Sneezing

[jcottonl02]

Today I noticed Benji sneezing quite a lot. He hasn't sneezed much before at all- maybe I'd hear him sneeze once every couple of weeks to a month.

I've heard that sneezing more than three times in a row is bad for rabbits, and about ten minutes ago he sneezed four times on the trot, and then just now another four times on the trot.

Does this sound....strange or something to be worried about?

Thanks

 

[polly]

I would get it checked out as rabbits are very prone to respiritory problems there is always a chance that it could be allergies but i wouldn't leave it

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Is there any discharge coming out his nose when he sneezes? It might just be seasonal allergies, however if you are worried I'd take him to the vets just to be on the safe side. Unfortunately my poor Ruby is suffering from a respiratory infection at the moment and they are annoying things to treat so fingers crossed it is nothing.

 

[jcottonl02]

No there was no discharge on his nose, and there isn't now either (I just checked him).
Should I wait and see if this carries on before I take him to a vet? Or should I go now? IIf I go and say 'oh yes a few days ago he sneezed four times, and then a few minutes later he sneezed four times again' is that enough for them to be able to say it sounds like a respiratory problem? (btw I actually have no idea so that could be right.....sorry if I sound really stupid asking that)

What could cause respiratory problems? I have deliberately bought dust free hay and also wood pellets for their litter trays so there is no dust in it, cos I know that can lead to respiratory problems. What else can?

Thanks a lot guys

 

[Butterfinger]

If you use certain kinds of cleaners on your floors/carpets/furniture, this can cause problems like that :?
I knew one person who's dog was very allergic to the things the cleaners shampooed their carpet with.
Or maybe it could be pollen.... It's not pollen season where I live, but in the UK it might be.
I'd still get it checked out with a vet, to be sure.

 

[jcottonl02]

Okay.
I'm taking Pippin to be neutered in the next few days, so I'll take Benji then too. Or is it urgent? Do I need to take him tomorrow?

 

[Bunnicula]

Is there any nasal discharge?

Is his mouth wet/is he "drooling"?

Do you feel any lumps or bumps on his body...especially around his face or neck area?

Anything unusual about his eating, drinking, pooing, or peeing habits?

Is he behaving lethargically or unusual for him (other than the sneezing)?

If I were you...and I could answer no to all of the above questions (and everything other than the sneezing seemed normal/fine), I would feel comfortable waiting for a few days. However, I would definitely isolate him from the other bunny in the event that he has something contagious. We had a rabbit with pasteurella, and sneezing was one of the syptoms. I am NOT saying that it is pasteurella...or even likely to be that. Still, from my experience, I would definitely have the vet check a sneezing bunny.

Keep us posted on how he is doing.

-Mary Ellen

 

[Maureen Las]

This has happened to a friend's rabbit recently. Sneezing on and off....with just wet discharge.
The vet wanted to put him on oral antibiotics to prevent a problem from develloping into a major one. I would take your bunny to the vet soon.

Sad story...
One of the members of RO adopted 2 rabbits from my shelter. Severalweeks before the adoption I had noticed the male rabbit sneezing repeatedly and reported this to the kennel manager.

She asked me the next day to note the frequency of the sneezing so we could report to the vet. That day I went into the small animal room and Bud did not sneeze at all. I never heard him sneeze again.

I talked to the adopters several months later as the male rabbit ,Bud had become very ill, listless, wheezing.

He apparently had had sneezing fits now and then but never consistently so that the vet that they sought out never saw it.

They attributed it to allergies (natural thing to do) and yet it progressed into a serious pnemonia like condition.
By the time it was recognized it was too late for Bud... and although everyone tried to save him he passed on.
I learned from that to ALWAYS pay attention to a sneezing rabbit and NEVER assume it is nothing if there isn't discharge or consistency in the sneezing.
Better to assume the worst as sometimes it is really hard to know ..even for vets.

 

[rabb1tmad]

Starsky can do this sometimes but I put it down to dust or some hay got up his nose. Keep an eye out for discharge and signs of distressed breathing just in case. Taking Benji along with Pippin to the vets won't do any harm - if they are anything like my vets they will give him the once over for free while you're there.

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks Bunnicula
I can safely say that the answer is no to all of those questions: there is no discharge or drooling, he is pooing and peeing absolutely normally, he practically leaps out of his hutch when I am holding the bag of his food, as always lol, and then ignores me until it is all finished , and running round binkying in his run etc.

Angieluv- yeah you are completely right- I am a worrier, which annoys me a lot of the time, but when it comes to my pets I'm glad for it.

rabb1tmad: yep I will definately make sure to keep a very close eye on anything different. I am waiting for a vet to come back off holiday so he can do Pippin's neuter. I believe he is back now (I will know today cos this is the day i work) and if he is then I'll book them both in for tomorrow. If he's not, then I'll book Benji in for tomorrow and wait for Pippin's neuter.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Great post Maureen! That's too bad. My BunBun started sneezing here and there, but when he'd sneeze, it'd be a bunch in rapid succession and then an almost gag. He had the eye thing going on at the time too, which I was given eye drops for. The vet was treating at that time for cherry eye, or prolapse of the third eyelid. Well, that really never went away. After a while, he had started breathing heavy at times. The first time I noticed this, we rushed to the vet. This time I was given baytril for a possible upper respitory. The heavy breathing continued on and off. The next time I took him to a different vet as he was closer. He took xrays and found that he hadCongestive Heart Failure, a very enlarged heart. There is no cure for this, only medication to keep it under control for the rest of the bun's life. He then was put on Enilapril and Lasix. This helped, but caused poopy butt and a very gurgly tummy towards the end. I still think to this day (and probably always will) that the eye problem was related to the pressure in his chest. Maybe not, but, who knows. This just goes to show that sneezing needs to be monitored.

My two now sneeze once in a while, not often, and they only sneeze when they're grooming themselves, I chalk it up to them getting hairs in their noses. There's no discharge at all, just wet nose. So I know this is nothing now, but it will always be monitored.

 

[Maureen Las]

The only rabbit that ever sneezes in my house is Gabriel, the new one ...and I don't yet know what is going on with him. He will be getting his blood drawn next week.
If I hear a sneeze I am really alarmed because none of mine (except Gabe)ever sneezes.

Last time I went to the dentist with beau I took Babette along as they are bonded. Two weeks later babette got a pneumonia type illness that I attributed to the long trip and staying at the vet waiting for him. She is over 7 yrs old.

This time I just figured I wasn't going to jeopardize Babette for the long trip and he did OK by himself.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Maureen, sometimes when they do it, it is a tad worrisome as Angel will be on her hinnies, grooming, and will sneeze like 6 times in a row:shock:. She's a healthy girl, nothing abnormal whatsoever. It's only when she's grooming, so while it is somewhat worrisome, I know in my heart of hearts that she's fine. I guess it just depends on the bun. If normally they never sneeze and suddenly they're sneezing, that would be cause for alarm. This is a normal thing for mine, believe me, if I had any incling something could be wrong, to the vet we would be! Most people know their buns pretty well and can judge by their demeanor so to speak. Best to monitor,like you say. At 7 years old, I'd be more cautious too. Which Angel is:shock:, but you'd never know it just looking at her, never. My young looking little baby girl.

 

[Maureen Las]

You're right AngelnSnuffy.. you know what your bunny's "norm" is and if it deviates from that its time to worry.