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Sneezing bunny - what to monitor? U/D bunny now coughing?

Squishies

Warren Scout
Hi all,

My 5 month old girlie has been sneezing here and there, for the past day and a half (more so today) -- there's no discharge from eyes or nose, and she's eating/drinking/pooping/playing fine and appears to be herself (she's munching away at the hay by my feet as I type)...

...I don't want to panic unnecessarily, but equally I will take her immediately to the vet if that is the best thing. She is fully vaccinated, and all other 5 bunnies are fine. The sneezing seems to come on a little more when she's stressed (sees one of the other rabbit pairs) or eating too fast.

Any ideas or thoughts on what to check or monitor for the next day or so?

x x
 
Have you recently changed her hay or is it dusty at all?

I have no experience of rabbits sneezing but my RWAF booklet says 'rabbits don't get colds so if yours sneezes frequently or has a runny nose, take him to the vet' and has 'runny eyes/ nose/ coughing/ sneezing/ wheezing' listed as an emergency reason to take rabbit to vet

Hope that helps somewhat until someone useful arrives!

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Thanks Leanne, yes, I was doing a bit of googling and I agree, sneezing seems to be considered a vets situation...

...I haven't changed her hay/don't think it's more dusty than usual -- her brother isn't sneezing, so I don't think it's a conditions thing; poor little lady, she hates the vets but I'm guessing it's the best plan in the morning!

x x
 
Yea I definitely agree with what Leanne has said. I'd get her to a vet, hope all is okay x

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Thanks everyone, I did indeed take her to the vet earlier -- Vet seemed unconcerned for now (nose and eyes clear, chest and tummy sounding fine), and has suggested a few days of Piriton to see if is an allergic reaction... I will also deep clean the pen and remove any hay dust etc, just incase!
...will report back x x
 
Glad the vet gave her a clean bill of health, if anything it will also put your mind at rest that there's nothing serious going on.

Please do let us know if the piriton works though I'm interested to know, do they get 1 tablet a day like us?

If it's not the hay what about any blankets you may have washed or are new or nearby flowers around her, obv dependent whether they're indoor or outdoor buns

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Glad the vet gave her a clean bill of health, if anything it will also put your mind at rest that there's nothing serious going on.

Please do let us know if the piriton works though I'm interested to know, do they get 1 tablet a day like us?

If it's not the hay what about any blankets you may have washed or are new or nearby flowers around her, obv dependent whether they're indoor or outdoor buns

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Atticus and Clementine have hayfever... [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

They have kids piriton liquid :)

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so hilariously, it's actually the children's sweet Piriton syrup - the vet just works out the dose based on the weight... my bun is a larger breed, and is still growing, so at 2.4kg, the vet has prescribed 2ml twice a day. It must taste good, as she absolutely lapped it up from the syringe!

I will absolutely report back with progress**, the poor little thing is still sneezing away as she grooms herself tonight :(
...good idea with the flowers/washing powder etc; I've been wracking my brain, but nothing at all is different these past few days - ironically I usually do have flowers in the lounge, but they were looking a bit 'past it' on Monday so I chucked them!

x
**also interested to see if it makes bunnies drowsy like it does humans!
 
She isn't on wood shavings is she as this can irritate them. She might need a course of antibiotics or she could have a piece of hay stuck up her nose. Hope you can find out what it is.
 
Thanks Tonibun, no, she isn't on shavings (she's on newspaper), but I am getting really worried -- she is now almost coughing (like a child with a really sore throat) when she sneezes, it's a really deep sneeze-cough... I wonder whether, like you say, something has got stuck and is irritating her passages -- there is no discharge from eyes or nose, and the vet seemed pretty convinced that it was not something sinister/infection. She does seem fine in herself (eating/playing etc), but she is definitely getting worse so I am quite scared.
x x
 
Thanks Tonibun, no, she isn't on shavings (she's on newspaper), but I am getting really worried -- she is now almost coughing (like a child with a really sore throat) when she sneezes, it's a really deep sneeze-cough... I wonder whether, like you say, something has got stuck and is irritating her passages -- there is no discharge from eyes or nose, and the vet seemed pretty convinced that it was not something sinister/infection. She does seem fine in herself (eating/playing etc), but she is definitely getting worse so I am quite scared.
x x

Personally I would call the Vet again and update her/him about the additional symptoms. Dry sneezing and coughing can occur as a result of active infection in the lower respiratory tract. The Vet may now think itto be appropriate to start abx treatment.
 
Thanks Jane - that makes sense, I will give her a call... (abx = antibiotics?) ...would we have heard a wheezy chest if bunny had a lower respiratory infection starting?
 
Atticus and Clementine have hayfever... [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

They have kids piriton liquid :)

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Bunnies with hay fever, I would never have dreamt it?! How adorably rubbish for the poor bunnies! ...how did you find out, what are their symptoms like (how much/how frequent is the sneezing?) and how often do you give them the syrup?
 
Thanks Jane - that makes sense, I will give her a call... (abx = antibiotics?) ...would we have heard a wheezy chest if bunny had a lower respiratory infection starting?

Sometimes, but not always. It depends on how advanced/severe the infection may be. And yes abx = antibiotics. Sorry I was being lazy using an abbreviation rather than typing out the full word.
 
Bunnies with hay fever, I would never have dreamt it?! How adorably rubbish for the poor bunnies! ...how did you find out, what are their symptoms like (how much/how frequent is the sneezing?) and how often do you give them the syrup?

One of mine has hayfever too, and is on kids piriton. He underwent a lot of investigations including X-rays, blood tests and nasal swabs to rule out anything else first before he was given that diagnosis. He sneezes much more in the hot weather. He has 0.8ml twice a day when his symptoms are bad and because it’s so sugary he literally laps it off the spoon!
 
Bunnies with hay fever, I would never have dreamt it?! How adorably rubbish for the poor bunnies! ...how did you find out, what are their symptoms like (how much/how frequent is the sneezing?) and how often do you give them the syrup?

Yeaaa well they kept sneezing, so I took them to the vets ASAP thinking the worst, and my vet ruled out everything else and said it was hayfever, and worked out the amount of piriton needed per day [emoji38] they were sneezing all the time, now not often, gets worse when my hayfever gets worse (more pollen in the air) I never hear them sneeze now. And if I do, I give them some. Don't give it everyday If it's not needed tho!

If you can hear coughing and bad sneezing that doesn't sound like hayfever to me :( I'd probably go back to the vet, they may have missed a respiratory infection, one of mine had one of these when I first got them, they had a course of antibiotics for it x

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Thanks Jane, thanks Graciee, thanks Nap!

I phoned the vet yesterday and agreed to monitor her with the Piriton over the weekend... She's still super active and fine in herself... This morning she was still sneezing a bit though, so, not wanting to take a risk over the long weekend I took her to the other vets I am registered with (the ones open on a Sunday in a well known store ;)) for another listen of her chest. ...again, nothing sinister to be seen/found on examination, but the young vet (understandably being cautious I think), sent me away with sulfatrim. On getting home she has only sneezed once all afternoon/evening, so I'm kinda reticent to mess with her gut with the antibiotics if it is something like a bit of hay lodged -- I'm really on the fence!

Will continue to monitor her tomorrow, and I suppose I have the abx (thanks for teaching me the abbreviation Jane!) if she starts to act poorly. I just don't want to miss anything more nasty :|

x
 
Thanks Jane, thanks Graciee, thanks Nap!

I phoned the vet yesterday and agreed to monitor her with the Piriton over the weekend... She's still super active and fine in herself... This morning she was still sneezing a bit though, so, not wanting to take a risk over the long weekend I took her to the other vets I am registered with (the ones open on a Sunday in a well known store ;)) for another listen of her chest. ...again, nothing sinister to be seen/found on examination, but the young vet (understandably being cautious I think), sent me away with sulfatrim. On getting home she has only sneezed once all afternoon/evening, so I'm kinda reticent to mess with her gut with the antibiotics if it is something like a bit of hay lodged -- I'm really on the fence!

Will continue to monitor her tomorrow, and I suppose I have the abx (thanks for teaching me the abbreviation Jane!) if she starts to act poorly. I just don't want to miss anything more nasty :|

x

I think you're right to be cautious, said bunny of mine has also had a respiratory infection at one point but his chest sounded completely clear (although he had a wet nose and was breathing a little off, as well as the sneezing). Really you need an X-ray or nasal swab to rule everything out. I'd carry on with the Piriton and see how she goes, if she's still active and eating etc, and breathing fine then that's positive. I'm sure she is absolutely fine but if you're still worried after bank holiday Monday I'd perhaps take her back to the vet and ask for further testing, for your own piece of mind if nothing else!

Edit: is she an indoor rabbit? I only ask because things other than pollen set my hay fever bunny off sneezing - lightly scented candles for example are a big no if he's in that room!
 
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I just wanted to take the time to update on this, given that it was such a conundrum/mystery!
...my little lady's sneezes just slowly petered out, she now sneezes very occasionally (as in, once every few days), and is still fine in herself.

I chose not to give the antibiotics in the end, as I felt nothing was worrying enough, but I definitely appreciate having them here just in case.

My best guess is something stuck/irritating the nasal passage, or some sort of mild allergy?!

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas and advice x x
 
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