Does My Rabbit Have a Cold?

[Maisy]

I was just checking my bunny, Maisy. (2 year old, Dutch Rabbit Cross) and I noticed she sounds very snuffly, like her nose is blocked. I had a look at her nose and she has some clear mucous coming out of it. She is nice and fat and clean and seems happy other than that. I’m not sure but I’m assuming its a cold. The temperature has dropped quite a bit in the last few weeks, so maybe this has caused it?

What can I do to make her better?

Thanks

Georgia.

[Bunnybuns77]

Does she have any staining of her feet. A lot of times when they groom themselves, their nasal discharge stains their paws. Any other signs? Urinating outside the litter box? Appetite changes? Attitude change? If she does have a cold, your vet needs to prescribe antibiotics to help, but one thing you can do is bring her in the bathroom with you when you shower, This works like a humidifier for us. Just helps open up the lungs a bit to aid respiration.

[Maisy]

Her feet seem quite clean so I don’t think so, she doesn’t use a litter tray. She still has her appetite, and I don’t think her attitude has really changed that much. I will try to bring her into the bathroom but she normally gets quite scared when I bring her in to the house. Thanks for your help

[Roberta]

Hi Georgia, There are many things that can cause this. The primary concern is that there is discharge even clear. It could be the early signs of the onset of a respiratoy infection. I would highly recommend a vet check as in most cases antibiotics are required. If it was an odd sneeze without discharge I would not be concerned.
How ever there is discharge and catching it early before it becomes worse will make a huge difference to recovery. I would book into your vet at the first opportunity.

[BinkyBunny]

I ditto Roberta. Noticing changes in health is key to discovering a problem early. The fact that she now sounds very snuffly and you are noticing discharge means something is going on. Do you have a rabbit-savvy vet?

[Maisy]

BB I’m not sure what a rabbit-savvy is…?

[Roberta]

Rabbit Savvy means the vet is use to treating Rabbits (successfully) they are classed as an exotic vet and will usually treat birds and reptiles as well as small animals like rabbits, ferrets and rats. Your normal dog and cat vet will often refuse to see rabbits due to the different medical needs of the lagomorph to your standard 4 legged mammal. So many things are different and things that will heal and dog or cat will kill a rabbit.
So, the question really is does your vet normally treat rabbits and do they have sufficient knowledge to deal with anything rabbit specific ?

[Maisy]

Oh right sorry, misread that last comment…um I just go to my regular vet, I assume they know about rabbits too. She doesn’t seem to have as much discharge coming out of her nose today so I will just see how she goes. Is there anything I can do for her at the moment to help her? I am giving her plenty of food, and vegetables, moving her cage twice a day so she gets plenty of grass and put extra hay in her bed. Any advice?

[Maisy]

Roberta, I have taken her to my regular vet and had her spayed so I think they are okay with treating rabbits. They also helped me when my other bunny unfortunately became paralysed in his back legs and had to be put to sleep. So I think they would treat her if I needed them to.

[Roberta]

Hi Georgia, My nearest vet spays and neuters rabbits too but they will not treat other illnesses. By their own admission their vet has trained for desexing surgery but does not have the knowledge for infections and maladies. At that time we did not have any rabbit Savvy vets in the area. In the last 12 months we have had 4 come into my area (blessed relief) 1 of which is a 24/7 clinic.
It sounds like your vet ay be experienced and that is good.
What is most important right now is you have noticed symptoms in your bun that are signs of a respiratory infection and to your benefit you have noticed them early. This is probably going to save you a lot of money as well as hard work and heart ache. If you can get your bun in ASAP (I think normal clinic hrs is fine) and start treatment for snuffles, or respiratory infection your bun stands a 100% chance of recovery and you stand a 100% chance of saving 2/3 of a very large vet bill.

[Maisy]

Hi Roberta, thanks for your advice. Should I keep her indoors while she’s recovering or would I be better off just leaving her outside? She doesn’t like being indoors that much so I only want to bring her in if it’s completely necessary.

[Roberta]

Definitely INDOORS…. If it is still cold there the chances of her developing pneumonia are high and that would probably kill her. Until you have an answer from the vet I would keep her inside. My bunnies live indoors in their own room 24/7, down here in Australia we have to, way to hot and lots of nasty diseases that are carried by fleas and mosquitoes. Soft blankets a diggable cushion and some toys I am sure she will not object to a day or so inside.

[Maisy]

I’m in Tasmania. Maisy lives outdoors but I will bring her in and see how she goes. If she’s too scared in the house I might be able to put her in our shed or something and she might be happier there

[Roberta]

Tassie… OK… Is she vaccinated ? They are about to release a new strain of calicci virus down there and believe me, if she is not vaccinated you do not want her out of doors or any where that she can be bitten by fleas or mosquitoes. I know it’s hard and I understand it must be lovely to see her outside but I cannot let mine out either due to the Calicci and Myxo virus’, we can vaccinate for one but not the other so my only option is to keep them in.
Your temps are probably still temperate down there depending on whether your are in Hobart or Launceston.

[Maisy]

Hobart, it hasn’t been too bad lately the coldest it gets to at night is around 8 degrees ATM but tonight is quite mild. I wasn’t aware of the new strain of calicci, thanks for letting me know! She isn’t vaccinated at the moment, I’ve never had trouble with calicci virus before and I’ve had rabbits for a few years now. We don’t really get mosquitos that badly where I live and she’s got fly netting around her cage anyway.

[Roberta]

Hobart…. I lived there for 4 years, miss it soooo much. If they had employment there I never would have left once I was discharged from the army. I was living in Bellerive when I left. My Bedroom overlooked the river. If I ever win Lotto I am moving back. Possibly some nice little place on Mt Nelson or somewhere in Richmond.

[Maisy]

Bellerive is pretty I live in Kettering, It’s such a lovely place I love Tasmania

[Author]

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