Dry nose= no moisture at all?

[SportNCurls]

Just trying to educate myself more on early signs of trouble, healthy rabbits vs signs of illness....been reading and reading about broad category of bacterial infections that cause chronic URI's ("snuffles") vs allergies, etc. etc. I never realized how prevalent it was in the rabbit! What do breeders do when a rabbit is presented with mild symptoms? The ARBA book has an article suggesting cullingany rabbit that sneezes more than once even with no other symptoms??? (From a breeders/ showing standpoint it does go on to suggest treatment of the pet rabbit)

Sorry if this question is a little dumb, but I cannot find the answer,and only have a few bunnies to make comparisons with.....is it normal to have dampness on the hairalong the cleft?...... the line that runs up to the nose, and if opened to examine teeth condition, you see that the cleft itself, is pink and damp like the rest of the oral mucosa.

:?The bunnies are getting annoyed with my staring and poking

 

[Pipp]

I'm moving this to the Rabbitry even though it is more of a health question, I think the breeders are a better bet for a good answer.

Good luck!



sas

 

[clarzoo]

Yes, a little mositure there is normal.

Also, I have noticed in the summer on particularly hot days, the rabbits will get a lot of moisture built up around their nostrils. It isn't snot, and not a sign of sickness, but rather moisture built up from them panting in the heat.

Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with Pasturella in any of my rabbits yet. But signs of problems are cloudy or colored snot. If it is clear,it is most likely an environmental irritant (allergy, etc..) and will go away if you remove the problem. Colored or cloudy snot means an infection and many breeders don't allow that in their herd.

 

[Pipp]

clarzoo wrote:

Also, I have noticed in the summer on particularly hot days,the rabbits will get a lot of moisture built up around their nostrils.

I'll expand on that by adding that bunnies are 'air cooled', they get rid of their body heat through their breath. Not overly relevant to this thread, but awet muzzle and chest is a s sign of an overheated bunny inneed ofimmediate treatment.



sas

 

[HoneyPot]

That area on my bunnys is usually dry unless they are scared or stressed and they are panting, or they are very hot and starting to get overheated as pipp said, otherwise, it's totally dry.

One of my rabbits has an allery to carpet or carpet glue or something to do with carpet...her nose runs (clear)any time she is in a room with wall-to-wall carpet and looks exactly as you described - the hair below the nose is moist and you can see her pink skin there.

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Nadia