HELP!!!!! DOING IT AGAIN!!!!!

[Caspar'sHome]

My 6 month old rabbit went to a new vet yesterday. An exotic vet. He went for ear wax removal and a nose check up.

Ever since i got him he has been doing these little puffing things, but it got progressively louder, but not too loud, a few days ago. So I took him to the vet. She didn’t see anything abnormal and did look in his nose and listen to his lungs and sinuses. He did the little sneezes a few times there and she heard and said its not normal but it’s not of concern. I didn’t make her do a bacteria test because she said it’d just be a waste of money because she doesn’t see or hear anything wrong with him. But today, the day after the vet visit, he just started constantly sneezing. Like every other minute/ time he gets up and moves. The vet said it could be dust or an anatomical malfunction in his nose such as an extra flap of tissue that blocks the nostrils sometimes, but the room isn’t very dusty (at least as far as I can tell). It sounds Iike a cough/sneeze. It’s not a full sneeze, but is loud too. I am seriously scared.

I can’t have a sick rabbit. I do not have the emotional strength to deal with it for the rest of his life. I feel sick and have seriously thought of rehomimg. I don’t want to lose him though. I just want to be able to cuddle and have fun with him. Not be at the vet every week.

Edit: he was on oflaxin ophthalmic with drops in both his eyes and nose every two hours. But that didn’t work.
I use pine pellets from the local feed store. I use Timothy hay. That may be dusty. It has a bunch of small pieces. And the food does have a strong smell. He sheds constantly. Could this be it? Should I try eliminating environmental factors or is this some kind of snuffle infection. Like pastuerella or another one?

Edit: see the last response on thread, it is by me telling about what is now going on

[Bam]

Try to eliminate as many environmental things as you can. I have Oxbow orchard and oat hay and it makes me sneeze less than timothy does, as weard at is might seem, bunnies actually can be allergic to timothy. If the pine pellets have a strong smell you can use Yesterday’s news or other paper-litter instead. What food is he getting?

He’s young, so his immune defense isn’t fully developped yet, so please don’t worry now about the future. There’s nothing that says he’ll need to have this all his life.

If it keeps up, you could call your vet and describe these sneeze-coughs and their frequency and ask if you can put him on Baytril (oral antibiotic), if it’s pasteurella or sth related, Baytril is effective against it.

Buns can have decongestants like bromhexidine, even antihistamines like benadryl for babies. Ask your vet about that. Both these meds are available OTC, but dosages needs to be adjusted to suit a bunny of course.

[Caspar'sHome]

He uses purina show for food. But I’m going to switch to all oxbow. Oxbow Natural Science, Oxbow Immune support treats, oxbow hay, and other oxbow toys and treats. I got yesterday’s news today so hopefully that will help

I emailed my vet and told her and she said that she could put him on penicillin injectible but it may not work as it doesn’t appear to be any sort of infection. I will do everything you said before I resort to this. Or should I get a nose endoscopy to look in his sinuses if environmental changes don’t help?

He acts normally still. Still runs and plays. He still poops, pees and eats normally. So it can’t be that bad. Just worries me sick. He’s sitting on my stomach as I type this

[Bam]

Make all the changes, then wait for a while since if it is an allergy or a hyper-sensitivity to dusty hay/scents etc, it takes a while before the mucosa calms down. Of course if you see white discharge around his nose or wet matted cheeks (can happen if a bun frequently tries to clean a runny nose with its fore-paws) or if he sits with his nose up in the air, esp if he then breathes through his mouth (telltale signs of respiratory distress) or he stops eating or pooping or sth like that, you must contact your vet again.

It’s good to change the show-food for Oxbow but do it slowly, little by little so his tummy doesn’t get a chock. Buns tummies can take quite some time to get used to healthier food. Never do radical changes, it can lead to the bunny losing its appetite and a bunny must eat almost all the time, as I’m sure you know.

I hope the changes you make will do the trick, since you have been to the vet and she doesn’t think there’s an infection. And keep us posted if you like, it’d be much appreciated.

[Caspar'sHome]

Thank you. I am just so worried. I just cannot handle another death of someone I am attached to. I do not want him to do this forever, because every time he does it, I get depressed. It then takes a while for me to get over it. I may be a bit overreactive but that’s just how I am.

Do you think the anatomical anomaly in his nose could be true?

I will definitely keep posting. I just don’t want to walk in one day and find him dead at 6 months old. That’s what I’m truly scared to death of.

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. So I eliminated the hay. I only give him a little at a time today. And a lot of lettuce though. I am ordering oxbow hay, or should I get the mini hay bales of oat/rye and another of orchard from binky bunny to mix in together. Is the binky bunny hay good? Should I do that? The oxbow is really expensive and small. But I’m getting the oxbow treats and food.

Anyway. Since I eliminated a lot of the hay, and switched the pine pellets to yesterday’s news, he has done the sneezing less frequently and less loud too. I also took the blankets out of there that I accidentally put softener in the washing machine with. I hope this is what’s helping and not that it’s just a coincidence. I want it to get 100 percent better. He still does the little puffs though. But he’s acting crazy as usual still. I’m hoping this is going to work

Should I get the binky bunny hay or spend the fortune on oxbow hay? Like I said, just the oxbow hay I’m questioning. I’m definitely getting oxbow food and oxbow treats.

Edit: Also, should I get the Oxbow Young Rabbit Essentials or the Oxbow Adult Essentials, or Oxbow Natural Science. My vet gave us samples of the adult essentials and the natural science and Caspar seems to like the natural science more, but that’s more expensive than the essentials. What should I get. He is 6 months. 7 months on May 14.

[Azerane]

You don’t need the young rabbit food since he is 6 months +, the adult food is best

It sounds like the changes may be helping, it may have even been the fabric softener that caused it. I’m not sure what hay you should get, both should be decent, but if you try one and don’t end up liking it, once you’ve used it up you can always try the other.

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. so I am getting the oxbow hay, I found it for cheaper on Pet Food Direct, listed on the oxbow website as a positive retailer. So I will get that, and I’m getting The natural science adult food, a box of immune support treats by oxbow, and some banana treats by oxbow.

I also would like to know whether or not I should try out a place near me that has hay. They are an outdoor retailer but there hay is kept in a barn and does not get sold moldy, they have Timothy, oat, and sometimes orchard. I will definitely not get Timothy though I’m gonna keep Timothy out of the house. It seems to bother my bun and it seems to bother my allergies as well. My room has been way fresher since I eliminated the Timothy hay and the pine pellet litter.

The place I’m taking about is $11-$14 for 50 lb bales, and I was wondering if it was worth a shot? It’s way cheaper than oxbow, so I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing. Also I’m thinking since its fresh cut that it would be better. What do you guys think? If you want to know the name of the farm I can gladly message it to you as to not break the rules of Binky Bunny forums.

[Bam]

I buy some hay locally that’s not Oxbow. It costs way less than Oxbow, but my problem is I can’t get local hay that isn’t a mix, so there’s always some timothy in it and that makes me both sneeze and cough =/

The important thing is that it is good quality i e not moldy. You should smell it, good hay has a pleasant smell. Hay for horses is fine, hay for cows are often (but not always) of poorer quality because cows are not as sensitive as horses and bunnies (cows process their food through many compartments before they absorb the nutrients.)

Edit: It is normal to be over-reactive after the loss of someone we love. After my bridge dog I was so super-sensitive to even the smallest signs of sth being wrong with any animal. I think that’s the way the brain tend to react if you are a sensitive person. Time and practice makes it better though, try not to let your head run off with you and make the most awful assumptions about the future and possible catastrophes that could be awaiting. Easier said than done, I know, and it does takes lots and lots of practice. It is worthwhile though. 

[Caspar'sHome]

OMG!!!!! He just did it again!!!
I just got done cutting his nails which he was very nervous about and I accidentally cut his quick. Only minor bleeding and I put a little corn starch on it to stop the bleeding as i don’t have styptic powder. I’m going to get it now. I thought I would be able to do t without accident but… GUESS NOT

Could the sneeze be from stress???

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. Could it be stress?? He hasn’t done it since I clipped his nails, but he still does really really soft blows from his nose. Not at all what it used to be. Very much better. Could that completely go away also??

His nose is damp still and gets worse when he has been hopping and binkying and then lays down and his whole body shakes to every breath he takes.
Is that bad?? But it doesn’t stay like that, it goes away when I blow the fan on him.

Also, since he’s stopped sneezing, he’s been totally new!!!! He’s been hopping and binkying much more and shaking his head when I “chase” and look at him, so cute. I also poke his bum and say, boop, in a higher pitched voice but not too high, and he runs and binkys and flips around 180 degrees to look at me

[Bam]

I’m really glad to hear he’s doing so much better! Binkying and all! I think the soft sneezes could completely go away, since you’bve only recently made all the changes. But if he has some anatomical malfunction of his nose, it might not. That on the other hand is not a disease, just sth that has to be managed, like you’re doing now, by adjusting his environment and types of hay/feed.

Perfectly healthy bunnies’ noses can very well be damp, since they only ever breathe through their noses. It depends on the humidity of the air they breathe in and on the humidity that is transported out of the lungs when they breathe out. The body gets rid of water via both the urine and the breath, and physical exercise generate extra body-heat + extra water. And some bunnies just have more damp noses than other bunnies.

Bunnies can breathe so their whole body shakes, but I don’t know why. I’ve seen it in my bun Yohio and there have been reports from many members that have seen this in their bunnies. It doesn’t seem to be a sign of any type of illness or health-problem.

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok Thanks!!!

I don’t know if I should make a new thread or if I should just ask now, but my rabbit won’t lick me. He will lick when I rub his ears and he only licks the floor and sometimes my hand if I put it under. Yesterday was an exception though. I had him in my chest while we were snuggling, and he licked my face and lips after 10 minutes of petting. Then when I stopped petting, he stopped licking.

I don’t think he thinks he’s dominant as he gives into my commands and follows me around and stuff. He doesn’t nudge me either. I put my hand on his back and “pull” him over to me. I just slide him across the floor and he flops down next to me. Then we cuddle for a while until I stop petting for a few seconds and he thinks that’s the end of the session. But I don’t want it to be!!! Anyway, is there a way I can get hi, to groom me to show me he loves me?i feel left out of a lot of other rabbit owners as I am probably the only rabbit owner here who has one rabbit and that they don’t lick. All I see when I google search why won’t my rabbit kick me is “Why is my bunny licking me?” Or “why won’t he stop licking me? He’s obsessed!!!!” In articles and threads on here and other sites. I feel so jealous.
Can you help me get him to be affectionate????

[Jessica]

For my lop, it depends on her moods and it’s normally after I’ve petted her for a few she’ll lick me back. Until she got over her shyness of me, she wouldn’t lick my hand or leg. I think he will in time, sweetie. But you know he’s happy tho cause he doing binkies don’t worry.

[MiNinoJack]

Many, if not most bunnies do not lick or groom their humans, although your rabbit may do it in time. Different rabbits have different personalities. When I adopted my boy and he began to groom me the person who runs the rescue told me I had a very special rabbit since he loved to lick and groom me since most rabbits don’t do that.

[Caspar'sHome]

Thanks for your responses on that question!!!

Back to the little sneezes, he did one today total, and that got me depressed again about this. I want a normal and healthy bunny. I want like you see in the videos like 101Rabbits on YouTube and other rabbit channels. I want him to be normal like them. I know that mocha has health issues, but he doesn’t sneeze like my bunny does and Mocha is aging and stuff

What do I do??
I want to get another rabbit to be his friend too but don’t want that rabbit sneezing too

[MiNinoJack]

My bunny sneezes at least once a day. He lives on the floor and no matter how much a vacuum there is dust. Bunnies sneeze sometimes, and it’s ok. My vet says he’s just fine. If your bunny is happy, eating and pooping he’s fine.

[Theodorusrex]

If your rabbit is healthy, but has sneezes as his little quirk – as long as it’s not caused by an underlying health condition, which it seems like it’s not, all you can do is love and accept your bunny for who he is – not for the bunny you want him to be. Be thankful he’s a happy, healthy, binkying bunny

If you do get him a friend, as long as there’s nothing contagious about his sneezes, which as i already said, there doesn’t seem to be there is no reason why the new bunny will also sneeze.

Theo does groom me, but I’ve had him for 5 months and he has only started in recent weeks. I don’t know how long you’ve had your bun but it may just take time, or it may be that he’s just not a groomer.

[Bam]

Totally agree about the sneezing! There doesn’t seem to be an illness behind it. maybe he just has a little sensitive nasal mucosa, just like some people and some dogs can have. Sensitivity to dust and odors is not uncommon and it’s of course not an illness.

You haven’t had your bun for a very long time, so you and he don’t really know each other yet. It’s a bit too soon to expect him to be like a bunny you’ve seen on YouTube. It generally takes a good long while to really become friends with a bunny. You need to figure out his personality, he needs to figure out yours. Bunnies are sceptical by nature since there are so many predators that want to eat them. It took a long time before my Yohio ever licked my hand, and he only does it when I have pet him for several minutes. But he sleeps at the foot-end of my bed and he loves cuddling. So there can be love even if your bun isn’t a licker. Buns have lots of personality and one bun isn’t like the other. Becoming friends with a bunny requires patience.

[Caspar'sHome]

HELP!!!!! He’s doing it a lot right now and it’s the same loudness as it was. I’m scared. I put orchard grass in instead of Timothy, and that’s when it started. It started up today only. Can he live without hay???? Or is there a good no dust hay you know of??

And I mean it’s a real sneeze at least once or twice every 4 minutes

Edit: I just flipped him over to check his nose, there was a little red in it but I think it was a piece of red pepper because I kept moving his nose and it went away, and then I looked down at his chin and on the right side of his mouth on his cheek and under his chin was a bright neon yellow wet spot. I didn’t notice it earlier but then I gave him vegetables. That’s when he really started the sneezing. Then since I flipped him over he had the yellowish green wet spot. I checked all the vegetables by splitting them and putting some of its juice onto a white paper towel, but it didn’t turn it yellow. Could lettuce, red sweet pepper, or celery cause a bright neon yellow green wet spot on his mouth??? (Not his nose). But I am truly scared right now. Very very scared. Just when it stopped it just came back. I can’t believe this. I cant do anything if he’s sick. My mom won’t let me take him to the vet any more as I’ve already spent $400 in the first 3 months. What is causing this????? Or at least what could be causing this again??? The sneezing not the yellow, the first time the yellow has occurred

[Bam]

Please don’t panic. It won’t help him and it won’t help you. If he keeps sneezing, call your vet on Monday when they open. Until then there’s very little you can or need to do if he’s still alert, still eating, still no thick white snot or difficulty breathing. (A bunny that has difficulty breathing looks distressed, sits with his nose pointing up in the air and might also breathe through his mouth. That’s an emergency.)

There are hay-cubes that are virtually dust-free. It’s not a great replacement for long-stranded hay, but it can be used as complimentary food.

Above all now, don’t let your fears run away with you. Your bun picks up on your fear, buns are super-perceptive. Try to breathe calmly, go and make yourself a cup of tea and drink it. Everything gets worse when you get all riled up and I’m not just saying this, I know this from experience.

Edit: many bunnies are sloppy eaters and it’s very common that they get juice from their veggies on them, around the mouth and on their cheeks. It think that is what you are seeing. Many veggies have multiple pigments in them, f ex dandelion has a bright red pigment that you don’t see until the bunny pees very red pee. The yellow can be from veggie juice mixed with saliva and then air getting to it. I’d not worry a lot about that. 

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. Thank you.

My mom brought up a good point. Every time he does that, he gets attention from me. I run to his side and pet him and investigate him and hold him tight and lovingly praying to God. She said that he may be doing it as a mechanism to get my attention because I run to his side everytime he does it? Could that be valid? I called two emergency vets and they said that It sounds very much like allergies as my vet that I took him to last Tuesday the 19th. He didn’t have any signs of any infection and such, and it went away when I gave him little bunches of hay at a time and shook it out, and replaced the pine pellets with yesterday’s news. I didn’t do that with this orchard grass I just got yesterday. It is oxbow so I am surprised. I think I will try to give him little tiny bunches at a time again and see if that helps. The emergency vet techs said it could be the juices from veggies on his chin as well.

And I didn’t panic in front of him. I went downstairs and outside to freak out. Did your bunny ever do the sneezing?

Edit: I just walked back into my room and there is a strong, head aching smell of hay and possibly pollen and other bad strong smells. It could be that too. I’m gonna clean and see if it helps as well

[Bam]

My bunny Bam has sneezed occasionally. Once I had to throw out a whole bag of hay because it clearly was that, it was dusty.

Bunnies can do things for attention, it’s fex not uncommon that they thump their feet like they were very scared just to get the human to go over and give them a treat (yep, my bunny Bam did that – at 3 am in the mornings. When I stopped fussing over him, he stopped thumping.)

It does seem likely that he has an allergy. I’m glad you have your mother there and that you could call 2 vets and ask and that they said the same thing both of them.

It’s not at all easy when you get very scared, the problem is your brain can’t function properly when you get seriously afraid. That’s why you should try and breathe deeply and focus your attention on some practical task.

[Caspar'sHome]

TELL ME ABOUT IT
I was here looking up pet funeral homes and cremation services and researching how to cope with death because I was fearing the worst. I need to learn to stop!!! Did you ever act like me? How did you get over it or how can I get over it if it never happened to you?

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. So it is definitely the hay. I just searched through it and began sneezing 4 times in a row. It hurt too. I then saw a branch and pulled out a branch of some kind of plant with thousands of little tiny dusty leaves like the ones you see on the top of those plants with the brown hot dog looking things at the top. Cattail. That’s what it is. It looks just like a cattail except green, dead, and very dusty. I mean very very dusty. I’m calling oxbow right now

Edit: just kidding oxbow is closed now. But I’m gonna call on Monday. Maybe they’ll give me a refund? It was 30 bucks for this waste of hay.

[Bam]

Don’t look up funeral homes! I know you want to plan ahead for the worst just so it won’t hurt so much if it happens, but that’s really not a good way. All it does is make you feel terrible, it doesn’t prepare you in any good way, it just exhausts you, and when the bad thing you fear doesn’t happen, like it most often doesn’t, you’ve wasted a lot of time and energy being sick with worry over nothing.

I’ve been in therapy for my anxiety, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), and it really has helped a huge lot.

[Bam]

You can call or e-mail Oxbow if you are unhappy with their products. I don’t know if they give refunds though, but they are a reputable company.

It sounds like it is the hay. That’s good, all things considered!

I’m going to bed now, it’s nearly 1 am here. I hope you’ll get some rest now after this ordeal!

[Caspar'sHome]

Ok. Thanks.

When you wake up in case you read this, I just got off the phone with the company I ordered it from, and they gave me a full refund, no send back so I just need the throw it out, and I ordered a *small* bag of Oat Hay by Oxbow. So they will give me back 20 dollars because the oat was 10.

Have a great night!!!

[Author]

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