Rabbit snuffles: Why is my rabbit mouth breathing after starting meds?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm so sorry to hear that Chubbs is so ill. It sounds like he is in a lot of discomfort. Unfortunately rabbits are obligate nose-breathers, which means that they cannot breathe through their mouths if their nose is obstructed. This makes snuffles (upper respiratory tract infection) very uncomfortable for rabbits. Surgery would not be the appropriate treatment for this guy. What he needs is antibiotic therapy to clear his infection, and to clear the secretions from his respiratory tract. Nebulization can help, which may be available at rabbit-specific veterinarians. He would also benefit from oxygen therapy, which would require hospitalization at the vet. I would call around and see if there are any other rabbit-savvy vets in your area that can provide these treatments. The only home treatments I could suggest for now would be steam therapy - e.g. put him in the bathroom with you while you take a shower, and let the steam help to open up his nasal passages. Gentle coupage may help as well, which involves gently patting him on the chest to help loosen any secretions in his lungs (only do this if it is not stressing him out, of course). If you are able to get him to a vet for hospitalization and he does not improve, I am afraid that euthanasia is a viable option at that point, since he will continue to be in distress from the inability to breathe. I hope this helps, and truly wish you luck with Chubbs.

Hello, and thank you for your question. It sounds like Snuggles has all the right medications to help resolve his Snuffles infection. I would give it a few more days to see improvement. If still no improvement by then, I would recommend taking him back to the vet. They may want to take a culture sample of his nasal discharge to check exactly what bacteria is present, or decide to switch his antibiotic type altogether. X-rays may also be recommended to rule out pneumonia, which is more serious and more difficult to treat. I hope this helps, and that Snuggles feels better soon!

I doubt the hay is to blame, sneezing in rabbits 99% of the time is due to an upper respiratory infection also known as "Snuffles", this condition is very common in rabbits, it is treated with oral antibiotics for 3 weeks that you will need to get from your vet.

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.

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, 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!

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.