Can dusty hay..

Can dusty hay cause a 'snotty' nose and weepy eye as well as sneezing?
I bought some from Sainsburys the other day to keep me going as my online order was held up for a little bit, as well as something new for the buns to try.
However, one thing I noticed was that it was quite dusty. However, I empty all my hay into one of those popup laundry baskets, so I figured I'd give it a day or two to 'air out' and then use it.
It seemed fine the first time, and they loved it, so I bought some more and did the same. However, a day or two ago I noticed Rex sneezing. He was nosing about in the hay so I thought maybe he got a bit of dust up his nose. However, he's done it a few more times since, and today his eye is a bit weepy.
I was also woken up in the night (must be my paranoid-mummy-radar as it takes a lot to wake me usually!) by more sneezing. However, popping my head over the bed (which is above the rabbit crates/pen before you get confused!), it didn't look like it was Rex sneezing as he was half dozed off. This morning, I've seen Squishy do several of these sneezes, and on inspection his nose is wet.
All 3 of the trio are booked into the vet for 12:30 but I was wondering if it would be something as simple as the hay? Although the pair in the crate next door have had exactly the same stuff with no problems, and Mary who's part of the trio hasn't either.
One alternative I'd considered was molars, but Rex has never had a problem with his as his malloclusion was due to snapping an incisor and it growing back tilted and pushing the others out of line. I'll ask them to check all of their molars while I'm there though, as I know on the last checkup the vet said Squishy's were a bit longer than normal but not causing a problem.
It just seems strange that it would start on one rabbit and then another does the same. I would've thought if it was the hay, the sneezing would've started straight away and all the buns would be sneezing.
They've not been in contact with other rabbits to catch anything, but all were originally petshop buns at shops I've worked in and I've ended up taking them home for various behavioural problems or illnesses! So it may be possible they were carrying something which is flaring up now? :?
If it's not one thing, it's another! Hope they'll let me off consultancy charges today else it'll work out rather expensive! 3 buns, ratty with an infected wound and 2 chinchillas that have gone off their hay!

it may well just be the dust, a good tip to remove most exces dust from straw and hay is to soak it, this is what a lot of horse owners do.

I heard that damp hay wasn't good for buns though? Something to do with mould spores or something?
Not convinced it's the hay though now as I've had a look and Squishy's breathing isn't very nice sounding :? And he has white discharge from his nose. At least I've caught it quickly so fingers crossed we can sort him out.
Been giving him his daily/twice daily bum inspection and just noticed Mary is all wet underneath too. He had problems with his kidneys a while ago but treatment for EC seemed to do the trick and he's been putting on weight well, but now I'm worried again :?
I think these animals sit conferring when to get ill! "Yeah, you get ill on the 25th and when you're better I'll start sneezing so Mum worries even more! And how about so-and-so gets ill too, then she has double the worry!" :lol: :roll:

Awww Karly! You must be a stress pot .. all those naughty bunnies causing you lots of worry!

I have no advice, but I hope your buns get better soon and its nothing too serious xxxx

Suppose it's my own fault for being a softy when it comes to poorly animals :roll:
My chinchillas are the only animals I purposely went out to a breeder to get (looked around rescues first, and I feel bad saying it now but there were none I really 'clicked' with) - and even they got ringworm shortly after I got them :roll:
The rest are all a bit of a charity case collection - a mouse doomed to be snakefood, another one with a bad case of mites, gerbil with the same problem and a tendency to bite, rat with his headtilt (and again, a tendency to bite - rather harder and more often than the gerbil though!), rats with myco and nipping problems, few rats from a rescue (accidental/surprise litter from an owner who bought a female from a petshop - no surprise there really!), Joey with his bad tummy problems, Mary with his aggression, Squishy and Rex with their teeth, Nina with her fussy eating, occasional tum problems, and no one wanting her!
I must be mad :lol:

Karly said:

Suppose it's my own fault for being a softy when it comes to poorly animals :roll:
My chinchillas are the only animals I purposely went out to a breeder to get (looked around rescues first, and I feel bad saying it now but there were none I really 'clicked' with) - and even they got ringworm shortly after I got them :roll:
The rest are all a bit of a charity case collection - a mouse doomed to be snakefood, another one with a bad case of mites, gerbil with the same problem and a tendency to bite, rat with his headtilt (and again, a tendency to bite - rather harder and more often than the gerbil though!), rats with myco and nipping problems, few rats from a rescue (accidental/surprise litter from an owner who bought a female from a petshop - no surprise there really!), Joey with his bad tummy problems, Mary with his aggression, Squishy and Rex with their teeth, Nina with her fussy eating, occasional tum problems, and no one wanting her!
I must be mad :lol:

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:shock: :shock: :shock:

loopylop said:

:shock: :shock: :shock:

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:lol:
That's why I won't let myself work in a petshop selling animals anymore! Though even working in one without animals I managed to gain a few more 'problem cases'! Think I'll stick to the office job for a while, works out much cheaper in vet bills!

Any news Karly?

All fingers crossed down here!

Just got back in (after an hour at the vet!).
She listened to their chests and checked them all over and thinks it is just an allergy to that particular hay, so that's been binned.
The chinchillas seem fine too, she's taken their weights as she was worried Gismo was a little on the small side (and she said it was a good excuse for a cuddle too :lol: ) and just said bring him in for a reweigh if I'm still worried and just try different hays to encourage them. Teeth and gut etc. seem fine.
Roxy the ratty has the all clear too, she just seems to have been scratching at the wound. The haematoma returned but she's not too concerned and said it's not really worth draining, just keep an eye on her and we may have to put a 'sock' type device on her back paw if she continues scratching at the wound, but there's no infection and it's all dry and healing.
Mary's being dropped in Monday morning so they can try and get enough blood for a blood test this time, and a urine sample. She said he seems healthy enough and kidneys feel fine but obviously buns don't normally get themselves soaking wet when they wee and he has made his legs a little sore in the process so I'll be giving him a nice soak later to clean him all up. She said he does still need to put on some weight though, so looks like he'll be getting some extra rations away from the other two!
Other than that, everyone's fine, and my bank balance isn't too unhealthy either - she only charged me two consultancy fees for seeing all six, so yay
The vet didn't quite believe it when she was looking through my account for them all, and I don't even have all my animals registered there :lol:

After all that worrying they put you through! Glad everyone seems to be ok, and I hope they enjoy the new hay!
Yey for the vet only charging you 2 consulting fees.

Rex and Squishy are still sneezing away :? But sneezes sounding a lot 'drier' and less harsh than earlier and yesterday, so fingers crossed they'll be OK by tomorrow. Cleaned their cage out and had the window open all day to let the breeze flush out any hay dust lying around, so maybe it'll just take a day or so for them to stop reacting to it.

Cheap hay also made Storm sneeze and snot everywhere! :? but after I swaped the rubbish stuff for oxbow I've had no more problems It sounds as though your pets are keeping you very busy! :shock: our babies are such a worry sometimes!

Hope your bun gets better soon. I actually really rate Sainsburys (Bob Martin) hay and buy it rather than anything else. I've decided I can't afford Oxbow for my rabbits and guinea pigs, so the bunnies are on Sainsburys at the moment with a bit of Oxbow thrown in.

They've never tasted Oxbow here, can't afford it with 13 buns and three piggies :roll:

That's the problem with my piggies I think - they have such a taste for Oxbow they won't eat anything else, ever!!! :lol: The bunnies are from a more humble background, and seem quite happy with the nice green Sainsburys hay.

hay is so cheap, 1 bale (65 lb.) is only $4. Throw away all those hay and get some new ones.

Anything that contains powder such as wood shavings for e.g., is something I would avoid. They are what I called "unstable" elements in a rabbit environment.

Happy Hopping said:

hay is so cheap, 1 bale (65 lb.) is only $4. Throw away all those hay and get some new ones.

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You keep saying this, but remember that most of the members here are in England, not America.
I personally do not drive so it's not as easy as me to go around to collect a bale of hay, especially as the nearest farm shop I've found selling it so far is still about 15-20 minutes away from me by car.
There's also the fact that a lot of people don't have space to store a bale - I live surrounded by farmland so we get a lot of wild rats outside, and I wouldn't want to risk giving my rabbits hay contaminated with rat urine or droppings.
And I've already said a few posts before that I've thrown away the hay

I have this hay ... that my bunny absolutely adores.. I cant remember what its called...
Bunny farm or something
And its got meadow hay, straw and barley in it all mixed up she adores it! swapped her on to it, cos the other stuff shes was getting was apparently to short for her - according to the vets , but must say she much prefers this one

Karly said:

Happy Hopping said:

hay is so cheap, 1 bale (65 lb.) is only $4. Throw away all those hay and get some new ones.

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You keep saying this, but remember that most of the members here are in England, not America.

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Even some of us Americans have to spend more for their hay. I live in a farming area, but the vast majority of hay grown here is alfalfa or alfalfa mixed with random grasses and lots of weeds. :?

I buy from Oxbow, which is pricey but at least I know what's in there.

Have your buns cleared up now? Mine get the same way when I get to the end of the pellet bag. The last bit is too dusty, so I end up either sifting it or throwing it out.

naturestee, I feed mine on Oxbow hay too. It is seriously expensive over here in the UK, but as you say, you know what's in it. No dust, no rubbish, just pure quality hay. I now have to find a solution to my rabbits bedding problem. I use barley straw that comes in large bags. It is cheap, but very dusty. I'm sure this is what makes Flopsy sneeze sometimes. I need a cheap alternative. I use Megazorb for their litter trays. It's very good, but smelly! I prefer using it as litter to bedding mainly for this reason. It's not as cheap as straw either.