Sneezing, runny nose and a waxy ear.

Hi all,

So our little Gandalf (15 week old Mini-Rex) started sneezing quite a bit about 5 days ago and also very slight discharge from one nostril and then today the other nostril too. While checking out the sneezing the vet said he has a slight buildup of what looked like wax in his right ear and gave us Surolan as well as giving him an antibiotic shot.

The Vet came highly recommended but I just wanted to get opinions on if this could be something more sinister?

Our previous vet was quite useless so it's trying to rebuild that trust and do the best for our little bunny at the same time.

Thanks for reading.

How has Gandalf been since? It he on a course of antibiotics?

Well he hasn't changed really, he has only had that one antibiotic shot and he was going back to the vets Friday to have the ear checked out again.

The vet said if he hasn't improved by then then she would probably put him on a course of antibiotics. We are just worried and don't want to leave anything to chance. I know I'm being overly paranoid but from having one prey pet (hamster) im only too aware of how quick they can go downhill.

Thanks for replying.

I'm going to ask something and I hope you don't feel insulted....

Do you have faith in your vets?

The injection was likely Convenia, which is used as a long acting antibiotic injection in dogs, cats, G.pigs & rabbits but I'm unsure of how effective it really is in rabbits.

Hopefully someone else will be along soon to add their information, experience etc but I'd have personally wanted my vets to start my rabbit on an antibiotic course if they felt bun had an infection (I believe they gave the antibiotic shot for the sneezing, which can sometimes indicate a respirator infection).

PaulJD said:

Well he hasn't changed really, he has only had that one antibiotic shot and he was going back to the vets Friday to have the ear checked out again.

The vet said if he hasn't improved by then then she would probably put him on a course of antibiotics. We are just worried and don't want to leave anything to chance. I know I'm being overly paranoid but from having one prey pet (hamster) im only too aware of how quick they can go downhill.

Thanks for replying.

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Hi Paul and welcome to you and your Mini-Rex :wave:

You say your vet was recommended but I am really surprised that she only gave your rabbit one injection of antibiotics. A course would be much more sensible and useful, especially so as not to create antibiotic resistance.

Perhaps your vet indicated that she didn't think it was anything serious? In which case I wonder why the antibiotic shot at all?

If you'd like further vet recommendations from our members here, start another thread with "Rabbit savvy vet needed in (your location)" and we will help all we can.

Alternatively you can look at the reviews of various vet practices here to see if any are close by you:

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/vetfinder/vets-owners-recommendations

Good luck and please post back!

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and thanks for the warm welcome max! So to answer your question daphne, since I felt our previous vet let us down so badly with our hamster my faith in vets is shaken, this new vets was recommended and as lovely and kind as they are I just feel they are waiting for Gandalf to get worse and then start him on treatment!

That for me isn't really acceptable and I am very much pro preventive rather than reactive especially with prey animals.

Our Vet didn't seem overly concerned and thought the sneezing could be an offshoot from the slightly waxy ear.

Mightymax, yeah the vet was pretty much like 'we could give him an antibiotic shot if you like' so it was purely on us saying yes please as we were hopping it would help in anyway.

Funnily enough I called windleshamvet at 6pm for him to see Gill Tose who seems to have a wealth of experience with rabbits, sadly she isn't in tomorrow so he has an appointment at 9:45 Thursday morning, we are just concerned is he ok to wait till Thursday? I know little buns can go downhill quite quick, but he is eating drinking and pooping as normal which is a big relief.

In terms of his health he sneezes every so often and he has a very slight runny nose, he isn't binking or charging around like his normal self but he doesn't seem terribly bad either. Still hoping around and flopping down etc.

Every time he flops down he without fail gives a little snort or like if you just pushed air out of your nose, not sure if that's any tell tail sign.

Me and my partner are just wanting him feeling right and happy.

Thanks again everyone.

PaulJD said:

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and thanks for the warm welcome max! So to answer your question daphne, since I felt our previous vet let us down so badly with our hamster my faith in vets is shaken, this new vets was recommended and as lovely and kind as they are I just feel they are waiting for Gandalf to get worse and then start him on treatment!

That for me isn't really acceptable and I am very much pro preventive rather than reactive especially with prey animals.

Our Vet didn't seem overly concerned and thought the sneezing could be an offshoot from the slightly waxy ear.

Mightymax, yeah the vet was pretty much like 'we could give him an antibiotic shot if you like' so it was purely on us saying yes please as we were hopping it would help in anyway.

Funnily enough I called windleshamvet at 6pm for him to see Gill Tose who seems to have a wealth of experience with rabbits, sadly she isn't in tomorrow so he has an appointment at 9:45 Thursday morning, we are just concerned is he ok to wait till Thursday? I know little buns can go downhill quite quick, but he is eating drinking and pooping as normal which is a big relief.

In terms of his health he sneezes every so often and he has a very slight runny nose, he isn't binking or charging around like his normal self but he doesn't seem terribly bad either. Still hoping around and flopping down etc.

Me and my partner are just wanting him feeling right and happy.

Thanks again everyone.

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Now you are talking great vets! :thumb:


I would say that the advantages outweigh the waiting period, so just make sure he carries on being his normal self as much as possible as it's not long to wait.

Perhaps also consider a bit of echinacea to stimulate his immune system?

https://www.baldwins.co.uk/baldwins-echinacea-angustifolia-herbal-fluid-extract

Two or three drops a couple times a day should help

Thanks so much for replying so quick, great hopefully this will be the last Vet we ever try then! I did edit my last post just now to say when he does do a little flop with fail he gives a little snort or like us pushing air out of our nose, not sure if that gives anything away or not.

I'll grab some of that echinacea tomorrow! Can you get it from anywhere do you think? I'm happy to buy it online but would rather have it asap if it can help in anyway shape or form!

it sounds like he can wait until the appointment, but have a plan of action for before then should he get worse. hopefully he won't.

the pushing air out of his nose on an out breath is something i saw with my two. they both had respiratory infections.

PaulJD said:

Thanks so much for replying so quick, great hopefully this will be the last Vet we ever try then! I did edit my last post just now to say when he does do a little flop with fail he gives a little snort or like us pushing air out of our nose, not sure if that gives anything away or not.

I'll grab some of that echinacea tomorrow! Can you get it from anywhere do you think? I'm happy to buy it online but would rather have it asap if it can help in anyway shape or form!

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A herbal extract is good as it can be syringed into his mouth.

Or you can buy capsules and open one and sprinkle a bit onto food.

I used to use a brand I got at Holland and Barrett, but they discontinued it, so now I get it from the States - the things we do :roll:

Don't get an alcohol tincture as it's a fiddle burning off the alcohol!

He just scared the life out of us, he was laying down semi Egyptian cat with rear legs out to the side and he slowly started dropping his head off and down to the left almost like he was falling asleep and couldn't keep his head up, is this normal? Never seen him do that before!

Is this one no good then max? From the states? Wow must be good stuff?

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/a-vogel-echinaforce-60082037

PaulJD said:

Is this one no good then max? From the states? Wow must be good stuff?

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/a-vogel-echinaforce-60082037

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I have a feeling the Vogel one is preserved in alcohol?

I found a brand and it works really well for me - excellent in fact, so I reckoned it must work well for the buns too!

biscandmatt1 said:

it sounds like he can wait until the appointment, but have a plan of action for before then should he get worse. hopefully he won't.

the pushing air out of his nose on an out breath is something i saw with my two. they both had respiratory infections.

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So why the hell isnt my vet putting two and two together and putting him on a course of antibiotics?! I really dont get it. Yeah fingers crossed the little fluff ball is fine till Thursday!

UPDATE!

So Gandalf went to see Gill this morning, so he luckily has no ear troubles, so no need for ear drops anymore, no idea if he had ear issues in the first place but just glad the ears are good, he has now thankfully been put on a course of antibiotics for his snuffles.

The previous vet also said his hocks didn't look so bad and to just keep an eye on them, Gill on the other hand was very concerned that such a young bunny has bad hocks so he is having laser treatment and currently has bandages on his rear legs, he REALLY isn't enjoying that!

I think myself and my partner are just both miffed how his little hocks got so raw, we're not sure if he is sitting in his urine so we clean his litter tray after every wee, not all of it just where he wee's.

We use pine magic recycled wood cat litter for the tray so not sure if this isn't helping? Gill said to maybe just have hay, we do also have a thin layer of care fresh on top of the litter to make it a little softer.

Fingers crossed we can get him back to health. Thanks again for all your help guys.

PaulJD said:

UPDATE!

So Gandalf went to see Gill this morning, so he luckily has no ear troubles, so no need for ear drops anymore, no idea if he had ear issues in the first place but just glad the ears are good, he has now thankfully been put on a course of antibiotics for his snuffles.

The previous vet also said his hocks didn't look so bad and to just keep an eye on them, Gill on the other hand was very concerned that such a young bunny has bad hocks so he is having laser treatment and currently has bandages on his rear legs, he REALLY isn't enjoying that!

I think myself and my partner are just both miffed how his little hocks got so raw, we're not sure if he is sitting in his urine so we clean his litter tray after every wee, not all of it just where he wee's.

We use pine magic recycled wood cat litter for the tray so not sure if this isn't helping? Gill said to maybe just have hay, we do also have a thin layer of care fresh on top of the litter to make it a little softer.

Fingers crossed we can get him back to health. Thanks again for all your help guys.

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You're welcome :wave:

Really glad Gill is on the case. I hope his hocks heal soon and the antibiotics work their magic.

Please keep us updated

Morning all,

So this morning Gandalf doesnt want to touch his pellets one bit, he is eating some hay and happily takes his old pellets from my hand also isnt interested in fresh veg although we do normally give this to him at around 7:30pm, we changed to Selective junior form whatever his old brand was as we thought selective junior would be better.

We changed them over a 4 week period but he just wont touch them, we have also noticed that as of this morning his poo's are half the size. We are both really concerned now, he had a drink this morning also so that was a relief but tiny poo's. He is going back to the vets at 9am tomorrow for more laser treatment and bandages changed but it just seems to be one thing after the other with our poor bun.

A couple of times we have noticed a white liquid on his vet bed? would this be sperm? or do you think a calcium buildup?

Thanks again!