Snuffles treatments

We stopped treatment for snuffles a few/couple of weeks ago as Barney had no symptoms left except slightly running eyes, after a long (15 days) course of baytril and 3 days of eyedrops.

Obviously it hasnt worked as these last 2 days his eyes have got worse, still no 'gunk' though, but today he had 2 sneezing fits. So we are going back to the vets tomorrow.

But I need info, obviously the baytril didnt work and it was a low dose. So I want to know what I'm on about and suggest trying a different approach, instead of just having to agree with whatever they say.

So what treatments are there for snuffles and for what symptoms are they used?

Part of my vets relunctance to treat agressively you see is because his symptoms are so very mild and he isnt affected by them at all. It is generally just running eyes, maybe a sneeze or two some days but not all.

Buckley presented with mild symptoms (tiny bit of nose mucous, runny eyes), our vet put her on a week long course of Septrin. She seems to like it (banana flavour) and her eyes and nose already look clearer xoxo

Mark put Mischa straight onto Penicillin. He said with these things it's best to hit them hard. It sounds like Mischa's symptoms were a bit more wide ranging though. While he didn't have lots of discharge he was sneezing a lot and waggling his ears cos he had an infection and he also had conjunctivitis.

Pebblesetc said:

Buckley presented with mild symptoms (tiny bit of nose mucous, runny eyes), our vet put her on a week long course of Septrin. She seems to like it (banana flavour) and her eyes and nose already look clearer xoxo

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thanks, ahh it was snuffles then, thats a shame

do your buns' chests sound okay by any chance? Just wondering because they do check his breathing whenever he goes in (which is once or twice a week at the moment :roll but they always say his chest sounds clear, apart from once when he had it badly. Three different vets have checked it.

nessar said:

do your buns' chests sound okay by any chance? Just wondering because they do check his breathing whenever he goes in (which is once or twice a week at the moment :roll but they always say his chest sounds clear, apart from once when he had it badly. Three different vets have checked it.

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Buckley's chest was clear, she didn't have a temperature either.

Pebblesetc said:

Buckley's chest was clear, she didn't have a temperature either.

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no Barney doesnt either, and the time his chest he didnt say it sounded completely clear the vet still said it sounded 'okay'.

nessar said:

no Barney doesnt either, and the time his chest he didnt say it sounded completely clear the vet still said it sounded 'okay'.

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Mmm, from what I've read (and been told by vets) most vets don't even bother with Baytril: the bacteria that causes snuffles appears to be pretty resistant to it in most cases.

If I found myself in your situation I think I'd go to a different vet from a different surgery with lots of recommendations to get a second opinion.

Hope your bunbun gets better soon xoxoxo

Pebblesetc said:

Mmm, from what I've read (and been told by vets) most vets don't even bother with Baytril: the bacteria that causes snuffles appears to be pretty resistant to it in most cases.

If I found myself in your situation I think I'd go to a different vet from a different surgery with lots of recommendations to get a second opinion.

Hope your bunbun gets better soon xoxoxo

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I've thought about it but there are only 2 vets in my town, neither exotic. ANd noone on here was able to give me reccommendations. I was going to get a second opinion from the other vets but when I rung them up they said they couldnt, they would have to contact my other vet and get all his records etc and I would then register with them instead. And I dont really want to change without trying it, particlularly as the vet I'm with came very very well reccommended, but for chinchillas and dogs, I dont know anyone with rabbits.

I can't remember if Mischa's chest was clear or not. Sorry.

Is Buckley a Dental Rabbit ? This would make him more prone to recurrent episodes of snuffles. It is often due to tooth root elongation. The tooth roots press on the nasolacrimal ducts resulting in runny/gunky eyes. The tooth roots can also penetrate the nasal passaes resulting in inflammation of soft tissue and secondary bacterial infection.

If NOT Dental related then snuffles can still be a recurrent problem in some Rabbits. A low dose of Baytril, IME, will be useless and probably just lead to the Rabbit developing a resistance to Baytril.

I have had the most success with a combination of treatment :- Depocillin Injections, Tiacil Eye Drops, Nebulised Baytril, Metacam and Bisolvon (a mucolytic )

Often the treatment needs to continue for several weeks.

http://www.lafebervet.com/small-mammals/?p=3358

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Pasteurellosis_lagomorphs.htm

http://www.lafebervet.com/small-mammals/?p=3327

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Respiratory/Bacterial/URI.pdf

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/RhinitisRabbits.html

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/ConjunctivitisRabbit.html

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/DacrocystitisRabbit.html

I'm back from the vets, who insinuated I wasnt looking after him properly! I said I didnt know why he was ill all the time, that none of my childhood rabbits ever needed the vet, and he said 'well thats probably because your parents were the ones looking after them.' He also had a rant when I asked whether he'd be well enough by Tuesday to travel to the rescue to choose a bunny. That bit I understand though, what with the fact that stress can cause snuffles flare-ups.

We have bisolvon and chloromycetin eye drops, he didnt want to use antibiotics so close to the gut-slowdown he had (the Wednesday before last) because it can upset the gut flora, but as I said I needed him better for bonding he said if he's not improving by Monday he'll give us some.

The thing is I cant think of any stress at home taht coulld be causing this, unless it was caused by the gut-slowdown, GA and dental he had (just tiny spurs, tooth roots fine), but then he had it before too. And he certainly gets much better care than my childhood bunnies.

Your vet does not sound very nice at all. :shock:
Perhaps he sees a lot of bad owners and assumed you were too but I think that's out of order. Is he very rabbit savvy? If not I would find another.

I understand about antibiotics causing gut slowdown, but you could use injectable antibiotics like depocillin.

Jenova said:

Your vet does not sound very nice at all. :shock:
Perhaps he sees a lot of bad owners and assumed you were too but I think that's out of order. Is he very rabbit savvy? If not I would find another.

I understand about antibiotics causing gut slowdown, but you could use injectable antibiotics like depocillin.

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I know, its made me feel horrid all day! He's not normally this bad but he is always blunt/curt, thats just how he is, I dont think he meant to be nasty so I just laughed. He doesnt much like Barney either as he refuses to be tranced, which makes him difficult to examine/take temperature etc and hes a big strong boy so he cant be held still either. There are 2 lady vets there as well which are much nicer, but its a small practice so only one is there at a time. I think I might ring up in future and see whos there, see if I can see them instead.

I dont think theyre particularly rabbit-savvy, although I know the man looked after the rabbits at uni when he was training and I've seen a good few rabbits in the waiting room. Problem is there are no exotic or rabbit specialist vets near me.

I might register my new bunny at the other vets in town and then I can sort of try them out. But I dont want to move and then find they are no better. They havent been able to cure my friends chameleon or tell exactly how ill he is. Plus I love the 'open surgery' my current vets have, where its such a small place you dont get appointments, theres just a couple of hours in the morning and evening where you go along and are guarenteed to be seen even if it overruns. Then they do all the operations etc the rest of the day.

My bunny has had snuffles lots of times (see my post on 'daily injections for 6 weeks')
My previous vet offered us only Baytril which worked a few times then when it stopped working told me to just 'see how he goes'.
After advice from here and wonderful Jane (of Janes Rabbit Rescue) I got him on some injectable Oxytetrin and changed vets. The Oxytetrin worked but hasn't kept him well long term and so he is now having a 6 week course of Depocillin.
Janes advice was that it would return but should always be picked up and treated quickly to prevent it reaching his chest.