Bunny Boogers? (nose)

[bigears118]

Hello everyone!

I am the proud Mamma of 2 very sweet young rabbits, they're a male/female pair and going through the nicer post-fighting part of the bonding process.

My male rabbit (a Rex named Enzo) seems to have some allergy problems :-( He's pretty snuffly and does these little huffs to blow the snot out of his nostrils..he also sneezes a lot and always has wet stringy boogers flying out of his nose when he sneezes...then they just dry there as a little crust. I clean them for him when I see them but over night I can't help him out. Unfortunately his counterpart, Loki (Black Satin) has yet to take any interest in grooming him.

I got Enzo from a local Rabbit Rescue and he seems to be in great health. He eats well, drinks well, plays with his toys and will snuggle under the blankets with you for hours until he gets to warm. He grooms himself and relaxes...he's a pretty shy guy and he doesn't really come looking for affection too much,but he doesn't seem withdrawn; just a little freaked out.

Anyway I was wondering if my booger bunny is normal, or if I should have him checked out by a vet. Loki is in perfect health, I've never even seen her sneeze, but maybe it's just the difference in their fur?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much,

Em

 

[Imbrium]

He definitely needs to see a vet. It's quite likely that he has a URI (upper respiratory infection) or Pasturella (snuffles), the latter of which isn't actually curable but is definitely manageable and can be kept reasonably unsymptomatic for most bunnies. Even if neither of those is the cause, runny/stuffy noses are not at all common in bunnies so his symptoms need to be addressed. It's obviously not an emergency, since he's eating/drinking well, appropriately active and doesn't seem bothered by his stuffy nose... but it's best not to put it off longer than necessary, either.

On a side note, it's quite likely he'll end up being put on a broad-spectrum antibiotic as a first course of treatment - if this happens, I strongly recommend asking the vet if they're able to put him on a probiotic as well; failing that, you can buy (over the counter) small animal probiotics online and from some pet stores and feed stores. Probiotics should be given whenever antibiotics are given, as antibiotics (broad spectrum in particular) target rather indiscriminately - they don't just get rid of the problem bacteria, they also kill off some of the beneficial/necessary bacteria in the GI tract. This can sometimes cause side effects like nausea (which can potentially escalate into GI stasis) and diarrhea. Probiotics help prevent such side-effects. I don't remember exactly, but I believe it's a minimum of 2-3 hours that you need to wait between giving an antibiotic dose and a probiotic dose so that the antibiotic doesn't reduce the probiotic's effectiveness.

I hope the cause of Enzo's sniffles turns out to be something easily remedied! If it turns out to be a complicated issue like Pasturella or a very stubborn URI, though, please keep us updated on his treatments/progress - we have numerous members who have been through those things and would be happy to offer their insights and advice .

 

[JBun]

You'll need to get him checked by a vet. It sounds like your rabbit may have a URI, especially if the discharge is thickened colored discharge, as opposed to clear thin discharge. These bacterial infections can be extremely difficult to clear up, and can sometimes be a lifelong battle. So you want to see a really good rabbit vet that can help you provide the best treatment possible. This isn't something you want to put off, as it can continue to get worse and cause even more serious health issues.

Often vets here in the US only treat with antibiotics. I've read of vets in the UK also prescribing metacam to reduce inflammation and bisolvon to help thin the mucous so it can more easily be expelled(though a different similar med would need to be used as this isn't available in the US). Nebulising with saline can be helpful. And some rabbit owners have found adding Echinacea to their rabbits diet, helpful as well. But these other treatments aren't commonly given or done here, so it is something you would need to bring up with your vet if antibiotics aren't proving to be entirely effective on their own.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Respiratory/Bacterial/URI.htm
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/
http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

 

[Bill Jesse]

I don't know if what my two have is the same. Under there nose is a brownish dust-like coating. Some days its larger than others and some times it is not there. It happens in the winter and I think it might be just dust from the hay and the moisture from their noses. This has been going on for years. Comes and goes but as I said mainly in winter. I have tried to wipe it off but can't and it is not crusty.

 

[bigears118]

Thank you for your responses!

I went ahead and made an appointment for Enzo on Friday morning. His mucus is thin and white, sometimes stringy; but definitely not that yellow/green "I'm sick" mucus.

I am still working with bonding him and Loki and would like to bring them together to the vet in the same carrier. I was told that it's best to have their buddy with them to help with the stress and also that it's good for the bonding process.

I've got a bunch of questions for going to the vet, if you don't mind:

Do you think it would be okay to put Enzo and Loki together in such tight quarters? Should I bring her at all? Is it possible that this is contagious, and should I have her checked out too while I'm there? She hasn't exhibited any signs of any sort of sneezing or snuffling. The only thing we've noticed is that both Loki and Enzo have fire hot tongues: Enzo's is always hot, Loki's is sometimes hot.

I really appreciate all of the help and advice...I love my bunnies and I just want them both to be happy, healthy (and bonded haha)

Thanks again!

Emily

 

[JBun]

White mucous in rabbits, is actually an indication that it is definitely a bacterial infection. So good you're seeing the vet.

Whether you take your other bun just depends on how bonded they are. If you are only doing dates, then I wouldn't risk stressing out your other bun with a vet visit. If they are bonded and live together, then yes, it's best to keep them together. URI's are very contagious, but your other bun has already been exposed. But that doesn't mean your other bun will be affected. A rabbits immune system can be a big determining factor with these things.

 

[bigears118]

We took Lorenzo to the vet on Friday morning, and he was given a 2 week script for Enrofloxacin. It's been a few days now and Enzo seems to have perked up almost immediately. The Doctor said that best case scenario it's a one time URI, worst case it's snuffles so we're on the "wait and see" track. He really really hates taking his pills though :-/ it's like force feeding a baby black coffee...

 

[JBun]

I guess Baytril is pretty nasty stuff, so no wonder he doesn't like it. I'm surprised the vet didn't give you a liquid suspension. It's much easier to administer to a rabbit. You could try hiding the pill in something tasty like a small piece of banana. I'm glad he's feeling a bit better.

Baytril is considered one of the safer antibiotics for rabbits, but they can sometimes cause digestive upset, so keep an eye out for mushy poop or loss of appetite, and give your vet a call if it happens.