Rabbit Allergies

Question
Hi,

I own two rabbits; a lion head female and lion head/dutch mix male. The male was purchased at 8 weeks old and the female at 12 weeks old, 3 weeks apart. I bought the male first. He has been healthy from the start. The girl however came from a different person and the day I got her she was sneezing. I just thought it was coming home to bedding instead of a wire bottom cage. I have had them both since August. Her sneezing went away, so I thought, after a couple days. Then, a couple weeks later her sneezing and a runny nose returned, or at least became way more noticeable. I took her to the vet and he said it wasn't in her lungs and so he diagnosed her with an upper resp. infection and prescribed antibiotics. I finished them completely and she didn't get much better. She doesn't sneeze often now, but the runny nose is usually always there. I even built them a condo that requires no bedding. She eats well, not as much as the boy though, never has runny/red eyes, doesn't touch her face excessively or scratch. She has lived in the same cage as the male since day one and he has never so much as sneezed, ever. Since the antibiotics didn't work and the male never got sick I assume it is allergies. Is it possible?

Answer
Rabbits can get allergies.  However with a constant runny nose I would be more worried that it would be a resistant respiratory infection.  My best suggestion would be to find a rabbit savvy vet and ask them if they can culture the nose drainage.  It may very well be that she needs a different antibiotic.

The boy may have a stronger immune system.  I would certainly keep an eye on him.  

Some vets are just not well versed in rabbit care.  If your vet is a small animal vet and doesn't specialize in rabbits I would personally take her to an exotic animal vet that knows and understands how bunnies work.

If you need to  you can try this list

http://www.rabbit.org/vets/


Good luck with your new pets

Pam