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bisc and matt snuffles *another update :)*

biscandmatt1

Wise Old Thumper
hiya,

bisc and matt are doing really well on their penicillin injections. bisc used to have about 4-5 sneezing fits a day and he has only had that many in the last two weeks. matt has only sneezed twice in the last three weeks and has had no discharge from his nose at all. they're both alot more lively and happy.

the only thing that is still bothering me is bisc's breathing. it's fine all the time except when he is asleep and then it's loud, snuffly, and he whistles and blows air really loudly on the breath back out. it's like whistly in and forced air out. this then changes speed. it's only when he is in a sitting or lying forward position though. when he lies on his side it's fine.

i was really worried he had a lower respiratory infection but the vet said his lungs were ok and both bisc and matt had upper respiratory infections. so i really don't know why he breathes so bad when he's asleep. i thought he might just be snoring and making noises because he seems to dream alot. but his breathing isn't steady, it's hard and sharp when i watch the movement of his chest, but this could also be that he is in a deep sleep, which he is alot when he sleeps.

unfortunately, it's been three weeks now and no results have come back from the c&s test so we don't know what strain of snuffles they have yet.

bisc's snuffles seems different than matt's to me and i really thought he had a lower infection but the vet says he hasn't so i don't know.

i know bisc isn't 100% though. there's been improvement in both of them since starting the penicillin and metacam but with matt there's been a significant improvement, whereas bisc has improved except the breathing when he's asleep.

do you think it could be that they have different strains of it and penicillin might be working for matt, but bisc could need something else?

i'm ringing the vets in when they open but i just wondered if anyone had any idea about bisc's breathing when he's asleep.

they're both really happy, and everything else is great, just that one thing.

thanks.
 
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hi i have the same prob with my bunny tinkerbell, turns out shes allergic to hay,straw and dust, but she did also have snuffles badly and then a relapse. so she now has shredded news paper in her hutch and this shredded toilet paper bedding stuff in her bed bit - i just bought a cheap shredder from agos and just shred papers(remove any staples first tho) and buy the toilet paper from pet shop /garden centres etc but it is 8 pound a big sack, but ur bunny may use it as a toilet so u could just put extra news paper in bed area. put lots in as it squashes down alot its a much cheaper option and its recycling news paper at the same time. i also hoover my hutch and run etc, each time i clean it out. also get a spray bottle and slightly dampen ur rabbits hay but dont soak it as it will make ur bunny ill, (hay cookies seem less dusty). im still trying to find other ways to help her allergies, ill keep you posted. ive tried diffrent types of bedding etc but this seems to work the best ,my bunny still sneezes a tiny bit but so much better than before,try and keep your bunny's surroundings dust free too. you can get rabbit allergy tablets from vets but i dont know how safe they are or how much is known about using them in rabbits. im trying to find a herbal solution at the mo .also if your rabbit lives in a unused garage or shed etc out side, buy a thermostat heater with a fan,it also has a cool air setting for summer (argos 20 pounds and also buy a wall thermomiter to keep an eye on the room temperture)honestly it made all the difference.also liquid multi vitamins put on the food daily helps too and mineral stones.hope this helps sorry to chew ur ears off lol: wave: x ps im a terrible speller
 
thanks for all your advice.

i did wonder if bisc and matt were maybe allergic to all their bedding etc so now they have pet blankets in their cage which i change and wash everyday, and the only other things they have are megazorb in their litter trays and dust free hay on top of that. they do tend to be a bit more snuffly when they're eating hay so i think i'll try lightly spraying the hay like you said and see if it helps.

they are on penicillin injections for their snuffles now and i have seen a big improvement so hopefully this will continue. they have only been on them about 3 weeks so far so it's early days. i'm much happier with how they're doing though.

the only thing with them being ill is that their immune systems obviously low because they have just got their second flare up of mites, just a week after finishing their mite treatment! so it's back to the xeno 450 again and i've ordered lots of things to treat the house aswell because i didn;t know what to get so i bought lots to try! lol...

they have the proC probiotic usually but i've ordered the avipro plus one to try instead as it's more for rabbits on medication for a long term illness etc...so that should get here monday. i put it in their water as they do like to drink alot.

hope tinkerbell is doing ok now, she ok? nose runs to her. :)
 
My rabbit was diagnosed with a bacterial infection of some kind a few weeks ago. He was grunting when eating and when very excited, and he had crusting on his paws, so the vet assumed something along the lines of Pasteurella. She put him on ciprofloxacin (after a weaker antibiotic failed) and Benebac (probiotic).

He has finished his two weeks of cipro, but his nose still whistles in a way that sounds similar to bisc's. My vet said this was a sign that my rabbit wasn't completely better, and should stay on the medicine a little longer. Maybe bisc's strain is a bit more resistant to the penicillin, or perhaps he just needs to be on it for a little longer.

But I think you're definitely on the right track to keep your vet updated and keep asking questions. I would have your vet listen to his chest again and see if they hear any wheezing.

But that's just my newbie advice! Keep us posted!
 
i was thinking the same thing about maybe penicillin isn't the right thing for bisc as it's not making him improve as much as i'd like. i will mention this to the vet when he's back (he's off for a couple of weeks) with nothing coming back from the c&s test yet, i don't know what he would suggest changing to.

i'm not happy with bisc's breathing when he's asleep though. and i've noticed that it's not all the time but the other thing i noticed is that one of his nostrils is alot smaller than the other one even though it isn't full of pus or anything. (the vet has checked) and when he makes those noises it does sound like it's just one side. like when a person whistles through one nostril. like that. but even when he flares his nostrils because he can smell something, only one flares properly.

i was thinking it might just be his structure or maybe elongated tooth roots? i think he might have to have a ga and an xray etc if he doesn't improve anymore.

it's worrying...and they've now got mites again aswell... (see other thread)

argh...the stress and worry of it all!
 
Just phoned the vets and they're phoning the lab for me tomorrow and ringing me back but it doesn't look like anything is showing up on the c&s test which is disappointing.

They're both doing ok, no sneezing and no snotty noses now but bisc's breathing when he is asleep is worrying me and it isn't getting any better so it looks like he might have something different to matt and will have to go in for a ga for the same as matt had - nasal swab, skull x-ray etc. it's worrying but there is definitely something going on. :(

Just really hoping the lab will say something has shown on the tests but i don't think they will. it's been over three weeks now. :(

Anyway, buns been out in the garden today sprinting and hopping round and they were so happy, so cute!

Just bisc's breathing when he's asleep, that's the only thing now that's wrong really.
 
the vets have just phoned me to tell me that the c&s test/nasal swab has come back negative. :(:cry:

so now we dont know what is best to treat bisc and matt with. i guess that means a trial and error with the antibiotics etc.

i think matt is doing fantastic on the penicillin but i've got a feeling bisc has a different strain and may need to try something different, and this means he will probably have to go for a ga/skull xray/nasal swab etc like matt did. we were hoping they had the same thing (obv would rather they had nothing wrong but you know what i mean) so that they would both respond to the same treatment.

i'm disappointed and worried now that i will have to go through it all again with bisc. :cry: there's something not right, his breathing is so loud when he's asleep. it's only when he's asleep though, don't know why. anyone got any idea?

hopefully, the vet will beable to give me something to try and get him better without having to go through the ga, but we will see.

that's got me down for the day now. :(
 
update

the vet rang today and bisc and matt can come off the metacam now and they have two months left on the penicillin and then they can stop that aswell.

bisc doesn't need to have any tests because they've both got so much better on this medication. you wouldn't even know there had been anything wrong!

also, the vet looked at the vid clips i sent him of bisc's breathing when he's asleep and the vet said it's not to do with the snuffles, it's just that bisc snores! :)

so they're better now and i'm so happy. :D
 
I'm so glad that they're doing so well now! :)

And I think it's absolutely adorable that bisc snores. :love: Those rabbits are incorrigible!

Good luck with their vaccines! (I'm in the US, so I've never given my rabbits vaccines, but I assume it can't be too nice for them! Poor bunnies =( Do they get injected in the rear end?)

Sooo relieved that your sooooo cute bunnies are better. :)
 
I'm so glad that they're doing so well now! :)

And I think it's absolutely adorable that bisc snores. :love: Those rabbits are incorrigible!

Good luck with their vaccines! (I'm in the US, so I've never given my rabbits vaccines, but I assume it can't be too nice for them! Poor bunnies =( Do they get injected in the rear end?)

Sooo relieved that your sooooo cute bunnies are better. :)

thank you :) i'm really glad too! :)

i'm alot happier now i know i just have a snoring bisc whisk, it's cute now i know it's nothing serious! :love:

rabbits tolerate injections really well, don't bother when they have them. the injection is given between the shoulder blades, that area. that's where i inject the penicillin aswell. :)

i'm relieved they can have their boosters now because they were due the myxi one last thursday and i've been panicking (as usual!) since then that they're going to catch myxi! i just stress about everything really! :roll: so i'm booking them in asap for their boosters! :)
 
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