URI or something else

[ergodic]

So I got George (George about 3 months) and Gracie (about 8 months old at the time)  back in December both are indoor buns and are bonded. Both are holland lops George’s nose is a little more compact than Gracie’s though. George was sneezing, snoring, wet nose. January my vet (who is rabbit savvy) did a culture and put on trimethoprim sulfa, he showed signs of improvement snoring stopped a lot of the nasal discharge stopped. A week later my vet got the culture back there were to bacteria neither one was pasteurella. One was sensitive to the trimethaoprim and the other was sensitive to baytril. He was on both for a week or two, he was taken off the trimethoprim sulfa, however a week after he started developing clear discharge. We had him neutered while he was on the baytril and restarted the  trimethoprim just in case finishes both a week and a half later, still getting clear watery discharge from his nose off and on. While he was out I  had xrays done of him, nothing out of the ordinary.

Fast forward to April Gracie develops a bit or a runny nose, and George was being kind of grunty and still a little clear discharge, take them both to a emergency vet who are rabbit savvy, get a culture done on both of them George is put back on baytril. When I get back from the vet George nose is really runny but clear.

Gracie had two bugs one was sensitive to baytril and  the other intermediate sensitivity to baytril. George had enterobacteria (sp?) and staph, one sensitive to baytril the other intermediate sensitivity to baytril.  Have the culture tests sent to my vet. She recommends watching them both see if they improve. Gracie get’s better very quickly, George it takes a week, but the discharge subsides so I am not sure if it is the baytril or something else. Primary vet suggests putting him on booster concentrate (monolaurin). So after 2 weeks on baytril Gracie seems great except a little wheezy George seems great, but a little grunty so I take them in to my vet just to get them checked out. The vet gives Gracie the all clear say the wheezing is probably somewhat natural. Notices George has some discharge under his nose but not much. Take him home and his nose gets wet, a week later finish off the baytril for both. Next day George’s nose is wet clear watery discharge clean up their cage their both shedding George’s discharge subsides and I let my vet know. Vet looks over his xrays again. He was fine most of this week until Thursday night and his nose starts running very watery and clear again, yesterday night was bad but not as bad, and today almost nothing. He is normally very bright and happy except when he is really congested then he lays down and is like do not bother me till his nose clears up. When is sleeps he does not seem to have any issues.

I keep an air purifier running for them just but a new hvac system in with merv filter this week.

I am perplexed I think the vet is too, I told her I would like to try an antihistamine for George. The only thing I can figure is it is either a pollen allergy or something to do with the weather or a combination of the two. Thursday we had a cold front go through, and the day I took him the emergency vet we had a cold front go through. The weather here in Maryland has been strange, and we are in the middle of a very bad allergy season. It could be stress too I have had to move them for the installation of the hvac and going to the vet can be pretty stressful. However he was fine up until Thursday and he had been moved around quite a bit.

I think my vet does not want to put him on another antibody since he is pretty you,suggested a CT scan in case we missed something, the discharge has always been very watery and clear ,his teeth are fine, eyes are fine (knock on wood), which I am leaning towards. I asked her about a nasal blockage I have read that it can cause chronic nasal issue. However, the vet is not sure since she said she would expect a thicker mucus from his nose with a nasal blockage. The one thing I notice is his left nostril tends to have the worst of it, I am also thinking about getting a nasal flush but I am not sure.

Any ideas?

[Megabunny]

Wow! I have no idea but that’s some history! Sounds like the vets are being very thorough. Sorry I have nothing to add. Just wanted to send my sympathies. Sounds like quite a fiasco

[jerseygirl]

What about their immediate environment?

Do you use bedding? What type of litter?
Do they come out onto carpet or hard flooring?
Do you use air fresheners?

I hope you can get to the bottom of it. It sounds frustrating!

[ergodic]

Thank you both, it very frustrating. I am just lucky I am in area with so many good vets.

jerseygirl I am using Yesterday News, I found Carefresh to be a little too dusty. They normally eat oxbow pellets, and timothy hay, as well as American pet diner timothy.

I try to put towels down, but they are both shedding and their hair seems to set it off too. So I am using cardboard for their area and some cotton area rugs.

No air fresheners.

Luckily it seems he is feeling better today.

[ergodic]

Thank you both, it is frustrating

jerseygirl:
They were by a door and window, I had to moved them to one of the hallways for the time because if work being done, I moved them back by the window and noticed a lot of discharge so back to the hallway for the time being.

I use yesterday news with a layer of hay. For hay I use oxbow and American pet diner.

I was using towels, but they are both shedding, and the hair seems to irritate his nose. So I am using cardboard with some cotton rugs

No air fresheners.

He seems better tonight then last and yesterday was better than the night before.

[ergodic]

Quick update, George is at the vet today Gracie is with him for emotional support. He is getting a CT scan of his chest and head. He was really congested the past couple of days. However yesterday afternoon he was hoping up and down the stairs. He later sneezed up something this time it had white discharge about the like milk. After that the rest of the evening he was fine and even last night. This morning he sneezed twice one and discharge was clear, he seems much better after getting whatever it was out of his nasal cavity. Luckily he was already scheduled to go in for the CT scan.

[ergodic]

Another quick update, CT scan came back looking normal except for a lump under the chin which the vet think is just a lymph node, she checked him out yesterday after radiologist mentioned it during the scan. George look very good enjoying the cool basement, and he looks happy and eating and pooing after anesthesia. The vet did a deep culture but she said that she had difficulty since there was little mucus.She said it would probably grow something simply because how rabbits are. I asked her to send it off just in case he took a turn for the worst. The vet also recommended some eye drops just in case he has a blocked tear duct, she said if there is one then it is very minor since there is no discharge .So it looks like maybe allergies or weather or something environmental. I still wonder if maybe he had a piece of pellet stuck up his nose which he blew out finally. I am going to keep an eye on him and give updates if anything changes.

[Author]

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