My rabbit has snuffles, on medication. When should I see improvement?

Thanks for reaching out about Biscuit. If seems not to be responding to antibiotics, a culture and other diagnostics needs to be performed to get a more complete diagnosis. Separate the administration of both medications for 30 minutes or so. Wipe nose as needed to remove any accumulations of discharge. Nebulization is another mechanism to administer drugs to the upper and lower respiratory system. Talk to your vet again. Good luck.

As with any infection, the sooner treatment is administered, the sooner the eye will recover. Mild cases of snuffles may resolve without treatment. It can also lead to more serious infection if not treated promptly. It is also very contagious, so if you have other rabbits, it is best to quarantine Lola. Do your best to get Lola seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can. If your vet cannot see her, consider a different veterinary clinic just this once. You can read more about the condition here: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18 1803

Thanks for your question about Sunu. Snuffles is typically a generic term for a single type of bacteria- this is usually present in most rabbits. If you are unable to take your rabbit to a veterinarian, then you can attempt supportive care at home. This would include a high quality diet, a well ventilated area for the enclosure, and keeping Sunu’s face clean. Please do not give Sunu any human medications at home, as many are harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gices you a place to start, and that Sunu gets better soon.

Snuffles in rabbits is caused by a bacteria called pasturella. The majority of pet rabbits carry this in their lungs and it is in times when the immune system is stressed that it tends to cause disease. Such as concurrent illness, surgery, age etc. For whatever reason the sick rabbit has developed snuggles, however, its friends likely already have the bacteria but are strong enough for it not to manifest as disease. I would avoid treating them uneccesarily as you could encourage resistance. Be vigilant with them though. To definitively know what infection your rabbit has it would have to be tested.

It's unlikely she was misdiagnosed, Snuffles is by far the most common upper respiratory disease in rabbits and the symptoms seem to match, unfortunately treatment can be long and frustrating, in many cases more than one antibiotic is needed to resolve this infection. IF she is breathing through her mouth but is still eating and not lethargic, it's probably because her nose is clotted, the antibiotics should take care of that eventually.

It certainly sounds like snuffles (Pasteurellosis) but it is impossible to know for sure without seeing Kookie. Since Pasteurella can cause septicemia which may result in sudden death, it is important that you have Kookie seen by your veterinarian. Antibiotic treatment is often difficult and needs to continue for 6-8 weeks. Also, many antibiotics are ineffective against this disease because of an increase in resistant strains. Culture and sensitivity testing is therefore recommended to determine the best antibiotic to use. Keep in mind that there are other infectious diseases that can cause the same or similar clinical signs including some viral diseases. Your veterinarian will be able to examine Kookie, diagnose what is going on and recommend appropriate treatment.

Hello, and thank you for your question. It looks like Pluffy has some sort of skin infection. One possibility is rabbit syphilis (treponema), which is a type of bacterial infection. Another possibility is a systemic infection (sepsis). I would highly recommend taking Pluffy to the vet within the next 24 hours. They can administer antibiotics and pain medication to heal the infection. In the meantime, encourage her to eat a more balanced diet which includes plenty of timothy hay, and limited pellets (no more than 1/4 cup a day). Keep her environment clean. I hope this helps, and that Pluffy is feeling better soon.