My rabbit has snuffles. What can I do to help my rabbit at home?

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

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.