Sneezing Bunny

[Deleted User]

My bunny has been sneezing off and on in spurts for the last 3 hours…I dont know what to do, is it normal for them to sneeze a bunch?  The pet store says they will cover vet costs and meds for the first two weeks of owning the bunny, should I take her in to the vet or am I being an over paranoid new/first bunny mom?

[jacki fullerton]

I noticed Noble has been sneezing quite a bit today. I was wondering if he has gotten cold from the freezing weather we are having in the bay area. If it continues, I would call VCA in Oakland, and make an appointment with Dr Harvey, or at least talk to the office and see what they say. Congratulations on your new bunny.

[Deleted User]

Thank you! Nice to meet you!  It has now been most of the night and she is sneezing quite hard, every 15-20 minutes a bunch though her eyes and nose seem normal, and she was fine the first 4 days I had her ( She’s very new!)  I think I am going to call the basic bird (where I got her) and ask if they will cover the vist to the vet.  If not I think I’m still going to call the vet and make an appointment.  (Yey for saving all my money from working in the summers just for this sort of rainy day type thing!)  I knew it would be like this when I decided to adopt a bun =~.~=;  It needs to be march so I can get that pet insurance everyone is talking about!  I’m already sort of a hypochondriac about myself, and now more so with my [bunny] baby…

[jacki fullerton]

Hopefully the basic bird will cover Cassy’s trip to Dr Harvey. It would be good to get a first time check up just to be sure everything else is OK, also it will set your mind at ease. You are lucky to live so close to VCA, I have to drive over the bay bridge. Not my favorite thing to do…..hope Cassy’s better this morning.

[Ester Yeh]

is it possible that her hay is too dusty? My bun does that when there’s too much dust in her hay.

[Deleted User]

I dont think so, it’s the same hay that I’ve used all along and that she ate at the pet store… can you de-dust hay?

[Ester Yeh]

i have no idea. I just know that with my hay, when it starts getting closer to the bottom of the bag it gets dustier. I guess more looser smaller pieces?

[Deleted User]

She is definately still sneezing.  I called the place I got her and they said to bring her to them and they will take her to the vet.  I’m going to ask when and if I can attend (since she’s my bunny).  Hopefully that will work out.

[MooBunnay]

One of my boyfriend’s bunnies is a sneezy bunny, there are a few things that trigger it, one is if he smells anything strong like perfume (once we spilled a bottle of laundry detergent in the hallway, and the smell wafter over to Martin’s cage, it was a Sneeze-fest), and the other thing that triggers it is dust, which is usually solved by running a vacuum in and around his cage.

[Deleted User]

did you find this out after taking him to the vet?

[Deleted User]

UPDATE:
So the pet shop said to bring her back and they will see if they know what is wrong. If they dont, they will take her to the vet. I am kind of nervous leaving her there for 10 days…I mean, she lived there for a while but it’s not nearly as nice as what she has going here. But at the same time, though this way if she needs meds I dont have to pay for it. GAH! I will take her in and see what they have to say…if they dont seem positive it is a respiratory thing (which I assume will not be the case since she has good eyes and nose) then I think I will simply ask them if they will have her see a vet. If not I wont let them give her meds for no reason. She’s so happy at home, I’d hate to have her be there and not be well cared for. The pet shop is one of the best in the bay area if you ask me and the staff is pretty knowledgeable, but I worry they arnt as…well…loving and respectful to her as they could be. So just in case I have put all her toys in a baggie as well as her mix of good food and the not as good bulk food she was eating before (I looked up the best pellet based on nutrition info I found online) that I have been feeding her to wean her off the bulk food with amount instructions and unlimited hay instruction on the bag.

Then on the toy bag i plan to have them rotate one every day and have at least three in the cage at once. And raisin treats (2-3 a day) for when she is good about being petted and held (she much rather explore and binky but if she is not well and has to stay there, might as well get some treats for the kind of affection they will/can provide her.

I hope her litter training doesnt go out the window… sigh…she’ll probably learn again…grrr I dont want her to stay there…itws a worse case scenerio

[jacki fullerton]

Oh, nitetygress, I am so sorry you have to leave Cassy at the pet shop. I know you will miss her. Noble is still sneezing as well, but only about once an hour. He will sneeze about 3-4 times. He usually doesn’t do this, I just assume he is cold. He is sitting by the heater now. Keep us informed.

[Deleted User]

I’m going to go visit her during her stay a couple times and call to check up on her daily =)  The pat store people were really nice.  She’s going to be in the break room, so they will let her out and play with her daily as well.  Hopefully it wont be to stressful on her.

[BinkyBunny]

Nitetygress, I’m so sorry.  How awful.  Egads, I’d be feeling the same way you would.  This is your little baby now.     They do sound like a unique and caring petstore.  But I am confused.  How will they know what is wrong?  Are they vets?  Why does your bunny have to stay there for 10 days? Are the trying to figure out if it is something to do with your household? But the stress of being at the petstore can’t possibly be good on her immune system. 

I’m just confused.   Why can’t they give a vet credit and you take her to one of their recommended vets and let her stay with you.  Which again, really doesn’t make sense to me.  

FYI:  Babies love to explore rather than sit still, but in time, you should be able to pet her more once she settles down.  She just has all that energy of a youngin’

 

[Deleted User]

they say that they will give a general rabbit antibiotic if she shows signs of any common bunny sicknesses and if that doesnt help they will take her to a vet.   I think they want to make sure everything is ok before they give her back to me so hopefully there will not be any problems in future since they cant know that I would know/afford to take her to the vet.  It seems reasonable since most people who adopt from there might not be as obsessive about pet owning as me and they want to do everything they can to make sure she has a good life.

[jacki fullerton]

Did you take her to the pet store? Is she still sneezing? Noble stopped sneezing last night.

[BinkyBunny]

I guess the part I question is why can’t they allow you to keep her with you – in her own home where it will be quiet and familiar while she’s being treated?  They can show you how to give meds.  We all have had to do it at some point. I can’t imagine a break room with employees coming and going can be better than your own place. 

I guess that is just new to me.  I’m just used to shelters, like the SPCA, Humane Society etc, that have vets on staff that would treat your pet, but you would still be allowed to have your animal at home . (unless overnight treatment was needed, but just for sneezing this usually wouldn’t be the case)  I remember staff vets always saying having the animal in their own home unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary really helps them heal faster.

Plus, IF she does have something contagious to other animals, (and viceversa) and other employees are interacting with her and other animals in the petstore…..hmmm…..Ya get my drift?

In my opinion, if she’s sick, she should just be seen by their recommended vet (for FREE) asap. Not wait because a bunny that ends up getting sicker and is stressed may stop eating,  And if that happens a bunny can pass within 24 hours of that happening.   Whose going to watch her overnight?

I don’t know, at least how this is explained….it just doesn’t sound right. I’d really think about this.  Does it say anywhere in their contract that they must do this before having a vet examination? Otherwise, I’d just say you’re just not comfortable with that, and insist on just having a vet check at their expense.

If there is something longterm wrong with her, then shouldn’t a vet check her out now?  Is the bottomline that they don’t want you to get emotionally attached and by separating, this will prevent that?  

 

.

 

[bunnymama]

Hi Nitetygress:

 

I have read before that buns will sneeze when they are too warm and perfer cooler temps then humans at 60-70 degrees F.  I keep it about 68-69 in my house and Baby my  dwarf never sneezes. She did over the summer however when the temps got over 73 in here tho…so it might be true…good luck Bunny Mama mom to Baby

[Deleted User]

i have too, i bought a thermometer so i can monitor my "on/off" heater to the right temp
:/

[Deleted User]

Another Update:
I went to the pet store to see Cassy again.  She apparently has congestion and is still sneezing the med cycle ends on Friday.  If she is not better, they are taking her to Dr. Harvey on Sunday.  Hopefully it is nothing chronic.  I do not know if i can afford medication chronically without the insurance thing at this point and i dont think they would cover it if it is pre-existing anyway, so I am currently crossing my fingers that it isnt chronic, and if i is…well i’ll figure that out when I come to it

(i really dont think I could just give her back to the pet shop…I mean I’m sure they would place her up for "special needs" adoption at the store and she would find another good home –it’s one of the few really knowledgeable and responsible pet stores I know of– but I have spent so much time with her and out personalities are so good together… *sigh* hopefully I wont have to cross this bridge..)

[jacki fullerton]

Since the pet store isn’t a vet, I am wondering why they haven’t taken her to Dr Harvey NOW? Hopefully, she will be better by the end of this cycle of medication. Where do they get the meds to give her? Do they have a vet on call or are they just trying to cure her on their own with no vet’s advice?
How frustrating for you and Cassy.

[Deleted User]

They have the meds perscription from the Dr. Harvey already for when they see the kind of problem that Cassy has apparently.  it is frustrating but she seemed perky and other than sniffling a bit to be in good spirits.  The owner of the store was telling me how much Cassy has become more socialable since she’s been with me and how good a bunny she is being and enjoys her two raisins a day after she gets handled and such so I am pretty confident she is a good subsitute mommy after 20 years of rabbit/pet owning…especially since she understood that i miss mine and invited me back anytime to come see her and appologized a lot for her not being at home…

[jacki fullerton]

How’s Cassy doing today? I hope she can come home soon.

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