Snuffles (Pasteurellosis)

[M.R. Lops]

It is very contagious. Form what I've read about it, the germ is always in the nose, but Snuffles is when it gets out of control. Usually they will have thick yellow mucus on their paws and nose. Some rabbits will carry it, but will never show signs of the disease.

 

[manybirds]

I'm looking to see if anyone has dealt with this disease before? None of my rabbits have (thank goodness) but I was wondering is it contagious when no rabbit show signs? Could they get it from being in the same room? I took my rabbits to a show this past weekend and found out from a friend of mine that she took a rabbit that just showed signs of Snuffles the following days... now I'm not 100% sure if my rabbits were in the same judging holes as her but is it possible that they could catch it now? I read that it can be passed threw clothing... she was holding some of my rabbits and typing them. What kind of makes me mad is she knew that the rabbit was sick... but never showed any signs so she thought it was ok to bring the rabbit?

I'm just worried now that my rabbits could have it now. Does anyone know how long it takes to how signs? I check my rabbits each day to make sure they have no discharge and/or runny noses. Thank you for any possible help!

snuffles is kind of a loose term, it can refer to any runny nosed disease. the true snuffles is not good though. I think (not posotive) it can be deadly. We have never experianced it. it is extremely contagious. look for runny nose and eyes any labored or noisy breathing. sluggishness you know just basicly signs of sickness

 

[Ms. Research]

I found this past thread.

Really informative about snuffles and could help thanks to the person who took the time to post this previously.

Hope this helps. Well Wishes from New Jersey.


Snuffles-
SNUFFLES is an advanced case of severe bacteriological respiratory invasion. It is a permanent bad cold, put in human terms. It will never go away as the bacterium that causes it lodges in the nasal/sinus bones of the rabbit, where it cannot be eradicated with antibiotics (enough to do so would kill the rabbit). Symptoms include any or all of the following that REAPPEAR ON A REGULAR (every 4 - 6 months) basis: sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, and nasal thick mucus discharge. The symptoms will become more severe as the rabbit experiences stress. The bacterium that is commonly the culprit is Pasteurella Multocida, although other bacteria can trigger "colds". Once the P. Multocida organism has a firm hold in the rabbit's system, and it reigns unchecked, then the rabbit simply loses vitality and slowly fades away. Snuffles can be around a LONG time, and is considered, like AIDS in humans or Feline Leukemia in cats, a chronic condition. While the rabbit is "fading", which can takes years, he is prone to other things cropping up: abscesses on the body (feet and genitals); pneumonia; wry neck (dizziness and crooked posture) and other assorted ills.

There are any number of reasons why a rabbit sneezes, and while only one of them is from a bacterial invasion causing a respiratory response, one has no way of knowing by looking at the rabbit. Finding out what is going on with your sneezing rabbit takes a LONG time. Sneezing spreads large colonies of P. Multocida, as well as Bordatella, another culprit in Snuffles. If you have other rabbits, it is a good idea to quarantine your sneezer and take precautions to lessen the chance of infecting another rabbit.

Snuffles takes a long time to fully develop. In the meantime you have fleeting sneezing/discharge symptoms that crop up when stress occurs. Stress can be excess fright, excess heat, excess cold, excess wind, and excess ammonia from urine, breeding and lactation. These symptoms do NOT have to develop into Snuffles IF, and this is a big if, your rabbit possesses a strong immune system, and you work quickly to make him more comfortable and calm.

The first time you see any sneezing/nose dripping/eyes watering you should IMMEDATELY (and not tomorrow):
1. Separate bunny from the others. 20 feet minimum. There is some evidence that 10 feet is enough.
2. Bleach all cages and food/water bowls within 10 feet of where bunny was.
3. Set up a separate food source for bunny's feed. Feed the sneezer LAST and change your clothes/wash your hands before you visit another rabbit. Never feed your other rabbits from this food source.
4. Put water soluble Terramycin 343 in his drinking water. This needs to be mixed fresh daily and used for at least 2 weeks, or a full 7 days past any sneezing. If this is not available, use VetRx for Rabbits (herbal mixture that is FABULOUS for stress). I sell it here at Countrywool.
5. Consider using ophthalmic eye ointments for drippy/runny eyes. Two that I keep on hand are Chloramphenicol and Erythromycin. Use one as prescribed by your vet for 2 days, and if the eye does not clear, use the other one.
6. For the full-bombing treatment of suspected bacteria, Enrofloxacin injectible (Baytril), used twice/day for 4 days, will divert the bacteria. Dosages are outlined in RABBIT PRODUCTION by McNitt, Patton, Lukefahr and Cheeke, or check with your vet.

I give each potentially breedable rabbit one chance to get over a sneezing attack. If it goes away with minimal fuss (VetRx in the water and more attention to a calm environment) and stays away for a full 12 months, then the rabbit has, in all probability, a good immune system that is taking care of little negative bacterial invaders well. After all, anyone can sneeze from dust and allergies, and sometimes it takes bacteria triggering the immune system for the body to resist the bacteria, with a week of sneezing as it copes. But, rabbits that need this kind of treatment to STAY symptom free should never, and I repeat, never, be bred. You are diluting the possibility of a healthy and strong immune system for future generations.

So, new rabbits get quarantined for a full 6 weeks before they are mingled with your herd. Rabbits to be considered for breeding should be observed for a full 12 months, through a year of changing seasons and conditions, to see how their immune system is coping. Rabbits that show signs of developing Snuffles should be considered pet quality and kept away from other rabbits and breeding stock. But, after all is said and done, I have known pet rabbits with Snuffles who lived until the age of 6 when kept inside and treated carefully when a "cold" surfaced. So, single bunny pet owners can offer a fine life to a Snuffly bunny.


http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2085

 

[CYGChickies]

Ok so how expensive is a test for this bacteria Pasteurellosis? I don't want to kill her if she can have a happy pet life. Also how do I go about convincing people to take a rabbit with a chronic disease? I'd rather get her tested since she's got a great personality and would be a good brood doe as far as I can tell now, but reality does have to set in and I can only spend so much on a test.

Thanks for the advice and apologies to the OP for sort of taking over. I thought it would be better than adding a separate thread about the same-ish subject.

CYG

 

[Mea]

Ok so how expensive is a test for this bacteria Pasteurellosis? I don't want to kill her if she can have a happy pet life. Also how do I go about convincing people to take a rabbit with a chronic disease? I'd rather get her tested since she's got a great personality and would be a good brood doe as far as I can tell now, but reality does have to set in and I can only spend so much on a test.

Thanks for the advice and apologies to the OP for sort of taking over. I thought it would be better than adding a separate thread about the same-ish subject.

CYG

You would need to check with Your vet... or a veterinary college ( this one might be cheaper) as prices will vary. ( again it is not cheap... i've heard people paying close to $200 for the test.)

 

[M.R. Lops]

Ok so how expensive is a test for this bacteria Pasteurellosis? I don't want to kill her if she can have a happy pet life. Also how do I go about convincing people to take a rabbit with a chronic disease? I'd rather get her tested since she's got a great personality and would be a good brood doe as far as I can tell now, but reality does have to set in and I can only spend so much on a test.

Thanks for the advice and apologies to the OP for sort of taking over. I thought it would be better than adding a separate thread about the same-ish subject.

CYG

Over 70$. I had a rabbit that had snuffles, he was kept outside in a hutch far away from my other rabbits though. His nose was always clogged up and he could hardly breathe, his paws had yellow crust on them from wiping his nose. He was the sweetest rabbit ever, but I hardly handled him because I knew he had Snuffles and I feared my good Show and Breeding rabbits would get it from him. That winter though, at 5 months old, he passed away. I think since his nose was always runny, the moisture in his nose froze and caused him to get too cold and freeze to death. But, not sure on the cause. I had another rabbit outside also in a hutch and he was just fine that winter. I get the bunny from a family in our 4-H club and the mother the said seemed to sniff a lot and they said she had allergies, but none of their other rabbit had it. So, I'm not sure how their other rabbits ended up not getting it, but it is very contagious.

 

[CYGChickies]

Well this doe can breathe, isn't crusty and never--that we saw--had colored discharge. She's active and friendly as well. I have since consulted another veterinarian and he told me--like the other vet--that the antibiotics will have taken care of it and she's not contagious. It's a little discouraging how impossible it is to get a fact about "Snuffles" without finding anther fact that says the exact opposite. Vets need to get together and write something up about this or something. Anyway she's moving back outside tomorrow and if she's sneeze-free in two weeks then I'm considering it over. I'm betting that she just had a cold since her symptoms were nowhere near as severe as the stories--and horrible images--I've seen of Pasteurellosis.

Thanks to everybody for the advice and wish me luck!

CYG

 

[dewey]

Well this doe can breathe, isn't crusty and never--that we saw--had colored discharge. She's active and friendly as well. I have since consulted another veterinarian and he told me--like the other vet--that the antibiotics will have taken care of it and she's not contagious. It's a little discouraging how impossible it is to get a fact about "Snuffles" without finding anther fact that says the exact opposite. Vets need to get together and write something up about this or something. Anyway she's moving back outside tomorrow and if she's sneeze-free in two weeks then I'm considering it over. I'm betting that she just had a cold since her symptoms were nowhere near as severe as the stories--and horrible images--I've seen of Pasteurellosis.

Thanks to everybody for the advice and wish me luck!

CYG

Rabbits do not get "colds" in that sense. Unless the rabbit was tested for the specific cause it's unlikely the vet would know which strain it was and how to target treat it.

It's believed that all rabbits have been exposed to it and/or harbor it, so dispatching those with mild outward symptoms is not always the right answer. Those with stronger immune systems may never show any outward symptoms and can pass that resistance on to their surviving kits, others may only show mild symptoms, if at all, that never progress to the status of the severe cases and surviving kits from their litters will have a good resistance to it as will their offspring...eventually leading to a resistant herd.

I'd think that those with severe symptoms (constant back to back bouts, colored discharge, etc.) are best removed from the herd since their outcome is never favorable.

 

[Ms. Research]

Well this doe can breathe, isn't crusty and never--that we saw--had colored discharge. She's active and friendly as well. I have since consulted another veterinarian and he told me--like the other vet--that the antibiotics will have taken care of it and she's not contagious. It's a little discouraging how impossible it is to get a fact about "Snuffles" without finding anther fact that says the exact opposite. Vets need to get together and write something up about this or something. Anyway she's moving back outside tomorrow and if she's sneeze-free in two weeks then I'm considering it over. I'm betting that she just had a cold since her symptoms were nowhere near as severe as the stories--and horrible images--I've seen of Pasteurellosis.

Thanks to everybody for the advice and wish me luck!

CYG

Rabbits do not get "colds" in that sense. Unless the rabbit was tested for the specific cause it's unlikely the vet would know which strain it was and how to target treat it.

It's believed that all rabbits have been exposed to it and/or harbor it, so dispatching those with mild outward symptoms is not always the right answer. Those with stronger immune systems may never show any outward symptoms and can pass that resistance on to their surviving kits, others may only show mild symptoms, if at all, that never progress to the status of the severe cases and surviving kits from their litters will have a good resistance to it as will their offspring...eventually leading to a resistant herd.

I'd think that those with severe symptoms (constant back to back bouts, colored discharge, etc.) are best removed from the herd since their outcome is never favorable.

X2

 

[CYGChickies]

I've read that and then the next thing I'll read will say there is no cure, almost nonexhistant treatment success and it will always be passed on to kits and make them sick. That's what I mean by conflicting information, and seriously the veterinarians are both respected with farm/meat animals--including rabbits. They both gave me advice with the idea that the rabbit had the worst form of snuffles and considering how many other animals I've had treated successfully by both of them I'm taking their advice.

I don't believe she ever had this Pasteurellosis. Maybe they aren't called "colds" but I've read dozens of other things that make a rabbit sneeze and have extremely minimal nasal discharge (as in next to none). I don't think my other rabbits are in danger because a rabbit who came from the same breeder as her is in very good health, has never sneezed once in all the time we've had them; none of the others--all of which were within ten feet of my "sneezing doe" for more than a month--are showing symptoms. It has been two weeks since we quarantined her and no one is sneezing even now. She is very young--two of her hutch neighbors are barely 8 weeks old--and none of them are over 4 months, so symptoms would likely be popping up in the young rabbits quicker especially since one of the 2-month rabbits escaped and was chased around the yard for hours and never sneezed--I think chasing her around like that was stressing enough to give ME snuffles much less the rabbit.

I am very new to rabbits and I think that every little change in the wind has me paranoid, but I believe that my rabbit had allergies/a cold/etc etc and is fine now. If my entire herd gets snuffles I guess I will have learned my lesson but I don't believe that will be the case. Hopefully some of you are right and this is just something all rabbits have in a dormant form and there's no reason to go killing every sneezing rabbit on my property--though there's been only one lol.

Thanks again

CYG