House rabbit sneezing and wheezing

Question
Hello Dr. Krempels,
I am a relatively new bunny mom, my Holland lop boy came to me after being abandoned last year by our property on the edge of a national forest. He's been a very healthy animal over all. We assume he's a little over a year old now.

Yesterday I noticed some strange behavior: I happened by his indoor pen and he sounded like he was wheezing. He'd presented with no other symptoms that day, this just suddenly started. He hadn't been hopping about or doing anything to exert himself. The episode only lasted a few minutes at the most, but it scared me enough to rush him 30 miles to my vet. She examined him and could find nothing wrong. (Of course, by that time I got him in the car he was not wheezing, but they'd said it would be best to bring him in.) They took his temperature with one of those ear thermometers and it was supposedly 97 degrees Fahrenheit. (We'd gone in with the windows open and I wonder if he'd just been chilled?)
So I took him home and he seemed normal (no tests run nor meds prescribed but I can call and get some set up if necessary)and later in the evening he started sneezing and I saw a large, whitish bit of mucus come from his right nostril. I had some help to look at him and there's some sign that he may have been scratched in the nose (perhaps during a recent bonding episode-by the way the other bunny is totally fine) I didn't pull anything out of his nose with the mucus, (I thought he may have sniffed something up there) although it was mildly gelled. There was a minor amount of weeping coming from his eyes, no more than is normal for him and it is gone today. He did a little more wheezing and sneezing (four or five consecutive at one time) last night so I'm going to call my vet today and ask her advice, but I am curious if you think this might be some kind of pasturella infection that he's just hiding really well or could he have been hurt in his nose and that's why he's having these symptoms?
This morning he seems totally fine with no apparent discharge from his nose. He eats normally and his litter habits are normal also. His eyes are bright and clear, he is looking for treats or pets every time I come to the side of the pen.

Is he really sick? Do I medicate him and take the chance it'll upset his stomach enough to make him worse? Is there anything else I can do with a three day weekend looming and no idea what he actually has, or doesn't have as the case may be?
I hope I've given you enough information. The vet DID suggest saline nasal drops if he continued to have symptoms, by the way.
Thank you for your time, :)
Mary

Answer
Dear Mary,

Holland lops are notorious for dental problems, and your little guy may be manifesting them with molar root overgrowth that's causing the signs of an upper respiratory infection.  Molar root infections also can cause nasal discharge.  

I'd suggest a culture and sensitivity test on nasal discharge (though with nose cultures there's always a chance it will be contaminated with other stuff, so cleaning the external nares with Chlorhexiderm, letting it dry, and then doing a deep nasal swab is the best way to get a good sample):

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/culture.html

Please also see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

for more information on the causes of runny eyes and sneezing in bunnies.  For now, I'd keep a close eye on him, but be ready and informed should his signs become worse.

If you are not sure your present vet is experienced enough with rabbits to be a good health care provider for your bunny, you may be able to find a more rabbit-savvy vet with the list linked here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope this helps.


Dana