Rabbit coughing, sneezing, and wheezing for months. What's the cause?

Hello. Rabbits very commonly have upper respiratory infections. They can be from dental disease, specifically the roots, or sometimes there is a primary rhinitis. Rabbits make a very thick pus that doesn’t drain well, so when an infection is present inside the nose or nasal passages, it can be extremely hard to clear. Sometimes surgery or anesthetized nasal flushing is required. Since nothing has really helped before, I would recommend a thorough exam by a veterinarian along with blood work, skull radiographs, a deep nasal swab or nasal flush for cytology and culture. From there, any additional procedures can be recommended (dental trim, extraction, rhinoscopy, etc). Likely, Hangy will need a long course of medication (4-8 weeks) and may have relapses throughout his life. At home you can make things a bit easier on him by reducing airway irritants, keeping his cage clean, and supporting good dental health with high quality grass hay. Good luck!

Most of the signs you are describing could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I am sorry to hear about your bunny! There are many possible causes for sneezing in rabbits. We can see infections with bacteria cause sneezing in bunnies. Since only one bunny is affected the infectious cause is less likely. Irritation to the nasal passages due to things like odors/ammonia from urine in the cage or cedar shavings can occur. Foreign objects being inhaled (such as pieces of hay or shavings) can cause sneezing fits. Dental problems can also cause sneezing. Since some of these problems due require medical treatment I would recommend an examination by a vet who sees rabbits. In the meantime you can try putting a humidifier in your bunny's room if you have one and you may also bring your bunny into the bathroom while you run a steamy shower for a steam treatment for 10-15 minutes to moisten the respiratory passages.

It sounds like she has a respiratory infection so I suggest you take her to your vet for an exam. I don't think it's an emergency like you have to take her now but I would try to get her in tomorrow. If this is a respiratory infection she is going to need antibiotics and you can only get those from your vet. The other option is asthma/allergy but again, you would need to get medications to treat this from your vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi and thank you for your question, It sound like you may have a problem of upper respiratory infection in your bunnies. The common cause for it would be a bacteria called Pasteurella (snuffles). Rabbits can only breath through their nose, so once they get an upper respiratory infection they start making those funny noises. I would suggest that you visit your vet once again and ask him/her if antibiotics are indicated, as these cannot be prescribed online. Regards

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Fluffy is giving you a scare. While honking and hissing/sneezing sounds can be normal rabbit behavior when scared or agitated, if Fluffy is exhibiting any other symptoms, such as discharge from the eyes or nose, noisy breathing when at rest, anorexia (not eating), or lethargy, I would recommend bringing her to the vet. There are certain upper respiratory infections that rabbits can develop, like Pasteurella, which could be causing these symptoms and will require a vet's care. If she is acting normal and appears healthy otherwise, you should be able to watch her and see if the noises continue, but if anything else is out of the ordinary, a vet visit is in order. Good luck, and I hope that Fluffy does well!

Hello, I am very sorry to hear about your rabbit. Rabbits are predisposed to bacterial upper respiratory infections. One of the more common causes is a bacteria called Pasturella, leading to an infection called "Snuffles". If left untreated this bacteria can lead to pneumonia. Rabbits are very sensitive animals and when they become ill they are often predisposed to developing GI problems such as GI stasis. To prevent secondary problems from developing I would recommend having your rabbit evaluated by a veterinarian so that they can perform an examination and evaluate the nasal discharge. Hope this helps, good luck!