Wet nose

[Rockyrocko]

Sorry I didn't do an intro but I need help. I have a rabbit with a wet nose. He's seeing a vet today but I figured I could get some info here too. He's eating fine. He's peeing and pooping ok. It's just damp not dripping wet. His paws aren't matted or wet. He's in a room alone with the door shut since he may be sick. He uses a water bottle not a dish. He's litter trained so no dusty bedding. He now has a hay loft so it's not on the floor of his cage so much. I have seen him sneeze while eating hay. I shake it before giving it so I thought maybe it tickled his nose and made him sneeze. Thanks for any input.

 

[Watermelons]

They usually have a slightly wet/damp nose. Is there any discharge? Sneezing other then when hes got his face in the hay? Runny eyes? Rabbits can suffer from allergies, or get irritated when dust goes up their dose.

 

[Rockyrocko]

No discharge or white stuff. Eyes are good. I haven't seen him sneeze yet other than when eating hay.

 

[Rockyrocko]

His nose is tan so it looks wetter than it actually is.

 

[PaGal]

It could just be that he is getting hay dust in his nose. Although we shake it out it's next to impossible to get it all. Litter could cause an issue as well. I noticed Thumper's nose being damp and him sneeze a few times a year or so ago. Back then I was using a recycled paper litter and it was somewhat dusty. I switched litters and have not had a problem since other than an occasional sneeze from hay dust.

 

[Rockyrocko]

I sat with him for awhile to watch. He sneezed just sitting so I don't know. We'll see what the dr says. I did change what's in his litter pan today.

 

[Watermelons]

Keep in mind if you go to the vets and they want to have the rabbit on antibiotics, its best to have a culture done before giving any to the rabbit to ensure the proper type is prescribed as to not allow the rabbit or bacteria to build up any un-necessary immunity to drugs they may need later on.

 

[Geoff]

Doing a culture is of course ideal before starting a pet on antibiotics, but there are several warnings with a culture. 1) it is a very pricey thing to do and probably is not necessary in most cases of 'routine infection'; 2) it takes at least 4 days minimum to get results that will help you pick the proper antibiotic, and waiting 4 days may not be in your pet's best interest, but 3) most importantly, what are you going to culture when dealing with a possible nasal discharge/infection? The discharge? the nares? The mouth? The lungs? Ideally you should be culturing the deep sinuses where, if there is an infection, the bugs are living... how do you get them? There simply is no way to realistically culutre upper respiratory bugs short of surgically opening your pet's skull and getting to the 'root' of the problem (something I would not normally recommend). Culturing anything else, such as nasal discharge, the nares, the mouth etc. is only going to probably result in growing a lot of incidental bacteria which may or may not have anything to do with the infection.

So if someone offers you a culture for whatever infection your pet may have, ask how they are going to get it, what material they are actually going to culture, and then think about whether that makes any sense. For example, for a possible urinary tract infection, culturing the urine (steriliy) is what needs to be done... and THAT makes sense. But when dealing with respiratory tract infections, it is the respiratory tissues that should be cultured.. .but they very hard to get to (not impossible, but nearly)... for lung infections, we recommend what is called tracheal washes, which are not super easy to do in bunnies, but can be done and often give you the actual bug you need. But as I explained above, upper respiratory tract infections are very hard to culture without getting a lot of other bugs that are NOT causing the problem... makes interpretting the results difficult. And MOST (95%) of all upper respiratory rabbit infections are one of two bugs (Staph or Pasteurella, with the other 20 or so possibilities being way down on the list).

So if your vet does NOT offer you a culture for this problem (which actually doesn't even sound like an infection from your description), then don't think he or she is doing bad medicine. They are just being realistic.

 

[Rockyrocko]

Doing a culture is of course ideal before starting a pet on antibiotics, but there are several warnings with a culture. 1) it is a very pricey thing to do and probably is not necessary in most cases of 'routine infection'; 2) it takes at least 4 days minimum to get results that will help you pick the proper antibiotic, and waiting 4 days may not be in your pet's best interest, but 3) most importantly, what are you going to culture when dealing with a possible nasal discharge/infection? The discharge? the nares? The mouth? The lungs? Ideally you should be culturing the deep sinuses where, if there is an infection, the bugs are living... how do you get them? There simply is no way to realistically culutre upper respiratory bugs short of surgically opening your pet's skull and getting to the 'root' of the problem (something I would not normally recommend). Culturing anything else, such as nasal discharge, the nares, the mouth etc. is only going to probably result in growing a lot of incidental bacteria which may or may not have anything to do with the infection.

So if someone offers you a culture for whatever infection your pet may have, ask how they are going to get it, what material they are actually going to culture, and then think about whether that makes any sense. For example, for a possible urinary tract infection, culturing the urine (steriliy) is what needs to be done... and THAT makes sense. But when dealing with respiratory tract infections, it is the respiratory tissues that should be cultured.. .but they very hard to get to (not impossible, but nearly)... for lung infections, we recommend what is called tracheal washes, which are not super easy to do in bunnies, but can be done and often give you the actual bug you need. But as I explained above, upper respiratory tract infections are very hard to culture without getting a lot of other bugs that are NOT causing the problem... makes interpretting the results difficult. And MOST (95%) of all upper respiratory rabbit infections are one of two bugs (Staph or Pasteurella, with the other 20 or so possibilities being way down on the list).

So if your vet does NOT offer you a culture for this problem (which actually doesn't even sound like an infection from your description), then don't think he or she is doing bad medicine. They are just being realistic.

Thank you for that very informative answer. It looks like it may be an ear infection with all the gunk in his ears. I did mention a culture. He says its pricey and he didn't see a need for it today. Nothing really coming out of his nose to culture(like mucus). He has a slight fever. He's on baytril and metacam. If he's not back to himself by wednesday call for another appt and then he'll do an xray of his head and some other stuff. His nose looked good from what he could see with a scope. He said by the time a culture would come back he could near death or dead. So we're doing what he said to do. He also said if his nose was stuffy he wouldn't be sniffing or grooming himself. We let him run around the room to see what he'd do. So we'll see in the next 2 days. Thanks for the help.

 

[Rockyrocko]

Forgot to add. He goes back in 10 days for an ear check. I do trust this vet. He's very well educated and animals he treats. I hope this is all that it is.


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[Rockyrocko]

Rocky is seeing the vet tomorrow for a checkup. Check his temp and a possible X-ray. He hasn't been here long so not sure what his normal is. Still has damp nose but he sneezes when he grooms himself or eats hay. He's now litter trained and the hay is in a loft. I think he's leery of me since I've been giving his meds. He responds more to my husband. He backs up when I open his door, poor guy. I'm asking about allergies tomorrow if that's what it is and possibly something for it. It looks like his ears need a deep clean as of now which he'll be asleep for plus get neutered.


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[Rockyrocko]

No X-ray but he did a CBC. That looked ok. He said his ears are clearing up. Took him off baytril. Says let him be a bunny for a week and see how he is. I didn't think baytril caused drowsiness but apparently it can. I friend that rescues said it can. Hence let him be a bunny for a week. Keep an eye on him and check to make sure he's not losing weight. He loves to eat especially kale. He still has an appt for next Friday. His temp was a little high but he was stressed. Poor guy haven't had him long, potty trained him, getting poked and shoving meds down his throat. His poops are ok though.


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