Can rabbits make you sick?

Question
Hi,
My question today is not really about my pet rabbit's health, but about my family's health because of having a pet rabbit. When we got our pet rabbit almost two years ago, we were told that they are very easy to take care of - well, that's certainly an understatement! But, after a period of adjustment, much chewed up furniture, ruined electrical cords and holes in my carpet, we accepted our pet rabbit as family. We have been unsuccessful in potty training him, but when we let him out of his cage, his favorite pee spots have plastic mats and towels on them for easy clean up at the end of the day. We clean all pee and poop daily. We vacuum and disinfect. We launder all his towels daily and keep his cage clean. One more thing, he is not fixed, as we are unable to afford the $240 fee quoted by our local vet, so I realize his pee smells differently than if he was fixed.
Here's my problem: After a year of having him, my husband suddenly developed asthma. This attack, which was brought on suddenly, landed him in our local ER. There, the doctor told him that it was our rabbit that was giving him the asthma, and suggested that we should "get rid of it". Now, as I stated before, our pet rabbit is family and I have no intention of "getting rid of him". I am not convinced that our rabbit is the problem! My husband states that when he's out of the house, he feels much better and does not have any attacks. When home, he has to regularly use his inhaler to prevent another attack. He says that if any of our three boys start feeling any similar symptoms, the rabbit is going to go. Also, I recently got a chest cold and have had a difficult time getting rid of it. Again, I have to listen to my husband ranting on and on that its the rabbit's fault! I had rabbits when I was little, but they were kept outdoors. No problems. This rabbit we keep in the house, in a cage, letting him out almost daily (when we're home) to spend time with the family. Can you provide me with any insight on this? I would appreciate it! Thank You.

Answer
Dear Lorene,

The emergency physician was not an allergist, and he should not be making ridiculous statements like this without knowing more.  Your husband should be seen by a competent allergist who can determine what allergens in the house might be triggering his attacks.  It might be something like a new detergent, or hay that you're giving the bunny.

You can reduce the amount of dander on the bunny by gently wiping him down with a damp, warm washcloth daily, and drying him off with another one.  It's the saliva on the fur (with its proteins) that trigger allergies more than the fur.

But until you know what is actually causing the reaction, I would not automatically blame the rabbit, as you so correctly say.  Thousands of people live with house rabbits, and they are no more likely to get sick than people who don't, or who live with other pets.

I hope this helps.

Dana