My new bunny has a yellow nose and is scratching. Is it scabies?

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. It looks like Ruby has an upper respiratory infection called "snuffles". You need to get her to a vet for an exam and treatment. She will need antibiotics to get this clear up and to keep it from getting worse. Snuffles is caused by a very aggressive bacteria and it can be fatal. Be sure to take her to a vet that is used to treating rabbits. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1803&aid=2686 http://plantationcentreah.com/exotics-and-pocket-pets/ Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello! I'm sorry your bun has a nose problem! If it doesn't go away on its own within a few days, or if it starts to spread, I would take your bun in to your veterinarian who may want to do a skin scraping or collect hairs from the area to make sure your bun doesn't have a mite or fungal infection. Some kinds of infections can be spread to people too, so especially if it is getting worse I would make sure to get a diagnosis so you can start treatment.

Hello! A wet nose in a rabbit usually indicates nasal discharge. Nasal discharge can result from allergy, inflammation, or infection of the nasal passages or even from an infected tooth root. It is very common for rabbits to carry a bacteria called Pasteurella (often referred to as “snuffles”). This bacteria can flare up in times of stress. Most rabbits have at least been exposed to this bacteria, and there are also other bacteria and viruses that could cause similar respiratory illness. The best thing to do for Buddy would be to have him examined by your local vet who can assess the discharge and Buddys breathing and teeth. the vet may recommend blood work, X-rays, or even a CT scan of his head since that will give the best information about the nose and terth. Remember that an oral exam in an awake rabbit is fairly insensitive to disease and any root disease is not visible except with X-rays for a CT scan. Since rabbits can only breath through their nose, it’s important to get this evaluated while Buddy is doing well, since potential profession of disease could be serious. Good luck to you and Buddy!

Thanks for your question about Lola! If the nasal discharge is clear and runny (similar to tears), and does not have any color or thickening to it, it is likely a non-concerning change. It is common for rabbits to have an intermittently wet/runny nose when they are nervous, so it may be corresponding to something stressful in the environment. If there is ever any color or thickening to the fluid, that would be more suggestive of an infection. I would recommend having Lola evaluated once per year for a wellness examination with your veterinarian. Gathering systemic blood work to establish a baseline for Lola would also be advisable, as this will allow your veterinarian to have something to compare to if she ever gets sick. I also noticed that you stated that Lola was not spayed - I would strongly recommend that you have her spayed if she truly is intact, as there is a high prevalence of uterine cancers in rabbits (around 80%). I hope that this helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I can't tell exactly from the picture where the scabs are, but if Akira has a wet or snotty nose or is sneezing he may have respiratory disease, and this is a cause for concern. He could be pawing at his nose trying to get rid of nasal discharge and causing the scratches. If not, and there is no snotty nose or sneezing, and he lives in a wire cage, he could be scraping it on that, or have a bacterial infection that needs looked at by a rabbit vet. Mites or some other kind of infection are a possibility as well.

Thanks for reaching out about Bolt and including a photo. Nasal crusts can be caused by bacterial infections or other conditions. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. good luck.

Separate him for now just in case it is infectious. Snuffles is extremely contagious. Have Ollie examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. A culture of the discharge can be collected and submitted for culture to identify the bacteria responsible for snuffles (Pasteurella spp or Staphylococcus spp). Treatment can be administered as indicated.