Frequent Sneezing – what else can I do?

[Kadam]

Hello, my bunny, Nahla has Snuffles. This is the second reoccurrence. The first time started when I heard ‘snuffle’ sounds coming from her which sounded like congestion or a pigeon cooing while she ate or groomed. Her eyes were red and there was some sneezing (sometimes a fit, sometimes just a few every ten minutes or so) with some discharge. I took her to the vet and she gave me a 10 day prescription for Baytril. Nahla’s symptoms left, we finished the ten day course but then a few days later the cooing came back, followed by red eyes and the sneezing again.

I went back to the vet and she told me that the Baytril course was probably not long enough, so now we’re back on but this time for 20-25 days. Nahla loves her meds (the baytril is disguised in a strawberry syrup that the doctor gave me!) but it’s been about 6 days in and my little bun just won’t stop sneezing.

What can I do?? It breaks my heart to hear and see her sneeze. She is otherwise acting normal- likes to play outside her cage, grooms a lot, but it is always interrupted by sneezing and her trying to wipe her face.

We used to have wood shavings in her cage but have switched over to using towels to line her cage since the first time she had snuffles. I’ve been filtering her hay by shaking out any of the little bits before putting it her cage. We have hardwood floors and use rug/mats when she is out and that gets shaken out.

I would love any advice please, when will the Baytril kick in and relieve the sneezing? Anything I can do besides wait? Thank you

[Sarita]

I would suggest the vet do a culture to see what is causing the infection. Snuffles really isn’t an actual medical term – it’s pretty much a catch all term for an upper respiratory infection and most vets assume it to be pasturella – which it may be but it could be a variety of other bacteria that the baytril is not sensitive too – if you have the vet do a culture then you can see what the bacteria is and what medications will be most effective.

[Stickerbunny]

“Snuffles” is a generic term, usually meaning a upper respiratory infection, or a bacterial infection causing cold-like symptoms. My Stickers had it and it went away with a week of baytril. But, my vet warned us that baytril may not even work and there were two other treatment options – one he personally wouldn’t use, because it involved a medicine he didn’t approve of due to side effects, if it did not clear it up. And if the baytril is going to work on your baby, stopping at 10 days and then it coming back, it’s like her having it fresh all over again so you can’t count the first treatment. Give it the 20 day cycle and see how it goes, then discuss further treatment with the vet. Wood shavings are notoriously bad for giving them respiratory issues, so I am not surprised it would take a longer anitbiotic cycle. Did the vet do a bacterial culture of her nose to see exactly what she had, or just treating with the broad antibiotic based on the symptoms?

[Kadam]

Hello, thank you for the quick replies. Yes, my ‘rabbit-savvy’ vet (supposed one of the best exotic vets in my city) indeed called it Pasturella and physically examined my bun (only the first time) and no, she did not do a culture. She did tell me that if this specific antibiotic (Baytril) doesn’t work, we could always try other ones. I am surprised to hear that a culture should be done first on a rabbit, as the vet did not take one from Nahla the day I took her in for an exam.

Stickerbunny, yes, my vet had told me to stick it out and continue the course for 20 days and to call her back then but I am just concerned as there is still sneezing in Nahla. Yes, the latter, she looked at Nahla, let me tell her about her symptoms, did NOT do a culture but prescribed Baytril anyway. I will call today and ask about doing a culture. Thank you!

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