Bad sneezing help!

[Megamuffin]

Hi there! Hoping someone can help!
My poor Snugs (a 4 year old lop ear) is having sneezing problems. It got so bad he had mucus coming out of his nose and was struggling to breathe. He has been to the vet twice for the problem, and has been prescribed 10ml of Baytril. I am not one for prescription meds, so it pains me to give it to him, but I don't know what else to do.

Here's the problem. He has finished his medication twice now, and he still seems to sneeze off and on. It usually takes about a month or two before the mucus problem comes back and he has fits where he can't breathe. I changed his bedding to hypo-allergenic material instead of wood chips after his first vet visit in hopes that it would help if he was having an allergic reaction to the wood chip dust. I haven't changed anything about the foods he has been eating for years, so I don't think that's the problem.

Anyone else having this health issue with their bunny? Anyone know a natural solution? I don't want to get more drugs from the vet. The vet really seems to have no idea what the problem could be.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help!

 

[Mariah]

Are you seeing a bunny vet? I had the same problem with Kiwi when I first brought her home. I was also given baytril which she ended up being on for 30 days. My vet had told me that if her sneezing and discharge didn't clear up after her second dose of baytril, we needed to do a swab of the discharge and send it out for a culture to see what type of antibiotics she was sensitive too.

I know you say you dont like meds but maybe you should ask your vet about doing a culture and sensitivity?

Good luck!

 

[missyscove]

As my pharmacology professor says, drugs offer "better living through modern chemistry."

Baytril is often prescribed as a first line of defense sort of antibiotic but it sounds like if the problem is returning after two rounds of baytril, you may need to try a different antibiotic as the bacteria you're dealing with are likely resistant to baytril at this point.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Eww Eww Ewwwwww. Ok, not to totally bash what could be a helpful medicine, but I've never had Baytril do a THING when my bunnies were sick. Especially for my snuffles bunny. The Injectible Penicillan with benzathine did seem to help a little bit. Have you gotten it cultured? Thats really what needs to be done as from that they can tell the exact antibiotic is needed.

I don't think the bunny is strugling really with allergies as allergies show themselves in clear thin discharge and mild sneezing sometimes.

What color is the discharge? That can be very telling in nad of itself..

Also, check the bunnies inside of their paws where they rub their nose. Is it crusty? They tend to use this as their hankerchief.


I do know you're hesitant about meds from the vet, but with snuffles, it is hard even WITH meds from the vet to treat something like Pastuerella/snuffles, and not something to mess around with. It can get so bad, and the longer its left the harder it will be to treat. I've gone that route but with my bunnies, she got so bad we had to give her up; it was heartwrenching and I don't even like ot think to it.

 

[Megamuffin]

I will definitely suggest the culture swab!! Thanks for the suggestions everyone!!

@Mariah - I am taking Snugs to a new vet today because the last one was just so unhelpful! Both the old one and new one have small animal experience. I'm just not sure how much the last guy really had.

@Bunnylova4eva - His nasal discharge usually has a bit of yellowish colour to it. I have tried to help him out by wiping it off his face, and that's the colour on the paper towel afterwards. It's never really crusty once it dries because either I have, or he has, wiped most of it off. It definitely has a smell with it.
I'm so sorry for what happened with your bunny

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

This sounds like a case of pasteurella (snuffles). This bacteria is common and many rabbits can be asymptomatic carriers, so most rabbits are exposed to it at some time.

In rabbits with compromised immune systems, you may start seeing symptoms like you're describing.

In most cases, pasteurella cannot be cured. Sometimes symptoms can be controlled with prescription drugs, but symptoms will usually return later.

It is best to work with your veterinarian on this, or to seek another veterinarian if you'd like a second opinion. Few drugs are available over the counter to help.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:

This sounds like a case of pasteurella (snuffles). This bacteria is common and many rabbits can be asymptomatic carriers, so most rabbits are exposed to it at some time.

In rabbits with compromised immune systems, you may start seeing symptoms like you're describing.

In most cases, pasteurella cannot be cured. Sometimes symptoms can be controlled with prescription drugs, but symptoms will usually return later.

It is best to work with your veterinarian on this, or to seek another veterinarian if you'd like a second opinion. Few drugs are available over the counter to help.

Let me point out though that there IS a difference between Pasteurella and Snuffles. Snuffles means a bunny has sneezy symptoms etc. Pasteurella is an exact disease.

True Pasteurlla does tend to be very hard to treat but alot of people automatically call EVERYTHING in the way of snuffles Pasteurella. True Pasterulla though usually has THICK THICK very green nasal discharge. Its very posilby if the dischage is thin or even thicker but yellowish that some other bacteria, or pasteurlla is involved. If you can do the swab and start some strong antibiotics soon, there's a good chance still of possible treatment or at least it going into almost like remission even if eventually it pops back up. When my bunny Charlie was sick people told me it was totally hopeless and she would never get better. She continued to get worse and worse. But to be honest now, I wish I had still tried harder, longer and more things (and I wish I'd had the rescources/ability to do so...)

 

[Megamuffin]

Hi all! Thank you for all the information! I'm hoping it isn't Pasteurella

My little Snugs went in and had a chest xray, and there is definitely something in his lungs. He also had air in his stomach from all the sneezing fits, and the vet had to release it (BLEH!)
The vet gave him a months worth of Baytril this time (instead of the 5 days worth he had before). I wasn't tooooo happy about getting prescription that didn't work, but we will see how it goes. If nothing clears up in the next few weeks, then his xrays will be sent in to specialists to determine the problem.

Thank you all for the info! I have some googling to do on the disease!

 

[missyscove]

For what it's worth, Pasturella multocida is the organism; Pastuerellosis is the disease. Snuffles is a term that describes a collection of symptoms.
(I wrote an Immunology paper on Pasteurellosis last spring).

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Bunnylova4eva wrote:

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:

This sounds like a case of pasteurella (snuffles). This bacteria is common and many rabbits can be asymptomatic carriers, so most rabbits are exposed to it at some time.

In rabbits with compromised immune systems, you may start seeing symptoms like you're describing.

In most cases, pasteurella cannot be cured. Sometimes symptoms can be controlled with prescription drugs, but symptoms will usually return later.

It is best to work with your veterinarian on this, or to seek another veterinarian if you'd like a second opinion. Few drugs are available over the counter to help.

Let me point out though that there IS a difference between Pasteurella and Snuffles. Snuffles means a bunny has sneezy symptoms etc. Pasteurella is an exact disease.

True Pasteurlla does tend to be very hard to treat but alot of people automatically call EVERYTHING in the way of snuffles Pasteurella. True Pasterulla though usually has THICK THICK very green nasal discharge. Its very posilby if the dischage is thin or even thicker but yellowish that some other bacteria, or pasteurlla is involved. If you can do the swab and start some strong antibiotics soon, there's a good chance still of possible treatment or at least it going into almost like remission even if eventually it pops back up. When my bunny Charlie was sick people told me it was totally hopeless and she would never get better. She continued to get worse and worse. But to be honest now, I wish I had still tried harder, longer and more things (and I wish I'd had the rescources/ability to do so...)

There isn't a technical difference between Pasteurella and Snuffles, they are just common-language terms that are used interchangeably in most conversations, which is why I used them. If you want to get technical, both are wrong...missycove's comment is correct.

No matter the term used though, it can't be cured at this time so don't beat yourself up over the past. The situation isn't hopeless, but remission is difficult and sometimes, the bunny really has no quality of life anymore. Other times, they do. It really depends on how hard it hits, but either way, it is important to look into and learn how to avoid exposure to other pets.

 

[Megamuffin]

Hey Everyone! I wanted to give an update on what's happening.

The baytril prescription is garbage. My poor bunny had zero energy, his poop was long and coming out all stuck together, and he just smelt really bad. He was still sneezing on and off, and 2 nights he had scary "episodes". I was sitting on the couch with him and he started bobbing his head and drool just started coming out of his mouth. Both "episodes" lasted about 5 minutes and I was beyond scared for him.

I branched out further for natural help, and I was given advice to try. Vitamin C powder and liquid grapefruit seed in his water, and a drop of goldenseal once a day in his mouth. All of them are for immune system boosting and I believe the goldenseal is for bacteria/infection. Without hesitation, I grabbed the items and started!

So far, it's been 3 and a half days. I haven't seen any "episodes" again, I haven't heard him sneezing, and he had so much energy yesterday I could barely catch him when it was time for bed. I also don't smell the weird funky smell on him.

I don't want to speak to soon and say everything is good, but I have definitely already seen some change for the better. It's also hilarious to watch my bunny react to the goldenseal. He is not a huge fan of the taste! lol

I will post a further update incase anyone else in the bunny community is having this health problem and wants other options too. Hoping for the best!

 

[Imbrium]

I'm SO glad he's starting to turn around!

 

[Megamuffin]

Thank you It's such a relief to see him doing better.

 

[Megamuffin]

For anyone interested : The herbs I was giving Snugs helped for a while but the symptoms gradually started to come back. So, I took him to a natural path that looks at animals. Apparently all the sneezing and grossness was all allergy related. There were a lot of airborne/food related allergies along with stress that needed to be cleared from his system. Since the natural path worked their magic, he hasn't had any sneezing fits. He's hopping around like nobody's business, and he seems a million times happier and healthier!

 

[Imbrium]

that's great news! hopefully he stays happy and healthy from here on out