Wheezing Rabbit

Question
My lop rabbit for the past week has been intermittently wheezing when she breathes out through her nose.  At first I thought it was snuffles, but I checked her eyes/nose/paws and have not seen any discharge.  What could this be...allergies?  Also, once in a while, she makes a squeaking noise in her nose.   We currently have extremely high amounts of tree pollen in the air.  She is the only animal in our home and since we adopted her several months ago have not noticed any breathing problems.

Answer
Dear Cheryl,

She *might* be showing sensitivity to pollen, but it wouldn't hurt to have your vet have a look and listen to see if there are any signs of congestion in her lungs or nose.  Please see:

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

Some bunnies have loose tissue in their nasal passages and soft palates, and when they are very relaxed or sleeping, they actually snore.  If this is the case, then it's not something to worry about.

Hope this helps for starters.  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana