Snuffles

What exactly causes snuffles?

Simba was perfectly fine yesterday morning. By 2pm he had a heavy snotty discharge and his breathing was sooo loud.

Rushed him to emergency vets and he confirmed it was snuffles and when I asked what caused it, I was told it was caused by damp and draught probably in his living conditions.

This shocked me somewhat as he and Tinkerbell live in a 6ftx3ft enclosure which is covered with a Scratch and Newton cover and also tarpaulin when the weather is cold or wet. They then have access to a 20ft square area (approx) during the day with shelter. So I don't get how their living conditions could have contributed.

Any ideas anyone?

Respiratory problems in rabbits are usually caused by bacteria. Pasteurella is the main one, but there are others that cause the same/similar symptoms.

Often the rabbit will have carried the bacteria from birth, but it only becomes a problem when the immune system is lowered (i.e. by old age, stress, another illness, etc).

Living conditions CAN cause respiratory trouble, but usually this is from dirty housing where lots of rabbits are living in a poorly ventilated shed or out-building.

Damp conditions like we've been having recently shouldn't cause a problem unless there is no dry area for the rabbit to shelter, or there is inadequate ventilation.

Amy

Thanks for that, makes me feel a bit better.

So the cause may never be known?

Your vet can do a nasal swab to test for bacteria...but it's uncomfortable for the rabbit, and results can be unreliable...so most vets don't bother.

Ok, thanks. He doesn't seem as snotty today and his breathing isn't as noisy. I have to keep bathing his little nose for him and he is being sooo good about it that it makes me all tearful

My Martha is being treated for snuffles. I felt like you did at first wondering what I did wrong but the vet told me lots of different things can bring it on. Martha is a house bunny who has dust free everthing and house cleaned daily but he said lots of things can trigger it.

Try not to worry.
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Thank you

Hope he's better soon *lily* - Get well VIBES sent his way.

TP

Thank you

He just looks so kind of vulnerable and I keep filling up when I look at him

Awww! Bless you - "Chin-up" vibes coming your way too!!!

TP

Thanks! He is now tucking into a nice bowl of veg

Sending lots of healing vibes x

Thanks Steph

Aw Sending lots of get well vibes. I hope he's much better very soon x

Thanks

I didn't realise it was contagious, the vet said it wasn't likely that Tinkerbell would get it as well. But having read up on it, I realise it IS so now I'm watching Tinkerbell very closely.

How can you split them up though when they are bonded and live for each other??

I've just posted on another snuffles thread that my nethie suffers bouts of snuffles, but the frenchie he lives with has never picked this up from him.

Times of stress can bring on a bout (like going to vets), and I've worried in the past about vacc's in case that made him more vulnerable, but he had his myxo last week and is fine.

All I'd add is make sure the treatment is a good long course - minimum 3 weeks +, even though you'll probably see a marked improvement within a few days.
A long course really knocks it on its head, wheras a weeks worth will probably see you with a reoccurance in a short period.

Hope he's better soon - I hate it when my little man gets it as he seems so fragile

*lily* said:

Thanks

I didn't realise it was contagious, the vet said it wasn't likely that Tinkerbell would get it as well. But having read up on it, I realise it IS so now I'm watching Tinkerbell very closely.

How can you split them up though when they are bonded and live for each other??

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Don't worry. Tinkerbell won't necessarily get snuffles.

You don't need to split them up...Tinkerbell will have been exposed to the same bacteria already.

Lots of us have snuffley buns living with others without any problems.

Amy

Thanks for that, BB Mommy.

The vet gave Simba 2 injections on Sunday and has only given me 5 syringes of Baytril, to be given at 1 a day. So not even a full weeks worth.

We are to take Simba to our normal vets on Friday for a check up. Should I ask for further Baytril?

Amy, thanks so much for that information. Tinkerbell and Simba have been together for about 18 months now and I really couldn't bear to part them.

Well, no improvement so we took Simba to our vets today.

She is concerned that Simba has not responded to the Baytril and has upped the dosage. She has also given him some anti inflamatory and some decongestant. Also some powdered food as he isn't eating very much.

She said that even after all this care we still might lose him I can't contemplate that at all. He had such a terrible life before we got him and he so doesn't deserve this.

Please keep all your fingers crossed that he starts to get better soon.

Thank you

Awww poor love There are lots of other antibiotics which can work well on snuffles so don't panic too much - if there is still no response to baytril at the higher dose I would discuss whether your vet would consider another antibiotic. It does sound like quite a sudden onset though which can be more serious so do keep a very close eye on him (I'm sure you will anyway).

Personally my snuffly bun responds best to oxytetracycline (terramycin/engemycin) and this is injected every 3 days so also a bit less stressful on the bun. I have also used ronaxan (doxycycline), septrin (this didn't work for mine but others have success with it, and it's banana flavoured so easy to give!) and penicillin (effective but slightly more risky, should only be given by injection and ideally with a drug to help mop up any toxins). Did the vet give you any decongestant to give at home? Santa has a pinch of bisolvon twice a day when she's snuffly, I mix it into about a ml of water and she will drink it straight from the syringe.

Have you got any kitchen scales? I would weigh him twice a week - any weight loss in conjunction with the snuffles would indicate that the drugs may not be working, and also when he is in a 'good' time, weight loss can be the first symptom that a bout is about to happen.

I'd also reiterate that there's no need to separate the bonded pair. Santa has lived with Dudley for over 2 years and he has never had a problem, they also lived together with the other two for several months and the other two didn't catch anything either. It is always possible of course, but your other bun will have been exposed already and the latest thinking seems to be that buns will either be susceptible or not, from being a baby, so contact as an adult may not matter.

Hope that helps, please keep going with your little chap.