Hi everyone!
It's been a long long time since I posted, and the last time I did it was in regards to a similar issue, a sneezing bunny.
I will spare you all the details of my bunny's life, but it featured snuffles and worst case scenario news repeatedly. She was a fighter, and we were relieved that when her time came, it was abscess free and at a ripe old age (she was a rescue, but we believe she was at least 7).
All I am trying to communicate, is that hope is not lost with the diagnosis of a chronic infection. We dealt with a worse-case scenario for most of her life, and yet she was able to live a long happy life, hopping around our house, as a major part of our family. I'm including some steps that my husband and I followed through the years of experiential learning.
1. If you see silvery/white mucus, go to the vets. Sometimes this is hard to catch, since rabbits like to keep themselves pretty clean, but if you see your bunny wiping his/her nose you can check in between their front paws for clumped and hardened fur (from dried mucus)
2. Low stress is key! Keep that bunny happy. Give your bunny places where they feel safe and remove stressors. Stress can lower the immune system and allow the bacteria to spread.
3. Vitamins are amazing. We gave out bunny vitamin C and papaya, which greatly reduced the frequency of her need for antibiotics. She was a severe case, and with low stress and vitamins we were able to see her through 14 months symptom-free.
4. Unorthodox medicine (BY PROFESSIONALS ONLY). We took our bunny for acupuncture, nasal flushing, massage, energy healers you name it. Not for everyone, but hey, if it feels good when we have a head-cold, it feels good for them too. Just make sure you balance this with your bunny's ability to handle the stress. If you have a high stress bunny, you may want to avoid some of these.
5. Baytril is a great starting point, but not the only option. Some strands of snuffles (the bacteria pasturella) have become resistant to baytril, that's what happened to us, but hope was not lost. If you receive this diagnosis, ask your vet about azithromycin (which was the most effective for us). We also rotated this by doubling up on penicillin (injection) and baytril every once in a while just to keep that bacteria on it's toes!
6. Keep them eating! Cilantro was the best incentive for us when our bunny was struggling to eat, but we also kept baby food, apple sauce, juice, Oxbow Critical Care, and other herbs on hand when it looked like this was a risk. This didn't just apply to our snuffles bunny, but any of our rescues who were in dire straights. Keeping rabbits on their normal diet is preferable, but if they show any signs of not eating, incentivize quickly and get them to a vet. Rabbits can suffer gut stasis if they go without eating. This is very serious.
7. Pain management. This is an only if necessary thing. Rabbits do not let you know very easily if they are in pain, but when they feel it, it causes them a lot of stress. Make sure to talk to your vet if you think your bunny is in pain. We were prescribed both meloxicam and buprenorphine on multiple occasions for many of our rescues. CAUTION: PAIN MEDS MUST BE BALANCED WITH THE DIET. IF YOUR BUNNY STOPS EATING, FOOD TAKES PRECEDENCE.
8. Abscesses suck, but they're not always a death sentence. We dealt with an abscess in our bunny's lung a year before she passed. The treatment included penicillin (injection), and building (as ridiculous as it sounds) a hot-box rubber bin with a nebulizer (vaporizer). We put the bunny in the box and "gassed" her with diluted baytril, Vicks and a bronchodilator (the stuff in puffers to treat asthma) to help her penetrate that abscess. She was hopping around happily in between sessions and the abscess reduced and she was able to reclaim lung function.
9. The best medicine is happiness. Keep that bunny happy. You can tell when your loved one isn't feeling 100%, so keep your eye out and stay on top of the symptoms but make sure that you give your bunny time to just be a bunny. A happy bunny will help their immune system be as strong as it can be.
There are times when these things are out of our hands, my husband and I have rescued many rabbits, and we've had our share of sad losses. But I believe the only real tragedy is when the owner gives up before the rabbit.
I sincerely hope the best for your bunnies, and I certainly do not want to offer any diagnosis. This is just a guide based on my experience regarding steps and options and it certainly does not represent a vet's opinion. if you have any questions about your rabbit's health, take them to a vet, but don't be afraid to ask them about your options.
Feel better bunnies!!
