Sneezy concerns

[kgNeville]

My lionhead Neville has been a bit sneezy again of late. He’s done it twice before in the past year and sneezed out a big white bogey, so each time I’ve taken him to the vet & they’ve prescribed a 5 day course of antibiotics just in case but always say his chest sounds clear. He’s been sneezing again, not a lot, and on Monday I had to fish out a big white bogey again but seen nothing since apart from the odd sneeze here & there. He needed his nails clipping so I took him along to the vets yesterday. I explained what had gone on & she (a different vet – never seen the same 1 twice! Not by choice either) had a good listen to his chest. She said it sounded clear and sent me on my way saying if he sneezed out another bogey to come back to them. I haven’t seen anything but he does sneeze every so often. He is moultin at the minute & it’s really warm so having to keep him in a cooler room through the day so didn’t know if the hair flying about everywhere or the heat could be affecting him. Really don’t know what to do – do I just play it by ear like the vet says? He absolutely hates the car & hates being picked up even more so every vet visit is a stress for all concerned! Ideas?

[RabbitPam]

Sneezing is not unusual, but a boogie is not something I’ve had happen, so I’m kind of surprised the vets are not very concerned. I would have guessed allergies, but they are the docs, not me. Maybe keep track of what’s going on around him when he sneezes like that. Is he breathing in something, like a cloth, or dust or litter? Is his fur blowing around – if so, you can comb and brush him to help the shedding stay away and get thrown out rather than piling up in his habitat. I would follow the vet’s advice for now.

[Stickerbunny]

Is this a rabbit savvy vet, or dog/cat vet that “sees rabbits”? You never getting the same vet twice makes me wonder, because typically a clinic only has 1-2 exotics vets and then the “regular” vets that aren’t qualified in exotics, never seen one with a full staff of exotics vets before.

How often is he sneezing? Is it daily? How long does he sneeze for? Does he have a discharge coming from his nose (runny nose from clear to milky white)? Have you requested a culture? Did they look in his nose to check for redness/irritation? Or did they JUST listen? When he’s on antibiotics, does he stop sneezing? Next time he blows out the white stuff, can you save it in a ziploc bag so they can see?

5 days is hardly enough to kick anything out of his system if he has a URI. And just because his chest sounds clear on a scope, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a bacterial infection. My bun gets discharge, sneezing fits, a red/irritated nose and gets to the point she’s sneezing so bad she chokes and her chest still sounds clear, which is all my vet wants to see her back in to check, because he said if she begins to have odd noises with her lungs then her infections will have gotten more serious than just refilling her prescription (2 weeks of antibiotics) every so often to combat the sneezing.

[jerseygirl]

5 days is hardly enough to kick anything out of his system if he has a URI.

Definitely agree. kgNeville, if your rabbit is to go on antibiotics again, a longer course is more appropriate.

Also, so you can best advocate for your rabbit, here’s a list if safe antibiotics:
http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm
And unsafe:
http://www.medirabbit.com/Unsafe_medication/dangerous_antibiotics.htm

I think warm weather can definitely cause chronic infections to flare up. So putting Neville in the cooler room will hopefully help.

Other then infection, it might be environmental irritant (like hay dust) or even something lodged in nasal passage like a grass seed.

[kgNeville]

The last couple of times when he’s been given the short course of baytril it’s stopped the sneezing. The last course he had was back in May. He’s still sneezing every now and again and when I briefly saw his paws as he was laid sleeping (it’s too cute how he lays on his side with his front paws crossed) the fur did look a little wet but his nose seems dry and I’ve not noticed any bogeys dince the initial one (although he’s not one for letting me see) I’ve moved him to a cooler room which he’s binkying atound as I type so hopefully that will do some good. I don’t know if it’s me being an overly anxious bunny mum or what, or if it’s the doubt about the vet when the others he’s seen gave him the baytril straight away. Really don’t know what to do for the best, it is stressing me out I will admit

[kgNeville]

Looks like I spoke too soon, had to clean his nose again last night. Not a lot but some all the same. Looks like another vet trip!

[Stickerbunny]

If he is having recurring URIs every few months, I would suggest the vet do a culture and request the next lot of antibiotics be a longer course. It could be whatever it is is being forced to go dormant with the 5 day treatment, but isn’t being completely kicked out of his system. Or, he could have something that can be treated but not really cured, in which case knowing will let you be able to more easily prepare and keep his symptoms under control.

I know it is frustrating to have them get sick so much. My bun Stickers has had 5 URIs since November, every few months her sneezing/discharge comes right back. My vet believes it is being caused by Pasturella (we haven’t run a culture yet), which is a bacteria many have in their system from when they are babies and most show no symptoms of, but some have their immune systems stop being able to handle it and they get sick. With a short (week) round of antibiotics, her sneezing always comes back much sooner than with the longer (2 week) run.

I hope your bun can be cleared up and get this to go away completely. Healing vibes to him!

[kgNeville]

Thanks for all your advice, he’s got an appointment with the vet Saturday morning. He’s still ok in himself it’s just he’s snuffly with a bit of a wet nose.

Fingers crossed she’ll have a proper look at him this time & and get this bout sorted. Will let you all know how he gets on 🙂

[LittlePuffyTail]

Good luck at the vet!!!

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