snuffles

please can anyone offer any advice??? my rabbit has snuffles, it is still in the first week but i am finding it sooo terrible watching my rabbit suffer. She was started on antibiotics 4 days ago and at the time she had a clear nose discharge. it has now progressed to a thick white nose discharge and following another trip to the vet she has had her nose flushed out, but it seems to have not helped. she is not eatting and drinking and i am syringing water and diluted baby food into her mouth, using steam inhalation, but feel like its a loosing battle, she is only 3 years old, I dont want to give up on her, if anyone can tell me more about the stages of snuffles i would be greatful. I also dont want to put my lovely little lion head(lily) through suffering if there is no hope for her. I am breaking my heart over this, is there anything more i can be doing? she is getting really stressed esp at night. thanks xxx

Hi there. There are many members more experienced than I in "snuffles" who will answer.
Is your vet exotics trained - "rabbit savvy" If not you can be asked to be referred to one.
Did your vet take a swab from high in the nose before starting Baytril to find out which bacteria are causing the infection, & which abs they are sensitive to? (culture & sensitivity test)
There is a current thread - Health - biscand matt1 - "Matts test results are back" 22/7
Matt is receiving ab's by nebuliser. Starting to improve nicely now & tolerating nebuliser well.

My big concern is that your bunny isn't eating or drinking. Is she pooping well? Does your vet know this? It is urgent to get her eating & drinking ASAP. I am also surprised that rabbit critical care wasn't prescribed as liquid food. They need fiber to keep the gut moving.
Anti inflammatory drugs eg metacam can help to reduce swelling in the nose & also any long term scarring.

Please don't give up hope yet. This is very early days.

thanks for that, no swab has been taken yet, I did ask but think my question fell on deaf ears, said if she does not respond then they might. I have had a very expensive trip to the emergengy vet who gave me some recovery feed. The problem is she is getting really distressed when giving her anything, as she is breathing through her mouth. I just wish things would start to improve. thank you so much for yr reply, may have to go back to vet again today as she is still not eatting and drinking. will keep u posted. xxxx was given metacam yesterday and she has started it xxx

Nicky, where do you live? I'd seriously consider finding a good rabbit vet as snuffles is something that lots of rabbits can live with quite happily - it shouldn't be the end of the road. Zithromax is a very good antibiotic for treating upper respiratory tract infections but I agree that a C&S test needs to be done to determine the right antibiotic for your bunny. It needs to be done quickly too if bunny is mouth breathing.

Hi, thanks for that, I live in Ilkeston (on the border of nottingham/derbyshire) xxx

BUMP!!! Anyone? This bunny needs a good vet asap!
Nicky I hope someone can find a good vet to help your bun...just hang in there.

Just bumping this up again as it feels urgent!

hiya,

sorry to hear about your bunny.

if you read all my posts starting from way back in january then you can see how bisc and matt have progressed and what has been tried treatment wise.

you will see what they have been through, and that the vet (rabbit savvy) still says they are a long way off this being fatal. so don't give up hope.

i was so upset over this and have found that the rabbits knew this, so i changed my attitude around them and i really believe this helped them 'fight' it so to speak.

with your bun not eating and drinking though, i'd say this is your first priority.

please read all my previous threads though as it will be much easier than me repeating everything here. and pm me if you have anymore questions.

a third of upper respiritory cases are pasturella (snuffles usuallly refers to this), a third are bordetella, and a third are a mix of other bacterias causing different things, so you really need to find out which your rabbit has and a c&s test will show which antibiotics will be effective.

bisc's uri cleared up with only 3 months of injections, whereas matts been an ongoing battle, but he is doing well now, he is on mucus breaking/antibiotic tablets, and being nebulised twice a day, and is on metacam daily aswell.

you could be looking at 3 months treatment like bisc and then be stable, or you could be looking at lifetime 'control' of it instead, like matt will probably have. he was very uncomfortable at night usually with his breathing, but we have now hopefully found a system that seems to be working well, so fingers crossed.

also, my vet said usually it takes a three month course to start (after all tests etc) or sometimes it can take up to a year to get things under control.

it all sounds so much, but he says it's not anywhere near fatal yet, as i have done everything possible. i have to say though, we have been back and forth to the vets so many times, and spent a fortune, but if that's what it takes, then that is what has to be done.

matt also stopped eating and drinking at one point and that was sorted first obv, and i have the relevant treatments for that at home from the vet incase it happens again, and then i can start treatment straight away.

i would say a rabbit vet is a must.

good luck, please read all my other threads and loads of other people on here have buns with uri's so i'm sure you will get loads of advice, and loads of support.

x

thank you all for yr prompt reply, it breaks my heart to say lily lost her fight for life this morning, I had to take her back this morning as she was gasping for breath through her mouth and was sooo tired. she had also started squeaking when moving her. I have been up most of the night with her for the past 2 nights, she has had 4 vet visits in the past 5 days. I honestly feel that she could not have taken anymore, and she was in a lot of distress. I held her as she was put to sleep and it has totally broke my heart, please dont think I am cruel for allowing this to happen but she really was in a lot of distress. I cant believe little lily has gone. R.I.P

sorry to hear about lily. binky free at the bridge lily. xxx

I'm so very sorry. Thank you so very much for telling us your sad news.
I believe that when our animal friends are suffering so severely and we are losing the battle, we have a responsibility to take them "to the bridge" peacefully. It is such a difficult decision to take. I support you completely. No one could have given Lily more than you did. We grieve with you.
Rest in peace little Lilly.

thanks for yr advice and concern, just trying to come to terms with life without her, I miss her soooo much xxx Thank you all for yr kind words and support.

I'm so sorry that you lost her But I also believe that you made the right decision, it was a very brave and selfless thing to do. You must miss her terribly, i'm so sorry.

thanks for yr kind words, I really wanted her to get better but she was really having a hard time, keep wondering now if i have done the right thing, but in my heart of hearts I know I did. Just want her back, its broke my heart cleaning out her cage this pm and not seeing her hopping about the garden and going in and out of the house as she pleased.
Did a crazy thing this pm, searched the internet like mad to see if I could find a tan and black lion head the same as lily, I know its too soon, have no idea what I was doing.??? thanks again xxxx

Im so sorry you lost Lily.Sleep tight beautiful bunny xxxx

Thinking of you hun. So sorry for your loss.

Sorry about your Lily.

I am so sorry that Lily could not recover

thank you everyone for yr kind messages. I am so up and down at the moment, cant stop crying. I loved her so much. Cant think of life without her. Prior to lily I had an angora (heather) for 8 yrs and never encounted snuffles. I know in time I will want another rabbit but I am really scared that the same thing may happen again. Thank you again I am so taken aback at the kind messages I have received, wish I had joined rabbits united before, the support has been amazing. thanks xxx

I am so sad to hear of your loss. My rabbit died nearly a year ago, towards the end she was struggling for breath and she squeaked when I moved her, so it made me cry to hear of Lily's struggle. I ended up watching my Mo die of a heart attack as I did not take her in to be put down. It sounds like Lily was about to die. She is lucky to have had you loving her through it all. You must be exhausted. You put so much love and care into helping her live. And to be left without her after that is so hard. I found it helped to write a good bye to Mo. Take care of yourself now. You did all you could. Jo