Snuffles or not snuffles ... that is the question!

I have a belgian hare doe, she is 9 months old, I bought her from a belgian hare breeder, I have had for 4 months and she lives outside.

Since having her she has had a wet nose (clear discharge) which has been present on and off and some matting of the inside of her legs suggesting she is wiping her nose on them. I have been to the vets twice in the past 4 months and have been told by two different vets that there is nothing to worry about and that it would clear up. Her chest sounds fine apparently. She does make strange breathing noises when she gets excited or is running around. I am taking her again to the vet tomorrow as I am wanting to breed her. The problem is still there and I want to get it sorted out, however I am getting a bit tired of paying to see a vet and being told there is nothing wrong when there is. I don't want her having trouble during pregnancy if there is a problem with her respiratory tract.

She eats well, drinks well and is generally a lively character.

I have another buck who has had contact with her through the mesh and he is fine and has not contracted anything ... touch wood!

I have purchased some herbs which are supposed to be good for rabbit respiration which I am about to try to see if it improves things.

The question is, can anyone think of anything else that could be causing this problem other than snuffles as I have been told this isn't the problem? I thought it might be an allergy to something but can't really think what could be causing it.

Any information much appreciated!

Thanks,
Alex

Have you taken her to a vets? :wave:

I don't really know much about rabbits health, but would suggest a vet be your first point of call.

Could be snuffles. Has she had a culture and sensitivity test taken?

Or possibly tooth root problems? Has she had any x-rays?

Please don't breed her when there is a problem, in case it is something that could be passed on to her young.

Sorry your lovely bunny has a snuffly nose. I have limited knowledge of health issues, but I also have a bunny with snuffles so I do have a little experience with it.

This can be caused by different things, including (but I'm sure not limited to):

- infection
- foreign object (for example hay or seed lodged in the nostril)
- teeth problems

I am certain that there is more your vet can do to help work out what the problem is. With my own bunny, who had similar symptoms to yours, we had a 'culture and sensitivity' test done for infection. This is a small swab that is pushed into the nostrils to extract some discharge (this is done either consciously or under anaesthetic). The swab is then sent off for testing to see if a bacteria can be identified (if present), and depending on what is found, the correct antibiotic treatment can be prescribed. This is appropriate if the problem is an infection.

I am not 100% sure on what would be done if a foreign object was suspected, but I would guess an X-ray would be necessary to see what is going on within the nose.

Your vet should definitely be checking the bunny's teeth routinely anyway, but please ensure he/she does this if it hasn't been done, as overgrown teeth and spurs can cause serious pain and other issues.

I would definitely not advise you to breed from her - I wouldn't advise breeding at all, but especially with a bunny whose health is compromised. There would be risks for this bunny, but also her offspring.

I know there will be more possibilities than those I have mentioned, and I'm sure others will be able to make more suggestions. These are just the things that crossed my mind. Please also don't be afraid to ask to see a different vet or seek a referral if you are not happy with the service you are getting. Rabbits are treated as 'exotics' in the veterinary world, so some vets are better equipped to deal with them than others.

Thank you for the responses thus far.

I am taking her to the vet again tomorrow morning so will have to see what happens. No cultures/sensitivity tests or xrays done yet but I am thinking this is the next step. Her teeth have been examined and all is good there too.

Alex

To be honest, there is quite a high chance and likelihood that it would be irresponsible to breed from her now, for a variety of reasons, so it would be preferable to get her spayed and bond her with a neutered boy.

You're doing a good job with trying to get to the bottom of what's happening. I wonder whether there would be anyone on the forum near your area. If you posted a thread called 'Looking for a rabbit savvy vet near *insert location here*' you might find a vet that is more equipped to deal with rabbits?

I agree with a C&S test. I would also wonder about x-rays. I would also be wondering about an allergy or a possible malformation in the respiratory tract.

Good luck

To be honest, there is quite a high chance and likelihood that it would be irresponsible to breed from her now, for a variety of reasons, so it would be preferable to get her spayed and bond her with a neutered boy.

You're doing a good job with trying to get to the bottom of what's happening. I wonder whether there would be anyone on the forum near your area. If you posted a thread called 'Looking for a rabbit savvy vet near *insert location here*' you might find a vet that is more equipped to deal with rabbits?

I agree with a C&S test. I would also wonder about x-rays. I would also be wondering about an allergy or a possible malformation in the respiratory tract.

Good luck

Thanks for this post. I was wondering about a malformation in the respiratory tract. She has a large third eye lid and with the eyes and nostrils all being linked, I wonder if she has some hypersensitivity there. Does anyone know anymore about malformation in the respiratory tract of rabbits?

I don't know much but do have a limited experience with it. I have/had three buns from a breeder, two sisters and their cousin. All have their issues. The two sisters are milder, but one has it worse than the other. Their cousin had a horrific time and a horrific condition and he is now at the Bridge. That's why I advised not breeding. Having seen the damage done by repeatedly breeding bunnies with these problems (unknowingly, I believe), it's not fair on the bunnies, or prospective owners, to do that to them.

Update

I went to see the vet this morning! It was an allergy to sawdust that was making her nose run and giving her matted paws. So the problem is easily solved! Phew!

Alex01 said:

I went to see the vet this morning! It was an allergy to sawdust that was making her nose run and giving her matted paws. So the problem is easily solved! Phew!

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, thats extremely common - changing to another type of bedding or simply sticking with newspaper/hay should help sort that out.

Im so very glad its something simple

That's good that it can be sorted out.

Do you know how your vet decided that it was this that was the cause? Is there an allergy test for rabbits?

Wishing her all the best

ETA - don't worry about my question, just realised you said it was sawdust (for some reason I was thinking hay :lol::roll:). Hoping her snuffly nose clears up very soon

How did the vet draw that conclusion?

The vet said that the wettness under her nose from actually tears from her eyes (the eye duct is linked to the nose apparently). Because the discharge was wet and clear not yellow. He also said her ears were a little red inside which suggested an allergic reaction to something.

Alex

That's good news but I would still keep a very close eye on her. Just because the discharge isn't yellow doesn't mean that it's an allergy. If however it is an allergy, removal of the sawdust should very quickly improve her symptoms. If you don't see a big improvement in a day or two I would take her back to the vets, or to a different vet.