Rabbit sneezing/runny nose Help!

Hi i noticed that one of our rabbits has been sneezing a lot lately but no signs of anything else like runny nose etc until today. He started making a strange noise and then a sneezing fit started. During the sneezing white gunk dripped out of his nose. I read up about snuffles briefly before but have not fully read up about it because none of our rabbits has shown any signs of it. Can anyone tell me if it is a definite sign of snuffles and an urgent vet appointment is needed or could it be something else?

He has recently just gotten over having runny eyes and does get blocked tear ducts which need flushing a few times a year if that has anything to do with it?

Id get him to the vets tommorrow to be checked over. White discharge can be a sign of infection.
Hope the little ones ok xxx

We managed to get an appointment tonight. Just to be safe we can't touch any of the other rabbits if we touch him right? I read if it is snuffles that it can be spread to others by touch. However the receptionist said that it is possible that the white gunk may have been because there is a blockage in the tear ducts and for some reason instead of leaving through the eyes it has gone down the nose. I'd rather have the vets opinion to be honest but i'm worried about the other rabbits getting snuffles (if this one has it).

Dont quote me on this but I think some forms of snuffles can be very contagious so Id move him away from the other buns and change your clothes etc before handling them.

If it does turn out to be something like that it ill be worth getting the others checked out anyway :wave:

Hope someone with more experience comes on here soon. Ive actually got a sneezy bun at the moment myself. I took him to the vets on wednesday and as his chest is clear theyve put it down to an allergy of some sort or the change in the weather. I've got to keep a close eye on it and get him back there in a few days if no improvement xxxx

Snuffle buns are often able to live with and bonded to normal healthy buns. It depends on the particular pathogen causing the respiratory infection as to how contagious it is. For example a bun carrying MRSA up the nose might want to be kept separate from a healthy bun, but generally, things like pasturella aren't hugely worrying for healthy bunnies. The reason being that even healthy buns have a certain amount of pathogens up their noses - just like we do, and it is only when the immune system becomes compromised that the infection can really take hold. So even though all these bacteria are contagious - they are only contagious particularly for buns with suppressed immune systems. You will find many bonded pairs belonging to members on here where only one of the pair suffers from snuffles, and the other bun remains snuffle free.

Until you know what is going on, good hygiene is important, it is anyway, to prevent transmitting infections elsewhere.

As your bunny has a history of blocked nasolacrimal ducts I would be wanting head and jaw Xrays to check for tooth root elongation pressing on the nasal cavity and nasolacrimal duct and exacerbating any infection. I would potentially want a swab from deep in bunny's nose taken for culturing whilst bunny is under a GA for the Xrays also. I think it is important that investigations are done to find the route cause of this infection and to establish the most appropriate antibiotics to treat it with. Sampling the pus isn't going to be very helpful necessarily.
There is lots of treatment available for snuffles but you need a good rabbit-savy vet and some investigations done first IMO. Good luck x

I'm curious about what happened with the vet visit?

Brownie was diagnosed with snuffles 2 days ago and she prescribed with Opticin Ointment, Baytril, and Panacur. She hasn't been showing any noticeable signs of improvement, but I'm hoping it'll get better soon.

I hope your bunnie is doing much better.

sneezing

Hi i am also having problems with a mini lop doe i made he mistake of going to an auction with a friend yesterday we had a good look round and came across at least 8 boxes all with mini lops in each box. they had all been rung too so we thought we had got good stock i went fr this particular do as she is a red mni lop i gt up this morning to her having pulled fur out so i ut some hay in and she has made a nest thtas not the problem the problem is she is now sneezng anda stuff coming out of her nose i have put some vitamin c in her water bottle and some metatone as advised by a friend the thing is if she is pregnant i dont know what to do for the best . she is ery grumpy grunting when i walk past the hutch i have put her to the other side of the garden away from the rest. what do i do it was hard enough picking her up to put her in another hutch i thought i was doing best for the doe giving her a new home guess i will learn now not to think with my heart again

Alaska - just to be safe I think a vet visit is really important. Sounds like nesting/pregnancy behaviour so the vet can check if she is pregnant, and the sneezing/discharge should be checked out too, just in case.

Hope your bunny is ok :wave:

alaska said:

Hi i am also having problems with a mini lop doe i made he mistake of going to an auction with a friend yesterday we had a good look round and came across at least 8 boxes all with mini lops in each box. they had all been rung too so we thought we had got good stock i went fr this particular do as she is a red mni lop i gt up this morning to her having pulled fur out so i ut some hay in and she has made a nest thtas not the problem the problem is she is now sneezng anda stuff coming out of her nose i have put some vitamin c in her water bottle and some metatone as advised by a friend the thing is if she is pregnant i dont know what to do for the best . she is ery grumpy grunting when i walk past the hutch i have put her to the other side of the garden away from the rest. what do i do it was hard enough picking her up to put her in another hutch i thought i was doing best for the doe giving her a new home guess i will learn now not to think with my heart again

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:? Where do you mean you went? Why are baby bunnies in boxes and rung?

sneezing

there is an auction in selby rabbits chickens geese guinea pigs etc people who obviously dont want them anymore you go early see wht there is then bid on them andthe majority of them are in cages but the rest are in boxes and bid on them awful as it sounds thats why i ended up coming home with the doe that i mentioned