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Snuffly Bun

binkygirl2013

Young Bun
So last Monday evening, my 5 year old boy bun Oscar had a few sneezes and although there was no discharge, he sounded a little bit snuffly. He was making little nasal noises while eating and preening that sounded like their should be snots but there wasn't...that I could see. I was all prepared to be taking him to the vet the next day however by bed time he was absolutely fine and there were no more nasal sounds. He's been fine ever since until last night when he started doing it again. I gave him some metacam before bedtime in case there was any inflammation and again I was thinking I'd be getting up this morning and ringing the vet but I've got up and he sounds fine again. He's currently munching on a big pile of hay and and has raced round the house a few times so he obviously feels ok. I'm so confused....if he had an infection or snuffles would he not have got worse over the last week and would it not be constant rather than separate episodes?
In addition, his wife bun Roxy is having a really heavy moult at the minute and I'm wondering if maybe it's her fur irritating him.
I would never hesitate to take either of them to the vet if I'm worried but thought I would ask on here as you lot always have invaluable advice :)
 
One of my rabbits started sneezing whilst eating his pellets. He hasn't done it now for a while so he must have learnt not to breathe while he has his head in the bowl. Was your rabbit doing anything in particular when he started sneezing?
 
When he started last week he was eating hay so I thought he must have just got a bit hay up his nose, but it was the way he was a bit nasaly (if that's even a word) that concerned me. Within a couple of hours he sounded fine which is what made me wonder if it was Roxys fur. They're always snuggling and grooming each other so I suppose it's a possibility. They were cuddling earlier and when Oscar stood up he had her fur all over his face :shock: Yesterday I'm not sure when it started as i was out for a few hours, he was fine when I left but then was snuffly and sneezed a few times when I got home. Today he seems absolutely fine again.
 
So following on from my earlier post, Oscar has had a another couple of snuffly episodes...he goes for days without doing it then he'll have a couple of sneezes and sound a bit nasaly but a few hours later he's fine and then is fine for days again. After he done it on Saturday there was a tiny bit of white discharge on his right nostril so today I have taken him to the vet. We have a weeks course of baytril and metacam but the vet seems to think it's more likely he has something stuck up his nose as it's intermittent and hardly any discharge but he wants to rule out infection first before going down the x-ray/scope up his nose route. Has anyone had any experience of this? I don't know what's worse as I know infections can reoccur however I don't like the thought of putting him under anaesthetic....although my vets are great with rabbits so I know he'll be in good hands...
 
So following on from my earlier post, Oscar has had a another couple of snuffly episodes...he goes for days without doing it then he'll have a couple of sneezes and sound a bit nasaly but a few hours later he's fine and then is fine for days again. After he done it on Saturday there was a tiny bit of white discharge on his right nostril so today I have taken him to the vet. We have a weeks course of baytril and metacam but the vet seems to think it's more likely he has something stuck up his nose as it's intermittent and hardly any discharge but he wants to rule out infection first before going down the x-ray/scope up his nose route. Has anyone had any experience of this? I don't know what's worse as I know infections can reoccur however I don't like the thought of putting him under anaesthetic....although my vets are great with rabbits so I know he'll be in good hands...


I have a lot of experience of snuffly buns.

Sorry to hear Oscar's problems are ongoing. I am personally not a fan of the 'deep nasal' swab because of it's tendency to cause scarring in the nares/nasal tissue.

I have gone down an 'alternative' route, which I must say clears it up for good (under my vet's guidance). I also use Bisolvon - a mucolytic which thins the mucous and makes it easier to pass.

Nebulising also works wonders. Some use it with antibiotics but I tend to use only saline now.

There's some really good info here:

http://www.veterinarywebinars.com/m...oads/2016/03/Study_Notes_Ear_Nose_Rabbits.pdf
 
I have a lot of experience of snuffly buns.

Sorry to hear Oscar's problems are ongoing. I am personally not a fan of the 'deep nasal' swab because of it's tendency to cause scarring in the nares/nasal tissue.

I have gone down an 'alternative' route, which I must say clears it up for good (under my vet's guidance). I also use Bisolvon - a mucolytic which thins the mucous and makes it easier to pass.

Nebulising also works wonders. Some use it with antibiotics but I tend to use only saline now.

There's some really good info here:

http://www.veterinarywebinars.com/m...oads/2016/03/Study_Notes_Ear_Nose_Rabbits.pdf

Thanks for the info Mighty Max, I will have a read through it. If it is something stuck up his nose rather than an infection or snuffles would nebulising or alternative treatments work?
 
Thanks for the info Mighty Max, I will have a read through it. If it is something stuck up his nose rather than an infection or snuffles would nebulising or alternative treatments work?


You're welcome :)

No, if it was a foreign body then the vets would be best to sedate, X-ray and have a good look to see what they could find
 
I did have a bunny who got a piece of hay stuck in his nose. It eventually made its way out and it was almost 2" long! I showed it to the Vet and she said they get this problem with a lot of cats. Hope you solve the problem soon.
 
Our Willow has always been prone to snuffles. I have tried to work out what it is but she's otherwise fine, eats like a horse, produces textbook poos, not lethargic, runs around happily, etc, etc. Sometimes she has a small amount of nasal discharge too. It seems to get worse during the summer months so I wonder if (a) it's some kind of allergy or (b) perhaps some congenital nasal problem. As it does not seem to cause any problems I am tempted to leave it - I know horses that are allergic to hay, so it's not that unusual. I also had a colleague for 4.5 years who had a permanent rhinitis that made him snuffle, sniffle, and blow his nose all day long. Sometimes you just don't know.
 
You're welcome :)

No, if it was a foreign body then the vets would be best to sedate, X-ray and have a good look to see what they could find

Yes that's what the vet said they would do if it still persists after the antibiotics. I think he is more convinced it is a foreign body but wants to rule out infection first :?
 
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