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Could I ask for some advice please?

Glens Mum

Glens Mum

New Kit
We adopted Alphie, a week old Harlequin bunny, for my son from PAH last Tuesday and all was well. We noticed he did sneeze occassionally last week but thought that could just be the change of hay, as we have a bale for our guinea's (he is not in with the guinea's). Now he has a slightly wet nose.
I took him to the vet this morning, as he was due his vaccinations, and she has put him on Sulfatrim for a week and not given him his vaccine, but reading the data sheets this is for gastro intestinal infections.
I was just wondering is this the right antibiotic and also have been reading could his wet nose be because of the heat as PAH is air conditioned and is has been quite warm since we've bought him home, his hutch he is out in the garden under a large shady tree. I will of course give him his full course of anitibiotics but just don't want my son to get too upset that he may have a poorly bunny (fortunately he is away on Scout camp at the mo).

Many thanks for your help with his, we've had guinea's for many years but never a bunny before.
 
I can't advise on the types of antibiotics, though there are some very knowledgeable people who will no doubt be along shortly.

Have you got in touch with pets at home? It does say on receipts etc that if an animal is ill, to notify them as they can use their own vet? I suspect he could have been poorly when you bought him.

Also how old is the rabbit, I know you put a week old, obviously by accident.
 
Sorry he was about 12 weeks old and I took him to another branch of PAH vets this morning (one more local to us so that he didn't have to travel too far) as he had a check up and voucher for a vaccination.
 
I've known Sulfatrim used for respiratory infections to good effect so I'm sure your vet has good reason to use it.

I'd contact P@H and at least inform them of the illness and keep them in on everything going on. They may have a history on this rabbit which they "forgot" to share with you.

I'm sure your son will understand - everyone gets ill, even animals and its up to us to care for them & make them feel better. Its a very important part of his learning for animal care :)

Do you plan on getting your bunny neutered and getting him a friend? They're highly social and do love the company of another rabbit.
 
Glens Mum said:
We adopted Alphie, a week old Harlequin bunny, for my son from PAH last Tuesday and all was well. We noticed he did sneeze occassionally last week but thought that could just be the change of hay, as we have a bale for our guinea's (he is not in with the guinea's). Now he has a slightly wet nose.
I took him to the vet this morning, as he was due his vaccinations, and she has put him on Sulfatrim for a week and not given him his vaccine, but reading the data sheets this is for gastro intestinal infections.
I was just wondering is this the right antibiotic and also have been reading could his wet nose be because of the heat as PAH is air conditioned and is has been quite warm since we've bought him home, his hutch he is out in the garden under a large shady tree. I will of course give him his full course of anitibiotics but just don't want my son to get too upset that he may have a poorly bunny (fortunately he is away on Scout camp at the mo).

Many thanks for your help with his, we've had guinea's for many years but never a bunny before.
Click to expand...

Sulfatrim is in the group of antibiotics called Sulphonamides, they can be effective in the treatment of some respiratory tract infections, depending on the specific bacteria involved.

Do you use wood shavings for bedding ? These can cause allergic type respiratory tract problems.
 
Hi, yes we shall get him neutered but not sure the hutch is big enough for another bunny but we do have four guinea's and some ducks and chickens which he can see, also I'm hoping Glen will be very hands on with Alphie to give him some time away from the dreaded technology kids are into these days.

We have had him on wood shavings as with the hay we also have a large bale for the guineas, could you advise me of a better bedding for Alphie. I've also just noticed he has been favouring lying under where his water bottle is on the side of the cage so I've moved that over as I'm wondering if that dripping may have made his nose/paws wet as well.
 
Glens Mum said:
We adopted Alphie, a week old Harlequin bunny, for my son from PAH last Tuesday and all was well. We noticed he did sneeze occassionally last week but thought that could just be the change of hay, as we have a bale for our guinea's (he is not in with the guinea's). Now he has a slightly wet nose.
I took him to the vet this morning, as he was due his vaccinations, and she has put him on Sulfatrim for a week and not given him his vaccine, but reading the data sheets this is for gastro intestinal infections.
I was just wondering is this the right antibiotic and also have been reading could his wet nose be because of the heat as PAH is air conditioned and is has been quite warm since we've bought him home, his hutch he is out in the garden under a large shady tree. I will of course give him his full course of anitibiotics but just don't want my son to get too upset that he may have a poorly bunny (fortunately he is away on Scout camp at the mo).

Many thanks for your help with his, we've had guinea's for many years but never a bunny before.
Click to expand...

Hi there!

As DP has said, there may be 'history' on Alphie if he's an adoption at 12 weeks old. It would be worth checking anything in his past.

Sulfatrim is one of a range of antibiotics used for respiratory tract infections. Another one would be Baytril.

However, his sneezing could be part and parcel of him moving in with you. Sometimes a change of circumstances triggers these things. I have noticed this with bunnies in the past :D

Regarding wood shavings:

http://www.rabbit.org/care/shavings.html

I don't use anything on the floor except lino or rubber matting. Then I put a litter tray in the hutch with only hay and newspaper, which I change once or sometimes twice daily.

I don't think he's a poorly bunny. He's a very lucky one :love:
 
Glens Mum said:
Hi, yes we shall get him neutered but not sure the hutch is big enough for another bunny but we do have four guinea's and some ducks and chickens which he can see, also I'm hoping Glen will be very hands on with Alphie to give him some time away from the dreaded technology kids are into these days.

We have had him on wood shavings as with the hay we also have a large bale for the guineas, could you advise me of a better bedding for Alphie. I've also just noticed he has been favouring lying under where his water bottle is on the side of the cage so I've moved that over as I'm wondering if that dripping may have made his nose/paws wet as well.
Click to expand...

Many people use Fitch bedding

https://www.fitchrecycling.co.uk/an...dding/fitch-pet-bedding-single-bale-20kg.html

If you have a shredder you can shred your own paper xx
 
I once adopted a rabbit from PAH who it transpired had coccidiosis.

I went back to PAH to let them know so that they could take precautionary measures to protect any other rabbits that she'd come into contact with and to disinfect hutches etc.
They were very apologetic and reimbursed all of the vet bills.
 
Thank you for the advice, we've cleaned the shavings out from his hutch and replaced it with newspaper which he is now tearing up, hope this is okay. Oh guinea,s are sooo much easier than bunnies. I suppose its because we've never had one before and there's lots to learn. Thank goodness for forums like this.
 
Glens Mum said:
Thank you for the advice, we've cleaned the shavings out from his hutch and replaced it with newspaper which he is now tearing up, hope this is okay. Oh guinea,s are sooo much easier than bunnies. I suppose its because we've never had one before and there's lots to learn. Thank goodness for forums like this.
Click to expand...


It's quite OK for him to tear up the newspaper, so long as he doesn't gobble loads of it! He should be eating up the hay and not the newspaper of course :D

Yes, there's an awful lot to learn about rabbits :D They are worth it though!
 
my first 2 buns were from pets at home and within days they had the same issues as alphie, i took them the vets and they had snuffles, you are doing the right things ie vets and changing bedding. I have lino on the floor and use megazorb and hay in the litter trays. lovely little bun you have there xx
 
Good luck with your new bun. I'm not sure about the health side of things, but I can highly recommend Fitch bedding, if you do decide to give it a try. It's lovely and soft for them and really absorbent.

Oh and welcome to the forum, you will find lots of useful advice here :) x
 
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