot.

Sending healing vibes to Pepper.

Randy

 

[Linz_1987]

Hello again:

As for Dottie,I did notice her poops were a bit smelly and clumpy a few days before, but I had cut down on fresh veg etc. But she became ill very quickly after that.

The medication Dottie recieved was:

Metacam Injection

Metoclopramide Injection

Engemycin 20% la Injection

She also had spot on treatment for lice

And the dry powder food was supreme recovery rabbits 20g

http://www.russelrabbit.com/veterinary_health.php

All the injections on Dottie were given one after the other.



As for Pepper:

The vet did mention another name for Snuffles, which I don't remember. But said Snuffles really to help me understand what was wrong with her.

I have not yet recieved the bill for Pepper's injections as I have not yet had to pay.

But she had one at 8pm , 11pm and 8am in the morning.

The vet has kept her again tonight for a close eye on her.

I phoned this morning and her breathing was much better. My mum phoned lunch time and her breathing was still the same as the morning. So fingers crossed she is ok in the morning.

Thankyou for your help, and I hope this information helps you more. I cant say how grateful I am for all your help!

If you would like more information then please ask questions again. There was so many Q'S i did try to answer them all, but if there is some still un-answered please let me know.

 

[Linz_1987]

It turns out that, even thoughPepper's teeth were quite bad, it wasn't the reason why she wasn't eating. Aparently they don't eat as a very last resort.

It was because she had conjunctivitis in one eye, which affected her nose too. Which made her breath funny. (Which made her lose her appetite?)

But I dontreally understand how the vet could not notice her eye then when she was checked over for herteeth operation. :? Mind you, I didnt even realise she had it either!

She has been drinking some water today at the vets, and they have been syringe feeding her. Also eye drops for her eyes.

The vet is calling me up later again to talk to me about it all. So it does sound like she might be kept in again over night, or maybe I can pick her up at closing time.

Oh I cant wait for her to come back home I miss her so much. Its horrible not having a bunny about.

 

[Ivory]

Honestly? When you're about to perform surgery on an animal, you put yourself into "game mode", so to speak. For instance, if you're neutering an animal, who's getting eye problems...well, you're not exactly looking at the eyes. You're focusing on what you have to focus on. That's basically what happens.


Also, being put under anesthesia, and through the stress of surgery, will possibly induce a subclinical infection to become clinical. It wasn't obvious before the surgery, but came about after, correct? Her immune system was probably focusing on getting her teeth to heal- hence focusing its attention away from the subclinical infection. So you see how that can work.

There's always the risk of another infection from sugery/being stressed out.

"Snuffles" is a slang term, basically. Most people aren't quite as good at remembering "Pasteurella" or "Pseudomonas" or "Staphylococcus" or whatever else. "Snuffles" is a bit catchier.

 

[Haley]

Linz, again Im so sorry for your loss and all this heartache youre going through.

I agree that a culture/sensitivity test is your best bet if you havent asked the vet about that. Also, Max had severe breathing problems a while back and made that vomitting/hacking noise, so I know just what you mean and its terrifying. I dont know if you were around when he went through that but our best friend was a nebulizer that he was put in twice a day- it really helped his breathing.

I should also mention that at the root (no pun intended) of his problem was a tooth root abscess, which caused the breathing problems, weakened his immune system, and caused further infection (bronchitis etc) to set in. Breathing problems combined with eye discharge and teeth problems tells me it could be something tooth related- have they done an xray of her head? Tooth root issues (such as overgrown molars or an abscess/infection) can cause all sorts of problems.

I'll be keeping you and your little one in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted and let us know if theres anything we can do to help.

Haley

 

[ra7751]

:yeahthat:

And remember that a second opinion is many times a good thing.

 

[Linz_1987]

Thank you very much!

The latest news is that she is staying at the vets AGAIN tonight! Its touch and go at the moment. I have to call in the morning to see how she is.

The vet called my sister so I don't know exactly what she said but I will find out when she gets home from work.

I hope its good news the next news I will be posting here!

 

[Linz_1987]

It is not looking good for Pepper. Her breathing is better, but not excellent. And it seems to be staying the same and not improving. The vets have done everything to help her.

She has pastuerella (sp), pneumonia and the mucus and saliver she is making to help her body recover has got into her lungs somehow?! I don't know if that is common but...

I have to go visit her tomorow and talk to the vet, She says we will see how she is in the morning, but it might be better to put her to sleep.

I am praying with all my heart she improves tomorow. Its been nearly 5 days.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

ray:

 

[cheryl]

Awww poor Pepper.....i'm so sorry you are going through all this.

I will be keeping Pepper in my thoughts

Cheryl

 

[Linz_1987]

[align=center]~I hope you make it Pepper~[/align]
[align=center]:angelandbunny:[/align]

 

[Pipp]

:clover: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray:

ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray:

ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray:

ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray:

ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray:

ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray: ray::clover:

 

[Linz_1987]

I am going to visit her later to see if we should put her down, or bring her home over the weekend and syringe feed her and nurse her back to health at home. I hope we can bring her home. Will let you know later tonight.

Thankyou again everybody for praying with me.

 

[BlueGiants]

Sending healing vibes... ray: ...so sorry she's been through so much. Hugs to you... :hug:

 

[ra7751]

If Pepper has pneumonia.....one word for your vet....LASIX. This drug should help purge the fluids from the lungs. Oxygen will be very helpful. And I have had success is treating a lower respiratory infection by using penicillin. I have a couple of rabbits here that have survived this type of problem.

Randy

 

[Linz_1987]

I have had to make the most difficult descision this evening - Poor Pepper looked very bad and had lost alot of weight. It was really for the best that she got put to sleep. She hadn't improved. and she wasnt responding well to any of the injections she had.

i have yet to see the bill but will let you know what treatment she had recieved. i noticed on a sheet on the cage she was in stated 'baytril', but thre was many others.

rabbits lungs are so small they are hard to treat.

it was really quite sad as she didnt respond to the injection she had to make her sleepy, as her body was trying so hard to fight her ilness.

it is a very sad time for any pet to be put to sleep, and i miss her dearly. i am bunnyless now! I would get another bunny straight away to take my mind off this misserable time, but I am not allowed to have anymore until I move out and get a place of my own

Thankyou all for your support during this time, and to help me understand the condition Pepper was in.

Rest In Peace my little angle. Take care.



***opps TRIPLE post?! whats going on??

 

[TinysMom]

I removed the duplicate posts.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the decision you had to make. Many have called it the "final act of love".

I'm sorry you had to help her cross the bridge - but thank you for helping her cross without pain.

Peg