Sneezing Rabbit

[WannaBeFarmR]

Just bought a new Flemish giant doe she's a few months old. She and her siblings looked healthy at the breeders. When the breeder was getting her out of the cage she kicked and was dropped, not far but still a slightly rough fall. When I got her home I noticed she was holding one ear in a semi lop position, I thought maybe she bruised it in the fall she wasn't scratching at it and there was nothing notable about it no rash, crusting, sores, discharge, cuts, or smell coming from it. The next day I heard her sneeze and held out some hope that she simply inhaled some feed dust or smelled something she disliked. But no she is sneezing fairly frequently and has a clear to slight green nasal discharge not a lot its just a little wet around her nostrils no crusting. She was in a quarantine cage within the barn but not next to my other rabbits and shared this cage with her sister who I also purchased that day, I have split them up and the sick doe is in a cage even farther from the others. Her sister is showing no symptoms and all my rabbits look healthy. I've never had a sick rabbit before, what does she have? cold? sinus infection/ear infection? or worse? Can I give her meds myself if so what? or do I need to take her to the vet? And lastly are my other rabbits safe or do I need to treat with some kind of antibiotic or immune booster?

 

[TherapyBunnies]

Vet Rx in the water & under the nose can be helpful. The sneezing could be allergies or something up her nose. I don't like the sound of green discharge. Read about SNUFFLES & HEAD TILT. Definitely keep her separated from the other bunnies.

 

[bunnylovincowgirl]

I think it's likely that there's something stuck up her nose; I've seen it happen before. See if you can possibly find anything. I would definitely keep her under quarantine. If it doesn't clear up itself in several days, it's more likely to be a bacterial infection. Rabbit breeders usually call it "snuffles," and the most common cause of snuffles in a the bacteria pasturella. Unfortunately, pasturella can never be removed from the rabbit's system. Antibiotics can suppress it, but that's the best you can do. In fact, many rabbits are carriers of the bacteria; then it surfaces in times of stress. Breeders usually cull right away, because it's probably more possible to develop resistant strains of rabbits than it is to eradicate the bacteria. I would wait to cull until you are sure that it is infection, and not just allergies or something in her nose. The best drug to suppress pasturella is oxytetracycline, which you can buy in yellow powder at a farm supply store. If you want to give her that and it does reduce the symptoms, that might show that it is infection.

For a good article to check out, google "Pasturella -- Your Rabbit Probably Has it" by Astrid Kruse, DVM

Sorry about your bunny!

 

[WannaBeFarmR]

She is no longer sneezing and no more wet nose, all cleared up about a day after I posted...sorry for not updating. I don't think its snuffles, she was in a pretty clean cage at the breeders and her sister is healthy, they shared a cage. Could have been stress induced though I guess, they are both nice rabbits but were never handled much and are frightened by people. They are improving, they come greet me now but still become frightened when I open the cage door without having feed or water for them. She does still hold her ear at a horizontal angle but no tilting head or anything she can hold it upright though, it may just be her relaxed pose. When she is cool, relaxed, and content her ear seems to be floppy, when alert,excited, or scared she holds it upright. Not sure why? or if its a posture thing or what. If it continues into adulthood I won't be using her offspring as future breeders, thats kind of a bummer. Anyway she seems good except for the ear position and she seems happy and its not bothering her so I'll just watch it for now.

 

[bunnylovincowgirl]

Yeah that doesn't sound like snuffles to me, either. Glad she's doing better. Heat can make rabbits ears droop.

 

[aksrabbitgirl]

the ear thing is normal for flemish giants thats okay poor thing.