Snuffles??

Question
Hi I have a rabbit that the first time he sneezed he had clear mucus coming out but hasn't since he's only sneezed from what I see about 2 times in a week.  We live in FL so the first time he sneezed it was after it had been hot for a while and then it got cold down to 40 degrees at night. So could it be pneumonia?  Or the Dreaded snuffles? We have had for almost a year and he hasn't shown any signs of being sick. He's out there with the rest of my breeding stock so I am praying that he doesn't have snuffles.

Any help will be GREATLY appreciated.
Lisa

Answer
Snuffles can be caused by many different illnesses.  It is usually just a catch all phrase for respiratory infections.  The most deadly and contagious form of 'snuffles' is pasturella.  This usually presents with  a white thick discharge from the nostrils and the bunny will often lose fur and get sores on the face from constantly rubbing its nose.

The best thing to do is to immediately remove him from the rest of the herd and keep an eye on him.  If you have a veterinary in your area it is not a bad idea to get him examined.  If the infection moves into the lungs it is extremely deadly.  

Many rabbits do naturally carry pasturella and it often doesn't rear its ugly head until the bunny is stressed.  Honestly it does not sound like 'snuffles' to me but it is better to be safe than sorry.  Supplementing his diet with some herbs and even terramyacin can help boost his immune system.  From a breeders stand point if I have a sick rabbit I generally treat them all with terramyacin in their drinking water for 5 days.  From an animal caregiver stand point I would have to strongly recommend that you take him in for an exam and cultures.  Since rabbits can carry pasturella and are often asymptomatic the test isn't always a tell tale sign.  

I don't believe in culling rabbits just because they have a cold but I do believe that strict isolation is important.  Someone once pointed out to me that if we euthanized a person every time they got a cold then there wouldn't be any people left.

My personal advice as a breeder is to keep an eye on him.  If he gets worse then you will either have to take him to a vet or make a decision and do what you normally do when you have an ill rabbit.  Every breeder has different opinions.  I personally take mine to the vet and get them on Baytril (only available by prescription) but even then I still lose some.  I do know that one sick rabbit is certainly not worth risking the lives of your entire herd.  

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask.  I will do the best I can for you.

Sincerely,

Pam