Rabbit snuffles and snotty nose not improving. What can I do?

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!

Yes, it would be prudent to have Claude rechecked by your veterinarian. Consider having a sample of the discharge submitted for culture and sensitivity. This will confirm infection and identify the responsible organism as well as the best antibiotic to use in treatment.

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.

You are correct, she is probably suffering from an upper respiratory infection (Snuffles), she will need a course of antibiotic (Baytril) and some antibiotic eye drops for about 3 weeks, you can go to any regular vet, they can prescribe these medications for Berry.

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.

If your bunny has nasal discharge and sounds congested, he may have an upper respiratory infection that may improve with an antibiotic that is safe for rabbits such as baytril. If there is no nasal discharge/congestion, he may have an environmental allergy, possibly to the bedding/hay in his cage. A trial of a non shaving bedding such as Care fresh (a cotton bedding) may help. Good luck!

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.